---

The Austrian brothers Marcus (Vocals/Guitars) and Christian Keimpel (Drums) are the founders of Lydia's Gemstone back in 2006 and they released the debut/demo album No Endorphins Added  in 2008. This is the first real product with a strong label behind them and all the fans who discovered them in 2008 will enjoy the new album as well. Lydia's Gemstone's music is played in a gothic and darker rock style and with more of a melancholic mode than, let's say depressive and black emotions.

In the intro track "The Lunar Threnody" the sound is closely related to the elder dark/gothic rockers in Joy Division, The Damned and Sisters of Mercy. "PanDemonlum" is a nice track in the same vein as The Cult, and maybe a touch of H.I.M. Nice vocal performance by Marcus in that one too. "Karmagaddon" is another dark song for the gloomy and melancholic fans, and here I find some nice moments with the guitarist Hannes Achmüller and it's almost so I feel as I'm going to smile a bit too. The Cure is ever present in the over 7 minutes long "The Gemstone Anthem", and LG build their songs in the dark black soil, where they get their own pitch black roses to bloom into the melodies on the album. "Noir" and "Interimus" are both evidence of the distinctive and own sound from the Austrians. The only track on the album that we can call positive mode is propably "Supersonic" where they even does some choir singing in the choruses. The ending song "Black Oak Wood" is strong, heavy and black history.

It has been a pleasant acquaintance and I feel actually that the good old depressive rock culture lives on much to my satisfaction.

---