1340mag
Asrai formed in 1988 and had their roots in the in the punk and new wave scene of that time. After 14 years and a plethora of demos; Asrai have landed a deal with Transmission Records and with that deal, their second full-length CD "Touch InThe Dark." Categorized as a gothic metal band, many have compared them to the likes of Nightwish and Lacuna Coil. "Touch In The Dark" is a good CD overall, but there is nothing outstanding about and it certainly is not the most original piece of work. Some of the highlights are the mesmerizing vocals of Margriet Mol and the spectacular drumming skills of Karin Mol. Great production and musicianship make for a decent CD that would appeal to any Gothic metal music fan.
Key Track: "Pale Light"
Reviewed by: Jeff Holton
http://www.1340mag.com
Art of fear
Asrai (Netherlands)- "Touch In The Dark" (2004 Transmission Records)
A 5-piece here with the amazing inclusion of three women. The music is a heavy and symphonic Gothic Metal in the vein of Lacuna Coil, The Gathering and Lana Lane. They've been around since 1988 and I'm not really familiar with them and only know of the "As Voices Speak" release as far as their discography.
"Touch In The Dark" is 10 tracks and 48 minutes of some well-constructed songs and great female vocals from Margriet Mol. Karin Mol plays drums and Manon Van Der Hidde is on keyboards and violins along with Martin Kooy on bass and Rik Janssen on guitar. They are quite a solid unit altogether even if you take away some of the added voices and instrument lending from sessionists to get the full effect of their music. Lots of atmosphere with New Wave to Dark Wave melancholic overtones and moods and the riffs are equally impessive weaving a nice audio web of fulfillment to the listener. Even you newer listeners that are in the 17-25 age range that get into Evanescence would dig this band for sure. Asrai leaves you satisfied.
Authorsden
ASRAI - Touch in the Dark
Transmission Records/The End Records
The Asrai are small, fragile, female beings who polymorph into puddle of water when they are captured or exposed to sunlight. It is this frail nature of life that forms the backbone in all of the songs of ASRAI, a disarmingly honest blend of prog rock, new wave and gothic metal.
ASRAI is a band who has paid more than their share of dues to the music community and it seems their dedication and devotion have paid off. After nearly twenty years of adversity, countless gigs, and a revolving cast of band members, they've finally released their second full length album Touch in the Dark.
The album begins with what appears to be an epic conversation between vocalist Margariet Mol and God himself. "All my questions are asking why?" she says. He responds "I don't mind you asking questions, for all and more is yours to know." It is a spine tingling moment.
Margriet Mol's voice, accompanied by sister Karin Mol on drums, Manon Van Der Hidde on synth, Martin Kooy on bass, and Rik Janssen on guitar, is a powerful combination of Ann Wilson and Joan Jett that seethes with emotional resonance when she explores complex dilemmas such as coping with self-mortality in "Pale Light"; or hope in the face of adversity in "Touch in the Dark". Their music is a nice touch of poignance in a theatric world, that is free of arrogance and conceit.
By Wa
Dare Devil
Asrai-Touch in the Dark CD
Transmission Records
This is a nice disc of female fronted gothic-rock with slight metal undertones that's just really melodic and relaxing without sounding like Evanescence or anything generic like that. Asrai aren't really very heavy and their sound revolves around mixing slightly heavy guitar riffs with some electronics to create a lush atmosphere complete with outstanding vocals from Magriet Mol who shows outstanding range with her voice. She is able toconvey so many emotions with her voice and she creates some downright mesmerizing vocal melodies throughout the span of this record. Opening track "In Front of Me" really shows off her abilities as sheruns a gamut of styles from powerful singing throughout the chorus and an intense, near screaming finale. Every now and then the record has some cool melodies with backup male vocals that sound really nice and every song on this record had a powerful chorus that really made things stick to my brain long after listening to the disc. A lot of times with stuff like this I'll be totally into the music and everything else but the band will really ruin things by tossing in some totally unnecessaryelectronic crap. I was a little worried about that happening on this album but Asrai employs that aspect of the sound tastefully and only use it as a backdrop for the songs for added atmosphere and only bring it to the forefront every now and then. Overall this is a pretty good disc and should appeal to fans of other bands on the Transmission Records roster like After Forever. As of right now I don't think Transmission Records has a website but the promotion/distribution of this record is being handled by The End Records, so get in touch with them and get yourself a copy. "Touch in the Dark" is a nice, mellow listen after a hectic day of college work and if you really dig the female fronted gothic rock/metal sound, then Asrai is just what the doctor ordered.
