Candlelight
2005
Winter Enclosure
About This Album
Octavia Sperati has often been described as an "all-girl doom metal band from Bergen, Norway." Well, Octavia Sperati really is from Bergen, Norway, and they do have an all-female lineup. But Winter Enclosure, the band's first official full-length album, isn't really doom metal or stoner rock in the strict sense; they don't sound like Saint Vitus or Grief any more than they sound like Orange Goblin, Eyehategod, Goatsnake, Iron Monkey or Pentagram. What transpires on this aggressive but highly melodic and moody effort is really somewhere between gothic metal and goth rock; Winter Enclosure is more metallic than most goth rock but isn't as heavy as most gothic metal. Nonetheless, Octavia Sperati do have some Black Sabbath influence -- at least in terms of the guitar and bass playing -- and that is one thing the Norwegian rockers have in common with bands in the doom metal/stoner rock field even though they aren't really part of that field themselves. But no one will accuse lead singer Silje Wergeland of sounding like Ozzy Osbourne; her haunting, darkly ethereal vocal style is pure goth. Plus, Octavia Sperati's members certainly dress in a goth-like fashion: black, black, and more black. Of course, it is rare that a band is described as both ethereal and Black Sabbath-influenced -- and the fact that they really do fit that unlikely description indicates that creatively, Octavia Sperati are onto something. It should be noted that Winter Enclosure is quite atypical of what Candlelight Records usually puts out; they're known for providing a lot of death metal/black metal, but seldom ventures into the goth realm. Winter Enclosure falls short of exceptional, but it's a noteworthy, enjoyable disc and demonstrates that Octavia Sperati are well worth keeping an eye on. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
Track List (try tracks 2,4,6 and 9)

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