• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

As a fan of all metal things female-fronted, I was initially happy to see Crisis Cult, the third album from Germany's Voices of Destiny, show up in my review queue. The band still employs "beauty and the beast vocals" with Ada Flechtner replacing Maike Holtzman in the beauty role. The former Coronatus vocalist has a good singing voice but her delivery on Crisis Cult is dry and not the most expressive one you'll ever hear. Since the band seems to be going for a more gothic approach on this album, with lots of down-tuned guitars and darker lyrical themes, the lack of emotion in Flechtner's voice doesn't really do the songs many favors. Add that to the overly digitized and triggered sound of the playing (check out "To the Slaughter" to hear what I'm talking about) and you've got an album that tries hard but ultimately comes up way short. I get the feeling Voices of Destiny is shooting for something in the vein of Tristania or Diabulus in Musica but Crisis Cult sounds more like Evanescence. I've no problem with them changing direction but Voices of Destiny seemed more comfortable with Power/Symphonic Metal on their last album, Power Dive. If they're going to continue with the Gothic/Symphonic Metal direction they've got some work to do.