Cold Colours – “The Burden of Hope”
The music is slow and plodding, keyboard background, down tuned, gloom and doom melancholy. The singing is on the soulful, midrange side, not screaming, growling, yelling, air raid siren or anything abrasive. Not to compare, but point to out a vocal feel: later Paradise Lost, Creed, The Doors, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Life of Agony, Nevermore, etc. I’m not saying that “this is as good as” anything, but merely that the vocals are done well, and at least on this recording, sound very competent and compliment the music well. The music is not about shredding, or head-banging, or moshing, but about creating a mood of sadness, the already mentioned melancholy. “What? Why I would listen to music that makes me feel that way? I listen to music to feel good, man!” Two things: one, if you don’t like slower paced albums that sound sad, you’re right, this is not for you. Instant joy, I think, is not on the agenda with this band. Two, the point of this music, as I understand it, is catharsis.