Poem

Very gothic sounding in tone. The production of the music is pretty much flawless, and Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber are perfectionists when it comes to recording for Delerium. The lyrics and vocals are quite beautiful.Terra Firma - AudeInnocenteAriaFallen IconsUnderwaterMyth - Joanna StevensNature's KingdomDaylightTemptationA Poem For byzantiumAmongst The RuinsHere is a breakdown of the players for those who are interested.Matthew Sweet Track PerformerJames Emery VocalsRhys Fulber KeyboardsCharles Inkman StringsJulia Kent StringsBill Leeb KeyboardsLorenza Ponce StringsPaula Wise StringsCameron Wilson StringsKirsty Hawkshaw Track PerformerJane Scarpantoni StringsAshwin Sood DrumsLuke Doucet Acoustic GuitarBruce Hoffman VocalsSean Ashby Acoustic Guitar,Electric GuitarAntoine Silverman StringsLeigh Nash Track PerformerPeggy Lee StringsJoanna Stevens Track PerformerSheila MacDonald StringsStephen Write VocalsBrian Larsen StringsJamie Brehaut VocalsKat Goheen VocalsHeidi Krutzen HarpTony Nickles OboeLyndon Surjik VocalsNatalie Cenovia Cummins StringsAude Track PerformerLee Duckles Strings

The next in the line of 'new' Delerium.Unlike their original work, Poem (along with Semantic Spaces, and Karma) makes liberal use of outside vocalists, often in instrumental styles. Like Semantic Spaces, Poem relies on singers singing the same thing several times in a row, in many instances, to give the impression that the singers are instruments themselves. Often a single phrase, or a way of forming the words, is used several times. Or, a breathy lead in is used.The strong points of this album would be Innocente, Aria, and Fallen Icons. Each song is a gorgeous work in and of itself, but these three songs is a masterwork in and of itself.Innocente features the voice of Leigh Nash, of Sixpence None the Richer fame. A christian vocalist, Leigh Nash has a type of power and feeling in her voice that is absent in most contemporary singers. Unlike the crystalline perfection heard in many an opera house, Nash has an ashy quality that is simply beautiful. The composition of the song seems to take three distinct stages, you can almost feel the shift (From the lead in, the beginning, and the end, which not-so-coincidentally define themselves in the lyrics).Aria is a prime example of Voice-as-Instrumentation. First, the song is sung in Middle English, which is familiar yet foreign, by Katharine Blake. She provides her own counterpoint, with an amazing effect.The rest of the songs deserve attention as well, but you'll just have to listen and find out for yourself!

I was really excited when I saw this CD -- and with a bonus disk as well! I couldn't wait to hear it. And then I couldn't believe what I was hearing.Does anybody else think it's suspicious that nothing comes out for three years and then we get .... THIS? I have a theory -- Bill Leeb was kidnapped and taken to France for three years, where he was forced to drink small coffees and smoke Gauloise cigarettes. And wear a beret. It is just plain wrong for a project as consistently talented as Delerium to sound like they are ripping off Air and Enigma. There is a fine line between increasing your accessibility to a discerning segment of the mainstream and selling out. I admit one album does not a sellout make; only time will confirm or deny rumors that Leeb is working with ABBA and Stevie Nicks for his next CD, and plans to have a bikini-clad Swedish masseuse on the cover holding a can of beer and a pair of slippers.Yikes. My sister and I have never had the same taste in music, and I know she would have hated Morpheus and Euphoric, my favorites; we could probably agree that Semantic Spaces and Karma were very good; but she would love this album and I can barely listen to it. Ironically, the song with the cheesiest title, Amongst the Ruins, is probably the best song on either disk. (Do Goth kids even say 'amongst'?) Terra Firma and Innocente are okay but nothing new, and Aria has good vocals and lyrics but puff music behind it. The rest are popcorn hop. It is as if Leeb's body was taken over by the ghost of Alan Parsons (unless Alan Parsons is still alive, then the explanation becomes more complex and far-fetched).There are harps on here, for goodness sake!Let's put it this way: if Morpheus were a soundtrack, it would be a John Carpenter movie and you'd lay awake all night thinking you heard monsters under your bed; if Semantic Spaces were a soundtrack, it would be an erotic thriller and you would lay awake all night wishing you hadn't just broken up with your significant other; if Poem were a movie soundtrack, it would be on Lifetime and star Fabio, and you would lie awake all night wondering how Fabio keeps getting work. And who watches the Woman as Victim Network ... er, I mean, Lifetime Network anyway?I know some people will really like this CD, but not me. I do not wish to insult your taste in music. I am saying that this music is so far removed from previous releases that Leeb should have given this project another name. Poplush. Barium Wash. I don't mind that alternative groups go a bit mainstream. Everybody needs to make a living. But I really feel that Leeb has abandoned all interest in sound as scape here. Kristy Thirsk and Sarah McLachlan added dimension to previous Delerium CDs, but this group of "guests" is too saccharin-y. One reviewer said that earlier releases by Delerium sounded like Hell, while Poem sounds like Heaven. I disagree. If I went to Hell, I think this CD would be in heavy rotation.My advice: if you liked early Delerium better than middle Delerium, run from this CD as if the hounds of hell were at your heels. If you thought Semantic Spaces and Karma were a big step forward, and you own any French music, you will probably like this.

This was my first purchase of Delerium's music, and I couldn't be happier with it. This edition is limited to 10,000 copies, so just being able to own it is a rarity.Further, there are so many good songs that it is hard to rate one above the next. My favorite, thus far, however, is "Fallen Icons" by Jennifer McLaren. I have searched high and low to find anything else by her, but it doesn't seem to exist. She does sing on the second CD however, and her voice is very reminiscent of Sarah McLachlan.For the price, you certainly can't be disappointed. This music takes you on a journey --- a pleasant, soothing, tranquil, and melodious journey into soft and sensuous places.

The cd came to me in great condition and i enjoy the artist Delerium. Fun to listen to over and over again.

This CD turned me on to Delerium. I can understand longer term fans being disappointed with this CD, because it is very accessible, with less of the harder trance that highlighted earlier works. This is a collection of very good songs, and very good guest songstresses. There is no bad track to be seen. The one possible niggle is, it feels like a collection of excellent songs, rather than a project. However, I love this CD and return to it regularly.

Just a wonderful CD well worth including in you music collection

Beautiful atmospheric album.

So after reading a few reviews about this being one of the best albums from Rhys Fulber and Bill Leeb side project I thought I would give it a try. At first I was not impressed but overall it is a good album that is quite mellow. I just wish it had a more haunting melodic sound then what it did have. Overall after purchasing 3 Delerium CDs this is my third favorite with Karma coming in second and the limited edition of Music Box Opera being their best. If you like this style of music it is a worth while purchase in my opinion, but would recommend the other two albums ahead of this one.

everything is find, delay reasonable and CD is not broken! cool!