Tears of Mankind - _Without Ray of Hope_
(Stygian Crypt Productions, 2006)
by: Quentin Kalis (6.5 out of 10)
Technically, this is not the debut album of Tears of Mankind, as it is a compilation of songs from several of his demos, namely _Where Angels Do Not Dare to Fly_ (2003), _Deep Inside the Silence_ (2004), _To Nowhere_ (2004) and _For My Last Pray_ (2004). This represents only a fraction of his recording output -- no less than ten demos have been recorded between 2002 and 2006!

Also included is a cover of "Theme of Laura" by Akira Yamaoka, who game geeks may recognise from "Silent Hill 2". It's a damn good choice of cover, avoiding the obvious selections and also the joke designation by not covering something wholly inappropriate.

There are some reasonably decent mournful passages and riffs, although I'm not quite convinced that his evocation of melancholy is best served by utilising rather basic melodies within song structures that are just as simple. For a home studio recording, this possesses a rather clean and full sound, but there is a lack of consistency. For example, "Sweet Harmony" is a slow doomy number, whilst "Without Hope" is reminiscent of mid-era Katatonia, and "Never" contains an irritating folk influence that does not emerge on any other song.

Hopefully, his compositional skills will develop on future albums; right now, his numbers possess some pleasing melancholic passages, but are too simple and predictable to retain the listener's attention.

Contact: http://stygiancrypt.cjb.net

(article published 16/10/2007)


ALBUMS
24/2/2009 Q Kalis 7.5 Tears of Mankind - Silent Veil of My Doom
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