Call on the Dark

2 (Nuclear Blast)
by Scott Hefflon

While I prefer NB’s Beauty in Darkness2 and Century Media’s FireStarter to this, fans of dancier and/or less metal-tinged darkness will simply die for Call on the Dark2. It’s more Goth/Goth rock/doom than the others which focus more on melodic and/or symphonic black metal. (I distinguish Goth from Goth rock merely because Goth has predominant keyboards whereas Goth rock has predominant guitars.) This 75-minute, 16-song CD has many an unreleased gem (often remixes), and is a fine introduction to the genre or bands, and a just plain good CD to get and play when burning candles, licking intentionally-spilled wine off your lover, and doing whatever it is you do in the dark. And for those who prefer Emperor, Borknagar, Arcturus, Dimmu Borgir or any of the shrieking ghouls, remember: it takes two to tangle. Keep Type O’s Bloody Kisses on continuous repeat and drop a little extra hot wax on her in retribution. She won’t mind. Bands to keep you company in the dark: Mundanus Imperium (unreleased), Autumn, London After Midnight “The Bondage Song” (remixed by Johan Edlund of Tiamat, unreleased), Type O Negative, Therion, Moonspell “Sacred” (a Depeche Mode cover, genius), Left Hand Solution (unreleased), Evereve, Lacrimosa “Not Every Pain Hurts” (remixed by Johan Edlund of Tiamat, unreleased), Switchblade Symphony, Love Like Blood (unreleased), The Gathering (from a single, as good as unreleased), Tiamat, Dreams of Sanity, Clan of Xymox, and Christian Death (unreleased as of pressing).
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