Band:	Zeraphine
Album:	Kalte Sonne
Style:	Darkwave, Gothic rock
Release date:	2002

01. Flieh Mit Mir
02. Die Wirklichkeit
03. Unter Eis
04. Sterne Sehen
05. In Der Tiefe
06. Kannst Du Verzeihen
07. Siehst Du Mich
08. Siamesische Einsamkeit
09. Lass Mich Gehen
10. Ohne Dich
11. Licht
12. Deine Welt

After the legendary and great gothic rock/metal act Dreadful Shadows disbanded Sven Friedrich and Norman Selbig, singer/composer and guitarist/composer of Dreadful Shadows, decided that this was not the end of their personal career and formed a band in order to keep on expressing their artistic concerns. The name of it, Zeraphine, a really beautiful and poetic female name, beautiful and emotionally poetic like the music of Dreadful Shadows and like the music that would follow, the music of Zeraphine.

The title of their debut album is "Kalte Sonne" and introduced the band to the gothic rock/metal audience in a very promising way, it was not something ground-shaking like the releases of Dreadful Shadows or the releases of Zeraphine that followed but it definitely had a lot to offer and start the new journey of Sven and Norman in a really good way. The music is modern gothic rock/metal and they prove that they are far better than many and renowned gothic metal bands because they really know what they are doing, showing that when gothic rock decides to invade metal fields it always has a lot more to say than gothic metal simply because gothic rockers know how to do it in a far better way.

The lyrics are in German, but it really wasn't a problem for me because Zeraphine's music is so beautiful and fragile and touching that the lyrics pace in a brilliant way with the vocal lines and the musical background that entrances the listener. Zeraphine are gifted with one of the most wonderful personalities in the gothic scene, Sven Friedrich, the interpreter/lyricist/composer that knows how to offer pure emotion from the depths of his soul in the most heart-rending and emotional way that can't disappoint anyone, I truly believe this, unless you don't know how to appreciate the high quality of a soul that is willing to offer the best through the compositions.

"Kalte Sonne" is one of those albums I had underestimated at first, but I realized that it is one of those albums that requires many listens to get into its spirit because it's not as catchy and straight to your face as their 2 works that followed, "Trauma World" and "Blind Camera". The guitar work is exceptional, in the gothic rock vein, with the riffing and the arpeggios being utterly emotional and touching, the rhythm section lends the ideal fragile or more upbeat pulse to the compositions, some orchestrations/synth-born melodies/electro-driven sounds make the whole feeling more gentle and elegant whereas the vocals of Sven Friedrich enchant the listener in the most beautiful way simply because he gives alternative, unknown and unique meanings to the word "emotion", making the German lyrics sound utterly poetic as well!

Dreadful Shadows elements, especially from their "The Cycle" era, are vivid and they couldn't be missing since this album had a modern approach and it seems that "Kalte Sonne" could have been the continuation of "The Cycle's" legacy, having a touch of it, but tending to move in more emotional and sensational gothic rock/metal soundscapes, being one step forward.

"Kalte Sonne" is a good album, really good and modern, it just requires a few more listens to get into it. It's a must-have album for all the Dreadful Shadows/Zeraphine fans and for all those that appreciate themselves as gothic rock/metal adorers, give it the chance it deserves!