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The first impression after hearing the latest proposal of Beauty of Gemina formation - Ghost Prayers albums are colored in white-red-blue, featuring 50 stars. Album so strongly refers to the classic country music culture that sometimes you can take the Swiss for native Americans. It’s an undeniable change in the creativity of Beauty Of Gemina – it’s far less electronic, the emphasis is more on the natural sound of the guitars. Let's take a look at individual songs.

The first item served to us, One Million Stars, greets with strong drums, not that sophisticated guitar and distinctive vocals of Michael Sele. Fast track with interesting lyrics is a good choice for the opening of the album. However, the second proposition, All Those Days, is not much different from the previous one. Almost the same rate, similar tone... It's hard to say that boredom definitely showed up there, looking at the first two songs, but their similarity makes them hardly distinguishable, and thus - not so easy to remember. In bridge there is a faint flicker of electro - too faint, however, to draw special attention to it and say that this song is different from the others in any way.
  Hundred Lies is a calmer composition, giving us back what Beauty of Gemina is the best - climate, peace, wisdom, purity of vocals and beauty of lyrics. However, in Dancer Of A Frozen Lake the known monotonous beat returns, although the vocals are still slow and melodic. In the long run the nasal sound of Michael Sele’s vocals may seem a bit tedious - but mainly due to that Beauty of Gemina has so many fans, so everyone should form their own opinion.
  Run Run Run is a bit more similar to their earlier achievements. More electronics, energy, multiplied vocals... This is definitely one of the strongest positions on the list. On the other hand, Down By The Horses is as much USA as it only could get. Beauty of Gemina is known for their inspirations taken from various sources, but isn’t this one too strong? Associated with the track list of any truck driver traversing the endless deserts of Mexico and Texas. If not for the beautiful lyrics, the song would not defend itself. The music is so familiar, so unleavened that impossible to swallow.
  Then again, When We Know is a beautiful, atmospheric ballad with a light guitar, no beat, but the mesmerizing voice of Michael Sele and delicate suggestion of strings in the background (probably synthetic, but so quiet that it’s difficult to hear). Obviously, the album has to be well balanced and cannot contain too many ballads - but it’s a shame that on this album there are so few, because they are the band’s greatest asset. Dragon begins gently only to bring the familiar rhythm and pace, but this time with a slight suggestion of waltz. This track is also a worthy child of Beauty of Gemina - good inspiration, catchy rhythm, nice lyrics, great vocals and the atmosphere.... And I Wish I Could Die, Time For A Heartache and Mariannah are the progressive trio, increasing the pace, the climate and the amount of performing means, without giving up everything that we have already heard. Unfortunately, except for the lyrics the three don’t vary from one another enough to be possible to evaluate which one is better - which will be remembered or the contrary. They are disturbingly similar. To songs like those we listen on the radio while driving and when the driver tells us who made them - already at this point we don’t remember what it was.
  Darkness, however, the third of slow songs, saves the album’s closure. Gentle but touching piano, delicate guitar, slowly added other musical means, vocals almost like sound patches that don’t come to the foreground. A very good decision concerning the choice of the last track on the album.

Summing up, the latest album of Beauty of Gemina is a bit too monotonous - there is nothing in it that you wouldn’t know from their earlier achievements, hell! it seems that it’s slightly below their capabilities. It’s uncertain whether this simple rhythms can be treated as an inspiration / reference / tribute to the classics of the genre like Sisters of Mercy, but what worked in the past does not necessarily work today. However, Beauty of Gemina are known for their excellent live shows, as we could see during last year's Castle Party. Do songs from Ghost Prayers defend themselves at every concert? Dates of tours are listed on the band's official website:

http://www.thebeautyofgemina.com


Tracklist:

01. One Milion Stars
02. All Those Days
03. Hundred Lies
04. Dancer Of A Frozen Lake
05. Run Run Run
06. Down By The Horses
07. When We Know
08. Dragon
09. I Wish You Could Die
10. Time For A Hearthache
11. Mariannah
12. Darkness

Other articles:

• Castle Party 2018 - 2018-07-25 (Live reports)
• M'era Luna 2014 - 2014-12-02 (Live reports)
• Amphi Festival 2013 - 2013-10-02 (Live reports)
• Castle Party 2013 - 2013-08-29 (Live reports)
• The Beauty of Gemina - The Myrrh Sessions - 2013-03-11 (Music reviews)
• Nocturnal Culture Night 2012 - 2013-01-14 (Live reports)
• M'era Luna 2012 - 2012-09-29 (Live reports)
• The Beauty of Gemina - Iscariot Blues - 2012-03-01 (Music reviews)
• M'era Luna 2011 - 2012-02-22 (Live reports)
• Shadowplay Festival 2011 - 2011-08-04 (Live reports)

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