Pride and Fall- Elements of Silence

Artist: Pride And Fall
CD Title: Elements Of Silence
Label: Metropolis Records
Reviewer: Matthew Johnson
Date: 5/1/06

Given the fact that Covenant and Apoptygma Berzerk both have new CDs out and VNV Nation are in the studio working on their next release, you might wonder why anyone would bother listening to Pride And Fall's new album. It's a fair question, especially considering that the album's first single, "Border," is vintage VNV Nation right down to the bombastic string intro and the references to "swords." Thankfully, though, not all of this Norwegian trio's work is so derivative, and all of it is put together quite well. "The Violence In Me," for example, shows restraint with a long, slow trance-inspired crescendo, and "Sacrament" is perfectly arranged, with the up-front synth melodies fading out just in time for the vocals to kick in. Surprisingly, though, some of Pride And Fall's best pieces are the instrumental interludes. These little sections of strings and ambiance and whatnot have become clichés, used by every band trying to wring that last bit of Ronan Harris melodrama out of their synth presets, but no one does it quite as well as Pride And Fall. "The Guiding Light" is an extended down-tempo composition of lovely sustained pads that eventually give way to a quiet melody of sampled picked strings, while outro track "Essence Of Angels" uses church bells, organs, and sustained choir samples for a grim Medieval effect. Though no one can accuse Pride And Fall of breaking new ground, this album is excellent for what it is, and fans of dramatic, melodic EBM have plenty of reasons to rejoice.

Visit www.prideandfall.com for more information.