To/Die/For – Samsara (2012)

After a brief split, To/Die/For finally returns with Jarno Perätalo and Juha-Pekka Sutela delivering ten powerful tracks that are designed to return the band to the spotlight. While not the best album of the band’s career, “Samsara” has quite a few catchy tracks that will entice the fans of the band to return and capture the ears of new listeners.

Initially released in Finland and other places at the end of 2011, Massacre Records is finally giving this release a wider release and exposure. Opening with “Kissing the Flames”, the band comes back to the catchy riffing and subtle keyboard hints that have made them so popular in the past. The vocals are as effective as ever and the overall pace of the song is very traditional for the band.

It is not until “Cry for Love” that this release really caught our attention. This track features a very strong melodic opening that is nicely offset by Jarno’s emotional vocals. The overall mood of this song is very powerful and the chorus section is quite catchy and memorable. The standout “Folie a Deux” is a very powerful ballad-esque track with excellent children choir sections. This element gives the track a very emotional edge to it.

 The most experimental track in this release has to be the very weird “Oblivion.vision”. In this very dark and minimalist track, Jarno’s vocals are pretty intense, but the song seems to wonder off without actually getting nowhere. While some people might like it, we think is just odd and should have been saved for the end, or as a bonus track. The closer “Someday Somewhere Somehow” is our favorite track of the album since it embodies what To/Die/For is (for us): somber, melodic, and extremely melancholic. This last track is very recommendable song indeed.

If you almost cried when the band broke up back in 2009, this release will surely be something you want to get your hand on. The band manages to come back with their trademark sound, and adds a few different things here and there to keep it a bit fresh. While this release is good, we still prefer the good old days of “Jaded”, but the band still takes a positive step forward with this album.

Release: July 27th, 2012

Genre: Gothic Rock/Metal

Country: Finland