Shivan
play darkened and burning Goth rock-metal. Included in their composition
are dark atmospheres, similar to a black metal vibe. “When Wishes
Sicken” can also rock with the best of the Goth metal bands. However,
certain parts of their music remind me of the bands Babylon Whores, Fall
of the Leafe, Divine Lust, and Moonspell. It’s a balance between the
melodic and the aggressive. These guys aren’t afraid to assemble acoustic
elements or other melodic traits in their songs, or go to the extreme with
speedy blackened guitars, blasting drums and screaming vocals, all with
suitable atmospheres provided by the keys. This shows Shivan’s variation
in what they work into their music, even though the majority of it can be
considered straightforward. For the most part the vocals can be deemed melodic
singing vocals although there are also grimacing, almost death/black vocals,
with more of a yell. Seere’s Gothic vocals are comparable to the likes
of Fernando from Moonspell and Sean of London After Midight. It’s
actually quite similar to a lesser know band’s vocalist, Filipe of
Divine Lust. Beautiful female vocals found their way on the CD as well.
To round out the band they have decent solos to boot. “When Wishes
Sicken “ has eleven tracks and well over an hour of length. The last
three tracks are either a remix or alternate version of songs on the disc.
If you are akin to metal with Goth features, then the next album you‘ll
want to check out should be Shivan. Keep an eye on this Italian band!
Rating: 84
Reviewed By: Jeffrey D. Adkins |
