Theatre Of Tragedy
„Aégis“
Dark Rock. Limited green Vinyl 2 LP Remaster. 2022 (1998)

In 1998, any uninitiated fan had to get used to a new style from the Stavanger, Norway-based band Theatre Of Tragedy. Instead of "Beauty and the Beast" gothic metal, there was dark rock of a slower variety. Instead of grunting growls, there was clean vocals from Raymond István Rohonyi. Liv Kristin's beautiful, bright vocals from the first two albums remained, however, so it wasn't until the next two albums that we fully enjoy the range of her very versatile voice. Raymond István Rohonyi sounded too forced for me at the beginning, but in the end, it fits well with theatrical gothic. This album was very well received by critics and fans of its time.

Every change in a band's style carries the risk of alienating fans and critics. A risk that doesn't particularly concern me as a prog-head. On the contrary, I generally welcome such changes. I can appreciate any stylistic change by ToT (Theatre Of Tragedy). Of course, the change could simply be related to mainstream and commercialization. But that doesn't bother me either, as long as the music remains good. ToT succeeds very well at that, but we know it much worse from dozens of much better-known bands. So, gothic metal to dark rock, industrial synth pop/rock, and (with a new singer) back to the roots. Although the switch to synth (dark) pop/rock was considerably more controversial. More on that in my review of the album "Assembly„.

Right from the opener “Cassandra” it becomes clear that ToT remains true to its old-fashioned, ornate English:

„He thought her life, save moreo’er scourge,
She held him august, yet wee;
He left her ne’er without his heart“

The god Apollon curses Cassandra because she rejects his advances. And so none of her prophecies come true. The tragic song is performed without harshness, alive with dark rock and Liv's incomparable voice contrasting with Istvan's clear vocals. I'm convinced, because it's about power and sex, a topic that has lost none of its sad relevance.  

"Lorelei" describes the unrequited love of a poet. Liv Kristine as Lorelei from the German myth manages to strike a balance between beguilingly siren-like and irascible. Istvan as a tragic poet. It's significantly faster than the opener, but also beautifully flowing.

And just like the first two songs, "Aégis" is about archetypes of femininity. "Angelique" and "Samantha" close Side A, while on Side B, "Aœde," "Siren," and "Virago" round out the consistently good songs. Listen all the way through? Thumbs up!

Side C also brings us "Venus," "Poppæa," and "Bacchante." These songs also fit in very well and further enhance the atmosphere. On Side D, we find "Cassandra" and "Aœde" as edited versions, as well as the three demos "Lorelei," "Virago," and "Untitled." I don't need the edits and demos, but they're certainly useful for enthusiasts.

With their album "Aégis," Theatre Of Tragedy has successfully transformed their style from gothic metal to dark rock. They retained their "ancient" lyrics and the alternation between Istvan and Liv's vocals, and at least Istvan growls once again on "Bacchante." Tragedy wrapped in dark rock. Musically brilliant, atmospherically dense, ranging from calm to rocky, and naturally epic. This 2022 remaster, limited to 200 copies, is flawless, sounds clean, and feels rich on the platter. Highlights include "Cassandra," "Venus," and "Bacchante."

Mehr Reviews:

Theatre of Tragedy 1995
Velvet Darkness They Fear 1996
A Rose for the Dead (EP) 1997
Aegis 1998
Musique 2000
Assembly 2002
Storm 2006
Forever is the World 2009
Remixed 2019 (only Remixes)

The photos are all from my LP. The rights to all motifs, logos, texts and fonts that can be seen in the photos are of course owned by the copyright holder.