home: www.theendrecords.com
JS
www.daredevil.de
Deadtide
This is an album that is hard for me to review because it isn't really bad and in need of trashing, but it's so derivative that I can go nuts praising it either. This reminds me of old Theater of Tragedy, Tristania, etc. The music is rather goth/rock sounding with almost operatic female vocals. I guess Nightwish meets Tiamat might be the best description, although Margaret Mol isn't nearly as operatic as Tarja Turunen of Nightwish. The music is rather mid paced, with varying amounts of heaviness, reminding me a little of Tiamat but not quite. The guitar actually gets treated very well in the mix with a pretty thick sound. My only problem with this album is that I've heard it before. The songs themselves also feel very long. They aren't all that long but they just drag on. I think it's just because I've heard this before, and heard it a lot better. Sorry I really wish I could elaborate on this more, but there isn't much to say. If you need to have all female fronted goth metal then this is for you. K.Huckins
http://www.deadtide.com
Digital metal
Asrai -Touch in the Dark
(Transmission Records)
Simply being on Transmission Records should clue you in as to this album's style. Sharing the label with Epica and After Forever should get your female fronted, Goth Rock Spidey sense tingling away, as Asrai deliver basically the exact same sound; lush, epic and heavy on the dramatics and emotion. Still, while not quite Nightwish, this veteran Dutch act serve up a decent offering for those predisposed for this kind of sonic pomp. Of course, it's well produced with the guitars possessing a decent crunch and the suitably Goth synths up front, with one part of the sisters Mol, Magriet having the typically soaring The Gathering/Lacuna Coil like voice, while her other half, Karin Mol surprisingly and competently provides the drums. Stylistically, Asrai seem to want a piece of the ever growing female fronted metal group pie, as they are bereft of male grunts or overly aggressive tracks, instead relying on catchy mid paced tempos with the occasional darkly romantic ballad thrown in. It's all well put together and well delivered but nothing too awfully original, especially considering the competition within the genre. The opening duo of "In Front of Me" and the addictively catchy "Pale Light" immediately offer up two foot-tapping "singles" that cry for European air play with their semi-pop take on New Wave, Goth tinged rock. "Whisper" gives us the first expanded ballad of sorts with the usual moody pacing and tearful tirades of lost love. "Restless" continues the expected sober mood even if laced with some vaguely menacing guitars that actually give the song some girth despites Ms. Mol's evocative crooning. The title track, as expected, is a standout with a nice mix of earthy guitar tones and an angelic veneer from the vocals and synth work. However, the rest of the album seems to level off into inexplicably predictable and rather forgetful territory as "Tower" meanders with a moody, listless New Wave retro/punk paranoia (think Kate Bush/Cyndi Lauper) and "Dream" and "Child" while competent, are simply full of Goth Rock structures and tempos you've heard a hundred times before, including a Middle Eastern interlude and child's voice sample. The doom like quake of "Garden" redeems the albums latter half somewhat though. The Lacuna Coil-esque anthem of "Shadows" gives the album a respectful but name dropping climax to an acceptable but hardly necessary album from a band that's tried for 16 years (under different guises) to make a mark. They've chosen the right genre, but still haven't done quite enough to make it as big as their obvious peers.
[Erik Thomas]
www.digitalmetal.com
dprp. Dutch Progessive Rock Page
Round Table Review
Tom's Review
Dutch outfit Asrai were formed back in 1988 yet are hardly workaholics this is only their second album. The first, As Voices Speak was released back in 1997, and I'd be very surprised if every waking hour during the last seven years had been spent working on this new effort, as whilst A Touch In The Dark is competent and reasonably entertaining, its neither groundbreaking nor a stellar release in its genre.
Asrai could certainly be labelled 'goth metal', although the comparisons (bandied around by the bands label in the promo material) with the likes of Within Temptation and (label mates) After Forever is rather misleading if you're expecting choirs, classical bombast, soprano vocals, 'grunts and screams', and the whole progressive-symphonic shebang, you'll be disappointed. To me, Asrai represent Transmission's attempt at breaking into the Evanessence market', as they certainly have some similarities with that band, although equally the music at times reminds me of Vision Thing-era Sisters Of Mercy, and of late 90's Paradise Lost. Understated, 'haunting' synths form the backdrop to layers of sharp guitar riffs, over which are Margaret Mol's vocals; she has a pretty strong voice, slightly reminiscent of a less histrionic Toyah, and can certainly belt out the big choruses when called for.
A Touch In The Dark starts pretty strongly; both In Front Of Me and Pale Light are obvious single choices, boasting a strong groove, good riffs and decent choruses, whilst Whisper shows the band are able to slow it down and up the 'dark and brooding' ante to good effect. Things soon start to slip, however, with Asrai's limited range of ideas being exposed as they start treading out the same basic formula to diminished effect the mid-section of the album in particular drags. In addition, many of the tracks simply go on beyond their natural length Asrai don't go in for solo's or extended instrumental sections, and most songs only have a simple structure, which is basically repeated just (as far as I'm concerned) to stretch things out a bit. Things do pick up intermittently; Dream thankfully ups the tempo and is all the better for being more concise and direct, whilst Garden is a strong track which features one of Margaret Mol's best vocal performances, with good use of harmony vocals on the chorus.
Ultimately, this is a fairly enjoyable listen, just nothing overly special. The album does however sound very good the riffs are sharp, vocals well-pitched and the overall sound nice and thick (with the likes of Sascha Paeth involved, you'd expect nothing less) which probably helps elevate even the more non-descript songs. Fans of goth rock/metal will probably find stuff to enjoy here, provided they don't set their expectations too high.
Martien's Review
Following the success of Dutch bands like Within Temptation, The Gathering, After Forever and Epica, Asrai also wants a piece of the cake. Asrai has already existed since 1988 and they very quickly earned an excellent reputation thanks to radio sessions and numerous live gigs. However their debut album As Voices Speak was not released until 1997. The album got great reviews and in the following years the band concentrated on getting the best line-up together. The band now consists of Margriet Mol (vocals), Rik Janssen (guitar), Manon Van Der Hidde (synthesizer, violin), Martin Kooy (bass guitar) and Karin Mol (drums).
Asrai's grunt-free emotional, melodic metal is composed of spherical and emotional elements with modern samples. I would describe their music as passionate rock between gothic and metal and musically not as interesting as a band like eg After Forever. What bothers me most is the fact that Asrai sounds like a complete Lacuna Coil rip-off, and therefore their originality is at stake ... Furthermore because of the lack of instrumental passages the album tends to get boring after five or six songs. Do not get me wrong, the vocals on this album are superb, the wide range of vocals is fragile, sometimes frightening, but always razor-sharp. The melodies of the songs are mostly melancholic and/or romantic and the choruses of the songs are most of the time even "catchy".
Pale Light, which will be released as the first single, reminds me of female singers like Kate Bush or Sinead O'Connor, really "dreamy" stuff. Tower, the longest track, is a nice ballad, while Dream has a tendency to sound rather sad because of the violin parts. The most aggressive song is probably Child, which features some "heavy" guitar riffs. Fortunately there are no grunts on this album and Margriet's vocals are really splendid, but the whole album reminds me too much of that Italian band I mentioned before, and that is a real shame. My advice for Asrai is to create a style of their own and not become the second Lacuna Coil!
