Artist: Unsun
Title: Clinic For Dolls
Type: Album
Label: Mystic Production

I absolutely loved the last and debut Unsun album ‘The End Of Life.’ After giving it to another writer to cover but thankfully plonking it on my PC, I found I was absolutely hooked and fought a fair few bidding wars on that well known auction site before finally winning it. It only took a couple of listen to the new album before I was reminded of just what I loved about this band and this has firmly established itself as an equally persuasive disc that is going to be getting as many plays as I can possibly fit in. If you were wondering, this is the band that Maurycy "Mauser" Stefanowicz established, wanting something a little softer than his day job at Vader. With vocalist Anna "Aya" Stefanowicz (yep well guessed on the family ties and she is not his mother) behind him and bassist and drummer from Vesania, Decapitated and Indukti what we have is fantastic song writing and one of the loveliest female voices in the business. If you want something to listen to that has the scope to make your heart melt, you are in the right place. If not, well go bung on De Profundis or Litany and forget this ever happened.

Ten songs, 44 minutes and each and every one of them gorgeous, accessible and great at putting a smile on your face. Starting out with ‘The Lost Way’ we are quickly thrust into an upbeat melody but one that pounds as Vaaver gives the drums a good beating and guitars flow around and occasionally burst into a fiery solo. The voice is doll like and needs no clinic to stitch it up, totally girlie and sugary. This is a great diversion from growling and rasping and when done this well you will have no complaints from me. There are moments that will no doubt have this flung in with the female fronted Goth brigade but it essentially rocks quite hard too and has the scope to have you head banging. The other good thing is that there is no need for any operatics here, Aya has such a natural voice that they really would be surplus to requirements. The title track puts on a bit of vocal distortion for effect which catches by surprise and it has a bodice ripping feel to it, full of intrigue and possible promised romance as it tempestuously lets rip. ‘Time’ might be an understated enough title and the chorus may also be damn simple too but it certainly blows you down and it will be going round in your head for an age.

At times and naturally there is going to be a ballad such as ‘The Last Tear’ but you know what, it’s still good and I won’t even get my ballad bashing boots on for once and stamp on it but am just going to chill whilst it softly weaves its spell. There is not a huge amount more to say here, this is one of those discs to just bung on and simply enjoy, you do not need to get deep within and dissect this, its just pure simplistic pleasure. In my opinion Century Media were total tools letting this lot slip after the debut but it seems kind of right that Unsun are on a Polish label.. Let’s just hope they get the push they need, certainly a tour in October with Tristania and Asrai should help and this is one I am very much looking forward to.

http://www.myspace.com/unsunmusic