With the release of “Of Love and Pain”, Absinthe Green officially step into the daily life of the Greek rock and metal scene — and into ours as well. Absinthe Green, the band led by Eirini Absinthe Green, are a new and powerful force that everyone should pay attention to. And I say powerful because the debut album from the Athens-based group is truly, really strong. What should you expect? A beautiful and fresh rock/metal record, a great alternative metal proposal — a debut that comes to shake things up! So what exactly do Absinthe Green do? They draw inspiration from bands like The Pretty Reckless and Halestorm, and they craft something of their own — not necessarily groundbreaking, but definitely intriguing, made with vision, inspiration, passion and heart. “Of Love and Pain” is built on catchy melodies, infectious rhythms and outstanding performances — not only from Eirini, but from all the band members, who are experienced and highly skilled musicians. The album includes fantastic songs that will appeal to fans of modern rock and metal — and beyond — as Absinthe Green blend in other influences from punk, pop, grunge and gothic music. Add to that touches reminiscent of Sentenced, Lacuna Coil, and HIM, and you get a complete picture of what “Of Love and Pain” is all about. Producer Hiili Hiilesmaa has done an incredible job — the production is clean, warm and perfectly balanced, allowing each instrument to shine and giving the whole album a lively, exciting sound. Another strong point of the record is its autobiographical lyrics, full of symbolism and substance. Overall, “Of Love and Pain” is an album that will speak to you deeply through its ideas, themes and artistic cohesion. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard such a good alt metal album. Absinthe Green make a thunderous debut and invite us into their mysterious and adventurous world.
♦ 8,5/10
Dimitris Zacharopoulos
