POISONBLACK – Lust Stained Despair

Everybody knows Ville Laihiala, right? He was the voice of one of Finland’s most famous Metal bands, which had several top ten singles and gold albums in their home country. Of course, the talk is about Sentenced. The well-orchestrated death of the band with their Funeral Album let the hearts of Metalfans sink all over the world, and still does. But, Ville never said he would not make more music, just Sentenced had reached the zenith of their potential. So, here he comes again, and having parted ways with former singer Leppäluoto, he turned his former side project into his main band.

Parallels in sound of the two bands are not to miss, and that is apart from the fact that this is a very entertaining album, the best news for Sentenced fans. While Ville only played guitar on the debut album Escapextacy, he is now back on the mic too, and that alone makes all the difference. His characteristic voice, paired with straight, catchy songs of 4 to 5 minutes, will make tears dry, although Lust Stained Despair cannot reach the quality of Cold White Light or The Funeral Album yet, except for the sound quality. Tue Madson of The Haunted or Heaven Shall Burn fame mixed the album and gave it a clear, heavy sound that supports the power of the compositions.

It is easy, but also a bit unfair, to always compare Poisonblack to Sentenced. This band would make its way even without Ville’s fame. Their Melodic Goth Rock will fall on fertile ground in the ears of the Metal Community because it adds a good helping of positiveness to the typical Finnish Goth Rock. Stripped of the melancholy, Ville’s hymns seem to be written during the six Finnish months of midnight sun, so that driving rhythms lead into melodic choruses, which invite you to sing along.

Highlights are the opening track, “Nothing Else Remains,” with its chorus that reminds a bit of Soilwork’s “Rejection Role,” or the two fast-paced songs “Soul In Flames” and “Never Enough”; “Rush,” a track with parallels to Cemetary/Sundown, which is also the first video from Lust Stained Despair; Lake of Tears-like “Nail,” and Him-influenced “Raivotar,” with the most Sentenced-like lyrics. That this is not yet a competitor to the latter Sentenced releases is just due to the fact that with slow “The Darkest Lie,” the ballad “Pain Becomes Me,” and “Love Controlled Despair,” which tries to be a cross between Him and Dirty Rock, but where Ville’s voice fails to catch your ear as it does during all of the other tracks, three weak songs made their way onto the album.

Still, it would come as a surprise had Poisonblack not have the same success as Sentenced in a few years to come. The potential and the experience and fame of Ville should make it possible. You’ll certainly hear more from Poisonblack in the future!