Dries' Review
Asrai has existed in a number of line-ups, a description of each one of them can be found at their web site, which includes when and why people have left and makes a very informative and entertaining read. From the web site you can read also that Asrai started of as an all girl band and did their utmost best to stay that way for as long as possible. They did not exactly succeed in that because at present time Asrai line-up is: Margriet Mol (vocals), Rik Janssen (guitar), Manon van der Hidde (synths & violin), Martin Rooy (bass guitar and backing vocals) and Karin Mol (drums).
Asrai's music is what in Dutch, translated into English, is called 'A feast of recognition'. Next to a number of recognisable references there's one really strong reference: Lacuna Coil. However this term reference is a little weak and perhaps the word 'copy' would be a better description. Magriet Mol's voice has a part in this but moreover the way the keyboards are used and the guitars are pumping the beat. In Front Of Me, Pale Light and Restless are the most obvious examples to my Lacuna Coil claim, and as a reference does not make this a bad album, Lacuna Coil is a good band to immitate and furthermore it is not like this whole CD is a in the same vein. Added to that Pale Light is one of my favourite tracks of this album and when all these add up, it tips the scale to create a positive impression.
This album is full of catchy tracks and Transmission's claim that 2004 will be Asrai's year might very well be true. Released in Europe, the America's and Asia at the same time gives it enough exposure. If only a number of radio stations pick it up this might be a star band in the making, however to DPRP readers this may not be a recommendation, not much of the music we really like ends up in the charts. The fact that Asrai does have this potential also uncovers another feature of their music: it is a bit too straight forward and simple.
In concluding this self-contradicting review - good or bad - I would have to say that it is not a new classic masterpiece, that I know for sure, but the good vocals, synths, pumping guitars, and rhythm section are too good to discard it. It is not nothing really new or complicated but it is highly enjoyable.
Conclusions:
Tom De Val : 6 out of 10
Martien Koolen : 6 out of 10
Dries Dokter : 8 out of 10
Pale Light [Single] Country of Origin: The Netherlands
Format: CD
Record Label: Transmission
Catalogue #: TMS-047
Year of Release: 2004
Time: 18:12
I
Tracklist: Pale Light (3:47), Recall (6:10), Shadows (3:10), Touch in the Dark (5:05)
If the cover of a CD-single would make people decide to buy it then Asrai have done a good job. A bit different from the album cover but still very recognisable - I like it a lot.
Four tracks on a CD-Single is somewhat standard and beside the actual single, adding something new (unreleased tracks) and something old (album track) is also. Pale Light is a shortened version of the same track that appears on the album and I think it makes a fine single that serves as a good example for the album, so a pretty good first choice. Recall is a previously unreleased track, that in my opinion should have been on the album! What a good track this is, perfect build-up mixing powerful and mellow. The acoustic version of Shadows (a track also on the album) is also very good and finally a Touch In The Dark remains unaltered from the album version.
The video to this single is a bit strange as there are no clean shots of the band in it at all - very stylish and weird. The video is completely changed into images with a limited number of colors. Have a look here to see what I mean. This effect is nice but in my opinion shouldn't have been used for the complete video. I would have liked to see the band in a normal close up. To sum it up, nice effect, nice idea but I am not a big fan of this video. The effect has been taken a bit too far.
Listening to this CD-single made me wonder if I should not up my album rating a notch especially because the acoustic version of Shadows show the band is capable of much more than what they have shown on the CD, but being capable of more and doing it are two separate things. In conclusion this is a worthy release, however, bear in mind that my rating for it concerns a CD-single and it cannot be compared to album ratings.
Conclusion: 8 out of 10
Dries Dokter
www.dprp.net
Eye of Shiva
Hellion Records
(EO - 16/mar/2005)
Attention you Bauhaus and Sisters of Mercy fans; I'm presenting you the Dutch Asrai. The band was started by three girls who had the proposal of playing Gothic Rock: Margriet Mol (vocal), Manon Van Der Hidde (synths & violin) and Karin Mol (drums). They really hit the target! This album has got really nice songs, just like "In Front of Me", "Pale Light", "Cohisper", "Dream", "Child", and "Garden". Just be aware they don't play a similar music as their influences (supra mentioned); they do have influences but have their own music. People who like the stile will know what I'm talking about. They're a really nice coming up band, check it out!
http://www.eyeofshiva.com.br
Get ready to rock
Although this Dutch Gothic Metal band have been in existence for over 15 years, this is, in fact, only their second full length release and their first for Transmission Records, which is building a great reputation for itself on the back of artists in a similar style, such as After Forever and Epica.
The songs are much shorter and less epic sounding than those of their labelmates, clocking in at around five minutes or less in length, while the samples that the band use to fill out their sound are more frequently Industrial/Electro in style. These aspects mean that Asrai's style of Gothic metal broadly places them in the same ballpark as bands such as Flowing Tears and Lacuna Coil yet at the same time there is a real punch and heaviness in the bass and guitar department which matches the power delivered by Margariet Mol's vocals. No soaring soprano sounds here, just a straight ahead female rock voice, as you'd get with a Doro or Ann Wilson - and very good it is too.
While the disk itself opens with 'In Front of Me', the following tracks soon blow away the memory of that indifferent start and tracks 3 through to 6 are all excellent, particularly 'Restless' and 'Tower' where Margriet's vocals really shine. 'Dream' has a chunky pounding riff and Margriet's vocals once again grab the attention on 'Child' and 'Garden', before the more stereotypical Gothic Metal of 'Shadows', featuring lots of great industrial samples, closes out the disk.
