Eternal Tears Of Sorrow – Saivon Lapsi

Releasedate: 25-02-2013; Label: Massacre Records
By: Martine Goffard

“Saivon Lapsi” is the seventh album of the Finnish band Eternal Tears of Sorrow. Their music is quite indefinable. It appears first like another doom-death band with a progressive touch and it evolves into a cheesy gothic, power metal style. If you are not familiar with the band, you will be a bit disconcerted as this evolution tends to destroy the atmosphere you put yourself into in the beginning. As music is 100% emotions, this impression that you do not really know what you should feel is perturbing and I think it may prevent you to enjoy intensely this good album. So a good counsel: do not trust the gloomy cover!

This being said, Saivon Lapsi has no flaw in its musical composition. The playing is impeccable and you can just appreciate how the voice pass from the harsh growls to the clear male voice. They even sing some parts in Finnish. The band uses different choir effects, from the religious choir of angels to the aggressive, warrior-style male choir. The Saivo intro is pompous with a cathedral effect and a very dark electro background. It’s followed by the energetic and very heavy Dark Alliance. In every song there is a perfect harmony between the instruments. It flows like clear water. We have to draw your attention on Kuura, which is an instrumental interlude, all played on acoustic guitar. It’s gloomy, melodic and just superb. It’s with Sound of Silence that the album changes radically. This song is the classic symphonic power metal ballad. We have all the ingredients: the female duo, the magic piano with flying notes like petals of love and the powerful guitar solo. No goose bumps but it’s still a beautiful song. The rest of the album stays on the same note, symphonic and glittering, up to the fantastic ending. Angelheart Ravenheart closes “Saivon Lapsi” in an epic explosion of sounds. This seventh opus has as much subtlety as a moose charge but should please all the fans of Finnish symphonic metal!

Line up:
Altti Veteläinen – Vocals, Bass
Jarmo Kylmänen – Clean vocals
Jarmo Puolakanaho – Guitars
Mika Lammassaari – Guitars
Janne Tolsa – Keyboards
Juho Raappana – Drums

Tracklist: 01. Saivo 02. Dark Alliance 03. Legion of Beast 04. Kuura 05. Dance of December 06. The Day 07. Sound of Silence 08. Beneath the Frozen Leaves 09. Swan Saivo 10. Blood Stained Sea 11. Angelheart, Ravenheart (Act III: Saivon Lapsi)

Links:
Eternal Tears Of Sorrow Facebook