Judas Christ

Once a black metal band (they're from Sweden) and then a goth metal band when they hit their stride, Tiamat are now just a hokey band singing about love and astrology. And Judas Christ, an attempt at an offensive title (but not a successful one), is an incredibly slow, corny album with lyrics that will make some of their most ardent fans wince. Nobody wants to hear a goth metal band sing about snuggly bunnies, but that doesn't stop Tiamat from rhyming that with "hug me honey" on the hideous "Love Is as Good as Soma." Nearly as bad is "I Am in Love with Myself" or the pathetic anthem "Vote for Love." (The titles say it all.) A lot of these songs sound like Mission U.K. or the Church, but the lyrics are gooier and the music less moving. Tiamat can play their instruments, but here all the songs are overproduced and lack mood, a crucial element in this sort of music. Singer Johan Edlund's last solo record from 2000 under the name Lucyfire was quite good, but Judas Christ is nearly a total loss.