60%

"Nigredo" was my beginning with "Diary of Dreams". I clearly remember the moment when for the first time I have listened to that album. Accompanying tension, anxiety, goose skin and feeling of drowning in sounds that brilliantly started the record. I had a feeling then that my soul was about to be torn to pieces, and the limp body will find comfort in the cold darkness dripping from the speakers. Every time I delight with this album and it is a record which willingly is used to test the  audiophile equipment of my friend. Each song carries a riddle, and listener in a stupor is waiting for what comes next. All those feelings still come back to me every time I turn on phenomenal "Nigredo"...

With some anxiety I took therefore for listening the new album from Diary of Dreams. Previous album "Ego:X" (I omit the acoustic album "The Anatomy of Silence" and a compilation of old songs "Dream Collector II") was not in my liking. It was repeatable and except good "Echo in me" I have not found anything on it that would stop me from pretty fast putting the album on the shelf.
"Elegies of Darkness" after one hearing did not raise any emotions either. Adrian’s recipe for the record is a replication of previous ideas without major changes in style. I would not be surprised if it was the music of a young band copying the style of Diary of Dreams, but from the leading representative of the dark wave genre I expect greater ingenuity. Several songs are inspired by earlier hits which for me is a sign of the desert of the ideas which reached Hates. I will mention as an example two similarities: "Stummkult" is a copy of the idea from ​​"Giftfraum", and "House of Odds" recalls strikingly "The Wedding". Trips towards Blutangel in "Dream of a Ghost" or "Dogs of War" are not in my liking at all and I hope that this is not a trend but merely an accident. Maybe to the candy like songs from Mr. Chris Pohl still remained a few steps but I would prefer that Hates even does not think about such a "development" at all.
Undoubtedly the darkest (a praise for dark music!) element of the album is "Mythology of Violence". The song kept in a fixed classical style of Diary of Dreams is ear catching without merry sounds in the style of a bloody angel and unnecessary sugar. The sweetness and sugar would be better where they belong - on donuts.
Important note: this song is only on the extended version of the album and the two other bonuses are also pretty decent. I do not know if it was intentional marketing trick or maybe completely random selection because such selection is weird. It would be worthy to still pay attention to the "Luxury of Sanity" and the well beginning "Daemon". These are already in the basic version.
Lyrics on the record are not even closer to the excellence of "The Curse" but they are still sad and depressing, and to that we have become accustomed by DoD. Also the cover of the album is consistent. All records have a homogenous graphic design - still the same white font and a panoramic view. Dark picture for the version without bonuses reminds me of the graphics from S. Dali "Tree of Life" and it is definitely better than the one with pasted in Photoshop black rose for the expanded album.
Album generally is a little boring and after a few days of listening to "Elegies of Darkness" I had a revelation, why musically this material is just vague. I miss decent drums with a real drummer. Similarly, like driving a car with an automatic gearbox - it is comfortable, but without a manual finesse - nothing happens. A couple of better tracks from the album in a more angry arrangement (solid drums, powerful guitar) undoubtedly would improve their qualities.

In conclusion: do you remember the assessment of behavior in an elementary school? What it was for all those who have not had all fives, but have collected a lot of recycled paper? Correct!
Adrian Hates gathered up enough recycled paper to assess correct note, but I would not award a model student badge for this record. At the end I remind everyone that in September there will be another concert of DoD in Poland. For sure we will again have fun with "The Curse", "The Plague" or "Kindrom" but I think few fans will demand pieces from the latest release.

Tracklist:

01. Malum
02. The Luxury of Insanity
03. StummKult
04. Dogs of War
05. A day in December
06. A dark Embrace
07. The Game
08. Dream of a Ghost
09. Daemon
10. House of Odds
11. The Battle
12. Die Gassen der Stadt
Bonus-Tracks (this limited digiBox edition only):
13. Mythology of Violence
14. An empty House
15. Remedy Mine

 

Other articles:

• Castle Party 2017 - 2017-07-23 (Live reports)
• Nocturnal Culture Night 2013 - 2013-12-07 (Live reports)
• M'era Luna 2012 - 2012-09-29 (Live reports)
• Castle Party 2011 - 2012-02-18 (Live reports)
• Interview with Diary Of Dreams - 2011-08-28 (Interviews)
• Shadowplay Festival 2011 - 2011-08-04 (Live reports)
• Castle Party 2009 - 2009-10-20 (Live reports)
• Diary Of Dreams - If - 2009-08-03 (Music reviews)
• Neuwerk Festival 2008 - 2009-02-08 (Live reports)
• Diary of Dreams - 2008-07-08 (Live reports)

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