Allow me to introduce you to Sad Alice Said, a gothic metal band from Zhytomyr, Ukraine. They had not one, but three(!) girls in the band at one point, contributing to soprano vocals, keyboards and viola (although no viola anymore, what a shame...). Their music can be described as melodic pseudo-ballads with a rockin' edge to them (think old school Lacuna Coil or Nightwish), very pretty but with a spooky and unsettling atmosphere about them. I love their audacity in sticking with down-tempo songs in a genre that is notorious for blast beats and speedy guitar riffs, (they don't even throw in a "token fast song") and I think they're a unique band worth checking out.
The viola was played by Anna Polozova, who unfortunately is no longer with the band. She played an acoustic viola both live and in studio, which has such a rich tone (as you can hear in the "Open Your Eyes" video), that I can't help but be captivated by this sultry older sister to the violin. Official Homepage
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