Nosferatu went through more than their share of personnel changes during the 1990s, but all those lineup changes didn't prevent the British goth-rockers from being fairly consistent. When the 21st century rolled around,
Nosferatu looked back on their live performances of the 1990s with
Reflections Through a Darker Glass. Instead of focusing on a particular concert, this collection spans 1991-1999 and contains performances in London, Paris, Berlin, and elsewhere. You'll hear no less than four different
Nosferatu lineups on this CD -- most of the 12 tracks feature
Nosferatu's original vocalist Louis De Wray (including "Wicker Man," "Abominations," "Happy Ending," and "Alone"), although De Wray's replacement Niall Murphy is heard on "Savage Kiss" and "Keepers Call" and
Nosferatu's third vocalist Dominic LaVey is featured on "Graveyard Shift" and "Witching Hour." Through all of these lineups,
Nosferatu delivers state-of-the-art goth: darkly melodic, haunting, and moody, yet aggressive and rocking. Though
Bauhaus' influence is heard throughout this collection,
Reflections also makes it clear that
Nosferatu has been -- personnel changes and all -- a recognizable and appealing goth unit in their own right. But as much as
Reflections has going for it, it isn't definitive and isn't perfect. Though the sound quality is generally excellent, a few of the recordings have less-than-ideal sound. Casual listeners, in fact, would be better off starting out with some of
Nosferatu's studio albums. This CD is strictly for the seasoned
Nosferatu enthusiast. ~ Alex Henderson