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To/Die/For - IV review



Reviewer:
8.5

61 users:
7.59
Band: To/Die/For
Album: IV
Release date: April 2005


01. Autumn Forever
02. This World Is Made For Me
03. Lies (For Fools)
04. New Year's Day [U2 cover]
05. Chaotic Me
06. Little Deaths
07. No Turning Back
08. Fragmented
09. Endlessly
10. Last Breath
11. Live In You [Acoustic version] [Japanese bonus]

The Finnish melancholic metal-heads To/Die/For return in 2005 refreshed, with a new line-up, with the band mates seeming to harmonize wonderfully together judging from the very good outcome and a brand new album that seems to be their most mature work up to date!

"IV" represents a very good and successful example of well-played melodic and melancholic metal, without losing its heaviness, since the guitar riffing is present, ending in inspired solos many times! The keyboard melodies evoke the ideal atmosphere for the music of To/Die/For which paves the way for the melancholic, melodic and expressive vocals of Jape, escalating this way the emotional charge of the compositions. The lyrics of the album consist of a soulful testimony from Jape's side, who poured his soul into this album, having composed eight out of the ten compositions on this album. One of the two remaining songs on "IV": "Last Breath", the beautiful and atmosphere-evoking closing composition, has been composed by the keyboardist of the band, Juska Salminen. The other is a cover of U2's renowned song "New Year's Day", a very interesting cover version.

When the time comes to compare "IV" with To/Die/For's previous releases I can say it is their most mature work and I am saying this with pure heart since it has no weak moments! It harmonizes the heaviness of its predecessor, "Jaded", with the melancholic beauty of their debut album, "All Eternity" and the overall outcome is very inspired and beautiful-sounding, keeping the interest of the listener from its very beginning until its very end! Nothing on this album will make To/Die/For's fans regret buying it and I am sure everyone will be happy since everyone in the band is doing his best to present something well-played and straight from the heart.

Highlights of the album? If you ask me the whole album flows as one wonderfully, but there are some songs that seem to be the new To/Die/For masterpieces. One is the thoughtful and emotionally charged "Lies (For Fools)" with Jape having composed an emotional and desperate hymn, a dynamic and melodic piece at the same time. "Autumn Forever", the inspired and emotional "Little Deaths", the fabulous "Fragmented" and the atmospheric piece bearing the name "Last Breath" which closes the album in the most appropriate way are also very memorable. The production of the album is very good and helps the songs sound even better. As for the cover of the album it is for one more time artistic and in the romantic/melancholic vein of all To/Die/For covers pacing with the emotions their music evokes.

"IV" is a must-have album for all the To/Die/For fans and for all those that would like to listen to emotional music that doesn't lose its heaviness.





Written on 17.10.2005 by "It is myself I have never met, whose face is pasted on the underside of my mind."

Staff review by
Malcolm
Rating:
8.5
When the news about To/Die/For parted ways with singer Jape and guitarist J.P. struck us, everyone knew that a very short but successful era was coming to an end. A new singer in To/Die/For would be a strange thing to get used too, so therefore I believe more than myself was enlighten when we heard about Tiaga, the band Jape and J.P. created together with some musicians that's been involved in To/Die/For in one way or another.

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published 23.07.2005 | Comments (2)



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