Ten
Gothica

Ten goes gothic with their latest album; at least that is how it appears from the look and the title. Bring the sexy back could be a thought when looking at Gothica and then he even sings that in one of the songs – coincident? Well, who knows? What I do know is that this is the fifth album by Ten that I review and one thing that strikes me about them is that they sound the same, and I don’t men like five albums from the same band but they sound the same. Like that band haven’t evolved at all and that any song from this might just as well have been on any of the other albums, if I hadn’t listened to this right now I am not sure I could distinguish it from Isla De Muerta or Heresy and Creed. Then I am not really one that goes around listening to these albums after I have written about them so that might have something to do with that. It is however safe to claim that they are doing the same now as they did when I wrote the first review about them.

And that same thing is melodic rock/hardrock with strong choruses and melodies; the focus is definitely on melodies. Hughes has a slightly dispassionate voice that suits the kind of music that Ten does really well, and when you look a bit closer at it is that there is more passion there what appears at first glance. The songs are relatively varied and contains those long choruses that makes Ten feel a lot less repetitive than most of their peers and makes for some excellent songs and variation, thing is though that it is the same selection of songs that has been on their previous albums as well – it doesn’t really have a sense of novelty this album.

It may not have a sense of novelty but it is a great album, just like what they have done before. It is an album that is impossible not to like, only a complete idiot can dislike an album like this. You may argue that the lack of novelty is a weakness but when you listen to the album you don’t really care, and the same goes for the fact that it doesn’t really matter which of the albums you play – they are more or less the same and of equal quality. And because that is good quality it will certainly appeal to the fans of Ten.

As much I would have loved a darker, more gothic and moodier album by Ten, there is no denying that this is a great and enjoyable album that is well worth checking out. I think that everyone who regularly reads what we write at Hallowed will find this album most appealing; it is not possible to dislike it.

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