Tvangeste
Firestorm

August 2004
Released: 2004, Neoblast Records
Rating: 2.5/5
Reviewer: Waspman

Some things just drive me insane. You’d think this would lead me into a tirade on Prussia’s Tvangeste and their new album FIRESTORM, and you’d be right, but only indirectly. The thing that pisses me right off is the fact that this CD has been getting rave reviews all across the internet, and for the life of me I can’t see why. Half of the time the reviews are wildly incorrect. In fact, our own JP is the only one that I’ve read who has described the band’s music accurately (despite the fact that he likes it – hahahaha). Black metal? My ass. Therion? Not even close. Innovative? Bullshit I say.

Now, that’s not to say that Tvangeste is actively bad per se. It’s just that they don’t do anything that is particularly memorable or inventive. Yes, the album features the Baltic Symphony Orchestra, and the Prussian Chamber Choir, plus a bevy of keyboards, female vocals, and the band’s own flutist and violinist. Well, I’m sorry but it takes more than that to stand out if all you’re going to do is rip-off Cradle of Filth (Dani Filth should sure for the blatant plagiarism going on with the vocals) and Dimmu Borgir. I think my main problem is that despite all of the fancy guest appearances, you can’t tell that they are there! I’d wager that there is nothing on this album that couldn’t have been done on keyboards alone. That’s the problem of both the paper-thin production and the band’s own weak composition skills. Too bad I guess.

That being said, there are some good songs on here: “Fire in our Hearts”, “Under the Black Raven’s Wings” being just two. But a radio edit of “…Raven’s Wings”?!?!? Come on. Get a grip on reality folks. I don’t think Top 40 radio is going to be throwing on FIRESTORM any time soon.

In the end this has to go down as a botched experiment that could have been so much more. As it is, this is simply a tired and tiring disc that fails to come even close to the bands it so obviously wants to be.