THE ERINYES – The Erinyes

The Erinyes is a rather interesting new project by Frontiers Records in that its three female vocalists deliver some divine melodies and harmonies on top of a thick blanket of epic-sounding power metal, or symphonic metal, if you will. Musically, everything holds up well without the songs necessarily being outright spellbinding or flawless, and professionalism oozes from every pore of this richly layered piece of work. The lyrics do not offer much and come across as slightly cliched and derivative, but the production is topnotch, and the compositions and arrangements are praiseworthy and interesting. The varied ‘On My Way to Love’ and the instantly memorable ‘Betrayed’ are two of the record’s standout tracks as are the hard-hitting ‘Death by a Broken Heart’, which possesses a great drive, and the straightforward, catchy ‘My Kiss Goodbye’. Ironically, ‘Where Do We Go’ is a meandering and unimaginative affair that neither goes anywhere nor takes the listener to someplace else. Album closer ‘You and Me Against the World’ is a sophisticated and elegant way to bow out and features some gorgeous riffs and melodies.

With its goth-like undertones and melancholy atmosphere, this tightly executed and well-produced offering is a fine listen on a cold and wintry night in December, and although slightly pompous and overblown in places, it works for me on many different levels. A promising debut for sure.