As for the other musicians, Margriet's sister, Karin, is equally impressive behind the drumkit while Mannon plays keyboards and violin. The 5 piece is rounded off by two guys, Rik on Guitar and Martin on Bass, who both add plenty of chunk to the band's sound. The mix, performed by Sacha Paeth is really well executed, giving the disk good dynamics and allowing each instrument to be heard crisply.
A quick look at the photo of the band on their website reveal that their image is as Gothic as the music on this CD. Overall, a very good disk, which should appeal to old school Goths as well as fans of Lacuna Coil.
http://www.getreadytorock.com/reviews/asrai.htm
Review by Charlie Farrell
Harm Magazine
Gothic is one of my favorite genre and a new release from a new comer is always welcome under my roof. In the case of Asrai, even if they have been around for a much longer time (1988), they remained unknown to me until recently (can't know them all!). The artwork from cover to back gives a feeling of romantic, symphonic gothic that would be reminiscent to Tristania, Sirenia and the likes but Asrai is neither copy cat nor another replica of Evanescence so I would not expect to see the singer's face in the subway or on busses and this is too bad
"Touch in the Dark" represents a happy medium between the two extremes aforementioned. It doesn't have the symphonic décor or the grand choir of Tristania but has a more personal, deeper touch than a strictly commercial Evanescence. Their roots from punk and new wave bands add an experimental approach to their dark and melodic musical work. The voice of Margriet is great and powerful but when she forces it a certain discomfort is felt because it becomes ear piercing especially when a higher note is being held for a while although without becoming overly annoying. To fully enjoy her angelic voice, I should direct you to the title track and the following composition "Tower" being a more ambient, experimental song with a great atmosphere. Interesting point to notice here, Asrai counts 3 ladies in the band with Margriet'sister Karin on drums and Manon (synths &violin).
"Touch in the Dark" is a personal vision of modern gothic with an experimental edge that gives a nice alternative and will perhaps heal the wound left by some so called gothic band lately.
8.3 / 10
10/11/2004
http://www.666metal.com
Lollipop
Asrai's roots lay in the 1980s. Several of its members played in various punk and new-wave bands. At that time their music already had a melancholic dark side.
Asrai was formed in 1988 and very quickly obtained an excellent reputation thanks to radio sessions and countless gigs.
Asrai released several demo-tapes from 1989 to 1994 (the Blue tape, So clear that you couldn't tell where the water ended and the air began, Love is a Lie, Live in a Package), finally, in 1997 their debut CD, As Voices Speak. This CD was noticed and signed to the label Poison Ivy. On this label a German release of As Voices Speak was issued.
From 1997, Asrai took time to perfect their sound and to find the right line-up. The band stood tall through this difficult period. Their perseverance was rooted in a sincere love for music.
In the meantime, contracted by Transmission Records, Asrai recorded their second CD, Touch in the Dark.
Roman Schoensee produced this CD while Sascha Paeth, the best guy for mixing Metal and Rock, made the finishing touch.
The CD was recorded in both Holland (Excess Studio) and Germany (Beautiful Lake Studio).
The result is an album full of hot-blooded rock wandering through the twilight zone between Gothic Rock and Metal. Let yourself get carried away by their music and the exeptional and intense singing of Margriet.
Lords of Metal
Nowadays you have to be exceptional if you still want some attention in the gothic metal scene. You know: a female singer, gothic music, a heavy base of guitars and bombastic keyboards: it is a glut in the market these days. And yet Asrai deserves an honest chance because they have been together so much longer than all these bands with mega success. Asrai exists since 1988 and all members have their roots in the punk and new wave era. This shines a different light on them and makes the musical background just a bit special.
It appears that Asrai writes remarkable songs with an open view and Margriet's voice will never bore you. 'In Front Of Me' has that typical gothic structure, but there is more. Towards the end we have got some heavy parts that show the sharpness of the punk period. The songs have most of the time an undercurrent tension, another reason why 'Whisper' has become one of my favourite tracks of the album. 'Restless' is a modern, up-tempo track; the one which will do well on the radio. Luckily, Asrai has its opinionative side too.
The title-track starts with acoustic guitars, while dim spoken fragments create a misty atmosphere. But there is also a whole bunch of electronics on 'Touch In The Dark'. For instance in the tardy 'Tower' with an intro that reminds me of 'On The Run' (Pink Floyd). As compensation 'Dream' is a heavy rocking track with a fluent melody. I would have preferred more violin dominance here though.
Concerning artwork and lyrics, there's nothing new under the sun, but it is done well and looks good. Gothic images against a velvet background and the angel spreads his wings to comfort a sole desperate one from his exalted position. The slightly sad and dreamy lyrics fit perfectly in the general atmosphere of the album. Asrai deserves a worldwide breakthrough with this second album.
Rating 85/100
01-09-2004
Vera
www.lordsofmetal.nl
Metal judgment
There is something about Goth Rock, or as I like to call it "Goth n' roll," that sets itself apart from your traditional rock music. It could be the vocals, sometimes waning or crooning. It could be the eyeliner abuse. Or there could just be something about it that isn't quite as pure, as if a black cloud was pulled over the whole project.
Asrai is a band hailing from northern Europe. Their album Touch in the Dark contains some dark artwork. It's mainly a collage of cathedral photographs, flowers, the five members of Asrai and your standard nocturnal theme. This is all washed over with a dismal shade of lavender, which ties together the whole CD booklet. As a graphic artist, I can tell you that it is well done.
What I found to be the strength of Touch in the Dark was the power of the vocalist, Margriet Mol. Her voice is strong, she has a great range, she sounds far from cheesy and emotion fills every note. Her sister Karin plays drums for the album, and you don't often see a female on the drum kit, let alone a sibling. Of the other three members, Rik Janssen looks strangely familiar, but I can't grasp where from.
