At the Lake – “Mäyä” (2012)

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Label : Ravenheart Music

Review by Tony Cannella

Formed in Warsaw, Poland in 2005, the band At The Lake combine elements of Symphonic, Gothic, Folk and Celtic music and an interesting mix of influences which can be heard on their debut full-length “Maya”.

The intro track “Tomorrow I Will Fly” starts things off with some melancholic violin and lead vocalist Natalie. This sets the tone and leads us into “Live Again” which begins with choir-like vocals before the violins and heavy guitars join in. “Forget” starts off with a slower tempo before progressively picking up the pace. “Like a Northern Wind” is another solid track that has sort of a marching vibe to it. “The Spring of Forgiveness” is perhaps a little on the more commercial side, but that’s what I liked about it. It has a memorable melody and a chorus that you can sing along to. By far, my favorite song is the 9-minute epic “Karma”. It’s got a mournful vibe to it and is very violin driven. “Sonne” is a cover of the Rammstein song and is a very interesting song to cover, but it works quite well. The whole thing is concluded with the excellent “Dziecko We Mgle” which brings things to a dramatic and heartfelt conclusion.

Unfortunately, vocalist Natalia has since left the band so At The Lake will move forward with a different singer. Still, part of what makes this band fascinating and appealing is the way they seamlessly mix the violins with the more traditional metal instruments. Of course it has been done before but on “Maya” it all sounds very natural and not gimmicky or forced. If they find the right singer, I see no reason why At The Lake can’t continue to progress.

Rating – 85/100

 

Tracklist

  1. Tomorrow I Will Fly
  2. Live Again
  3. Forget
  4. Like a Northern Wind
  5. The Spring of Forgiveness
  6. Running Out of Time
  7. Neverland Train
  8. The Perfect Man
  9. Karma
  10. Sonne
  11. Dziecko We Mgle

 

Line Up

  • Natalia Sikora – Vocals
  • Krzysztof Kluz – Guitar
  • Anna Mentel – Keyboards
  • Michal Badocha – Bass
  • Milena Kluz – Violin
  • Alex Saczko – Drums

 

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