Catharsis

Lichtenstein's greatest contribution to the worldwide rock scene, the goth metal outfit Elis have released their first album since the death of original vocalist Sabine Duenser. Musically, it's more of the same — if the combination of sweet, dramatic female vocals with a male voice that grunts and roars, all set over chugging guitar riffs and uninspired keyboard melodies using preset sounds you've heard a thousand times before, is your thing, Elis will serve your needs capably. The band's just not that great; Lacuna Coil have a much more finely tuned pop sense, and Leaves' Eyes offer a more interesting blend of folk sounds and metal crunch. Admittedly, new vocalist Sandra Schleret has a very pretty voice, capable of ascending through some weird twists and turns like those heard on the Bollywood-esque chorus of "Des Lebens Traum — Des Traumes Leben," and even manages to make sung German sound beautiful rather than harsh and scary. But mere prettiness isn't enough. These songs feel rote and unsurprising; even the fret-burning guitar solos have an odd lassitude about them. This is metal with all the signifiers in place (big riffs, guttural male vocals, thundering drums, etc.), but with all the cathartic power sucked out of it.