UnSun - Clinic For Dolls

(CD 2010, 44:15, MYSTCD130)

The tracks:
  1- The Lost Way
  2- Clinic For Dolls
  3- Time
  4- Mockers
  5- Not Enough
  6- The Last Tear
  7- Home
  8- I Ceased
  9- A Single Touch
10- Why

samples        Mystic Production


Polish band UnSun once started as Unseen, but the artistic leader and guitarist Maurycy ‘Mauser’ Stefanowicz, who became ‘famous’ in bands like Vader, Dies Irae and Christ Agony, wanted a name that incorporates with day and night, darkness and light. So the band’s name finally became UnSun. Together with female vocalist Annelyse ‘Aya’ Stefanowicz, the search for new band members began and because of their intention to be ‘more than just a side-project’ they were looking for serious musicians to participate in UnSun. In Filip ‘Heinrich’ Halucha, a member of Vesania, they found a bass player, they recruited Indukti ’s Wawrzyniec ‘Vaaver’ Dramowicz as their drummer. Together, UnSun recorded the debut album The End Of Line in 2008.

Now their new and second album has appeared: Clinic For Dolls. I was very curious to find out whether this album was second to none to the highly appreciated debut. If you rely on the names Mauser and Vader, you might expect death metal, since that is the musical style Mauser played when he was a member of Vader. For all progressive rock fans it fortunately turns out to be completely different. The basis is still very heavy; listening to the song Home or to the title track, you hear power riffing, fantastic double and a thumping bass, but that’s not enough to characterize it as death metal. In the background there are always keyboards hidden providing the songs with a nice and dark atmosphere. No screams, grunts or whatsoever on this album. The most impressive is the wonderful voice of Aya: check out the ballad The Last Tear and I Ceased. Her melodic, passionate vocals lift the songs to a higher level. In combination of the ‘heaviness’ of her fellow musicians, she creates an intense atmosphere, which is a treat to listen to. But there’s more. Songs like Mockers, Time and Why are being led by heavy metal guitars that I like very much. It becomes ‘headshaking’ and almost power metal, but the vocals keep it very melodic, a fine combination of the light and the dark where Mauser was looking for.

To me Clinic For Dolls is a worthy successor to their previous album. I love the heaviness in combination with the most intriguing and wonderful voice of Aya and the great compositions played in a very professional way. People who love bands like Epica, Nightwish and Within Temptation must add this band to their list of interesting new bands. You definitely don’t want to miss this stunning new album.

***+ Pedro Bekkers (edited by Peter Willemsen)

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