Overall, if you're into the Goth scene, and you enjoy a good riff here and there, you'll dig this. Some people completely swear off guitars in music all together, and turn to the industrial genre (which I never understood). There are some Industrial influences as well, but not played out enough. The first few tracks are pretty intense, but towards the end it seems to sort of blur together. In a perfect world, I would enjoy an album where every song is distinct from each other, yet still carries across the same vibe. Yes, there are such albums out there, but I'm not looking at one right now. While not exactly reaching my expectations, this album could be quite radio friendly.
Reviewed by Martyr (11/12/04):
http://www.metaljudgment.com
Metal-observer
From Transmission we usually do not get many releases, but for that mostly with quite some quality to it. From Holland we usually get a lot of Gothic, be it Rock or Metal. And on ASRAI's debut "Touch In The Dark" these two elements come together, so this should normally result in a really good Gothic album, shouldn't it?
ASRAI already were founded in 1988, so are roaming the scene for quite some time now, but still, 16 years later, they come around the corner with their second CD only, so they take their time. The band consists of three ladies (vocals, keyboards and drums) and two gentlemen (guitar and bass), so not the very usual line-up and the musical description is neither: "Heavy Rock with influences from Wave and Gothic Metal".
A band that I feel reminded of more than once while listening to "Touch In The Dark" is LACUNA COIL, most probably because of the voice of Margriet Mol, which is not that much different than the one of Cristina Scabbia. The whole thing has been recorded under the direction of Roman Schoensee, so a clear and powerful sound is a given, while the cover also fits the style very well.
With ???In Front Of Me" they start out very melodic and intensive, with nicely present guitars and heavy drums, which form a nice contrast with the atmospheric keyboards and dark melodies, plus the good voice of Margriet, a good start I would say. And on the following "Pale Light" the quintet continues this moody mix, especially the powerful and partly very rhythmic drums stand out. Overall the songs are pretty compact and leave all big pomp out, with the exception of "Tower", which takes a while before it gets going, but then turns into a great Gothic Metal ballad.
So basically both theses are true, for one the quality of Transmission, fort he other Holland and mostly Gothic Rock/Metal. Surely ASRAI are not a revelation in originality, but very well done indeed, you can hear the yearlong experience and who likes Gothic Rock/Metal should check out ASRAI's latest.
(Online June 17, 2004)
www.metal-observer.com
Metal-rules
Transmission is synonymous with quality and quality bands (that all seem to start with the letter 'A') such as Aina, Ayreon, After Forever and so on. Asrai is no exception as they are another entry in the labels signature genre style, namely progressive, melodic, gothic and symphonic metal. The caliber of talent is very high to compete in this game but Asrai seem to pull it off. Transmission spared no expense on this five-piece providing amazing production, a very gorgeous package and the tools to make great music. The band keep up their end of the deal by giving back ten catchy songs with good arrangements, good tempos and tones, dark and appealing, but not extreme or evil. The almost obligatory female vocals are superb and the crunchy guitar mixed with smooth keyboards give the songs the metallic kick they need. Some cynics might say 'just another clone' but I like this style and the band do it well so they get my vote.
JP
www.metal-rules.com
Metal Storm
Reviewed by Demonic_Tutor
Do you remember the times when Lacuna Coil, Within Temptation and After Forever were recording their best albums? It was sadly a few years ago. And even if After Forever is still on the top despite turning off some of their fans with their recent "Invisible Circles", the other two have faded dramatically. As a result, some new talents are brought into the Symphonic Gothic arena and among them, Transmission Records picked countrymen Asrai. Founded in 1988 by musicians coming from diverse background such as punk and new-wave, the band earned an excellent reputation through hard-working touring and thorough promotion.
This album is apparently their second release but I have to admit that their first one has eluded me. "Touch In The Dark" is a lecture of the good old recipe that made the aforementioned bands so popular: powerful yet moving female vocals sung on midpaced tempos where keyboards not only provide atmospheric elements in profusion but also share the leading melodies with the guitars. Let's go at once to the point by saying that "Touch In The Dark" isn't going to rewrite the book. You've heard this type of music before unless you're 12.
Pondering that, the overall package isn't bad at all. Margriet Mol's voice is excellent, she clearly outshines the rest of the band, but once again, it might be due to the average recording. The songs are honest but the result is so easily to compare to Within Temptation that they'll need to put more efforts into composition next time around. However, "Touch In The Dark" features some above the average moments. While the major part of the album sounds pretty mainstream to gothic standards, three songs grasped my attention. Firstly, 'Pale Light' as the catchiest somewhat oriental influenced slow paced yet heavy anthem type of thing. Then, 'Child' as the only track that displays a darker atmosphere, almost malignant and it's in itself probably the best composition on the album. Finally, the closing track 'Shadows' as a strong song on a vocal point of view with Margriet Mol's best performance.
The recording is correct but could have been better, all the instruments appear to be in a midrange zone hence a lack of punch at times. The artwork is fitting the gothic theme 110% with withering flowers all over, white angels sculptures, churches, crosses, black birds and full moons. Maybe the band member pictures with excessive makeup, clothing and accessories are a trifle overdone. The usual visual, nicely done but still. The same remark is applicable to the lyrics, nothing too exciting happening in this department either but correct work.
Not a bad album at all but I have the feeling that the band's potential isn't showing very much. Average with its moments, "Touch In The Dark" is nonetheless a curiosity. If you're craving for Lacuna Coil and Within Temptation sound-alike sensations, get this album blindfolded. If you're looking for something that would challenge your musical perception, keep looking.
Favorite tracks: 'Pale Light', 'Child' and 'Shadows'
http://www.metalstorm.ee/
Musicextreme
This is an album full of powerful female voices and full of climatic elements that put them in the altar of those bands that can transmit plenty of dark feelings within their music. Asraim reminds in some parts to the most powerful tracks of The Gathering (like in "Whisper", for example), eventhough there are many differences in style between this two bands. The main difference is that Asrai is a much darker band with darker ideas and arrangements. I have to remark the role of Manon´s keyboards that add a feeling of sadness to the music and when combined with Margriet´s vocals the music arrives to the climax. Another trademark of Asrai´s sound are the heavy riffs and rhythms that contrast heavily with the more ethereal parts. This album is a must have for any metal lover.
