Others have expressed disappointment over "Evidence" falling short of "Elyria." The albums are five years apart; since F&TM aren't stuck in a rut, of COURSE the style will evolve. (Just like "Annwyn" was an evolution from "Elyria.") Where the previous releases had more Celtic mythology and Dark Ages charm, "Evidence" features mood rock that would have fit just fine in a London dance club around, oh, 1590.

The opener, "Joy," is a bright little piano piece performed by Joy Richards (related to Monica -The Muse- I assume) in 1959. From there, they go right into the fast rocker "Scars Flown Proud." This characterizes the two things that stood out most to me on the album: 1) Several songs are reminiscent of "Annwyn," my favorite F&TM to date. 2) The style and intensity change gears A LOT.

"Scars Flown Proud" bleeds into the hazy, mid-tempo "Shattered in Aspect." Then they jump into the "Cantus"-esque "Chorus of The Furies." (Dig Monica's "Hungry Like The Wolf" vocalizations towards the end.) The Muse has never sounded better. William gets to shine on the grim waltz "Through The Pale Door" and on a duet with Monica ("Denn Die Todten Reiten Schnell"). The whole thing alternates between acoustic ballad and wailing guitar rock.

While not as steeped in myth and history as earlier efforts, "Evidence" features the greatest variety within one F&TM album so far. Something I have to ask with each F&TM release: WHY AREN'T COLLEGE RADIO STATIONS RUNNING F&TM STUFF NONSTOP? Sure, they're goth-identified, but catchier and more melodic than 80% of what you can find on any station.

"Evidence of Heaven" is just as good as any other F&TM album, though I am partial to "Annwyn." Go listen to it. Go on, NOW.


Another Great Band   March 3, 2002
 3 out of 4 found this review helpful

Anyone who likes Faith And The Muse should check out Strange Boutique. It may be hard to find, but it was Monica's band on Bedazzeled records back in D.C. They won best band in D.C. a couple years in a row before they split. And for this cd itself, of course it's awesome.


In the heaven   May 10, 2000
 2 out of 3 found this review helpful

You'll feel like floating in heaven while listening this wonderful album.I like scars flown proud,it's something about gothic and industrial.Shattered in aspect is the most catchy song in this album,it embraces wonderful structure and you 'll play it non-stop. Old soul ,this material is from Paul Williams,it ends the album with a loney sound and full of sadness. The most seductive one is Dead Leaf Echo,its gorgeous and powerful.The great attraction is the story behind the song,like a poetry ,it makes you cry.


a wonderful flight of fancy   January 5, 2000
 2 out of 2 found this review helpful

I love it! After seeing the band this summer in concert, I recieved the album for Christmas and have been listening tirelessly since. Seldom are bands good enough performers in concert for me to run out and want to purchase their album. This is an exception. My favorite tracks are Reine la Belle, Shattered in Aspect and The Chorus of the Furies. Amazon should post some sound files for this albums so others can gain an appreciation for the band!


Only moderate "Evidence of Heaven" to be found here.   August 27, 1999
 2 out of 4 found this review helpful

Once upon a time, I fell in love with a group. After many years of searching for evidence of their continued existence, I stumbled upon "Evidence of Heaven." Unfortunately, this album does not possess the same degree of charm as its predecessor. On the whole, I had to rank the album as fair, but there are indeed jewels among the hubris. "Importune Me No More" had that ethereal flair that I was so enthralled by so many years ago. Far from being a "Goth" myself, I would imagine a large portion of this CD would appeal to those who would label themselves thus -- heavy moroseness & leaden vocals by Wiliam Faith. It is Monica Richards who rescues this CD with her other-wordly voice that could haunt even the most mundane.