Dismal Euphony  ‘Autumn Leaves’
Napalm , 1997
Lord Pale :
Dismal Euphony play gothic heavy metal with both male and female vocals . The male vocal delivery comes in the form of a blackend rasp , doomy growls , and deep distorted spoken passages , whilst female singer Keltziva though powerful seems to have been chosen for her aesthetic qualities rather than her vocal prowess . Another good looking female handles the keyboards ( although this time fairly well ) and you can’t help but wonder whether this is some sort of lame marketing ploy on behalf of the band to make up for a lack of talent as Keltziva appeared very much nude on their debut ‘Soria Moria Slott’ . Heavy guitar riffs storm alongside interesting synth arrangements occasionally thinning out into softer elements of acoustics . For the most part there is some interesting riffs and keys on here but the songs are essentially disjointed and patchy except for perhaps ‘In Remembrance Of A Shroud’ which sound a little like Gehenna in its faster moments . Apart from that only one other song makes any lasting impression and that is ‘Splendid Horror’ which incorporates an industrial element into the bands sound which is a welcome addition to be explored . Aside from this Autumn Leaves is a rather dull album that lacks memorable material and talented band members .
Favourite Tracks – In Remembrance Of A Shroud , Splendid Horror , Carven
Mark – 5/10


Dismal Euphony  ‘All Little Devils’
Nuclear Blast , 1999
Lord Pale :
Another album , more crap artwork . The two previous draw cards for Dismal Euphony ( the hot chicks ) have departed and are replaced by a far less pleasing to the eye female vocalist who at times sounds like The Cranberries singer , so the band must now rely on the music they write . The good thing is however that the band have stepped up and written a far more heavy and structure album with flowing versus and catchy chorus’ . Even the annoying female vocals tend to grow on the listener after a few listens as it becomes apparent that whilst she is not artistically adept , she suits the album which proves that Dismal Euphony are at least attempting to address their previous flaws . The male vocals are delivered in a blackmetal rasp this time around and intertwine better with the female vocals thanks to the chunky simpler riffs and more prominent drum work . What really kills All Little Devils however is the childish immaturity of the lyrics and the lame spoof horror band photos which seriously damage any credibility the band may havemustered from this release . Overall a potentially decent album spoilt by a poor image and concept .
Favourite Tracks – Psycho Path , Days Of Sodom , Rage Of Fire
Mark – 6/10
Official Website
Dismal Euphony