Formed from a union of some of the best and brightest from the cold reaches of Scandinavia, Cemetery Skyline are a five piece melodic goth outfit who are the brainchild of guitarist Markus Vanhala (Omnium Gatherum, Insomnium). Rounded out with the ever versatile Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquility, Halo Effect) on vocals, Santeri Kallio (Amorphis) on keys, Victor Brandt (Dimmu Borgir) on bass and Vesa Ranta (Sentenced) on drums, you’d be forgiven for thinking this was another all-star death/black metal band with heavy riffs and serious melodic compositions. Only half of that statement is correct; Cemetery Skyline instead play a blistering brand of classic 80’s and 90’s inspired goth drawing their influence from the legendary Sisters Of Mercy and Type O Negative, garnished with a touch of Scandinavian composition. Dark, atmospheric and captivating, let’s step into the fading light of day… After all, Winter looms, the nights grow long and October’s rust is gripping us all.

‘Torn Away’ kicks things off with a massive Sisters Of Mercy inspired vibe. The catchy melodic keys dive into an infectious drum beat which will have you resisting the urge to dance and the rich sound of Stanne’s vocals, all cleanly delivered with real emotion coursing through them captivates you. The guitars are punchy and the bass has a real deep rumble too it, in all, it’s a cracking track which gives an insight into how Vanhala and co. envisioned their take on the iconic goth sound. Soaring choruses, slick guitar leads and catchy rhythmic hooks, if this track had that deep baritone rumble of Andrew Eldritch then you’d be forgiven for thinking this was something from The Sister’s lofty back catalogue.

‘In Darkness’ is a heavier track from the off. The choir synths give way to a driving riff with a thundering groove and some serious chug. Heads will bang as it rolls in before the dial back of synth and vocals allows things to drop in heavier once again. The chorus soars as it comes around with an uplifting feel to the vocal lines and the rhythmic pulse stays tight and when we get to the lead section, it’s delivered with some serious style, loaded with Melodeath attitude but is compositionally perfect for the track. ‘Violent Storm’ has some phenomenal bass work throughout the track, really giving it a heavy edge and dark undercurrent. The muted guitars work away and the atmospheric work of the keys is fantastic and some of the transitions between the sections of the track make it an extremely dynamic number. The huge chorus with its anthemic feel, the shifts in the pre-chorus which have the flair of Peter Steele, the key change shifts before the keyboard/guitar melodic break which leads to a key change chorus to end the track, it’s all magic!

‘Behind The Lie’ is a dark and atmospheric number with a real metal edge to it. The arpeggio opening from the guitar is haunting as it rings out and is soon overtaken by the synth as the meaty riff kicks in. The verse does a great job with the dynamic arrangements, easing the parts in naturally so the impact lands; the drums open up more, the guitar and bass get more animated and the synths work their magic, getting more fanciful in their layers. The chorus explodes with a big blast and some full bodied vocals and real rocking pace and the crescendo before dropping back into the main riff works wonders. It’s the little touches like these which really makes the music jump out and take tight hold of you. The big breakdown with orchestral clashes and intricate layering of chug and lead adds that tension and the build up section to a final dramatic sequence which descends into the final run of the track.

‘When Silence Speaks’ brings in a rich and moody atmosphere with the haunting piano arpeggio and swirling synths which create a massive sound and convey a sense of emptiness. The pounding drum bursts in the intro add the little spark of tension before it descends into a slow paced, gothic inspired ballad of sorts. The softer edge to Stanne’s vocals, the slower tempo, the subtle lead melodies in the chorus and the wind and string instrument additions… It’s not “Love You To Death” but it conveys that same captivating air, drawing you in and conveying a real, raw emotional edge. ‘The Darkest Night’ kicks things back up a notch and it’s got a seriously catchy groove. The looping pedal tone groove in the verse will be in your head constantly and when it opens up into the chorus with some big chord work, subtle melodic accenting and rocking bass/drum back up, it’ll have you in its grasp and you’ll not care in the slightest. The almost hypnotic pull of the verse, the hard rock flair to the big chorus, the simplicity of the delivery and the maximal impact and effect it has… This is a great track!!

