Todesbonden’s newly released, Sleep Now, Quiet Forest continues the groups exploration and combination of musical styles ranging from classical, Celtic, Middle Eastern, doom metal to English and Mexican Folk to the gorgeous operatic vocals of Laurie Haus. The band’s talent and ability to mix different styles adds textures and layers not found on your typical rock album. The metalhead may not like this album due to the lack of shredding guitars and heavy beats, but any fan of truly gifted musicians coming together to create a phenomenal record will appreciate the sonic journey on Sleep Now, Quiet Forest. Pay close attention to the acoustic guitars on this album, they are some of the best I have heard in the last few years.

“Surrender To The Sea” begins this opus with a soft piano intro leading into skillful and driving metal guitars. The one aspect the listener will notice are the gorgeous operatic vocals of Laurie Haus mixing perfectly with the orchestral pianos and driving guitars. Her voice is reminiscent of the The Diva from the movie The Fifth Element. Pay close attention to Laurie’s vocalizations starting at the 3:45 mark, this element brings a peaceful and dreamlike element to this track. “Surya Namaskara” has a strong Celtic folk and Renassaince feel with the incorporation of the flutes over tight snare drums leading into some impressive electric work. This song also has elements of classical piano and Middle Eastern vocalizations from Laurie.

“Trianon” has very classical texture with the prominent use of pianos and violins backing Laurie’s operatic vocals. This song really takes off when the heavy guitars kick in at the 1:10 mark. The layering of heavy metal guitars with operatic vocals and classical instruments is not easy to pull-off but Todesbonden does it masterfully. There is not a lot of fancy editing and synthesizers, just a group of extremely talented musicians coming together to create one of the most unique records of 2008. “Aegus Og Fiddle” incorporates beautiful acoustic guitars and violins which provide the perfect canvas for Laurie’s strong but peaceful vocals.

“Fading Empire” is song about despair and it can be heard and felt in the violin intro that leads into some stellar piano work by James Lamb. However, it’s the perfectly blended contrast of metal guitars and classical instruments that prove to be the highpoint of this song. The classical element brings the despair, however the heavy metal guitars bring a sense of hope, a sense that there is something left to fight for.

“The Ghost Of The Crescent Moon” has a Mexican-influenced acoustic guitar intro that is fucking incredible. If you appreciate talented musicians, especially skilled acoustic guitarists, this album will earn your respect and lots of play time on your stereo. The electric guitars come into play at the 1:37 mark, but not shine, rather to add another backing element to an already incredible song. “Flow My Tears” is beautiful in its simplicity. The song incorporates more of Laurie’s operatic vocals backed by stellar acoustic guitar picking and sorrowful violins, all of these textures allow the listener to feel the sadness Laurie is singing about.

“Sailing Alone” is the most metal track on the album. The higher tempo metal guitars provide a welcome change of pace from the peaceful “Flow My Tears.” “Lullaby” is a 70-second piece incorporating Middle Eastern-style acoustic guitar picking, pianos, and vocalizations reminiscent of Bjork’s Medulla album. This song is like a spooky lullaby that leads perfectly into “The Battle of Kadesh.”

“The Battle of Kadesh” has a strong Middle Eastern, Celtic and Indian influence which can be clearly heard in the guitars, violins, and vocals. At roughly the 4:50 mark in the song the metal guitars kick in to signify the climax of the battle and provide yet another perfect combination of metal, classical, and folk elements. “Sleep Now, Quiet Forest” is the title track and closes out this spectacular album. The acoustic guitar and Laurie’s vocals are in perfect harmony with the keys and a flute just dancing in the background adding welcoming conclusion to the struggles in the preceding song.

Todesbonden bring something incredible to the world with this album. As described, this not a metal album and many visitors to Blistering maybe skeptical of such a positive review of an album like this on a metal website. While I love metal music, I am first and foremost a fan of talented musicians perfecting their craft and creating something that is fresh, exciting, and beautiful. The music lover will appreciate all of the different influences on Sleep Now, Quiet Forest.

The most impressive aspect of this album is the bands ability to seamlessly blend styles from different regions of the world. Laurie’s strong operatic voice when paired with acoustic (the best acoustic work I have heard in 2008) and electric guitars creates a sound that is more stunning and musically sound than anything created by Flyleaf for Evanescence. This is the best album I have reviewed in 2008 and is more than worthy of a 5-out-of-5 rating.

www.myspace.com/todesbonden