Firstly, kudos to Solitude Productions, the mother-label of BadMoodMan, for exercising awe-inspiring local-patriotism, as many of the label's releases, this album included, are of Russian, local vintage, some of which, like this album, are 100% Russian-oriented, from band name and album title, through the lyrics to the vocals -- all Russian galore!

Taking a commercial risk here, if not a commercial suicide, Solitude has shown it has got big balls in releasing an album which is a middle finger in the face of speak-English-or-die globalization infesting and ruining what little singularity still remains among the nations of this sad blue globe.

With that having been said, what happened to the writer of these lines in relation to this album is not unlike what usually happens with many other albums he listens to for the first time, only the other way around.

On initial spin, the album impresses: it has the perfect sound quality and production for this kind of melodic, melancholic, romantic doom/death metal; the songs are effortlessly flowing, the tunes are beautiful -- really beautiful.

Come second and third spins, and the effect is fading, and this what often happens with those over-melodic, non-challenging, even simplistic or linear albums out there. Like quicksand, the music gets sucked down, blurred, desensitizing; beauty gives way to habitualness, moody atmosphere transforms into drowsiness. It won't make you sadder if you're not already sad; it will not touch you if you're not already touched.

Unscathed by these otherwise sad tunes for the bleeding hearted, this reviewer leaves you to ponder upon the qualities of this album with this final thought: it may be a bit unfair to judge an album like this by the standards of an old fart such as your humble servant who has heard it all, almost. Good chance he would have drooled over it in past years, but not anymore. Give _Key to December_ a chance or two; it may just reward you with its warm embrace, or even get you laid with its sex appeal, given the right mood and the right girl (or boy)...