Federico
www.musicextreme.com
Pitfather
Asrai started out as an all-female band in the late eighties. They payed their dues by working in the underground rock and punk scene for some years before the succes of the single Pale Light put them in the spot light. The arty clip accompanying the song has been featured prominently on the The Box and is an excellent representation of Asrai's music: gothic rock without all the bombast and sporano vocals but with sparsely electronical influences.
The single also brings to mind the most obvious name to use as reference: Lacuna Coil. There are a lot of similarities between the two bands in ways of vocal lines, composition (with the lack of guitarsolo's) and slight electronical bits and parts. Lacuna Coil is certainly not the worst to be compared to but to me it shows Asrai could do with more of an own identity.
The music is good though with songs that are accessible and smartly constructed. Next to that Margriet Mol has an excellent voice that offers a very convincing deliverance of the catchy hooks and choruses. Some songs (Dream, Shadows) have a rather heavy edge build around a strong guitar riff while others have strong commercial tendencies which make them perfect single candidates (In Front Of Me, Restless)
Asrai didn't succeed altogether in remaining an all-female band as the band's bass is in the hands of Martin Kooy while the guitar is handled by Rik Janssen. Manon Van Der Hidde plays the keys / violin and Margriet's sister Karin compleets the line-up on drums. This is Asrai's second album following the 1997 release of As Voices Speak. The famous Sascha Paeth (Aina) was involved in the mixing of Touch In The Dark. The album comes with angelic artwork that is very typical for the gothic genre but also very beautiful!
Added: September 27th 2004
Reviewer: Louis Koot
http://:www.pitfather.com
The Plague
Touch in the Dark is a subtle gothic album by Asrai. The quintet successfully created an emotional, dark, and catchy record. Margriet Mol gives vibrant vocal tracks and Rik Janssen executes some excellent harmonies.
They maintain a consistent flow throughout the album.Unfortunately, it is so consistent it becomes routine. "In Front of Me" holds an apparent industrial undertone.The strong groves continue into "Pale Light" before slipping into the slower and darker realm of "Whisper." "Restless," "Touch in the Dark," and "Tower" are good songs, but nothing spectacular stands out to me. "Dream" kicks in with a faster pace, and "Child," "Garden," and "Shadows" continue the melodic riffs and catchy tunes.
Overall, the sound is excellent. There is a nice collaboration between the vocals and other instruments. Fans of Lacrimosa and Within Temptation will probably like this album.
Lo Walker
http://www.the-plague.net
Progpower
One of the clichés of Gothic Metal is a band with a female singer, often a classical trained vocalist, wearing a dress, while the rest of the band wears a black outfit. Transmission now brings a new release of a band who does not fit this cliché and yet has all the looks of a Gothic Metal band: Asrai. Surprisingly enough, this band has been around since 1988! Their music was released on demo tapes and compilations, until 1997, when they released their debut album. In the following time, they searched for the right line up and now, some 7 years after their debut, with pride, they present their second album: Touch in the Dark.
The interesting thing about the line up, is the fact they not only have a female singer, Margriet Mol, but also a female drummer, Karin Mol and a female keyboard player, Manon van der Hidde! The line up is completed by Rik Jansen on guitar and Martin Kooy on bass. After giving Touch in the Dark some time in my CD player, I must say Karin Mol is a very good drummer! Solid, tight and heavy, working together well with Kooy in providing the perfect ground for the songs. Margriet Mol is not a soprano singer, and does not sound like Floor Jansen (After Forever) or Simone Simmons (Epica), but has her own sound. As a whole, I find the sound of Asrai more in the vein of the (older) Gathering.
Touch in the Dark has a very atmospheric sound, a bit doomy, mainly filled with drums and the heavy riffs from Jansen, but I do miss some nice solos, to spice up the music. The synths and some sound effects, add to the Gothic touch of the music, but many songs are close to being radio friendly, like opener 'In Front of Me', or 'Pale Light', which is released as single and if the stations play it, it might do a lot of good for this band. Although the sound is very consistent throughout the album, with hardly any surprise, the quality of both the songs and the band is very good.
Besides a good production, the mix is also great, done by none other than Sascha Paeth (Rhapsody, Kamelot, Epica), who seems to be involved in most of the albums Transmission Records has out at present! Also on the vocal part they had some great help: Amanda Sommerville (Aine, Epica, After Forever) was their vocal coach, which adds to the excellent singing of Margriet.The artwork again demonstrates the Gothic elements in the sound of Asrai, completing the picture.
Verdict: Touch in the Dark is a great album, but not exceptional. It is Gothic Metal, but several songs could very well be played on the radio, not a bad thing, of course! Balancing the line between Gothic and Metal, they have created a very good album, which won't get boring and shows the talent of Asrai. If they keep moving in this direction and hopefully adding a bit more variety (guitar solos, maybe some more synths), they have a promising future ahead of them!
Added: August 11th 2004
Reviewer: MarcelH
www.progpower.de
Rockreport
Review added
July 18, 2004
Asrai is the outlet of the Dutch Mol twin sisters, whose musical career started back in 1985 when they founded the all-girl band Twins No Twins. Big success stayed out for all those years. Already in 1987, the band name was changed to Asrai to better reflect the musical style and many members came and went during the years that followed. A debut album wasn't released until 1997, when the band independently delivered "As Voices Speak", which was later picked up and re-released by the German Poison Ivy Records. More line-up changes prevented Asrai from breaking through, but a couple of years back they laid down a new demo called "Touch In The Dark", which would earn them a deal with Transmission Records and could be the album to get the ball of success rolling.
