Released
1998
Label
Apollyon
Reviewed by
Michael C. Lund
Contact
Hofmann & Zaremba GbR
Altenbaunaer Str. 27
34134 Kassel
Deutschland
Last Edit/Update
08 august, 1998
Shadow Project
FROM THE HEART
Track Listing
1. Static Jesus
2. Forever Came Today
3. Alpha And Omega
4. Hall Of Mirrors
5. Million Years
6. By God
7. Holy Hell
8. Hounds Upon The Hare
9. Lying Deep
10. Bitter Man
11. Home Is Where
12. Maybe Someday
It is always strange and a little eerie to listen to "new" music by the recently
deceased. Shadow Project's From The Heart -- which has recently
been released by Apollyon -- is all the more so, for being on the surface
a rather resolved, and often quite joyful album. In contrast with the darker and more
electric sound of this project's previous releases, From The Heart is a mellow
affair. The arrangements are dominated by piano, drums and acoustic guitars, centered
around strong vocal performances by both Rozz Williams and Eva O, and,
in general, the CD derives much more from traditional musical genres such as folk, blues
and even soul, than it does from the death rock/gothic genre, which both artists have
strongly influenced for the past decade and a half.
There are undoubtedly some fans who
will be disappointed at this turn towards more traditional modes of musical expression. From
The Heart is, however, a wonderful collection of songs, where the song writing and
lyrical abilities of the artists are allowed to shine unadorned. The selection of songs on
the album is evenly divided between duets and solo performances by both vocalists, and it
is, of course, an album that derives much of its appeal from the harmony between the
voices of Eva and Rozz.
The four duets -- "Static
Jesus", "By God", "Holy Hell" and "Lying Deep" -- are
some of the most dynamic songs on the album. The lyrics are steeped in religious imagery,
at times actually concerning religious issues, as on "Holy Hell", which ends
with a true doomsday sermon, and at other times use religious rhetoric to describe
feelings and situations of a personal nature, as on "By God", which superimposes
the image of the Lord on the face of a romantic love. Aside from "Lying Deep",
which is a rather morbid little song performed almost exclusively accompanied by an
acoustic piano, the duets open on subtle notes, and then gradually accelerate and build
into grand orchestrations with both vocalists singing in unison at the top of their lungs.
Rozz Williams' solo
performances are generally of a more introspective character, slower and more melancholy.
"Hounds Upon The Hare" is particularly blue, concerning itself with the death of
a love. Williams' vocals are very effectively supported by a lone acoustic
guitar, occasionally with what sounds like a slide guitar filling in. Featuring a more
elaborate musical backdrop, "Home Is Where" continues in the vein of
"Hounds Upon The Hare", except here the love is dead, and the singer is left
alone, reflecting upon the memories of the past, as he reaches for his smoking pistol.
In contrast, Eva O.'s solo
songs are more hopeful, and in her lyrics the love is still strongly alive. "Alpha
and Omega" describes the object of Eva's love in positively mythical terms,
and a more intimate and complete homage to another individual is difficult to imagine. The
lyrics of "Bitter Man" and "Maybe Someday" display a dedication and
affection that is really no less than on "Alpha and Omega", but at the same time
contains the realization that even the greatest love is futile, if it falls on barren
ground. Musically, "Maybe Someday" is another rather subtle and melancholy
composition, albeit with strong chorus segments, while "Bitter Man", despite its
dour topic, actually manages to be quite an upbeat tune with quite a bit of dance appeal.
Eva and Rozz were
married for ten years, and it is difficult to not read things into the songs that may not
be intended. The songs presented by the artists individually appear to offer glimpses of
their emotional relationship from both sides of the mirror, and if this indeed be the
case, the album is so much more of a valiant effort to exorcise the demons of their lives.
Be that as it may, the songs as such are of high quality, and, in their stylistic
departure from past efforts, confirm the breadth of both artists' talents.
