The Wounded: album reviews and ratings

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Reviews & Recommendations

	The Wounded

Artist Listing:

S - Z

Dutch band, formed in 1998. Line-up includes:
Marco v.d. Velde (vocals), Edwin Pol (guitar), Andy Haandrikman (bass), Jonne Ziengs (keyboard) and Ralph de Vries (drums).
Edwin was replaced by Erwin De Jong in 2001.

"Expressing hate, desire, pain, love, desolation and fear from the real life in music and on stage. That is what The Wounded was and is always about. Music from the deepest of the soul. "

-- the-wounded.nl

The Wounded Discography - Album / CD Reviews

½ 2001: The Art of Grief
"a great album for those who are at their best during Fall… The Wounded is a 3 year-old Dutch band that plays a dark mix of Gothic and Dark Wave, inspired by names like Anathema, My Dying Bride, The Cure and the Sisters of Mercy. They are standing on the brink of breakthrough as is proved by the fact that they made it to the semi-finals of the Dutch national band contest for promising bands "De Grote Prijs van Nederland". 'The art of grief' is their first album. It gives a good display of their abilities…

Marco v.d. Velde sings mostly with a clear voice comparable to that of My Dying Bride's Aaron. Aside from this, he occasionally grunts with a very dry, raw grunt. A combination that can be very enchanting, at least if it's performed well. And trust me, it is… (...) On this CD there are pearls like 'Your roses will burn', a great cover of Bronski Beat's 'Smalltown Boy', 'Billet Doux' (slow & dark) and the title song..."

-- Antoine, rockezine.com, 2001

2002: Monument
TrackListing: 1-Dawn 2-Garland 3-The Real 4-Grace, Murder, Divine 5-Billet Doux 6-Chaos Spectacle 7-Red 8-Black Heart 9-Dark Moon Generation 10-Child 11-A Dance with the Insane 12-Monument

"Monument will first monopolize your mind for the entire hour of total running time and after that, as the title seems to suggest, it will endure in you with a remote sense of bewilderment. The Wounded set their sound between the dark melodies of The Cure and the more metal ones but still gloomy Katatonia’s guitar riffs, adding a proper use of keyboards, experimental parts and even alienating ambient tunes (like in the song Monument). Being also fairly influenced by the painful notes of Anathema, certainly perceptible in songs like i.e. Red and Blackheart, the band still defends its own strong musical approach that conquests me completely. The performance of the singer Marco Van der Velde is absolutely outstanding: he properly express the lyrics inspired by grief, insanity and all the diverse deepest and hidden emotions, singing through whirls of sorrow, rage’s storm and then abandon fragile crystals of pain in our pale hands."

-- Lidia Buscaino, downthewindzine, 2002

2004: Atlantic
TrackListing: 1-Hollow World 2- 18 Carat Dust 3- Running on empty 4-Day of joy 5-Northern lights 6-"Prelude" 7-Smells like teen spirit 8-We are darker 9-Atlantic

"Two years after their sophomore effort 'Monument', The Wounded release their third album 'Atlantic'. These two years have not left the gothic/wave rockband unchanged. Of the old line-up, only vocalist/guitarist Marco van der Velde and bassist Andy Haandrikman remain. The new names are guitarist Sander Wessels, keyboard player Eduard Dresscher (Seraphique) and drummer Alwin Schoing (Reptile). With this new line-up The Wounded have managed to record a superb album. In comparison to 'Monument', 'Atlantic' sounds more mature, their songwriting abilities have improved and the overall production is better. Marco van der Velde’s vocals are more impressive this time around as well. Admittedly, you have got to like his typical timbre, but once you have fallen for his characteristic lamentation, 'Atlantic' is truly your type of record. 'Monument' knew a few highlights, 'Atlantic' on the other hand is chockfull of great songs. Opener Hollow World, 18 Carat Dust, Day of Joy, Northern Lights and the title-track, are all gothic metal pearls I can never get enough of. Why this band has not been picked up in The Netherlands is a mystery to me. 'Atlantic' should do the trick. The Wounded have got the dedication and the qualities.

-- Anita Boel, translated from aardschok.net

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Recommended Links:

The Wounded: the official site