It's unclear why the Italians MANDRAGORA SCREAM decided to switch from the major label Nuclear Blast to the underground Italian label Lunatic Asylum before releasing their third full-length "Madhouse." It seems the band wanted more freedom and attention from the record label to realize their full potential. And they succeed one hundred percent.
First of all, I want to say that there's no trace of black metal here, despite what the press release on the russian license claims. You can't call all music that touches on vampiric themes black metal. Yes, the band has heavied up their sound, added speed to the rhythm, transforming from "doom-laden" gothic metal into mid-tempo dark metal, but by no means into black metal. The atmosphere of hopeless mystical-vampiric sorrow remains in place — it's one of the band's main hallmarks after all. But the material itself has clearly gained in brightness and catchiness of melodies and compositions. Morgana has begun singing much more diversely than on previous albums; at times her vocals even approach growling and screaming. And most importantly, the album absolutely doesn't become tiresome after repeated listens and evokes the same emotions of sadness, grief, and longing every time. The material is performed with great sincerity and soul.
I cannot find among this host of modern pseudo-gothic pseudo-metal acts any band to compare with the "screaming mandrakes." Thus, the band automatically takes the top spot in my gothic-dark-metal chart.