Siebenburgen

This band's bio compares them to Cradle of Filth, but the similarity seems to end after the female background vocals and vampire fixation. Siebenbürgen has a stronger foundation in classic heavy metal, which makes the bonus track - a cover of Judas Priest's "Jawbreaker" - seem a logical choice. Plagued By Thy Angel is Siebenbürgen's fourth release, although it's their first with English lyrics. An angelic female voice (Lovisa Hallstedt) provides a soothing accompaniment to Marcus Ehlin's evil, guttural growls singing about the dark side of ancient folklore. While the vocal extremes on the album blend together well, Siebenbürgen's emphasis is on their heavy metal guitar sound, leaving the low end somewhat buried in the mix. Consistent musically, Plagued By Thy Angel has a good overall flow, and individual songs are well put together, but the dark and forbidding atmosphere doesn't really peak until the album nears its close.