Matthew Pursley | Dallas, Texas United States | 11/21/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
""Finsternis" is the German word for "darkness," and this album lives up to its title. This is a much darker and harsher work than the other E Nomine album I own (Das Testement), but is still a wonderful release. Much of the subject matter seems to center around horror movies and monsters. Not that I'm complaining, mind you! This is a great album for Halloween listening. This one keeps you on your toes with an odd blend of beauty and harshness. When you least expect it, a silvery soprano voice sings out like starlight and moonbeams illuminating a dark and otherwise sinister night. Sometimes the effect is one of beauty, and sometimes it is one of eerieness, the point of light enhancing the surrounding darkness. Okay! Enough rhetoric! The bottom line is that while the music and lyrics (not to mention the performance) are at times harsh and dark, the whole is quite wonderful! I fully recommend this to fans of classical or techno, as it has elements of both, blended into a well-made whole."
Perfekte Zehn....oder...Funf!
Herr der Finsternis | MD | 05/29/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have three E Nomine CDs now, and this one is by-far the best. "Das Testament" was a very techno CD. "Die Prophezeiung" was very operatic, and tried to mix in the techno, but didn't create a great hemeostasis between the two (keep in mind I had the Klassik Edition).
"Finsternis" accomplished what "Die Prophezeiung" didn't (which is funny because it came out before "Die Prophezeiung"). Now, this might just be coming from a guy who loves both techno and classical, but I still think it is amazing what they have done with this album.
Now, keep in mind, when I say classical, I don't mean happy "la-la" classical. This is dark stuff. Actually, I take that back. It's dark on the surface, but some of the songs have an underlieing goodness to them. I'll try and explain by going through a play-by-play for each song (I'm taking pairs of two songs and mooshing them into one, because most of the time one just introduces the other).
Song 1/2 - Am Anfang war die Finsternis...!/Mitternacht
These songs basically introduces the unleashing of darkness on the world.
Song 3/4 - Die Wandlung/Wolfen
This song is about a disturbed creature who prays on people in the night. In the end he runs away though (or atleast he does in the video). It's a little bit wierd.
Song 5/6 - Reise nach Transsilvanien/Draculs Bluthochzeit
This song is about a couple going to Dracula's castle and the girl get's her necked bitten. In the end Dracula kind of break's down and admit that all he really want's is love, but can't get it, so he just bites people.
Song 7/8 - Die Offenbarung/Séance
This song reminds of Phantom of the Opera. Basically, a guy is telling a person the truths of this world, but doesn't want that person to leave. So, he gives it a chance, "go or stay in my meeting." He shows compassion at this point, and even though acts as if he didn't want them to leave, really gets infatic about it. It's quite interesting. Give it a listen and you'll understand better.
Song 9/10 - Die Bedrohung/Das Böse
This strong is straight up evil. Evil person who likes to do evil deeds. A simple song about evil.
Song 11/12 - Die Suche/Die Schwarzen Reiter
A song about the (I'm guessing) 4 Horseman of the Apocolypse. Nothing special. A good song, none-the-less.
Song 13/14 - Die Verlautbarung/Zorn (Die 12 Verbotenen Töne)
This song is about forbidden sounds that basically bring havoc to the earth. I have never heard or read about these anywhere's but in this song, so E Nomine may have just made it up. Still a good soong though.
Song 15/16 - Hexenein x Eins/Hexenjagd
This song is about the Salem Witch Hunt. If you know nothing about the Salem Witch Hunt, then find out. Really an interesting story. If you know about the whole Mcarthyism, it was basically the same thing, only in Virginia, during colonial times. Anyway, this song (if you know anything about the Witch Trials) is a perfect example of the CDs "lighter" side. The "witches" weren't really witches, they were just accused of being witches. If you know more about it, it will make more sense.
Song 17/18 - Das Unheil/Der Exorzist
Watch the movie "The Excorsist." That is what this song is about.
Song 19/20 - Der Tod/Herr der Schatten
This is basically about the Devil and/or his minions.
Song 21/22 - Der Ahnungsschauer/Angst
This song is about fears that a person has. There is also an allusion to the horror character Freddy. He is a mass murderer, for those of you who have been living under a rock for the past 30 years.
Song 23/24 - Der Schrei/Exitus
This ones about a person killing themselves because they think they are above this world. They are offereing their soul to a higher (or lower...probably the Devil) being in return for ascension in the realm of eternity.
Song 25/26 - Das Schweigen/Nachtwache
This song is about a person who is in love. I am assuming that this love started before the person died. Or atleast I hope. (Not so evil...just wierd).
Song 27/28 - Der Stimme/Aus dem Jenseits
This song is about a dead guy trying to reach out someon in the land of the living. It sounds like he end's up killing the person.
So, we start of a little evil, with still some sense of good, and then go to straight up dark, evil, and nasty, and finally end up in the realm of the wierd and "supernatural." A great trip with amazing music to beat.
This CD is not for the people who don't like dark themes, unless of course you're cool and can see past that to the implied "good" meaning in some of the songs. But, for those of you who do like this sort of thing, you are in for a treat. This CD is a masterpiece. MASTERPIECE!
"
Who, what, where?
Normal | Tucson, AZ USA | 05/31/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I'm a big fan of all electro-industrial and synth-pop. I've been DJing for 5 years now and I've never come across anything like E Nomine. I am absolutely amazed. Think of And One meets Laibach's Vocalist meets Camina Burana. Very dark, very orchestral / operatic, very danceable, very moving, very very good. If you like electronic dance music or classical music and you don't own any of their CDs, buy them...."
Dreamdancer
R. P. George | colorado springs, co | 10/11/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"EXCELLENT!!, This brings out the goth/dark music with a European touch, whether you understand German and Latin or not, this cd has that mystery sense. I truly enjoyed this disc."
Slightly overproduced and overdone
Daniel Ambrus | Louisville, KY United States | 01/18/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"i have been a fan of german dance outfit E Nomine since first hearing 'Vater Unser' in high school while i was going through my eurobeat phase. My tastes have evolved since then, but my love for E Nomine has not changed. Blending dance music with classicalism of choirs and orchestral elements is their forte, and i have yet to hear their equal in this most magnificent of arts. Yet i find their second full length release somewhat wanting in comparison to the untouchable glory of 'Das Testament.'
Firstly, i preferred the biblical theme to one of darkness and horror movies. It fit better with the choir and orchestration, and Sirfritz's foreboding German seemed just evangelical enough to sell its impersonations of Yaweh and Moses. In 'Finsternis' E Nomine turn to the darker side of their nature and focus on themes of evil mostly in a B movie sense but also somewhat disturbingly in songs like 'Angst' and 'Das Bose.' If you don't speak German though this shouldnt bother you.
More problematic though is their increased use of the beloved DT sync, which is so overdone that there is an interlude of it between each song, and there is almost no time on the CD during which you do not hear a menacing German voice talking about something. This gets annoying after a while, and i choose to play the CD without the interludes for this reason.
The songs themselves are still catchy and good, but as i've said, i believe their style better suited to the prophetic Biblical works of Das Testament. I would also like to see more variability amongst the songs; the german verse, latin chorus bit gets tedious towards the end of the CD. Those new to E Nomine are encouraged to pick up Das Testament instead of this record, but those already loving Das Testament and craving more will not be too disappointed.
4 stars for good work overall, but overdoing the DT sync, lack of variability between the songs and abandoning the Biblical theme.
Track Listings (28) - Disc #1