The Prophetess

Line-Up: Rick Joyce Ruben Rivera Tony Tullai Mark Hawks Review from first LP from "All Music Guide": "Dripping more than a passing interest in Christian Death, Bauhaus, early Cure, and the Sisters of Mercy in their atmospheric wake, the Prophetess turn in note-perfect goth by rote, and are completely unapologetic about it. Vocalist Mark Hawks wanders through carefully constructed smoke and candle wax, indebted perhaps more to the rumbling of Peter Murphy than is prudent, but still obviously and completely taking the task at hand very seriously. Backed by all the tolling bells and ghostly whistles one would expect across a healthy ten-track set, the band also adds its own spark, using acoustic guitar and classic rock riffs to great advantage, most notably on "Avalon" and "Sylvia." From the opening "Embrace My Love" to the slightly histrionic "Crucifixion of Sanctity" and on to the bite and punch of "Masquerade With Me," there aren't many corners the band doesn't sweep out. Although it can be argued that the Prophetess are little more than a generic goth-by-numbers combo, and that their lyrics pass too often into the moon goddess arena of triteness and overly obvious allegory, it's impossible to dismiss them. They are endearing in their way, and musically, they can't be faulted. And while old schoolers probably won't want to cast much more than a passing glance at the Prophetess, this album is persnickety, infectious, and ultimately not easily dismissed." Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.