Although they're on the same label as After Forever and Epica, Asrai lean more towards the sound of those other Dutch female fronted bands The Gathering and Within Temptation, while Margriet Mol's voice sounds somewhere in between the soprano vocals that are much heard in this genre and normal female singing, in some cases even reminding me of German metal chick Doro. Highlights of the album are the strong single "Pale Light", "Whisper", the vulnerable title track, the quite heavy "Dream" and album closer "Shadows". The sound production is courtesy of Roman Schoensee and mixing was done by Sascha Paeth (Kamelot, Rhapsody a.o.) is perfect and the cover artwork is up to Transmission Records standards. A little more variation would've earned this album a couple more points, but all in all "Touch In The Dark" should not be missed by any gothic rock and metal fan. Welcome, Asrai! (SL)
www.rockreport.be/
Rough Edge
This is going to sound weird and probably a little cheesy, but it's what I thought as I listened to Asrai's "Touch in the Dark": If the Wilson sisters of Heart decided to go Goth, it would probably sound a little like this.
"Touch in the Dark" has a haunting style that's ethereal and atmospheric. The band - three women and two men - perform a style of music that's never fast or very heavy but that still delivers quite an impact. A lot of this has to do with the vocal style throughout, which reminds the listener of dark hallways and mournful souls ... or perhaps Sirens in the middle of the sea on a dark, quite night.
The music is never as heavy or as edgy as another band that Asrai's sound brings to mind, Lacuna Coil, although track 7, "Dream," comes close. Interestingly, the track just before that, "Tower," is perhaps the CD's most atmospheric piece.
"Touch in the Dark" may not be the CD to buy if you're looking to rock hard, but it's a great CD when you're in one of those more introspective moods where you still need something with a little edge.
Asrai: Margaret Mol - vocals, backing vocals; Rik Janssen - guitar; Manon Van Der Hidde - synths, violins; Martin Kooy - bass guitar, backing vocals; Karin Mol - drums.
For more information, check out http://www.asrai.net.
http://wwwroughedge.com
Sea of tranquility
Had enough of symphonic metal bands with operatic female singers? Introducing Asrai, a five-piece outfit from The Netherlands that counts three three! female members. Formed back in 1988, Asrai's roots lie in various punk and new wave bands, but its second CD, Touch in the Dark, dances maniacally in the twilight zone between gothic rock and heavy metal. Singer Margriet Mol's powerful voice is more Ann Wilson and Sinead O'Connor than Tarja Turunen or Floor Jansen, and she's amply backed by drummer Karin Mol and keyboardist/violinist Manon Van Der Hidde, who both play a more vital role in Asrai's music than their male guitar- and bass-playing counterparts. Lyrically, the band stays rooted in the ethereal dark ("The shadows fall/And the silence returns/You feel the forest breathe/And she gives the breath of life"). But the earthy depth of Mol's vocals and the entire band's seeming lack of pretension is refreshing in an age when so much shadow-tinged symphonic metal while still enjoyable if not a bit too familiar gets lost in its own majestic aspirations.
Added: October 7th 2004
Reviewer: Michael Popke
www.seaoftranquility.org
Smother
One has to wonder if the title of the album was inspired by the Catholic Church's problem with molesting prieststhough that could be a stretch I'm sure. Rooted in the '80's friendly environment of New Wave and Neolithic punk, Asrai forges a bond between melancholy gothic industrial with progressive metal's torchlight that shines forth in spelunking the dark recesses of human tragedy. Having been together since '88, it's amazing how fresh and branded "Touch In the Dark" is. "Pale Light" takes note of punk's rocking choruses and spins it gothic with the huge sounds of female lead vocals. Asrai will at once whisk you back to the decadent times two decades ago and then shuffle you forward to the present and future of gothic metal.
- J-Sin
www.smother.net
Tartarean Desire
Asrai are a female-fronted goth rock/metal band much in the same vein as other female-fronted bands in that genre, but Asrai seem to capture that gothic label many of those other bands tout a lot better. Asrai formed in 1988 by sisters Margriet (vocals) and Karin Mol (drums) and even back then their sound was very melancholic and dark, though with a more punk, new wave vibe to it (think L7 meets Bauhuas). For a band that has been around for almost 17 years you'd expect them to have released more than two full length albums. Unfortunately the band has been more of a demo band so their earlier work the pre-debut, "As Voices Speak," material is very hard to come by. Luckily, though, what is easily accessible is pretty damn good!
Admittedly this album did not do much for me on the first spin. I liked it, but wasn't blown away and the album was thus placed in shelfcore status. Fortunately I pulled it off the rack a few weeks later and gave it another spin, but this time much more to my delight. I'm not sure what I was thinking when I first listened to it, but my opinion changed drastically. All of a sudden the album was a very nice piece of work.
"Touch In The Dark" is not your typical goth rock/metal band. This is due to the extremely intelligent placement of pop and dark, moody new wave elements throughout the album. Musically the band is similar to a band like Flowing Tears who's synths and more power chord-oriented approach typical of the goth rock/metal genre gives the rhythm section a much bigger boost than a band like Sinergy who's lead guitar is much more in the forefront. Vocalist Margriet is an accomplished singer with a solid mid- to high-range vocal style (more mid than high), she will neither disappoint nor blow you away, but she does carry the songs well. There are no male vocals on this album except for the robotic-like ending to "Shadows," but you won't find anyone screaming or grunting on this album.
The album starts off with their second single "In Front Of Me," an appropriate pick for a single as is the second track, "Pale Light," the first single released. The next four tracks "Whisper," "Restless," "Touch In The Dark" and "Tower" follow suit leading into some of the slower moments of the album. It picks back up on track seven, "Dream," followed by the album's heaviest track, "Child." The album finishes in style with two more mid-tempo tracks, "Garden" and "Shadows" (an acoustic version of "Shadows" is included on some versions as a bonus track).
