Although the music here does not deliver the exotic primitivism promised by its cover, it still packs a solid punch with gothic, baritone vocals tempered by pop-dance sensibilities. This Swedish quartet started out as a death metal group, but these tracks owe far more to the melancholy throb of Depeche Mode than the macabre thrash of Celtic Frost. Guitars are now subsumed by a lush electronic sonic canvas, and the melodies seem designed to appeal rather than appall. On tracks like "Remedy", the quartet displays a dapper sense of structure by laying their accessible melodies over interesting movements. This effort gives a real edge to what might otherwise be merely a decent pop song.
Attention to detail is the key to the music's success. The female vocals floating through "White Nights" give the music's James Bond weave an added layer of sensuality. "Snowblind" achieves the opposite sensation by burying a repeated vocal refrain deep within its chorus.
Despite the music's invitation, a distance remains between the band and its listeners, due primarily to the languid vocals of Kristian Wahlin (a.k.a. Necrolord). This device is common to goth music, as it simultaneously invokes notions of intimacy and separation. Perhaps, given the band's Swedish roots, the iciness of the music should come as little surprise; however, at times it feels at odds with the underlying tracks. This gap is often overcome by additional thrusts in the music. For example, in "Models", the drums double themselves during the bridge, which gives the additional emotional push needed to successfully carry through the chorus. In "Innuendo", however, the "la-la-la" of the chorus tends to put too much weight on the music, making the sound a bit too syrupy for my taste.
Nevertheless, The Green Goddess succeeds far more often than not, and is of sufficient quality to place Diabolique alongside goth-rock stalwarts such as the Fields of the Nephilim.
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