Elandor – Dark Asylum

Releasedate: 04-05-2012; Label: Echozone
By: Martine Goffard

Dark Asylum is the third album of the band Elandor, that started in 2008 as a solo project of Markus Kühnel. After the release of the two first albums, the guitarist Daniel Hawranke and the drummer Jan Ulzhöfer joined him.

The music is a bit hard to describe as they have been classified in various categories: alternative rock/rock punk/gothic/electro. It’s hard to believe that this album is brand new as this production is pure old 90’s style. First with the kitsch keyboard, then with Markus impressive voice range that can be clear and high on some songs and low and dark on others, which will remind you of some old Depeche Mode or Lacrimosa.
Dark Asylum starts with an atmospheric and melancholic intro, created with rain drops and ghostly murmurs. There are a lot of feelings in the songs. They talk about lost love and memories of the past like on Goodbye or about the death and eternity like on Heart of Darkness. Dark Asylum could have been a gloomy and tragic album if it wasn’t for this overly present keyboard that gives a joyful tone on all and cover the sound of the guitar. At a point that every catchy guitar solo appears as a benediction. The songs are full of rhythm and fantasy; the lyrics are either in English or in German. A nice surprise is the women choir on Schönheit, which increases the mystical effect and gives a sensual touch.
A note on the album cover. We can see the mutilated back of a woman pulled tight in a red corset and a butterfly of light escaping in the black background. The mix of the colors is particularly artistic and corresponds to the atmosphere of Dark Asylum.

Line up :
Markus Kühnel – Vocals
Daniel Hawranke – Guitar
Jan Ulzhöfer – Drums, synthesizer
Andy Lösch – Bass

Links:
Elandor Facebook