Band:	Macbeth
Album:	Vanitas
Style:	Gothic metal
Release date:	2001

01. 13 November
02. Crepuscolaria (Agony In Red Minor)
03. Lady Lily White
04. Fables
05. Aloisa
06. El Diablo Y La Luna
07. Pure Treasure
08. Green Orchestra (Sonata For Leaves & Trees)
09. Romanzo Nero
10. Haeresis Dea
11. Hall Of The Scarlets

After some turbulent times which saw the departure of both singers, Vittorio and Cristina, one year with female vocals by Jessica and some other changes in the lineup concerning the place of the bass player, Macbeth managed to pull themselves together and release their second album "Vanitas" in the humble year of 2001. Fabrizio, the talented drummer, joined forces with two new singers, Andreas and Morena. Together they started the new era of the band with "Vanitas" being their first step on this path.

To begin with, "Vanitas" is in its nature an attempt to continue the style represented by "Romantic Tragedy's Crescendo". However, the band manages to create somewhat different atmosphere with the new line-up. A positive thing is that they haven't strained to make up so extremely "gothic" lyrics and song titles as on the first album, thus becoming more original and lessening the cliché impression the first album may have left.

The album opens with a fine and gloomy intro which catapults the listener straight into the song "Crepuscularia". This time, the melodies are catchier, faster and more dashing than on the first album. The dreaming weeps of "RTC" have been left behind and this time we hear the haunting war cries of Andreas and Morena. Morena, singing the same style as Cristina did, has a more mature and more raw sounding voice. At the same time Andreas manages rather well both clean and extreme vocals.

"Vanitas" is a diverse album. It has taken much of the bands previous style, developed it, and enriched it with different effects. The vocal diversity has broken free from the "beauty vs beast" criteria as both singers vary their voices and play with timbres.
The album has several highlights. "El Diablo y la Luna" and "Green Orchestra", for instance, with their power and beauty. There is also one acoustic ballad "Aloisa", a blissful lamentation in the heat of the night.

To sum it all up, "Vanitas" is a good album, the first work of Macbeth as we know them today. "Vanitas" has lead the band to their current paths represented by their third album "Malae Artes". They ceased to be just another "gothic band with female vocals" but retained the best characteristics of their early days and went to meet the new challenges of the future. As we all see, they have made it well enough. But this is another story.