Rain Fell Within
Refuge
4.6
You know, the fact that something has guitars in it does not make it "metal", as we fans of music's greatest genre can all attest to. Rain Fell Within is one band who think they are metal because of guitars, and I'm sorry to be the one to have to break it to them, but they are NOT METAL! There are just so many things that prevent this album from being playable at all. Hell, I could barely get through the review! But that's why I am here, to allow others the opportunity to be informed and to make the wise decision to NOT buy any crappy non-metal shit. The one thing that really prevented me from having anything resembling a good time with this album is the vocals. I am not a big fan of female vocals to begin with and it's not that I'm sexist, I just don't like the way women present themselves as singers in metal for the most part. There are plenty of incredible female vocalists in metal (Kimberly Goss of Sinergy, Angela Gossow of Arch Enemy, etc.), but in this case the two vocalists - both women - just irritate me beyond the point of insanity. Their singing is so operatic and choir-esque that I get sick to my ass! The rage slowly builds inside me until I can take no more. And it's really a shame, because the music is honestly not bad. There are some decent riffs in there performed by some decent musicians, so unfortunately they get bogged down by horrible vocals. To make matters worse, they really drag out their songs, adding in unnecessary extra length to just about every track. Even if you could sit through one of the songs that has a semi-decent hook in it, by the time it is over you won't ever want to hear it again because of the unnecessary length involved. Basically, if your problem with power metal is the vocals, then your problem with PMS-chick metal (if you don't like that term, how about "doomy bitch metal"?) will be the vocals too. According to their web page, as of August 2002 the band is now defunct, good riddance. My opinion of Rain Fell Within is this: they alienate any metal fans they would have had with the absolutely irritating vocals, and they fend off any softer-music-types with their slightly distorted guitars that sort of resemble metal. If you want to hear aggravating choir vocals, then by all means get your sorry ass into a church, and may god have mercy on your pathetic soul. However, if you are like me and the rest of the somewhat sane, metal-loving population, then discard any false hopes you had for Rain Fell Within and come join me at Satan's fiery, cast-iron altar. Trust me, you won't regret it. Oh yes, and may god have mercy on your soul once again.
