Imperia
Secret Passion
Rating
Style: Gothic Metal
Release date: 25 March, 2011
Playing time: 61:06
 

Imperia's latest offering "Secret Passion" has all the trademarks and signatures female fronted gothic metal needs - by default - to have: the Nightwish reference, the Evanescence reference and the Within Temptation reference are all there, the aggressive male growls as a counterpoint to the operatic female vocals is there, the wonderful vocally shared ballad, the symphonic parts are nicely integrated into the concept and I could go on and on...

They stay within the safe confines of gothic metal and do sadly enough never step outside the straight path. Sure there are a few songs that stands above the rest (and a total failure, which luckily is only a digital bonus track), but they never reach higher levels. And "Secret Passion" ends up being a solid collection of songs, shaped around a well documented formula. To impress me they need to leave the tested and safe waters, take a chance and bring something else to the platter. They don't, the result is a solid, bordering to mediocrity album that can be filed under: "unspectacular".


Tracklist
01. Touch of Your Hand (4:34)
02. Secret Passion (5:28)
03. Fragile (3:42)
04. Out of Sight (4:11)
05. Let Down (5:57)
06. Violence (4:44)
07. Like Rain (4:33)
08. Suicide (4:11)
09. Hold On (4:09)
10. Greed (5:28)
11. Missing It All (5:27)
12. My Sleeping Angel (3:41)
13. Mistress (Digipak Bonus Track) (4:35)
Label: Massacre Records
Distribution: Target (Denmark)
Reviewed by: Kenn Jensen
Date: 13 March, 2011
Website: www.myspace.com/imperiaband