Although stylish and impeccably produced, this extravagantly gothic outing is haunted by the too-obvious influence of HIM, Lacrimas Profundere and other such crooning culprits. So it's predictably laden with darkly romantic clichés, spooky keyboards and stereotypically low, gravelly vocals that come off a little forced in places.
Opening number ‘Velvet’ kicks off promisingly on a melodic tangle of riffs and tombstone-heavy bass that’s ex ecuted with all the passion and panache you'd expect from an Italian outfit. But as the album unfolds, there’s precious little variation in melody and Bloody Mary's initially catchy sound veers into the realms of repetitive filler. Hinged on a relentlessly mid-paced, danceable beat, the bulk of ‘Party Music For Graveyards’ is as digestible and ultimately forgettable as a calorific fast food binge.
Needless to say, this goth-metal-by-numbers approach dominates the album, but ‘Party Music...’ also reveals a glimmer of originality with unexpected nods to The Ramones, offering up a smidgen of punk-tinged energy. Indeed, the band’s cover of ‘Pet Semetary’ makes for a glorious resurrection drenched in nostalgia and smouldering, metallic venom. Thick, syrupy guitars and singer Albrebran’s delicate Italian accent add a personal and above all gothic edge to this classic anthem. There’s further homage to the band in the riffs of ‘Before You Fade,’ but it's ‘The Right Way’ that truly pushes boundaries with generous lashings of anthemic punk atop a brooding undercurrent of blackened, bittersweet harmonies. Here, Albrebran proves his vocal pedigree, bouncing back and forth between soaring and baritone verses. Punctuated by bass-heavy blasts of aggression, the track's melodic elements are tastefully balanced with a satisfying portion of skull-splitting heavy metal.
While Bloody Mary have yet to escape the shadow of their big-name predecessors, there's little doubt that this talented ensemble will soon carve their own path within today’s ever-evolving goth metal scene.