Carmilla "Deflector" Album : released 19 April 2019

Carmilla had been building up to this point for nigh on 18 months, and it is a well-produced work that has been warmly received by this critic at least. Do yourself a favour and play this as the makers intended: old-school, tracks 1 to 11, in order. It will enhance the experience. 

1.       Avvia e Inizia – metallic instrumental piece arranged as a classical work, as the Italian title suggests. But the title literally translates to starts and starts which, for an opening album track, makes sense. A slightly romantic, slightly dark, slightly pedestrian introduction that could have run into Kings and could have been developed a whole lot more … perhaps it could be reprised on the next album with those ending effects leading into a whole operatic piece entitled E così via, per sempre?

 2.       Kings Of Religion – the more I hear Oksana’s voice the more I love this band. Usually when you sing in another language your accent doesn’t come through, but this is not the case with Oksana, which makes her quite unique but, as we have already seen, this is not all that makes her a wonder!

 3.       Stained Scars – Ahh classic industrial chunk-metal with double/quad kicks and layered, overlapping vocals for depth. 

 4.       Deflector – A study in multiple time-signatures with a staccato introduction experienced elsewhere in pop-metal, with great effect. Oksana’s vocals are mixed back somewhat, but this track is no less brutal for it. A more melodic and adventurous opus than we have experienced from Carmilla thus far and we should be hearing more from this track!

 5.       Blinders – Introduced like an AC/DC track, but only for a brief moment before kicking straight into what we have been dished with so far. Yes dished- like a degustation menu where you’re given small tastes of things to come with single releases, every new course of this record delights even more. From the so-called “pedestrian” introduction through Kings each track enhances the experience even more than the last. And we’re still to be served dishes we’re already tasted with chefs Håkan and Daniel working overtime in the kitchen to serve up more and better guitar-sounds and effects with which we’re now so familiar, but expanding and building through each new course. But which wine with each course? That’s for the discerning headbanger to determine! Maybe a malty ale or a well-aged whiskey?! Best served LOUD!

 6.       Devil’s Feast – The first single, so deep into this record. We know that few will listen to a record as it is presented, and may go for the singles first. Random-play may do this as well.

 7.       The Accuser – Just as I was about to say that this is a more laid-back effort, I am jolted back to reality. Do these guys know what laid-back is? Well, yes- they opened with it! Metal with an Eastern influence and a tilt at the classics.

 8.       Lizzy Borden – 19^th-century American axe-murderer who killed her father and step mother, yet was never incarcerated. And with that same morbid fascination as Johnny Depp’s Sweeney Todd : The Barber of Fleet Street, this track has a fitting back-story. Håkan says that the lyrics were sent to the band by Elin Andersson, a fan of both the band and Borden, and lyricist on a number of the band’s other releases, including their debut Kiss Of Death. The track itself is in the story-telling style of Kings but more fitting to the story of the remorseless Massachusetts Sunday-school teacher-gone postal, pausing for effect as Lizzy did; each hit on the snare between the pauses echoing each swing of that misguided axe.

 9.       A Hundred Years of Failure – break out the doomsday bells, then kick us all in the face! Where has this been, Carmilla? We want more!! She doesn’t know why there is blood on her hands – maybe she should revisit the last track?!

 10.   What We Deserve – Bringing the mood down from 100 Years? The same Eastern influence as The Accuser and the same phrasing in the chorus as Kings but some melodic riffs woven throughout. It could almost be a medley of the album to date. Almost!

 11.   Lightbringer – The third single rounds out this collection perfectly! Brutal lyric-delivery, double-kick mayhem, and some pop-metal riffs added for colour at the bridge. Brilliant!

Carmilla "Deflector" is deserving of as much attention as possible. There is much to be said about the dark side of music from the Nordic regions, and Carmilla’s voice should be prominent in that conversation. The band has changed significantly since the release of this oeuvre, but this bookmark in their journey is a significant contribution to that discussion!

PG (Jacky) Gleeson
27 May 2020