I’m not entirely sure what’s been going on in the shadows as far as Roman bloodsuckers Theatres Des Vampires are concerned. The label on their press blurb state this is the last album to be released on Scarlet and attribute the work to just the trio of Sonya along with bassist Zimon and drummer Gabriel. I had read that composer Fabio was returning on keyboards for this album and there are most certainly guitars on it too but things are a little on the vague side. That aside the first album since Candyland back in 2016 sees a welcome return and collection of ten new songs for us to get our fangs into. It is also said to be inspired lyrically by the works of Goethe and Francis Marion Crawford so expect romance, intrigue decadence and of course, plenty of blood.

Rich orchestrations take us to the hidden alleys and waterways of ‘Death In Venice’ and before you can say “Don’t Look Now” Sonya sweeps in with her beguiling voice over an infectious poppy and addictive number that is sure to have the elders of the clan bouncing out from their coffins and bopping around. Strings add neo-classicism and the vocals rise to screams and cackles making it sound as though the singer is in her element and really enjoying her return. Macabre though it is in places it’s all good fun and very danceable, not music for miserable goths to sit in the corner and nurse a snakebite and black to. In fact, as we get to ‘Endless Darkness’ the mood is at complete odds to the subject matter and complete with some digital noise effects its more akin to the party mood of a band like The Birthday Massacre. Sultry swayer ‘Christina’ has been chosen for pre-release video clip and has a hard-hitting chorus along with some smoking guitar work as the holy fishnet-stockinged muse gyrates away as tormented vamp looking like she hasn’t aged a second since we last saw her in action.

Production here is great as peeling xylophone sound plays like a musical box and cavorts around ‘The Bride Of Corinth,’ there’s even a riot grrrl scream as our singer really puts the bite in. As for ‘Lady Bathory’ it’s a burgeoning baptism in blood and a dynamic conclusion to the first half. This one would have made for a great introduction to the album although might have frightened a few prospective admirers away as it really does go for the throat. Delicious dark romance and balladry is a little more prolific on the second half and although you can wave a lighter happily along to ‘My Cold Heart’ there’s no guarantee you won’t singe your fingers and will definitely need a cold shower after swooning along to it. Massive choral parts fill the cathedral of the title track and it is by now obvious that each and every song has distinction and personality about it meaning this is far from a one-dimensional listen. People living or undead are certainly going to have a task choosing their favourite song here. The lilting poeticism of ‘The Void Inside’ is complete with a male vocal accompaniment which also has to remain unspecified as information on who they dug up for it also seems uncertain. For the finale they even return to ‘The Bloody Lunatic Asylum’ of their ‘black metal’ era with a rousing revamp (sorry) of classic number ‘Til The Last Drop Of Blood.’ Not only is it a belting stomper but there’s a bit of a classic Italian horror score lurking within it. Make them die slowly to the last drop of blood…

Yep, this one definitely hit the mark and left me with a couple of them in the side of my neck. A welcome return.

(8/10 Pete Woods)

https://www.facebook.com/TheatresDesVampires

https://scarletrecords.bandcamp.com/album/in-nomine-sanguinis