Genre: Melodic doom/death metal
Origin: Russia
Released: 2009
Website: Wine From Tears
Label: BadMoonMan Music
Uploaded: 01.08.09

Jeez, if it’s not a discography I’d say 77 minutes is just too damn long for an album, and this is really a negative aspect of Through the eyes of a mad (a mad what? Might I add) as it just takes too long to get through the album. Unfortunately that’s not the only thing bugging me with the release. I can’t help but to constantly feel like they’re just trying too hard; trying too hard to sound depressive and sad. It feels a little forced. I mean, on the bandphoto in the booklet the singer is even down on his knees, looking into the sky with sand running through his fingers…
They’ve got some pretty good guitar lines and classic doom metal aspects. But as soon as I’m trying to concentrate on a good aspect of the album I instantly come up with a negative one to counteract it. Sure, the melodic guitar lines are good, but it never ends. It’s just so jam-packed with melody it’s difficult to take it in. And when the guitars sounds as they’re about to ease up on the whole thing with some heavier, more chugging riffing the rhythm guitar presents some not-so-interesting stuff (with a rather thin sound) and the lead guitarist goes on with a melodic solo instead. Besides that, the keyboard hardly ever shuts up. Although, since it’s fairly hidden behind the guitars you can block it out. The drumming, on the other hand, presents nothing interesting either as it pretty much sticks to a couple of beats with some exceptions.
It sounds like Wine From Tears is stuck in the early 90ies, unable to invigorate the typical sound, but rather treading the same worn-out path. It’s not that it’s bad; you’ve just heard it so many times before. It’s also a classic example of too much; it’s just too much of everything. The really great parts of the album are easily forgotten since it’s flooded with loads of redundancy. Take for instance the Bless me bleeding angels track, which presents both a great guitar line and an interesting keyboard. Feeding the angel is another track to remember, which offers beautiful female vocals interacting with the main male growls. Although this adds a gothic aspect (and I can’t stand goth) it’s still very well done and highly enjoyable. But as I said, this is easily overlooked and forgotten.
To me this should’ve been a 30 minute demo, for which the band would’ve gotten some response and could’ve taken some constructive criticism for; making the debut album a whole lot stronger. It’s not really bad, just flooded and a little too gothically obsessed with angels.

Tracklist:
01. Angels also die… (intro)
02. Since I fell
03. The sinner
04. Funeral time
05. Night of a succubus
06. Close to katatonia
07. Bless me bleeding angels
08. The secret of the woods
09. Before the gods
10. Feeding the angel
11. My tears
12. Meus altius pater noster