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Tragic Black
The Eternal Now
Danse Macabre Records
The word “controversy” seems to be linked to the name of Tragic Black since the beginning, but this album could be the Mother of all controversy for their career. I knew this band from Salt Lake City, Utah (USA) in 2002 with their self released stuff. Some years later they were signed by Strobelight Records; and released “The Decadent Requiem” (2006), with some new and improved versions of their previous stuff and new tracks. This record was followed by “The cold Caress” (2007). ”The Eternal Now” is their third album and you can see a total metamorphosis in their music and concept .The days in which they did songs like “Faith and Disease” or “Surreal Catharsis” are definitely part of the past. On their early days, they were doing some kind of “Death Rock” Revival. Their early stuff has some influences of Cinema Strange, but in their first album they came with a more aggressive punkish sound and a very interesting use of synths. “The cold Caress” was more melodic and with leading guitars. This record had a very good acceptance at the time. They began to be a more Rock-oriented band with this album, and this divided opinions in a big way. Now, with this third album; they have metamorphosed their sound in something like those kiddie Alt- Metal Rock bands of today (Black Veil Brides, Avenged Sevenfold, Trivium), combined with some Thrash Metal, Glam Metal like Motley Crue, and a pinch of their former style.
In only two of the tracks you can find traces of their sound in the previous records:”The Beaten Path” is really interesting, it’s a more electro-oriented version of their sound in “The Decadent Requiem”; and “Cannot rest In Peace” has some touch of the atmosphere of “The cold Caress”. After the intro:”Collapse”; “What in the world” breaks the silence with melodic alternative metal. “Doomsday”, “Dream of tonight”, and “It fades away” features the same guitar-driven style of the opening track. “Breaking a broken heart” has some influence of the glam metal band Ratt.”The plot to destroy the world it’s more aggressive and thrash metal oriented; “Born to kill” sounds like Vince Neil doing a jam with some 80’s power metal band.
With controversy around them or not, their previous records had some logic, some continuity. This could be the record to shut for good the mouth of their critics; but instead they came with a very risky album, and honestly I don’t understand why they did such move. I’m not in the position to judge the music of a band. I’m here to describe the music objectively and you can decide if this one is for you or not. This is a very radical change in the musical direction of the band and it could work for them (Whatever they want to do with their career from now on). ¡Good luck!
