ELIOGABALUS

Devil doll is one of the more bizarre/absurd group gathered in the database. This Slovenian character Mr. Doctor is the leader of this project somehow mixing classical music with gothic ambiances (mostly due to the vocals) and a rich symphonic prog with incredible hooks in the music. But the vocals can also be putting off some progheads, because they are simply overbearing at times, and borderline "grand-guignolesque", which is not always serving the music to the fullest. As there are many great rock passages, large portions of the music are closer to classical music, a very dramatic and expressive kind of music, further outlined by the vocals. To add a tiny but consequent remark, mr. Dr.'s diction is not always perfect especially when he tries to be more macabre or gothic, but this stays a very minor flaw. In some respects, the fusion between rock and classical approaches the perfection of Pär Lindh's Project in their album Mundus Incompertus. But unlike that album, in this one, the music is simply too much to handle.

DD certainly has a lot to please many progheads, but their "musical formula" quickly wears thin, so I suggest you get one of their album, but stick with it, as one gets the uncomfortable feeling, that once you have one DD album, you have them all. All in all, it comes down to your actual musical tastes, and for newcomers, DD's music can either draw very positive reactions or can be highly repulsive. In my case, I can only be impressed by the execution of the album's music and the excellent sound, but even 10 years down the line, I wonder whether I actually like this type of music, regardless of the many qualities it has. To ask the question is almost giving you the answer.