Seven Lives Many Faces (2 CDs)

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Editorial Reviews:

Album Description
2008 Limited Edition includes bonus disc. Seven Lives Many Faces is Enigma's seventh album. This album expands the sound catalogue of previous releases and it is expected to lead to a new Omni-Cultural wave. The lead single "Seven Lives" is a powerful fusion of modern and classical elements. Enigma is an Electronic musical project founded by Michael Cretu, David Fairstein and Frank Peterson in 1990. Cretu is both the composer and the producer; his former wife Sandra often provided vocals on Enigma tracks. Jens Gad co-produced and played guitar on three of the Enigma albums.17 tracks.

Customer Reviews: Read 34 more reviews...

3 out of 5 stars

The Many Faces of Enigma October 1, 2008
18 out of 20 found this review helpful

Enigma is back with their seventh foray into the pop ambient movement that began with their pioneering 1990 debut album aptly titled MCMXC A.D. which artistically infused Gregorian chant into neo-classical dance electronica with the hit singles Sadeness, Pt. 1 and Mea Culpa, Pt. 2 and instantly became internationally recognized trademarks spawning an entire Chant subculture movement whose motifs were further explored with ethnic cultural chant mixing on their brilliant follow-up album, 1993's The Cross of Changes and by 1996's Enigma 3: Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi!, it seemed Enigma could do no wrong having dominated the 90's with their trendsetting ambient style continuing into the turn of the millennium with The Screen Behind the Mirror whose thematic operatic sampling of Carl Orff: Carmina Burana seemed destined to be integrated with Enigma's signature breakbeats which were already beginning to diminish. By 2003's Voyageur, all of the familiar choral motifs that had given an identity to such an Enigmatic visage were all but jettisoned in favor of Michael Cretu's heavy reliance on synergistic pop vocals. In 2006 Enigma made something of a return to innocence to their New Age electronica style with A Posteriori which abandoned the dominating Cretu vocals by embracing the spacey ambiance of trance. In 2008 Enigma releases the 2-disc Seven Lives Many Faces which is an extrapolation of many previous styles in their repertoire but again more of the same-old, same-old. You'll recognize many familiar trademarks beginning with the "Voice of Enigma" and ethnic vocals on tracks like "La Puerta Del Cielo" and "Between Generations" and vocals peppered sporadically throughout on tracks like the hip-hop sounding "Seven Lives" to "Distorted Love" and "J'Taime Till My Dying Day." Seven Lives, Many Faces sounds quite subdued compared to the evolutionary pioneering mixes that brought Enigma to the forefront in the 90's and it's certainly not as edgy as their earlier works. If you're hoping for a return to Enigma's glory days, you might be a bit let down but that doesn't mean that you'll be in for an altogether disappointment. The many faces behind the mirror are still unmistakably the same face.

3 out of 5 stars

Passionate, but not persuasive.... October 1, 2008
12 out of 13 found this review helpful

I am a longtime Enigma fan and a composer by training. While the production values and many signature Enigma sound artifacts are very present, I simply did not enjoy this offering as much as previous efforts.

The compositions seemed, to me, to be overly repetitive. Two words kept coming into my mind: "House Trance". I found myself clicking through the songs before they finished. I didn't find enough melodic or harmonic development to keep me interested. It's unfortunate for me, but I am sure this offering will please many others, regardless.

4 out of 5 stars

Magnificent, modern Enigma! October 2, 2008
11 out of 15 found this review helpful

Enigma suddenly released their seventh album only 2 years after A Posteriori, and it's easily one of the best ones they've released! While the lackluster A Posteriori went for a more new age sound, Seven Lives Many Faces returns to the days of Enigmas 1-4, only with a more modern element. The album is heavy on samples of chants (particularly in the second half), but it also features very heavy beats and basslines, which makes this their most ambient and trance-like outing yet. This goes perfectly with the miscellaneous swirls of soundscapes that move this album along. The production on it is outstanding! To me, the music sounds perfectly layered, almost 3D. You can listen to it on headphones and always hear new nuances whispering in the background with each listen. Standout tracks include "The Same Parents" (easily the most moving Enigma song ever), "Touchness", "Hell's Heaven" and the string & hip-hop infused "Seven Lives".

Included also is a bonus disc containg 4 extra songs and a remix of "The Language of Sound". The extra songs are even more abstract than those found on the album, but they're stunning nonetheless. I would compare them to the songs found on Nine Inch Nails' experimental Ghosts I-IV album, but Enigma style.

Overall, this album is extraordinary! While it's not my pick for best Enigma album ever (that honor goes to Voyageur), it's still one of their strongest and most complete offerings.

5 out of 5 stars

It's ENIGMA October 7, 2008
7 out of 8 found this review helpful

For me, a new ENIGMA album is a "must-buy." Admittedly though, I can't listen only once through an ENIGMA album and make a final judgment. Nearly every ENIGMA release has taken some time to sink in and take hold (some longer than others). I can still remember hearing all of MCMXC a.D. for the first time and wondering if I liked it or not. Now? It's classic. This (and every other ENIGMA) is no different. I can honestly say that I don't have one favorite ENIGMA album; they all have unique aspects to them that I enjoy. To me, they all compliment each other and build towards something new and exciting.

At first listen of every ENIGMA album I definitely ask myself, "Do I like it?" The answer is never "no" but it's also rarely an instant "yes." However, after a week of solid listening to Seven Lives Many Faces I can honestly say that I very much like this album.

Yes, Seven Lives Many Faces is different and no, it doesn't have every element that made MCMXC a.D. so popular. I also find some of the lyrics to be cheesy in Seven Lives Many Faces (e.g., "Touch me, I'll be your daddy. Smell me, I'll be your mommy"). However, what it REALLY has is what all the others DON'T have. Just what is it? I can't tell for sure. All I can tell you is that for me, what makes ENIGMA such an enigma is that each album is so different yet, somehow when you hear it, you know you're listening to ENIGMA.

So, don't open Seven Lives Many Faces with demands of what it should be. Simply let it unfold to tell you what it is. ENIGMA.

5 out of 5 stars

Another wonderful mind journey with Seven Lives Many Faces October 1, 2008
4 out of 5 found this review helpful

This the 7th Enigma album that Michael Cretu has created. It's really a fresh and gorgeous album. It has some elements that will remind you of the old Enigma sound, like heavy breathing, chants, etc

The special edition which is a 2 disc set gives 5 wonderful sounding songs which did not make the album cut.

All in all another well made Enigma album destined to be enjoyed for the new few years to come until Enigma 8.

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