Seven Lives Many Faces

I cannot find enough words to express how great this album is. This is by miles one of the best, if not the best Enigma album ever. It is so addictive, I have been listening to it for countless hours since I laid my hands on it. The music, vocals, and tunes all mix together in a weird yet dazzling and very captivating way that will let you fly with imagination, and will lose any will power to stop the album. Between Generation is very similar to some other Enigma titles, especially at the start, close to Sadness, then it starts to become very powerful in bass, and when the vocalist starts, you realize you are into something beyond any other musical description. Hell's Heaven is just superb, listen to it in good quality headphones, and you will see what I mean. Je T'aime Till My Dying Days is very good, beautiful vocals, but not my favorite title in this album, sometimes seems out of place, but it is still great musically. Seven Lives is awesome, definitely one the best tracks in this album, the rest of tracks are all great. I have not enjoyed an album this much before, it is chilling, will give you goosebumps sometimes, fascinating, and a great effort by Enigma. It makes some other albums die in the shadows. Do not waste another minute without it, get it and you will be amazed.

After Enigma's last effort, "A Posteriori", I vowed never again to buy another Enigma album. For me it was their least successful work to date, relying far too heavily on the interplay between various synth pads lines while totally lacking any musical substance. There was hardly anything I hadn't heard done before in the trance genre on "A Posteriori", which for Enigma was disappointing has they normally avoid straying into musical cliché. Moreover, there was no core musical idea that the arrangements carried forward that set it apart from countless other trance works.

It was with indifference then that I initially greeted this 7th release, "Seven Lives". Six Enigma albums was quite enough for my CD collection, thank you.

It was only when I inadvertently strayed onto one of the tracks on You Tube "The Same Parents" that I began to question the wisdom of my earlier vow. My ears were assaulted with an absolutely gorgeous piece, beautifully arranged with an unassuming melody, counter melody, warm harmonies and reflective emotionality. This level of poignancy is no where to be found on "A Posteriori". Cretu had clearly gone back to the drawing board, once again finding renewed inspiration and at last released an actual Enigma album......Perhaps there was room in my CD collection for another Enigma release after all, certainly on this evidence.

For me "Seven Lives" is the strongest Enigma offering we've had for many years, easily stronger than the last 2 albums. Once again there are engaging harmonic progressions and subtle melodies all underpinned with interesting syncopated shuffling rhythms. I'm not sure Michael Cretu gets the credit he deserve for his use of rhythms, yes they are familiar to previous albums, but he always manages to add subtle variations and new textures that leave a fresh impression for the listener. This album is beautifully constructed, fusing Ambience with Dance, Classical with Eastern folk, hypnotic bass lines with richly layered soundscapes, wonderful vocal performance with New World sounds.

Enigma's fourth album was one of my favorites, with it's polished dynamic production, driving momentum and more overtly classically influenced theme. On this album, Cretu has gone for a less polished overall sound and this probably better serves the material, which is more ethnic folk driven and earthy, while still maintaining a spiritual and mythical flavour. Be in no doubt, "Seven Lives" is certainly more original than the forth Enigma album. Margarita Roig's vocals on tracks 7 & 11 are outstanding, both these tracks being hauntingly beautiful and uplifting. His contribution adds another dimension to the Enigma sound. The vibe of these songs is reminiscent of Sarah Brightman's Harem, an artist who has also successfully fused ethnic rhythms with richly layered harmonies.

Overall though what sets" Seven Lives" apart from the last album is it's far more emotionally engaging and soulful, exuding a luscious warmth throughout. It's a really well paced album, melodic and plaintive one moment then rhythmic and haunting the next. "Seven Lives" is in stark contrast to the clinical, mechanical journey to be found on "A Posteroir".

Yes there are probably a couple fillers to be found here; the overtly sexual "distorted Love" and the overly slushy "Je T'aime" do let the album down a little and for me should have been relegated to the bonus disc version. Other than this shortcoming though, the quality is pretty much maintained throughout.

"Seven Lives" aptly begins and ends with a heartbeat and if there's one thing this album's got it's just that, heart. It's a beat that will resonate with many Enigma fans for many for years to come. This is an album that will almost certainly stand the test of time, and in years to come may well be considered the best Enigma album, it's that good. Alas, only time will tell. It's certainly taught me not to wrote an artist off too hastily and, has we all know, you really should "never say never!"

Enigma is back! Having been a fan since the beginning, nothing to me seemed to go anywhere near MCMXC A.D and Cross of Changes. You can of course pick out the good tracks from all subsequent albums. Seven Lives Many Faces does for me again. Unique sounds which flow really well and send you to another planet. I can't stop listening to it. Again.....Enigma is back!!!