BLACK BRICK ROAD

If I have to compare this album with another Lake of Tear release, it would be "A Crimson Cosmos"... The return of the band, was also a return to the style of one of their better works, although it has also a lot of things in common with the later masterpiece "Forever Autumn", and the also splendid "The Neonai".

The style of "Black Brick Road" is the typical Lake of Tears gothic metal mixed with a lot of 70's influences... But this time, maybe even darker than before, being the album not so depressive like "Forever Autumn", but with more sinister melodies (wiht the exception of Sister Sinister, a very animated rock track...) The using of keyboards and the dominance of hard riffs is what makes "Black Brick Road" similar to "A Crimson Cosmos". Nevertheless, the amazing track Dystopia could have been in "The Neonai", just like A Trip with the Moon... The dramatic and retro-gothic The Organ, has the style of "Forever Autumn". The rest of the tracks have the Lake of Tears typical that they have made since "A Crimson Cosmos"...

With two exceptions... The funny Sister Sinister, a rock flick with a "sinister" female voice (courtesy of Ulrika Silver...) and an odd guitar solo. And Crazyman, one of the hardest Lake of Tears tracks, full with greats riffs, closing the album wonderfully. And also wonderful is the Magnus Sahlgren playing... He has played on every Lake of Tears album since "A Crimson Cosmos", and in "Black Brick Road" he made his better contribution in my opinion, shining in every solo he plays, giving an extra of quality and melodic feeling. It's a luck he is a full member of the band now!

Best tracks: The Greymen (since this first track, we can hear that the band returned with full force!), Black Brick Road (a classic sounding Lake of Tears track... I love the guitar intro, and they keyboard melodies), Dystopia (very similar to "The Neonai" electronic style, but maybe even better...), A Trip With the Moon (another catchy track, with wonderfull keyboards melodies...), Sister Sinister is wonderful too... And very good is also Making Evenings, the great slow track The Organ, the auto-referential and very gothic Rainy Day Away, the very heavy Crazyman... Sorry, but I love every song of this album!

Conclusion: after their short break, Lake of Tears returned like a phoenix from their ashes, offering their fans one of their better albums... Maybe "Black Brick Road" is not so brilliant like the masterpiece "Forever Autumn", but it's a great gothic rock album. Every track is wonderful, perfectly planned and produced, and with a wide range of moods and ambients... It's maybe the most varieted Lake of Tears albums, but also one of their most coherent, cohesionated and catchy ones. Strongly recommended to everyone!

My rating: ****

Share this LAKE OF TEARS review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to The Crow
• Report this review (#229119)
• Buy LAKE OF TEARS music online with PA partners
• Show all LAKE OF TEARS MP3/Stream
• Go to LAKE OF TEARS page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Black Brick Road page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for LAKE OF TEARS related discussions