Melancholost Tales From The Poisoned Apple Review
Melancholost
Tales From The Poisoned Apple
Self-Released
2026
Back-to-back releases from the same musician, but two very different bites at the apple - pun intended. This release comes from Sven the Axe, the mastermind behind the “Horror Epic Power Metal” project Solemnity. His new band is called Melancholost, and their debut is titled “Tales From the Poisoned Apple”. This time around, he’s not doing everything alone, he’s joined by two collaborators for this venture.
The new project is described as a call back to Occult Dark/Goth Rock, and unlike some of the genre labels attached to Solemnity, this one actually fits. Sven and company have nailed the Occult/Goth vibe here. It does lean a bit modern in execution, but I was immediately drawn in and ended up spinning it daily for several days before finally putting thoughts down.
So, dim the lights and let’s get into it. Right off the bat, I got strong Ghost vibes from the opening tracks, not because of the vocals, but because of the songwriting approach and arrangements. As the album unfolds, I also hear shades of HIM, Bloody Mary, Sisters of Mercy, and even a bit of late -’80s melodic Radio Rock. Put all of that together and I’m hooked. No guilty pleasures here, just pleasure.
“Tales From the Poisoned Apple” is a welcome addition to today’s Hard Rock landscape. Every track is enjoyable, melodic, and packed with sing-along hooks, even with a darker, moody atmosphere running underneath. Sven’s vocal style naturally leans toward the lighter end of the spectrum, so even at its darkest, there’s still a sense of lift and melody breaking through.
One downside is the runtime. At 66 minutes, it’s a long listen, and at times it feels like it could have been split into two separate releases. That doesn’t ruin the experience, but it does make it a bit of a commitment, and again my attention did start to drift on longer sits. Breaking it up into multiple sessions helped a lot, and I found myself appreciating it more that way.
Still, this is a strong release overall. It may not be a knockout punch, but it’s very well executed and a refreshing change of pace amid the heavier material I usually find myself buried in. Sven is clearly a talented musician and producer, and both this and Solemnity reinforce that. Worth a listen at the first opportunity.
Standouts – “Alkahest I - The Primal Fire”, “Abramelin”, “The Book Of Thoth” “Red Wine And Black Roses” and “Graveyard of Broken Dreams”.
~Black Angel