Tuesday 21 April 2009

Maybe one of the reasons why Heaven & Hell's 'The Devil You Know' is such a killer album is because the band didn't have the luxury of operating under the Black Sabbath name? Anyway, despite a certain lull in the second half, it's a great comeback for the best metal band ever.

Sheridan Le Fanu's 'In A Glass Darkly' is a bit of a mixed bag. I think it suffers a bit from starting with two very similar stories and bunging in one altogether non-supernatural story, especially one with such a predictable plot. 'Green Tea' is especially ridiculous. Great build-up, but then - pfui! - he went mad and died of his own neurotic fears because of drinking too much green tea? Really? Green tea? He actually thought he would go with a harmless anti-oxidant beverage as his Elixir Of Dread Doom? Coupled with the airy Swedenborgiana, it makes for an unintendely farcical effect. I'd still rate the stories collected in 'Madam Crowl's Ghost' above this. 'Carmilla' alone is worth the price of entry, though.

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