Sanatorium Altrosa - Musical Therapy for Spiritual Dysfunction" fter their brilliant album, "Les Fleurs du Mal", SOPOR AETERNUS& THE ENSEMBLE OF SHADOWS returned in 2008 to complete their curious study with this equally emotional sister release. Both as warm as birth and as cold as death, this album floats from one extreme to another. One moment riding on the sunny airstreams flowing through the meadows and the next blown down to the depressing depths of shame and homoerotic necrophilia. At times neo-classical overtop militaristic drumming, at times reminiscent of early DEAD CAN DANCE with versatile voice reverberation accompanied by ensembles of brass, woodwinds and innocent choirs. Others illustrate Asian instrumentation, electronica, male choirs as well as the sweet sound of an all boy"s choir which accompanies songwriter Anna-Varney Cantodea"s cries of agony and frustration. "And with the sombre tone of the funeral bell, all comes to a quiet end".