‘Never Look Back’ keeps up the up-tempo kick with its moody intro. Piano, Synth and vocals are quickly joined by a bassline which drives the track on and when it kicks into the chorus, it has a real hard rock edge to it… Kind of like the Love-Era Cult material but with a lot less reverb and chorus on the guitar, instead loading it with a cutting edge and darker feel. It’s got the catchy melodic ascend/descend line into a twisting bridge which summons forth the key change, shifting the song’s feel and sound entirely, giving it an injection of energy and letting the chorus slam in once more, giving it that extra oomph! in the delivery as we get an extended melodic harmony line into a twisting riff to wrap the track up. ‘The Coldest Heart’ opens with a bassline straight out of the Type O Negative playbook. That rich, low end rumbling with just a hint of modulation and chorus is a sound I have heard so many times and the big thundering distortion and dramatic synths behind it is an ever so familiar sound. The slightly upbeat verse with piano, bass and well placed vocals slips into shift when the distortion comes in and the synths get a little more probing before the big chorus comes in with its bright keys, gang vocal backing and huge sounding air. If we had the low, rumbling baritone of Peter Steele, you could easily mistake this for something from a Type O Negative outtakes collection – it’s very open Type O Negative worship and I am all here for it!

‘Anomalie’ sounds like a gothic take on melodic death metal. The compositional choices and arrangement really feels like an Omnium Gatherum styled track, especially with the guitar delivery and synth lines in the intro, but it’s definitely a gothic tinged hard rock number in all other aspects. The deep rumbling of the bass along with the tight percussive work gives the track a real energy and the big cascading synth and guitars really give the track a big sound. The subtle dynamics in the verse as it gradually grows in presence throughout its duration before the big opening up of the chorus gives the track a real kick, the extended second chorus acts a great transition into the more subdued middle section of the track where it eases off the gas slightly before it really comes alive with a ripping lead section which will certainly get heads windmilling round to this raw rocker of a track! Closing the album is the haunting ‘Alone Together’. Starting off with a sombre piano refrain and synth organ accompaniment, it slowly grows in its intricacy as the layers add up and begin to separate. At the 1:20 point, it all kicks in. With that dark Type O Negative flair once again surfacing, sounding like the October Rust/World Coming Down era, it’s just as dark and dramatic as the self proclaimed drab four were. The main meat of the track has a real heavy bass driven focus with guitar and key augmentation before they play a more prominent role in expanding the chorus, giving it that massive sound. Add in the lingering, sustained Kenny Hickey styled wailing bends, descending keyboard arpeggios and hauntingly delivered lyrics, you have a real modern take on the classic Type O sound. The minimalist middle section of the track drags everything back before it slowly starts to release it, growing in intensity as it reaches a dramatic peak at the 4:50 point with a big melodic burst. The lingering and haunting guitar line combines with the dramatic key work to create a massive cascade of sound and the thunderous rumble of the bass and drums give it that real deep booming rhythm, making way for the final chorus before it goes into a big, dramatic and dark symphonic ending which slowly tails out, flickering into the darkness like the flame on a candle finally running out of wax.

What can I say? Cemetery Skyline has created something absolutely wonderful with “Nordic Gothic”. Truly capturing the spirit of 80’s and 90’s goth, combining it with raw rock, expressive atmospherics and that magical Scandinavian melodic death metal styling, Vanhala and co. have really delivered the goods with this album. It’s hauntingly beautiful, infectiously catchy yet dark and despairing. Filled with rhythmic and melodic hooks, fantastic vocal work and one of the best displays of paying homage to the forefathers whilst having your own clear sound and style, I eagerly await the promised live offerings and potential future material.

(9/10 Fraggle)

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