Review: Exit Eden – 'Rhapsodies In Black'

EXIT EDEN
'Rhapsodies In Black'
NAPALM RECORDS

You know you have something great in your hands when it becomes an addiction to your ears, when you find yourself delaying the review part of the job just to fully listen to the songs, focusing only on their sound, their feelings and how you yourself feel because of them. That’s the best I can describe the experience of listening to 'Rhapsodies in Black', Exit Eden’s debut album: orgasmic.

The tracks these ladies have selected for their first work of art show that their proposal is as valid as any: that any popular song can become a sound great as in rock-metal. Their four voices, so different and diverse, add just another layer of enchant to the music they’ve done, combining their styles to create something unique.

People will find it interesting that there are several pop songs from different origins in this album, making it even a more exciting experience to rediscover tracks we all know so well and that, in some cases, we grew up with. It has the beauty of the past, the feeling of nostalgia, but also the surprise element when the changes become more than obvious.

Despite the negative comments some have written because of their nature as a cover group, which means we will only see new versions of other songs coming from Clémentine, Amanda, Marina and Anna, I don’t see how that could be an issue after listening to Rhapsodies in Black. Many of these versions are even better than the originals!

I can only complain about their chosen singles and release order. If it would have been up to me, 'Frozen' and 'Heaven' instead of 'Question of Time' and 'Unfaithful' as the girls’ voices and music are in perfect balance in their Madonna Cover and Amanda makes a better job in “Heaven” than in their first single.

It can sound a little strange since we’re talking about four girls, but one of my personal favourites was the closing song, 'Fade to Grey' a duet between Clémentine, who sings beautifully in her mother tongue, and Anna, who takes charge of the parts in English in a brilliant way. It could be interesting to see these two singers together again in the near future, but only time will say.

Despite being a loyal Little Monster, 'Paparazzi' amazes me all the time because of Clémentine. The same applies for 'Incomplete' a track to which Marina gave so much grief it made me cry once, and the killing vocals of Amanda in the oh-so-loved 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' no matter how much I like the sound of the four voices together.

As for now, I will try to focus once again in my daily life and other responsibilities, since I’ve been doing almost nothing else in my free time besides listening to Exit Eden’s music and wondering what their name could be about or come from. I will only ask you not to see who of these is my favourite singer and take yours as well.

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