 "Simply Beautiful" | 2009-05-08 |
| - Reviewed By User: A36TU3ERIAPU8S |
I bought this on a whim at Borders, needing some fresh music for an hour long drive home- it was the cover art that attracted me.
I couldn't be happier- this is not Enigma meets Brightman- this is Enigma meets E Nomine, and it's fabulous. The vocalists have pure strong voices, the melodies are haunting, uplifting or inspiring, the rhythms are moving, and tracks flow seamlessly. There wasn't a single track i didn't thoroughly enjoy.
This is the perfect background music for writing, drawing or relaxing. One of the best music purchases I've ever made. |
| |
| "Are you ready for an uplifting experience?" | 2008-07-24 |
| - Reviewed By harrydaham |
Then on your home stereo put this CD on and crank it up, OR in your vehicle do the same, OR on your iPod...whatever your flavor, you're sure to come out a winner with Auracle. Oh my gosh, the first track sets the pace for a heavenly uplifting experience, no matter what your "religion" or beliefs are, this Cd will take you on a journey of peace and tranquility. I like to have it on in the background when I am studying for tests at college, and when I'm going to and from work I love blasting it in my car, there is no words to describe how energized this CD makes you feel.
|
| |
 "Interesting fusion" | 2008-02-08 |
| - Reviewed By nicknames_are_stupid |
| This was my first exposure to Lesium's work. I enjoyed the fusion of various elements to produce an oddly engaging album. It's been described as Gregorian chant, and it has certain elements of that. Technically, Gregorian chant only uses fourths and fifths in terms of the harmony, rather than thirds, though, so it isn't really, since the use of the major and minor triad still lay hundreds of years in the future, but the use of Latin and the chorus do give it some of that quality. The individual voices, except for the gravelly man's voice on track 11, are quite striking, and the dramatic use of drums in several of the songs is quite effective. These sound like the hollowed out tree trunk kind, rather than the stretched material kind, but I'm no expert on drums so I don't know for sure. They even make use of electric guitars occasionally in the lead, which is done very effectively, I thought. I found the first half of the album the best, with the last half good but not as strong. Still, overall I found it a very well done album. I disagree with some writers here that the sound production was inferior; the sound was fine on my stereo. Overall, a fine album that effectively fuses various elements to produce some engaging and oddly engrossing music. |
| |
| "A Matter of Taste" | 2007-08-23 |
| - Reviewed By ed_pauzer |
I am hesitant to write a review about music because it is the most personal kind of taste of all. Most of us hold the secret belief that if people listen to our music long enough, they will see how good our taste in it is.
I heard this in one of those "artsy" crafts and dish stores, where they sold a lot of wood and ceramic products, in Cape Cod. They were playing it over their P.A. to get customers to buy it, and they succeeded.
The woman behind the counter told me that it was a modern-day "Gergorian Chant." But having been raised Catholic and taught to sing this and the "Tantum Ergo" in Latin, I was skeptical.
"Gregorian Chant," it isn't. It does sound like a cross between that group that played background music in Tom Clancy's "Patriot Games," and a new age done by that Dutch fiddler who overproduces his performances in European squares at night. (Okay, so I'm not so good with names!)
This won't beat classical, but it does beat new age. I enjoyed the harmonies. That's my preference. Read the other reviews and then decide.
It's strictly a matter of taste.
Donna nobis pacem!
|
| |
 "Just not worth it." | 2007-08-19 |
| - Reviewed By chanson2 |
| Yes, it sounds a little like Enigma. Like a hometown wannabe cover band. There's no depth to the sound, as if they didn't have the studio time or talent or money, and the vocals seem harsh and out of place instead of fusing with the music. Give this a pass. If you like this sort of sound, another group is Angel Tears and they seem much better. |
| |
| "An interesting, uplifting departure from Lesiem's first two albums" | 2006-10-02 |
| - Reviewed By briannaneal |
"Auracle" seems to be the U.S.-packaged version of Lesiem's third CD, released in Germany with different cover art as "Times." The songs are the same, although they are presented in a different order, and a bonus DTS repetition of the song "Fides" is included on "Times." Overall, I have to say that I prefer the track order of "Times," which opens with a much more intriguing piece ("Prudentia") than does "Auracle." Neither version of the disc, however, was what I'd expected from Alex Wende, Henning Westland, Sven Meisel and company as a follow up to "Mystic Spirit Voices" and "`Illumination." Gone is much of the dark, brooding, almost Wagnerian atmosphere, replaced instead by many pieces in a major key that feature simplistic pop vocals. The glorious, deep-voiced choir drops in and out between the solo verses and voiceovers, but it's not as much the focus as in previous albums. I miss that. Granted, the insistent, Celtic-style drumwork that crops up in several pieces is a welcome addition to Lesiem's sound. And the happy, new melodies are nice enough, sticking pleasantly in one's memory after a few listens. But that's not what made Lesiem stand out so strikingly from all the other groove-chant groups out there. "Auracle" (and/or "Times") is a worthy work in its own right, with high production values, impeccable musicianship and lots of heart. But compared to the group's preceding albums, it's hard not to view it as a bit watered down. For other uplifting Latin chants with modern underpinnings, try "Vision: The Music of Hildegard von Bingen" by Richard Souther, and "Libera," the luminous, self-titled debut album of Robert Prizeman and his talented boy choir.
|
| |
Expedited Available
