the Palace of Tears : "Veiled Screen, Woven Dream"

I am surprised that more goth does not come out of New Orleans. This project hails from the Big Easy, but the influence of the region is not present in their sound. Instead, there is a rich ethereal tapestry of crooning female vocals set against atmosphere synths and minimal percussion in a manner that is not far removed from early Dead Can Dance. It is not the kind of goth that is going to be spun by the DJ at your local goth nite unless it is a lounge setting where everyone is smoking hookah. The opening track does have dynamics, but not the booty-shaking kind unless you are a belly dancer who enjoys opiates. 

Now in comparing them to Dead Can Dance, I think it is important that we have reasonable expectations here. They are not as organic as Dead Can Dance. Nor is she anywhere close to Lisa Gerrard in terms of range or power. But they begin to pave their own way by employing a beat that is closer to darkwave on "An Echo in Time". The melody might not be as focused but they are heading in a darker direction. Another thing that sets them apart is their dedication to lulling you into their hypnotic drone. Electronics take an even larger role in "the Embers of Your Being Glow Still". It is more like a dark gaze than a dark wave. Less emphasis on having something to dance to and more on zoning out into the twilight. The woozy sounds of the synths recall witch-house but with more purposeful vocals. 

The darker cello sound sets the stage for "Lair of the Undying".  The beat is more minimal and bleak than something to groove to. The synth tones are thick and create a heavier sensation. The vocals continue to wander like another layer of the ambiance. Her lyrics about indigo dreams illuminating things is the first line of the album to really stand out.  They are taking what they are doing very seriously and I can appreciate that. "Veiled Screen, Woven Dream" drifts along similarly as the other songs the only difference being guitar plays a larger role. It's a guitar with a great reverbed-out tone so it elevates the song marginally above the rest. 

The last song is a summary of the sonic swirl this album has bathed you in. Her lyrics are more articulated and stand out. The guitar tones are less distorted and ring out with rippling beauty. They have certainly captured a sound, This sound does enough to keep your attention. It might not do enough to bring me personally back for more listens so I will give this album an 8, which still puts it above most goth revialists these days. 

pst172