In conclusion I would recommend this CD to fans of the female-fronted goth rock/metal genre, or metal in general. You'll read a lot of reviews comparing Asrai to Lacuna Coil which is the "acceptible" comparison for a metal reviewer similar to how Lacuna Coil are compared to Evanescence in the mainstream reviews. Neither are true and both are simply cop-out comparisons given because the reviewer knows no other band who is similar. Asrai are a good, solid band that deserves attention. They're not groundbreaking by any means, but they are far from undeserving. Check out their website for sound samples throughout their history and hear for yourself.
Review by: Ken Wood Sweden
Asrai - Touch In The Dark
Transmission Records, 2004 8/10
http://www.tartareandesire.com
USA
Asrai Reviewed - 08/25/04
Touch In The Dark
[Transmission / The End Records]
Formed in 1988, Asrai was the product of punk and new-wave musicians. Surprisingly, considering how long they've been around, this is only their second release. Apparently, they endured unsigned band hell from '88 to '94 producing several demos before releasing a full-length and getting signed in '97. From there it was line-up changes and perfecting their sound. Finally, their second album has surfaced in 2004 and it's actually quite impressive and quite modern.
Their sound is a blending of Goth, metal, and rock, but with a strong touch of class and sophistication that many rock-oriented goth metal bands could never pull off. Much of that class is due to the incredible, near operatic, vocals of Margriet Mol. Her voice is very powerful and very beautiful and fits the elegant nature of the music. Asrai strike me as the perfect balance between Lacuna Coil and Nightwish. The music on Touch in the Dark is never as bombastic as Nightwish's, but they have a similar feel. Likewise, they have a similar accessibility as modern Lacuna Coil, but don't feel as forcefully commercial. Asrai doesn't have a completely useless male vocalist, either. The male vocals are purely as backup in a few places. Again, their penchant for keeping things classy shows through here. Now combine all of that with excellent production and you've got a band that clearly knows what it's doing.
Touch in the Dark is clearly the product of experienced musicians. But honestly, what surprises me most is that 3/5 of this band is female and it's the women who contribute most to writing the music. They could have gone the easy route of so many other metal bands and used their estrogen factor to get attention, but instead of being gimmicky, they keep it focused on the music. Lately, women are being used as marketing tools for metal bands. I'm really tired of untalented women getting attention simply because they are in a metal band. With Asrai, you have talented women taking their music seriously and I really appreciate that. I'd have to say that any fan of classy gothic metal would be doing themselves a favor by checking out Asrai.
8/10
"Touch in the Dark" (Transmission; 2004)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
The easiest way to describe Asrai's sound is Gothic, a mixture of both old and new. They've been around since 1988, originally involved in the Rotterdam punk and new wave scenes. And this influence is still evident today. The attitude and aggression from their former years and the passion and warmth garnered from what's nowadays considered Gothic. I'm sorry to use the name of a 3rd rate UK TV show in the review of this album, but unfortunately it's perfect for my requirements. Don't ask me what it is, but Asrai have the X-Factor. One answer could be the input of Amanda Sommerville. I've noticed she's worked with a few bands now, mainly with work on the lyrics, and I'm sure she's involved
in vocal coaching too.
In Front Of Me is a bit of a false dawn for what's to follow. 1st thing that hits you is Margriet Mols vocals. She's Dutch, do I need to say any more? Her voice, maybe not as refined as Floor Jansen's or Sharon den Adel's, is powerful and passionate. The song itself has a punkish attitude, with Rik Janssen's guitars evident as are the drums of Karin Mol (sister, maybe twin to Margriet). Then song 2, Pale Light begins...
It's like someone's turned on the lights. Spinning rhythms, hypnotic vocals and a swirling drum pattern. I'm taken back to the times of Toyah, Hazel O'Connor, even Siouxsie and the Banshees. Albeit with a modern sheen. Whisper snakes in with a gently bouncing fuzzed up bass, before the vocals again take over. I hate to more often than not, shine the spotlight on the vocalist, because I know that's something I'm usually guilty of. But Margriet's vocals are so loud and so dominating, they cannot be ignored. On every song she stamps her authority, but that doesn't diminish what the band offer to the whole picture. Restless again comes from years gone by. The drums remind me of an old Nephilim song, whilst the rest of the song takes things down a couple of notches with a more subdued sound. Then vocals kick in once more for a rousing finale. Child is probably the most contemporary Gothic number on offer. The music lurks dangerously in the background, expecting a huge rush, they instead gradually worm their way to the forefront and sway in and out the mix keeping in sync with the tempo of the vocals. Garden veers towards a more poppy direction. No less effective, it fits in perfectly with what's gone before.
My only problem with this album is the reason I like it so much. I simply don't know why. I fell in love on first listen and I've been enjoying it almost non stop for over a month now. I've been absorbed in the beauty of the engaging title track, enjoyed the tranquillity offered from Tower and I've gorged on the passionate chorus of Dreams. It's only the last song Shadows that doesn't really do it for me. As with every other song, it has a strong chorus, but the body of the song fails to ignite. But such a lacklustre finish can't take anything away from what is a thoroughly enjoyable album.
Asrai - Touch In The Dark (Transmission/The End Records) Review by Steve
Anyone who reads my reviews on a regular basis knows that I have very limited patience with dark metal and
goth metal. It is far too often pretentious and suffers form incurable melodic wanderlust. And as a result (and this I freely admit) I approach many CDs in this genre with an over-keen sense of caution.
Such was the case with ASRAI. Much to my surprise and great pleasure the Touch in the Dark album stands heads and shoulders above most other offerings in this vein. To a large degree that is because it is an
album that is NOT really in the same vein as most goth and dark metal. At the heart of this CD is a keen
sense of pop and a mastery of new wave melody. Yes, it has the requisite haunting vibes but for my money this is an album that treads where few bands this side of THE GATHERING have been able to tread. (www.theendrecords.com)
Review by: Jeb
