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“Silence Within,” the most recent offering from the promising young Finnish band Miseria, carries a sound that can best be described as melodic metal with some folk and gothic touches. The band had previously released a couple of demos and “Silence Within” recorded at Fantom Studio by Samu Olttinen, while not a full offering, is a mini CD containing five songs plus a bonus. Interestingly enough, Miseria is made up of three women and two men, utilizing the vocal talents of Virpi Äkkinen and Joni Kantoniemi who alternate on these songs.
When first hearing this band, one is tempted to make the obvious comparison to Nightwish; however, to call them a clone would be unfair. Like Nightwish however, one of the bands greatest strengths lies in the female- fronted vocals. There is no question that Virpi Äkkinen has an absolutely gorgeous voice, and her singing is simply mesmerizing at times. As her vocals come in on the opening title track, a listener cannot help but be captivated, as the singing simply demands your attention. Joni Kantoniemi is no slouch either, and the two work well together. The band also does a nice job of creating an atmosphere to its music. The keyboard work on songs such as “Whispering Cry” or “Soulbound” reminds me of Amorphis on "Tales from The Thousand Lakes" in the sense that it creates a mysterious surrounding background (an aura that ties in well with the creepy cover art) to the music, and all of the songs are of a high quality.
Miseria seem to be up and coming musicians, capable of writing good songs. While it may be hard for me to recommend this disc due to its length, it’s still an enjoyable listen, and gothic metal fans may want to check it out. Ultimately, I look forward to seeing if they can put together a full CD of music.
| Tracklist |
| 1. Silence Within |
| 2. Whispering Cry |
| 3. Myself To Seal |
| 4. Soulbound |
| 5. Into Despair |
: 22.39
| Buy other Miseria albums |
