Cantata Sangui - On Rituals and Correspondence in Constructed Realities

A band with two ladies on board isn’t special. That the band uses no regular guitars on the other hand is special. No guitarplayers but two bassplayers, that play four to twelve strings.

That could be asking for troubles, but it can also result in something very interesting. Think for example about a release of Wish, many years ago. Wish consisted of old The Gathering vocalist Bart Smits, who was brilliantly assisted by two bassists.

Cantata Sangui is likewise. Result? A surprising album that is conveniently put under the flag of gothic, mainly because it can’t be put somewhere else. Two bassplayers make the music somewhat lower, don’t they?

It pounds through wild black metal riffs, but it also knows when to withhold and to pomp ultra slow doom metal passages in your ears. The mean grunts enlighten you in a dark way with extraordinary lyriscs about old myths, science and philosophy.

Cantata Sangui is also brigthened up by keyboardist Hanna, who drapes a dark coloured but rich embroidered carpet over the music, as well as by Anna, a real surprise! Her dark, velvet voice makes the music a whole.

Therefore, do not expect gothic release number whatever. This album stands out by its exuberance and diversity and in a way we don’t see a lot nowadays. What a debut!

8.7

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