Ever since MANTUS broke their long silence in 2009 with "Requiem", they have resided in an era of unequalled creativity that has bestowed two outstanding releases upon the gothic scene in 2010 – the album "Demut" and the interpretation of William Blake's epos "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell". This creative epoch is continued in 2011.
Not a year after the ambitious concept album, the ninth record "Zeichen" ('Signs') is about to be set free. "Zeichen" captivates the listener from the very first notes of its enigmatic intro and proves, with both powerful and melancholic songs, how German gothic should sound in 2011. With massive guitars, wallowing keyboards, classical arrangements and the characteristic vocals of Martin and Thalia Schindler, MANTUS strengthen their status as one of Germany's leading gothic acts. And more than that: with "Zeichen", they ultimately reach for the throne.
The epic heaviness of "Zwischenwelt" with its dramatic organ and monumental choirs, the mellow, hypnotic spinet in the intense "Stille des Ozeans" and the moving title track – nothing less than a contemporary gothic hymn par excellence - present MANTUS more versatile and stronger than ever before. Masterly, they transfer the very essence of thoughtful and philosophical gothic ideas into the 21st century and lead characteristics like melancholia, gloom and misanthropy into a modern and contemporary sound full of passion and pathos.
With a sense for deep-reaching lyrics and philosophical backgrounds always inherent to MANTUS, artwork, album title and subject matter refer to the Trojan princess Cassandra who foresaw the downfall of her city and whose prophecies fell on deaf ears due to a bitter curse. Transferred to our world and armed with antique symbolism, MANTUS denounce man's exploitation of planet earth and rise against the arrogance and coldness of our society. Will their messages aslo die away unheard?
Even if this turns out to be the case "Zeichen" is the new manifest of the German gothic movement – and MANTUS are its most fervent ambassadors.
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