ANGTORIA is the band of Sarah Jezebel Deva (Cradle Of Filth, Therion etc.) and the Rehn brothers, while Dave from Cradle Of Filth joined them recently as a permanent bassist (he also plays in this debut album). In any case they are much lighter than Cradle and here you wont hear Sarah sing opera style. No soprano at all! But this was done on purpose and we can feel the beauty of her voice in a different light. All the lyrics were written by Sarah and are very personal and meaningful. Most of them are quite sombre and filled with pain.

Track by track:

The Awakening
A short, but bombastic and pompous intro

Im Calling
Very beautiful song, one of the highlights of the entire album. Sarah sings beautifully and tenderly, while the music is focused mainly on the keyboards (as by the way is the case in almost all the songs)

God Has A Plan For Us All
The title track. A very sarcastic and perverse lyric, dealing with how a priest rapes a little girl. Again lots of keyboards and this time theres a choir, which perfectly suites Sarahs angelic voice.

Suicide On My Mind
In this song once again theres a magnificent piano, and also some more guitar work. The rhythm is mild, calm. The title clearly tells what the text is about


Deity Of Disgust
Different from the other songs, in the beginning this songs a bit like Therion, which of course is a good thing! Its a duet with Sarah and Martin Haggsrtom, with a slow rhythm, towards the end a pretty fast solo on the piano adds variety to this track.


The Addiction
An interlude in the middle of the disk, put exactly on the right place. A superb track, so tender and beautiful both as music and as performance from Sarah. It somehow slightly reminds me of some more calm moment from the Lord of the Dance.


Six Feet Under Is Not Deep Enough
And again lots of beautiful keyboard parts, solid vocal lines from Sarah and faster rhythm As for the lyrics they are quite evil! One of the heavier songs in the album.


Do You See Me Now
Plenty of keyboards and in some moments a heavier sound, entwined with a calm and careful performance from Sarah. Chris Rehn has really mastered the piano and uses it to considerably enrich the tracks.


Original Sin
Maybe the surprise in the disk a duet with Sarah and Aaron from My Dying Bride. A dark song, the heaviest in the album. Aaron sings very aggressively, there are even some screams that I think Aaron rarely uses in his band!

Hell Hath No Fury Like A Woman Scorned
A song again dominated by Sarahs pretty voice and the piano. The chorus is especially delightful. The rhythm is calm, even slow in some places.


Confide In Me
A Kylie Minogue cover Sarah sings the song much clearly and distinctly than the original. A dark track, that suites the band and the concept of the disk.


Thats What The Wise Lady Said
A ballad, almost entirely built around the piano and Sarah. Even though its beautiful, its also a bit tedious


A Child That Walks In The Path Of A Man bonus track for the digipack
Again a ballad, but with all the instruments and a flute in some moments. Masterfully performed, but a bit boring and lacking in personality. Not a very good way to end the album, it would have been better if it was put somewhere in the middle.


In spite of some remarks (mostly for the last 2 tracks), the debut is a very solid and original one! Angtoria have the talent to break through all the other female fronted bands. Talent, originality and Sarahs magnificent voice are a guarantee of future successes!

Mark: 90/100