| Reviews
of Empire of Death
“Doherty’s soundtrack
is every bit as eerie as its subject matter, contrasting Arabic
modes, choral austerity, ritualistic percussion and proto-industrial
electronics.”—The Wire, UK,
May 2000
“One knows this woman
with her angel-like voice from her solo projects and from her work
with Sol Invictus and every time she surprises you again with her
expressive, empathetic music and her unique way of interpreting
a subject matter. One is partly reminded of Dead Can Dance, but
Sally has enough potential of her own to make this work a unique
listening experience. 10 out of 10 points.”
—Black Magazin, Germany
“Sally Doherty’s
third solo release takes us on a journey to another place at another
time. She took inspiration from Arabic music and created mostly
calm, dark and mysterious classical tracks to describe the mood
of the images (in the documentary). Consequently the singing is
delivered onomatopoeically and because of this my impressions of
the film ‘Gladiator’ are still quite fresh. I can emphasise
that these tracks could have fit perfectly into ‘Gladiator’s’
superb soundtrack as well (the music of which Lisa Gerrard contributed
to).”—Black Magazin, Germany
“We have already met Sally
Doherty as a guest in the works of Tony Wakeford and in the debut
of Sieben ‘Forbid the Sun’s Escape’ also in the
two solo works of Sally Doherty; above all the second, ‘Sleepy
Memory’, for which she incredibly remained relatively unobserved.
Sally’s sensitivity lends itself perfectly well to this piece,
immerses itself in this cult of death and without equal brings the
everyday to life, giving it a new dimension. Accompanied by an all-female
quartet of cello, violin, clarinet and cornet, Doherty (vocalist,
flautist and pianist) has a sweet voice, which is quite classical
but also has ethereal folk aspects and North African Arabic influence.
A fascinatingly beautiful voice which is timeless and mysterious.”—Blow
Up, Italy, Summer 2000
“Another release from
this excellent singer and flautist, other instances of wonderful
music.”—Rockerilla, Italy,
June 2000
“Although Sally Doherty
enters the terrain of film music for the first time, she has already
shown us her versatility in producing two solo albums and in working
with the Shock Headed Peters, Sol Invictus, L’Orchestre Noir
and Sieben. The atmospheric sounds on these tracks sometimes seem
threatening and dark and at other times soothing with Arabic influences
as a re-occuring feature. This is throned by Sally’s voice,
which in this case is used solely as an instrument, articulating
sounds rather than words. ‘Empire of Death’ is one of
the very few soundtracks which are thoroughly enjoyable on their
own without the need of pictures and it can be recommended whole-heartedly.”—Equinox,
Germany, August 2000
”Don't worry, Sally Doherty
has not moved to death metal as this album title might suggest.
The work has been contracted by the BBC for a documentary about
old Egyptian burial sites… The music consists mainly of string-arrangements
fitting the subject perfectly. Even without the pictures you can
feel the soothing quality of the music. Unlike in her previous work
Sally uses her voice on this project merely as an instrument, singing
not words but tones.”—Zillo,
Germany, June 2000
”Picture the more filmic
moments of Dead Can Dance and the orchestral splendour of In the
Nursery and you’ll have a gauge to measure these pieces which
were composed for a BBC TV documentary about archaeological discoveries
in the Sudan. ‘Empire of Death’, unlike many soundtrack
titles does actually stand on its own without the need or the knowledge
of its parent film… These pieces sound inevitably Arabic and
ever-so-slightly Muslimgauze-like. An enchanting release and with
enough mystery to embrace the remains of a mighty Black African
Empire which were found in Nubia by the film-makers.”—a
recommended release from Carbondisks,
April 2000
“Sally Doherty delights
us with more instances of enchanting music… an ethereal, neo-folk
journey resulting in extremely contemplative and dream-like music,
yet pervading a sacred atmosphere that inspires visions of a distant
time… It is not difficult to perceive the quality of this
work, an album which is strongly resonant and suggestive. The music
has the ability to communicate the magic of this dark and remote
place revisited by this English artist.”—Rockerilla,
Italy, June 2000
“The third solo work of
the Sheffield artist Sally Doherty (Sol Invictus, Sieben, L’Orchestre
Noir) is in no way a regular album, but the soundtrack to a BBC
documentary with the title ‘Empire of Death’. This reports
on the archaeological discovery of a royal tomb in Sudan, where
in olden times, a black African kingdom was to be found, whose culture
was very strongly influenced by the Egypt of the pharaohs. Hence
appropriate significance was given to life after death and the tomb
of the respective rulers—so, for example, his whole household
followed him into death. Inspired by North African and Arabian music,
Miss Doherty strove to underscore this subject with musical pictures;
all of which come across as mysterious, exotic and evocative. With
spartan instrumentation—a few string and wind instruments and
now and again a little percussion—a seemingly near-eastern
sound collage becomes woven, and as soon as Sally raises her voice,
all narrow-minded (sub-)cultural compartments such as world music,
‘heavenly voices’ or suchlike become once more destroyed.
With respect to the optical creation, there is the Ramses Colossus
of Abu Simpel, which is also pretty. Recommended for all who are
interested in traditional music from outside of the European cultural
circle.”—Andreas Diesel, Zinnober,
Germany, Winter 00/01
“Sally, my beloved Sally.
I am always devoted to this rashly melancholic muse of neoclassicism.
Maldoror gave me the opportunity to follow her career, her two solo
albums and then her collaborations with the totemic Tony Wakeford.
This, her third solo work, is a commission, music for a BBC documentary.
Although it could be like Goya’s ‘Family of Carlos V’,
here the theme is passionate because it deals with the archeological
discoveries of a town which is unknown and which comes to rival
the Egyptian Empire. Tombs, pyramids, burials, human funeral pyres…
drenched in the tribal rituals of North Africa, our Sally has composed
a series of pieces of singular beauty. Dark, whispering, mysterious,
perfectly embellishing the atmosphere of the ‘Empire of Death’
documentary. Oboe, cello, violin, clarinet and her voice, a voice
without words, which, moreover, turns itself into an instrument.
Close to the routes of other muses like la gerard, this CD will
bring delight to all those lovers of romantic mysticism and of the
falling leaves of marvellous autumn, falling even now. Sshhh…”—Pedro
Ortega, Maldoror, Spain, Canto XIII
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