Wednesday, November 4, 2020

Sentenced - "The Cold White Light" [2002]

Artist: Sentenced
Title: The Cold White Light
Genre: Gothic Metal
Country: Finland
Year: 2002

Track List:

  1. Konevitsan Kirkonkellot
  2. Cross My Heart and Hope to Die
  3. Brief Is the Light
  4. Neverlasting
  5. Aika Multaa Muistot (Everything Is Nothing)
  6. Excuse Me While I Kill Myself
  7. Blood & Tears
  8. You Are the One
  9. Guilt and Regret
  10. The Luxury of a Grave
  11. No One There

During the late 90s and early 2000s, Finland was well-known for its gothic metal scene - and no, I'm not talking about "love metal" bands like HIM or Negative. While Sentenced, once a death metal band, has switched to gothic metal with lyrics about love, depression and suicide, they never were anything close to a "love metal" band, and their later albums (bar "The Funeral Album", which is undoubtedly much weaker than the rest of their discography) are among my all-time favourites. In particular, "The Cold White Light" is one of the best albums ever released by Century Media, and a must-listen to everyone interested in the topic of so-called "Finno-Ugric suicide". Interestingly, the intro for this album ("Konevets monastery cloister bells") is likely influenced by a similar track "Valamon Kirkonkellot (Valaam cloister bells)" by Loituma. I personally have been to Valaam (it's a must-visit destination in Karelia, as well as Kizhi), but not to Konevets.

P.S. For some reason, Yandex.Music suggests Iced Earth and Myrath on the top of the "similar artists" list for this album. While Sentenced obviously sound different from these bands, I can't say these suggestions aren't useful :P

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