Flowing Tears

Flowing Tears is a Gothic metal band from Germany. Their original lead singer was Stefanie Duchêne, who was replaced in 2004 by Helen Vogt. What I find interesting about Flowing Tears is that both their female vocalists sing in a lower register, whereas most women in Gothic/symphonic metal seem to be sopranos.

The first song here is "Rain of a Thousand Tears" from their most recent album, Thy Kingdom Gone. It is performed by Vogt.

The second song is "For Tonight" from their 2002 album Serpentine. It has a rather simple structure and melody, but I love the juxtaposition of the world-weary lyrics and the confident yet nonchalant style of Duchêne's singing. To me, this song suggests the end of something grand that ultimately disappointed. I find myself thinking of the disillusioned literature of the post-WWI period, such as Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises or Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. It also reminds me of Victor Serge's Unforgiving Years.