My love for gothic metal is on a whole other level.
After a heartfelt introduction, we’re turning our attention to a place from way back when. Back when I first got into metal, around ’97–’98, I think I was in my junior year of high school around the time Anatolia , I think I was in my junior year of high school when I stumbled upon Theatre of Tragedy. Naturally, I fell in love with Aegis and Velvet Darkness They Fear . Once I got a PC, I listened to their first album over and over again. I listened to them for years, but unfortunately, I didn’t really expand my collection much. I didn’t really step outside my comfort zone—maybe because of budget constraints, but whatever. But in recent years—especially since 2020—I’ve been opening myself up to new things. I’ve dived into albums by bands I love that I hadn’t listened to before (Amorphis, Paradise Lost), started exploring bands in genres I love that I hadn’t listened to before, and discovered new genres and so much more.
During these explorations, I also crossed paths with Tristania, On Thorns I Lay, and Draconian—the bands that most closely resemble ToT. Draconian is in a league of its own. It’s been my refuge since ToT. Since they’re still active, I’ve been paying them even more attention. These days, I’m exploring Tristania, and here’s what I’ve found: Widow’s Weeds.
The band is from Norway. They started life with a +1. I’m sure it’s been the subject of many studies—after all, good music just happens automatically when you’re born there. To me, it evokes a darkness even deeper than that of gothic metal—more like black metal.
The album starts off on a somber note. The intro and the first track, “Evenfall,” set the mood. Then “Pale Enchantress” draws us into a hazy atmosphere. With its smooth, easy-to-follow riffs, I find myself naturally falling in step with the tempo.
Tristania — Evenfall
Next up is “December Elegy,” which has one of the darkest sounds on the album. The harmony between the keyboards and the lead guitar really grabs me. I find myself thinking, “If only this album had been remastered.” In some places, the dated production tone of the guitars puts me off just a little. But I can’t say a single bad thing about the album’s quality.
The band delivers a performance that truly satisfies me when it comes to the “Beauty and the Beast”-style vocal interplay—perhaps the aspect most beloved by fans of this genre. Here, I’m cheering for Vibeke Stene and Morten Veland just like Shia LaBeouf does in that scene where he’s applauded in the movie theater.
I realized what bothered me about the production. I know a lot of albums with this kind of production, and I like many of the ones that fall within my interests, but I think the tone of the lead guitar here just doesn’t sit right with me. Unfortunately, my lack of musical knowledge is showing again here. If I knew how to play the guitar, I’d definitely be able to put my finger on what it is. Oh well—that’s just the nature of this blog.
Right in the middle of the album, on the track “Midwintertears,” Vibeke’s voice—accompanied by piano and keyboard—takes us on a journey. I took a closer look at the lyrics; they speak of a difficult grieving process.
Tristania — Midwintertears
I thought the album title had a straightforward meaning, like “widow’s weeds,” but when I looked into it a bit, it turned out to be deeper than that. "weeds" is actually a type of clothing—one of the word’s now-forgotten or archaic meanings. "Widow’s Weeds" is an old expression that has become part of the language; I learned that it refers to the black mourning clothes worn by a woman who has lost her husband. For those interested, here’s some extra information: It brings to mind the black dresses and veils worn as mourning attire during the Victorian era.
"Angellore" begins in what could be described as the second half of the album. Oh, there was a band like that—I thought I’d check it out—and the connection was as clear as day in their interviews. Since this album was so important to the French doom/gothic band, they chose the band’s name from this track.
Tristania — Angellore
“My Lost Lenore,” the most-streamed track from this album on Spotify, is also my favorite track on the album. The piano, which accompanies the song from start to finish, creates a beautiful emotional atmosphere. I think the piano is what makes this the easiest track on the album to follow along with, in my opinion.
Tristania — My Lost Lenore
In the track “Wasteland's Caress” at the end of the album, I even pick up hints of power metal here and there.
Tristania — Wasteland's Caress
The band has since disbanded. They officially announced their breakup in 2022. Their last release was 2013’s *Darkest White* album. However, Morten Veland, the lead guitarist and harsh vocalist from the core lineup, is still actively performing the same roles in the bands Mortemia and Sirenia.
These days, I’m satisfying my craving for gothic metal with ToT, Draconian, and the newer band Cemetery Skyline. I’m also looking forward to discovering Tristania’s upcoming albums. I think their more recent releases—especially as they move closer to the present—will leave a deeper impression on me, since the production quality has improved. Tristania has become one of the bands that can truly satisfy me—at least with this album. Also, based on the research I did while writing this article, I’ll be paying special attention to Sirenia because of Morten Veland, Tristania’s male vocalist, lead guitarist, and one of the band’s early songwriters.
I’d also like to share the lyrics from this album that caught my attention the most and that I really liked. From the song “Midwintertears”:
"Silently she comes through the night"
Longing for a silvery light, Departing,
with the twilight in her eyes
"Descending from paradise"
May gloom be upon you:(