Echos (Lacrimosa album)

Echos is the eighth studio album by Switzerland-based Gothic rock band Lacrimosa. It features classically influenced Gothic-themed rock music. The title is German for "echoes". The record was released on 27 January 2003 by Hall Of Sermon.

Style
Echos begins with an orchestral overture of 13 minutes length and continues with a mix of symphonic elements and hard rock that is typical of Lacrimosa. However the entire album is oriented towards classical instruments rather than hard electric guitars. Singer Anne Nurmi's only solo track "Apart" has been compared to music by the Cocteau Twins. Generally, the album has been seen as a typical work by Lacrimosa.

Reception
The album received positive reviews from the critics and stayed in the German charts for four weeks peaking at position 13. The single "Durch Nacht und Flut" reached position 52 in the German charts.

Allmusic lauded the subtlety of the songs while the German Laut magazine was positive about Lacrimosa following their own concept instead of being influenced by expectations from the fans. While writing a very positive review, the German Powermetal magazine still marked that producer and composer Tilo Wolff's musical concept had begun to become too abstract and demanding for a broad audience to comprehend.

Special edition
There is also "Special edition", released by 'Scarecrow Records' (SC03067) at the same time and only released in Mexico, it contains a bonus track, "Road to Pain" (4:21), and a slightly different Digipack which also contains a second booklet with the Spanish translation of the lyrics (except "Road to Pain").

Personnel

 * Cello, Violin [Gamben] – V. Sondeckis
 * Choir – Rosenberg Ensemble
 * Choir [Alt] – Melanie Kirschke, Uli Brandt, Ursula Ritter
 * Choir [Bass] – Frederick Martin, Joachim Gebardt*
 * Choir [Sopran] – Bettina Hunold, Catharina Boutari, Raphaela Mayhaus
 * Choir [Tenor] – Klaus Bülow, Olaf Senkbeil, Yenz Leonhard*
 * Concertmaster [Spielmann-schnyder Philharmonie] – Ludgar Hendrich
 * Conductor [Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg] – Günter Joseck
 * Conductor [Spielmann-schnyder Philharmonie] – Christopher Clayton
 * Design – Tilo Wolff
 * Design [Painted By] – Stelio Diamantopoulos
 * Double Bass – Katharina Bunners
 * Drums – Manne Uhlig, Thomas Nack
 * Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Bass, Acoustic Bass, Mellotron – Jay P. (3)
 * Keyboards, Voice – Anne Nurmi
 * Orchestra – Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg
 * Spielmann-Schnyder Philharmonie* Performer – Lacrimosa
 * Piano, Programmed By, Voice – Tilo Wolff
 * Viola – Sebastian Marock
 * Violin [1st] – Stefan Pintev
 * Violin [2nd] – Rodrigo Reichel
 * Written, composed, arranged, orchestrated, produced by Tilo Wolff
 * Mastered by Herge Halvé
 * Photography – Burgis Wehry