There was a time when the Cruxshadows‘ mix of crunchy guitars, electronics, violin, and dramatic vocals was a breath of fresh air in the goth scene. However, as the electronics pushed their way to the forefront the band began to sound more and more like any of the myriad of EBM influenced acts putting out records by the fistful. Perhaps it is a natural progression, or perhaps it is a bid for club popularity in a world where futurepop rules the dance floor, but I can’t help but think that two of the three new songs on Fortress in Flames sound a bit diluted and bland when compared to the Cruxshadows’ back catalog. The other tracks on this disc are remixes, most of which are instantly forgettable. The only track that was really startling was Subway to Sally’s take on “Winterborn”, which casts the Cruxshadows as electro-medieval dirgemeisters.

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