Based in Italy, OfeliaDorme are one of several fine bands from this proud country; joining the likes of Nheap, Damien*, Sea Dweller and Amycanbe in that respect. They are led by the versatile vocalist/guitarist/keyboard player Francesca Bono and after a well-received EP in 2009, the group are now ready to unleash their first long player.
‘All Harm Ends Here’ is certainly gothic in mood but stylistically it’s an eclectic affair. ‘Ian’ – a tribute to Ian Curtis – is undoubtedly the standout moment. Bono shrieks like a banshee whilst the band play with the kind of intensity that Curtis’ old band would approve of. ‘Grow!’ veers between acoustic simplicity and subtle electronica before exploding in to a glorious anthemic chorus. Meanwhile, strings and trip-hop converge for the delicate, sad ‘Naked Evil’.
On the flipside, mid-tempo tracks such as ‘The King Is Dead’ and ‘I Like My Drums’ lack the required urgency. Yet the last two songs – ‘River’ and ‘Eve’ – replicate the ethereal eeriness of current cult favourites Warpaint and could point towards the direction for next time.
As good as the band are, Ofeliadorme’s success seems to revolve around the power of their frontwoman, Bono. ‘All Harm Ends Here’ is too inconsistent to be called great but there are definitely enough great moments to suggest why they have gathered interest outside their native Italy.
Web Sites:
OfeliaDorme Official Site
OfeliaDorme MySpace
Further Listening:
Warpaint
Leonard's Lair Music Reviews 
0 Responses to “Review: OfeliaDorme – All Harm Ends Here”