Tacere - A Voice In The Dark (EP)
Suomen Musiiki Oy
Gothic Metal
5 songs (20:59)
Release year: 2006
Tacere, Suomen Musiiki Oy
Reviewed by Ken
Surprise of the month

In the last few years gothic metal has been somewhat thrust into the mainstream spotlight with bands like Within Temptation, Lacuna Coil, Nightwish, and Evanescence. Yes, not all are traditional gothic metal bands, but they are enough for the mainstream to sink its talons into and tout as such. Because of this we’ve been bombarded with band after band after band of this style, or a style close enough to the real thing; and with so many of those bands being watered-down versions of the genuine article, the sponge is heavy, the saturation complete. A long while ago the honeymoon was over; however, that hasn’t stopped the onslaught.

So here we have Tacere, a new gothic metal band hailing from Finland—and making quite a name for themselves in the metal-friendly country. Stylistically, Tacere are very similar to Sirenia—excluding the pop-driven, void-of-anything-remotely-heavy new album, Nine Destinies And A Downfall—and mid-era Tristania. Originality isn’t something you’re going to find on A Voice In The Dark, but I think their dynamic approach is a bit different and refreshing. The band likes to shift through unexpected musical landscapes, slightly progressive in nature; a typical verse-chorus-verse style is all but absent, at least in the sense of the musical landscape.

A radio edit of “A Voice In The Dark” opens the EP. It begins with some acoustic work layered with a delicate female voice courtesy of the boner-inspiring—it’s a joke, folks; a joke!—Helena Haaparanta. The song shifts into a heavy, slow, pounding rhythm before sliding back in with the mellow acoustics for the verse; and, then, the pre-chorus hits with a brutal male growl, a big, hook-laden chorus follows featuring both female and Ville Laihiala-like (Sentenced) male vocals. “Excursion” is listed as the “dramatic version,” it’ll be on their upcoming full-length, Beautiful Darkness, due February 2007, but the difference between the two is unknown at this point. “Excursion” hits with a lot more weaponry than the opening track: heavy riffing, double bass, heavier male vocals, some death metal moments; all shifting seamlessly without appearing structured to do so.

“Autum Rain, Part I: I Have No Soul” and “Autumn Rain, Part II: Another World” are up next. Part I starts with some rain and atmospherics before kicking into a slow- to mid-paced pattern, one that doesn’t find itself too heavy, but does manage to capture enough emotion to feel heavy. Part II starts off in a similar state, but with acoustics and clean singing, and ends up being very similar in style to Part I. The EP closes with a killer demo version of “Born Of The Ground,” a fast, brutal, and beautiful track, one that should prove to be outstanding in a finished studio form.

So why should you bother spending money on Tacere, importing this EP from Finland, when there are so many bands of this style already available? Perhaps you like great music? It’s true, Tacere are not doing something you haven’t heard before; but they are doing it better than most. That should count for something. In fact, that should count for everything. A Voice In The Dark is an outstanding EP, one that currently sits high upon the towering mountains of countless other gothic metal bands.

p>MP3: I Devour (from Beautiful Darkness) and The Black Roses Have Died (Demo)

VIDEO: A Voice In The Dark (EP Trailer)

Note: In time these links will likely becoming outdated.

Killing Songs :
A Voice In The Dark, Excursion and Born Of The Ground
Ken quoted 85 / 100
Other albums by Tacere that we have reviewed:
Tacere - Beautiful Darkness reviewed by Ross and quoted 85 / 100
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