Release Details

LABEL Century Media
RELEASED ON 3/15/2004

Entwine

diEversity

posted on 4/2004   By: Tim Pigeon

I don’t know what it is about the country of Finland, but they continue to produce the best rock that the world has to offer. The gloomy, goth rock ways of Sentenced and Charon have always struck a chord with me. But, one band that I always felt was playing beneath their potential was Entwine; while they had the aesthetics of the style mastered, their album Gone just lacked life. In short, I was bored with them, and the snippets I had heard of 2002’s Time of Despair left me with the same impression. So it is with great surprise that I’m enjoying the hell out of their new release, diEversity.

I don’t hold grudges, I always welcome a band that decides to right a wrong and attempt to bring me onboard, and this is what Entwine has done for me here. If you’ve heard anything by Sentenced, Charon, HIM, Poisonblack, or To/Die/For, then you have an idea of what this album sounds like. The vocals are all cleanly sung, with a tinge of regret in his voice, the guitars are driven by power-chord strumming, but not in a heavy way, more of just filling in the silence. Keyboards are ever-present, but always for atmosphere, never demanding the spotlight, although Riitta’s key flourishes are always well-placed. The Astia-studio production is perfect for their sound:  the mix isn’t too bright, everything is in balance, and each instrument sounds just right.

Whether it was a conscious decision or not, many of the songs on diEversity are cut from the same cloth as Charon. I find this to be a very positive development. “Six Feet Down Below” and “Nothing Forever” are great examples of this point. A few other songs, like “Still Remains” and “Bleeding for the Cure” gave off a Lacuna Coil vibe, minus the female vox, of course. “Refill My Soul” and “Lost Within” even sound as if they could have came from Sentenced’s great album Frozen, particularly with the guitarwork.

So what we have here is an album that is very strong, but also quite derivative of a few other great bands. Is this a wise purchase? Well if you like the aforementioned bands, then most definitely. I’m pleased as punch to hear Entwine finally hitting their stride (at least to my ears), and I hope that diEversity garners the attention it deserves.

Related

Entwine
Fatal Design
8/23/2006 Entwine
Time of Despair
6/25/2002