Enigma

Le Roi Est Mort Vive Le Roi

The King is half undressed

Review Score:

(6/10)
Enigma's third adventure in sonic atmospherics is hindered by a formula that, while still interesting, sounds mired in an inability to move anywhere new. While great for fans and anyone who may have worn the first and second Enigma discs out, it doesn't add anything fresh to the vocabulary. Unlike "The Cross Of Changes," which took a few new sources for its material (the Native American rhythms and chants), "Le Roi est Mort..." feels more like a sophomore slump than the second album did.

The other drawback on this disc is that Michael Cretu has decided that he should do more of the singing. He comes off as a rougher voiced Phil Collins, which is not a good thing. "Why!" is a pretty good song nonetheless, but might have come across better in the more capable hands of Collins, or maybe a Peter Gabriel. Even with my reservations, someone must have thought the songs on "Le Roi Est Mort..." were pretty good, because four of these selections crossed to the "L.S.D." anthology.

Probably more than any of the four original Enigma albums, this is the most song heavy. There is definitely a push into the more sappy tendencies of New Age here ("Child In Us"), but if you're a fan of these sonic landscapes, then you'll probably dig the big boom of "TNT For The Brain." Other listeners can stick with the first two albums. ALSO: If you can find it, the original acetate slip card design of the earlier CD releases are an enhancement to "Le Roi Est Mort..."

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