Artist: Sentenced
Title: “Buried Alive”
Label: Century Media Records
Release Date: 1/23/2007
Genre: Gothic Metal
Rating: 4/5

I admit that it seem as though we are overrun by live concert recordings these days and while some of them are incredible efforts that bring the show right to your home there are few like this particular release by the band Sentenced. The reason for my view on this is based on the fact that this album not only captures a killer live concert from the legendary Gothic Metal group, but their very last performance as a band ever. That alone makes it something a little more important as this is more a historic performance than anything else and a release like this are few and far between. Formed in 1989, Sentenced chose to call it a career in 2005 with their final studio recording “The Funeral Album” – this was the bands public suicide note and a truly impressive album. This CD release comes to fans at the same time as a DVD film from the same performance which is just loaded with bonus features that make it the more worthwhile purchase if you ask me. The concert in audio alone is wonderful to have mainly if you are not quite moved by videos of these things and don’t really need to see what happened.

The recording was done in the bands hometown Oulu and it features a tremendous selection from their entire history as a group. A healthy amount of “The Funeral Album” is presented and this was to be expected given it is the final taste of the band in the studio but the unexpected treat would be the return of the bands first singer Taneli Jarva. The singer joins the band onstage once again and does a handful of songs from when he fronted the group. Musically this is a tight and energetic release and showcases just how good everyone in the band was when they did their thing in the live setting. The performance is spot on and the band shows they are full of life instead of acting tired and giving a lackluster show for their final gig. There is a little of something for everyone who loves Gothic Metal on this release. Ville, Miika, Sami, Sami and Vesa were the nucleus of music that inspired bands like HIM and The Rasmus, and this CD allows fans to pay their last respects one final time before the casket is lowered into the ground. The intended purpose of this Dark Gothic Metal band has completed and its members have moved on. May they Rest in Peace.

Track Listing:
1. Funeral Intro
2. Where Waters Fall Frozen
3. May Today Become The Day
4. Neverlasting
5. Bleed
6. The Rain Comes Falling Down
7. Ever-Frost
8. Sun Won’t Shine
9. Dead Moon Rising
10. Despair-Ridden Hearts
11. Broken
12. The Suicider/Excuse Me While I Kill Myself
13. The War Ain’t Over
14. Nepenthe
15. Northern Lights
16. The Way I Wanna Go
17. Dance On The Graves
18. Noose
19. Aika Multaa Muistot (Everything Is Nothing)
20. Farewell
21. No One There
22. Drown Together
23. Cross My Heart And Hope To Die
24. Brief Is The Light
25. Vengeance Is Mine
26. End Of The Road

Official Website: www.sentenced.org