Crematory Black Pearls – Greatest Hits
by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer
The 3-disc (two CDs and one DVD) collection Black Pearls is the first proper “greatest hits” package from long-running German gothic metal band Crematory. The band started out in 1992 with a sound that was mostly death metal with some gothic influences, and has since moved to a full-on gothic metal sound (with death metal influences). They’re one of the pioneering gothic metal bands, and Black Pearls provides an in-depth look at their career to date.
With 32 songs spread across two CDs, Black Pearls leaves no stone unturned. It weaves non-chronologically through the band’s discography, from the harshness of their 1993 debut Transmigration to the far more polished 2010 release Infinity. Black Pearls contains 2-3 songs from Transmigration, Just Dreaming, Illusions, Crematory, Awake, Act Seven, Klagebilder, Pray and Infinity, and four songs each from Believe and Revolution. You get a good mix of their heavier, death metal material, the more danceable gothic metal, their German language tracks, and even a pair of excellent covers (Sisters of Mercy’s “Temple of Love” and Depeche Mode’s “Black Celebration.”)
The sheer volume of music on Black Pearls makes it a very comprehensive overview of Crematory’s career. Those unfamiliar with the band will find it an ideal introduction to Crematory, and it should also appeal to those who enjoy the band’s sound, but who don’t feel compelled to own all of their studio albums. Crematory’s albums are consistently enjoyable, but they’re also consistently…consistent. Black Pearls may end up being all the Crematory you need.
Edition Notes: The physical release of Black Pearls includes a bonus DVD that collects the band’s promotional videos, a 60-minute live performance from the Wacken Open Air festival and various other behind the scenes extras. Hardrock Haven was provided a digital copy of the audio, so this review does not cover the video material.
Genre: Gothic Metal
Band:
Gerhard Stass (v)
Matthias Hechler (g) (v)
Katrin Goger (k)
Harald Heine (b)
Markus Jullich (d)
Track Listing:
Disc 1
1. Infinity
2. Fly
3. Tears of Time
4. Hollenbrand
5. Eyes of Suffering
6. Left the Ground
7. Sense of Time
8. Greed
9. Shadows of Mine
10. Pray
11. Ist Est Wahr
12. Temple of Love
13. Tick Tack
14. The Fallen
15. Kein Liebeslied
16. Perils of the Wind
Disc 2
1. When Darkness Falls
2. Deformity
3. Kaltes Feuer
4. For Love
5. I Never Die
6. In My Hands
7. Open Your Eyes
8. Caroline
9. Ewigkeit
10. Black Celebration
11. The Holy One
12. Endless
13. Revolution
14. My Way
15. Hoffnungen
16. Away
Label: Massacre
Website: www.crematory.de
Hardrock Haven rating: 8/10