Musique (20th Anniversary Edition)

Much was made during the '90s about Theatre of Tragedy's goth metal potential, and more often than not, releases from the group never quite lived up to that high standard that the band seemed capable of. Sadly, Musique disappoints in exactly this fashion. The performances and material are generally tighter and more dynamic than earlier efforts, but the strange chanting from co-vocalist Raymond Rohonyi is actually less compelling than the "beauty and the beast" death metal growl employed on earlier outings. Liv Kristine Espenaes seems more comfortable during her angelic vocal sections and Frank Claussen (guitars), Lorentz Aspen (keyboards), and drummer Hein Frode Hansen also provide solid contributions. When considered with the rest of Theatre of Tragedy's oeuvre, Musique comes off a little disjointed, even aimless, and suggests that this pioneering but challenged outfit might never take a preeminent position in their micro-genre. ~ Vincent Jeffries