E Nomine - Die Prophezeiung [2003]

It seems incredibly hard to find really great music these days but there's so many elements I love here. It includes beautiful, melodic soundscapes (think Enigma), choral chanting with lush orchestrations (think Lesiem/Gregorian), pounding dance/industrial beats like no other I've heard, and ethereal New Age/operatic Pop singing (mostly female). But despite those common comparisons mentioned, rest assured they have a distinct sound that's entirely their own. However, E Nomine is an acquired taste and certainly not for everyone. There's a lot of German speaking throughout the songs with many interludes, making it quite challenging for some to listen to. But honestly, the music is so astoundingly gorgeous!

The excellent production combines dark German-language recitation with pounding beats and dance-club energy and an amazing full choir. This new album is released in two different variations. This particular one called 'Monumental Dance Edition' has all the regular danceable versions like on E Nomine's past albums, including their recent singles Deine Welt and Das Omen. And in a very interesting move, the band has released the same album in two different forms. The 'Klassik Edition' puts a new approach to the tracks on the album, stripping out most of the drums and dance beats to focus more on the recitation and choir elements, creating something that sounds like a gothic version of Enigma. So, now you can chill out to E Nomine as well as dance to E Nomine.