Its the term gothic metal that is automatically placed along with female fronted bands, ok the exception of Arch Enemy for example, but for majority of gothic metal bands have a female as their vocalist, so the common trend is there, or is it? Tainted Grace step out of the common setup and lay down their weapons before us, this is gothic metal on another level, forget the rulebook of music. Tainted Grace shred that with their music, melodies flowing like a lahar or rapids in a river with the added ferocity of Trissy's vocals. That is just the top layer, its just got started, with Sean's drumming skills that excel the seismograph so fast that it makes volcanic eruptions look like children, but there is no ending with this band, firing lightning bolt-like notes are Andy and Anthony, but the base of it is, youve guessed it, the bassist Andrew. In a few sentences, these striving and charismatic adventurers take gothic metal to the extreme, Tainted Grace have redefined melody, altered gothic metal and yet when you listen to the music, the atmosphere alternates between song but still with the essence that has made their first release 'Liberatae Mai' blow your mind up like the atom bomb on Japan. Mind-blowing. This band certainly have it going, but there is one thing that lacks, not the music, not the mentality, the fans. That will definately change, Tainted Grace are about to bring true English goth music back to life. Watchout goths and metalheads, there is a new band on the block.

Tainted Grace have some sort of Apocalyptica style melody throughout, with a hint of Epica and Lacuna Coil but also some Siousxie & The Banshees. In one genre, melodic gothic metal. There is a subtle tinge of Industrial music there.

Rhys Stevenson (17-Sept-09)