L’ÂME IMMORTELLE don’t make it really easy for me. Although that Austrian duo consisting of Sonja Kraushofer and Thomas Rainer already have created immortal hymns, they didn’t manage to release an album that keeps a high level over the entire running time.
Their eighth record Auf Deinen Schwingen kicks off very strong and promising with the title-track, a melancholy-draped and symphonic hymn, shining in the veins of already mentioned classics. Following Herzschlag and Du siehst mich nicht are typical rock songs, first one performed by Sonja and the second one by Thomas only. It seems, with the predecessor Gezeiten, LAI enjoy to write guitar-dominated gothic rock songs. Electronic parts are just marginally and only support the sound from the background. What strikes me too is the singing of Thomas I find much more likable and charismatic as on previous releases. Next songs Nur Du and the first single Phoenix already drop down and the three English-sung tracks, marking the middle-part, are like a break-in and just average at best.
On the second half L’ÂME IMMORTELLE gain a little ground again with German tracks (except the English Last Will, which is actually a wonderful ballad) and finish as they begun: with melancholy-draped and symphonic hymn called Der letzte Akt.
In my opinion I think Sonja Kraushofer didn’t use the entire scope she now got conceded for her singing talents. I know her from her work for janus and Persephone too and know what she is able to express, perform and to get across.
At the end one will find a bonus track on Auf Deinen Schwingen, the song Dein Herz, which was released on a maxi-CD as appetizer a couple of months ago.
Upshot: Auf Deinen Schwingen is a consistently rocking and varied album that begins in a grandiose way, breaks in the middle and just gets by at the end. Too bad.