From Scandinavia I normally receive dark rock music like HIM or Lovex, which entertains rather younger fans. With their newest and third output pathetically and extra-long titled Locked Doors, Drinks And Funerals – Songs From The Desert the Norwegians ELUSIVE turn back the wheel of time for two decades. Commercially chumming up elements and modern knickknack you search without result. This is good, because bandleader and guitar player Tommy Olsson, singer Jan K. Barkved and Kristin Gunderson at the second guitar indulge in icons of the genre like The Mission, Fields Of The Nephilim of Sisters Of Mercy. ELUSIVE’s trip into the desert with stylish hats is geared stylistically close to the bands mentioned above and allows only marginally new elements in the sound. Therefore the formation does it fairly well, because the eleven songs, which mostly have an above-average long playtime, quickly stick in the ear. You realize that the Scandinavians take their time with their album releases, because the tracks appear mature and well arranged. Seldom have the songs attracted criticism. The more than eight minutes lasting A Thin Line appears too protracted, the ballad The Ghost Of You too pathetic. It’s a pity that faster and good songs like Dream On Sister are placed at second to last position.
However Locked Doors, Drinks And Funerals is a safe bet, which appeals to fans of classic goth rock for sure. The Norwegians may consolidate and develop their position in the genre, but this release is not a groundbreaking one.