TO/DIE/FOR „IV”

TO/DIE/FOR „IV” - okładka
Music: Gothic Metal
Website: http://www.todieforlove.com
Country: Finland
Cool songs: New Year’s Day, No Turning Back



The Finnish gothic metal group was founded in 1999 and is closely related to another band with such origin, which is HIM, very popular around the world, thanks to its track ‘Join Me’, recorded for the original soundtrack to ‘The Thirteenth Floor’ motion picture. Finland is a country, where every kind of music is possible, even melancholic love metal, which has not got anything to do with… metal. ‘IV’ is the fourth full-length release of TO/DIE/FOR.

And it is a proposition, which will satisfy all of the HIM fans, as ‘IV’ is a skillful, melodic and light popish metal, performed according to rock standards. The vocal parts are not supported by any riffs (no heavy guitars), refrains contain a much bigger dose of riffs, which build a melodic climate. Medium-pitched vocal is the best one here, but this voice, as well as the music, is being over dominated by the heavily abused keyboards. The lyrics are, as usually, of love sickness origin, supported with more melancholic material, quite childish and naďve, dominated by pessimistic tunes, and they have a strong impact on the music, which starts to resemble the works of European pop divas. If it had not been for those (all in all soft) guitars, the album could have been confused with some lighter ambient or even pop.

All in all, the music is not bad. When it is necessary, the tune is heavy enough (as for gothic metal), and when there is time for calming down (which is present most of the time), poetic vocals and keyboards take the lead. Too bad, that those already mentioned synthesizers are so loud, that they simply drown the other instruments and the vocal. A good cover version of U2 ‘New Year’s Day’ sounds really cool and pushes the album a step higher. To sum up, it is not metal, but a poetic pen, with talentless hack’s tendencies.

note: 6.5/10

Tracklist

1. Autumn Forever
2. This World Is Made for Me
3. Lies (For Fools)
4. New Year's Day (U2 cover)
5. Chaotic Me
6. Little Deaths
7. No Turning Back
8. Fragmented
9. Endlessly
10. Last Breath

Total playing time 41:23

Line-up

Jape Perätalo – vocals
Mika Ahtlainen – guitar
J.P Sutela – guitars
Juska Salminen – keyboard
Josey Strandmann – bass
Santtu Lonka – drums

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