Candyland (Theatres des Vampires album)

Last updated
Candyland
Theatres des Vampires Candyland.jpg
Studio album by
Released14 October 2016
Genre Gothic metal
Length39:58
Label Scarlet Records
Producer Christian Ice
Theatres des Vampires chronology
Moonlight Waltz Tour 2011
(2012)
Candyland
(2016)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
New Noise Magazine 3/5 [1]
Metal.de 4/10 [2]
Metalitalia.com  [ it ]7.0/10 [3]

Candyland is the tenth studio album by Italian gothic metal band Theatres des Vampires, released through Scarlet Records on 14 October 2016. Initially announced on 7 July 2016, [4] it is their first studio album in 5 years since Moonlight Waltz , and also their first release with guitarist Giorgio Ferrante, who replaced Stephan Benfante early in 2016. It is noticeably more guitar-driven than the band's previous releases with Sonya Scarlet on vocals, and its lyrics focus less on the vampiric and occult themes the band is famous for. A music video for the track "Morgana Effect" was uploaded to the band's official YouTube channel on 29 September 2016. [5]

Contents

The album counts with guest appearances by Moonspell vocalist Fernando Ribeiro and J.T.R. Sickert frontman Tiziano Panini (a.k.a. Billy T. Cooper), Scarlet's husband.

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Sonya Scarlet (except for "Photographic" by Vince Clarke); all music is composed by Scarlet and Christian Ice.

No.TitleLength
1."Morgana Effect"3:42
2."Resurrection Mary"4:15
3."Delusional Denial" (feat. Billy T. Cooper)3:09
4."Parasomnia"4:09
5."Candyland"4:03
6."Your Ragdoll"3:21
7."Pierrot Lunaire"3:16
8."Photographic" (Depeche Mode cover)3:35
9."Opium Shades"3:28
10."Seventh Room" (feat. Fernando Ribeiro)3:25
11."Autumn Leaves"3:35
Total length:39:58

Critical reception

The album has received mostly positive reviews since its release. Writing for New Noise Magazine, Grim Lord gave it 3 out of 5 stars, comparing its sonority favorably to Lacuna Coil, Theatre of Tragedy, The Dreamside and "the gothic metal/rock of [his] younger days". However, he also stated that "[he] didn't find Scarlet's vocal approach to be to [his] taste in most songs" ("Pierrot Lunaire" excepted, which he thought of as "one of the disc's main standouts"), and commented on the lack of "occult-/Lilith-/Lucifer-style lyrics" as being "a kind of a drag". [1] Metal.de gave a negative review, only tracks they liked were "Parasomnia" and "Photographic". [2] Vampster  [ de ] called the album toothless and said the music lacks drama and depth. The tracks "Candyland" and "Opium Shades" were noted as insignificant. [6] Metalitalia.com  [ it ] gave a positive review, praising the lyrics and the singer's versatility. [3]

Personnel

References

  1. 1 2 "Album Review: Theatres Des Vampires – 'Candyland'". New Noise Magazine . 12 October 2016. Archived from the original on 28 September 2025. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  2. 1 2 Philipp I. (10 October 2016). "Theatres Des Vampires - Candyland Review". Metal.de (in German). Archived from the original on 16 October 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  3. 1 2 Plata, Riccardo (2 November 2016). "THEATRES DES VAMPIRES – Candyland". Metalitalia.com  [ it ] (in Italian). Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  4. THEATRES DES VAMPIRES – NEW SIGNING AND NEW ALBUM ‘CANDYLAND’ – SCARLET RECORDS – OFFICIAL SITE
  5. Theatres Des Vampires - Morgana Effect
  6. Wögerbauer, Christian (31 October 2016). "Reviews - THEATRES DES VAMPIRES: Candyland". Vampster  [ de ] (in German). Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2025.