LINDSAY SCHOOLCRAFT
Worlds Away
CYBER PROXY
8/10
ETHEREAL GOTH: After nabbing a JUNO Award nomination for her solo album Martyr in the category of Heavy/Hard Sound Album of the Year, former Cradle of Filth multi-instrumentalist Lindsay Schoolcraft returns with a sonic departure of sorts in Worlds Away, an orchestral take on her prior work, along with two new offerings.
The opening title track establishes a somber tone with fragile strings and underlying touches of synth. “Darkness Falls” is an album highlight, a track driven by moody atmospherics and intricate harp plucks, featuring lines like, “Until I die I’ll be missing you, I try not to cry, I can barely move, Such a strong heart where you buried your love, My heart grew heavy never feeling good enough.”
Schoolcraft’s penchant for crafting melancholy melodies continues on “Fading Star” (this version is great, though we love the original, which features Cradle of Filth’s Dani Filth), “Where I Fall” is striking as Schoolcraft emotes, “This world can run me dry, Validations, an empty high, I only need myself to survive, So if you ‘love’ me, let me go, don’t drown this in denial, I fade with the sunlight, It’s where I belong tonight.”
“Your Mind” is a pure lullaby with sweeping undercurrents of sound, delicate strings and keys, Schoolcraft emulates Amy Lee on “Masquerade,” a touching and gentle dark ballad, and the closing “Warn Me” is a thunderous affair by comparison to the entirety of Worlds Away. Through it all, the work of former Evanescence drummer Rocky Gray (who co-wrote Martyr) cannot be overlooked on Worlds Away.
On Worlds Away, Schoolcraft is the star. It’s equal parts beauty and raw emotion, a wonderful retelling of Schoolcraft’s already stunning works. As the old saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” but in this case, a fresh coat of paint goes a long way. ~ Brian Campbell
