Miel Noir — Honey & Ash
Miel Noir is labeling Honey & Ash as their debut as a proper band, given that nugget of information, it is a bit of a departure from any prior Miel Noir releases. While the pensive, thoughtful piano pieces are still there, there is a decidedly different atmosphere created. In fact throughout the cd, is a feeling of being immersed in an early 80’s industrial, subterranean dark wave setting.
With the juxtaposition stated above, overall Honey & Ash is an enjoyable endeavor. Yes those gorgeous piano melodies are still there, especially on the gently forceful “Honigglut” and dramatic phrasing of “Der Feind”, but there is an industrial and dark wave sound that is more so pervasive within Honey & Ash. Some of the songs seem to ooze influences of early Sisters of Mercy and Bauhaus. It’s excellently heard on the moody “Sonnenman” and the melodic “In Empty Coldness”. In other songs it feels a bit rehashed, as heard on “Der Himmel Fallt”, a well played piece that in the end doesn’t really go anywhere or “Honig-Traum” which is good, but sounds similar to some of the other songs. There are moments were Miel Noir adds in a bit of dark ambient. On “Unspoken Words” there is a distorted, noisy sound that is positively unsettling, and it is a welcome change. “Eherne Ulmen” also fits this description with very distorted metallic sounds combined with eerie sound clips.
Vocals on Honey & Ash seem to take the forefront (at least production wise). It is a good balance of spoken word and singing. There is an addition of female background vocals which make a stirring contribution; just listen to “In Empty Coldness”, “Sonnenmann” or “It’s Me” and try not to be intrigued by the combination. Most of the lyrics are in German, though some of the background vocals are in English. At moments this can be a hindrance as things just sound monotonous (especially if you don’t understand German!) at least in the aspect that the meaning or purpose behind the song are somewhat lost.
In the end it is an eclectic mix, it sometimes loses its thread. The music is played extremely well, but at times it's lost in the vocal heavy production. No matter if that is what Miel Noir was aiming for, but as a listener it gets a bit muddled.