Lista de Bandas Atmospheric Gothic In Drama (ESP) Timescapes

The first official release of Spanish ambient band In Drama reminds more of an epic, relaxing and very atmospheric lullaby than a classic gothic rock album. Timescapes brings a very melancholic and sentimental mood, with melodies audibly influenced by many present and old school gothic bands as well as jazz and less harsh styles.

It’s nothing unusual that the relatively young band (at least when it comes to playing together and recording a first album) stakes on simplicity and unpretentiousness. The guitar and vocal lines are very clean and underlined by keyboards. There are no disturbing swings and the whole melody line going through the album is very stable and the tracks are inosculated by the same mood and atmosphere. And that is something what many bands have a lack of. On the other hand, and I’m afraid this may be the case in a way, the songs are lined together so well that it’s hard to find something really striking about every single of them. It doesn’t mean that the compositions are boring, if every single one was standing by itself, it would be a well memorisable song, but in this album, surrounded by the ones of the same quality and very similar spirit, it is very difficult to separate them and not take them all like one whole.

On the other hand it would be very unfair to say that none of them have any interesting element. What has to be said is that all the melodies evoke the feeling that you know how it is going to change during the following seconds. And these are the moment when it proves its originality. Sometimes it may be annoying, sometimes it can be refreshing, but in my view, this is something that depends on every listener and no one else.

As well as this, the singing is something that doesn’t have to fit everyone’s taste. The voice of the vocalist Selene is very, and this time seriously VERY sweet and dreamy. The whole singing is very emotive and melancholic, which is a plus for some listeners, but the ones who prefer the sadness with a bit of suffering, this could be a bit unsympathetic. What was at least for me a little surprising, was the fact that despite a remarkably great vocal range of the singer some parts sound rather flat. Not emotionally, but melodically. Luckily, very likeable using of combination of the melody lines and effects, like for example in track Unreal, recompense very well. As well as this, the parts where you can hear the backing vocals of the guitarist and the founder of the band Jesús are very likeable, as shown for example in Stages. And one thing that is very common for many newer bands from not English speaking countries is that in slower songs (in this case it is almost the whole album) the accent or slightly different pronunciation or different elongation in words is quite hearable.

It is hard to point out any big flaws when it comes to guitars or drums, especially since the biggest role in this album play the vocals and the keys. There are faster and more energic songs like Stages or Tonight and My Dark Soul, but it wouldn’t be correct to say that the guitar riffs or drums are so empathic that they would outvoice the other elements. The biggest leader of the melody still remain the keyboards which stands out the most in the final song Ride With Me where the melody makes a perfect atmosphere for the finish.

As the whole, Timescapes shows that this band has a lot of things to improve but the band is on its best possible way. They are original and the effort and passion given to this release is unquestionable. The style they play is not for everyone for sure, but still, which one is? I am sure that many people will be enchanted by this album and In Drama deserves the best support from its fans.