Quietus
Genocide: Tragedy In Red
6
Genocide: Tragedy In Red is the debut, independent release from this young duo out of Israel, and is a decent slice of goth/doom with an impressive ear for melody and drama. While not remarkable, most of the songs on this album successfully work a familiar but effective formula: long, sweeping intro, slow doom-laden verse and soaring melodic chorus with a smattering of strings and keys. Although somewhat repetitive and long-winded, Genocide... is mostly an enjoyable effort with an impressive sense of emotion and atmosphere throughout.
As the horror movie organs of "Silent Courts" set the tone for this album, "Tainted By Fate" sees the metal kick in with coarse, deathly vocals and haunting, melody-rich riffs. While there is little variation in the tracks that follow, numbers like "Blood Moor" and "Quailing In Fear" feature strong implementation of violin, piano and spoken word interludes. "Draped In Our Tears" is perhaps the best display of Quietus' songwriting skills, achieving a greater level of dynamics through its faster tempos, edgier riffing and a well-orchestrated instrumental climax. While there are no obviously poor tracks on Genocide…, the album could have benefited from tighter arrangements and less meandering, especially towards the latter part of the album where there are few surprises left.
Overall, Genocide: Tragedy In Red is a competent and promising release from Quietus. Fans of gothic doom with an emphasis on melody should appreciate what this band is about. The songwriting, musicianship and production on this disc are all decent, while the instrumentation and vocals are above average. Not yet outstanding, Quietus are clearly ambitious and - even at this early stage - show a genuine knack for creating atmosphere and drama in their music.
