Sadly, Elis might still be best known for the fact that their singer, founding member Sabine Dünser, died during the recordings for their new album in the summer of 2006. The band hails from the tiny nation Liechtenstein, itself an accomplishment as there are hardly many world-wide bands from that country, and were working on their third album when Sabine was felled by a cerebral hemorrhage. After some deliberation, the remaining members felt they needed to continue in her honor, and eventually that third album, Griefshire, was finished and released. Stylewise, Elis fits both the geographical area (slotting alongside Dutch bands such as After Forever and Within Temptation, and others, though Elis isn't as grandiose as those others) as well as their record label, as Napalm Records has long since established itself as a home for European gothic metal bands. In general, Elis is on the lighter, safer side of gothic metal, not terribly adventurous though certainly not bad at all. Sabine had a clear, pleasant voice (and her replacement, Sandra Schleret, has already proven herself a fine vocalist from her previous work in Dreams Of Sanity), but it would seem the band needs to branch out a bit to avoid being lost in the sea of gothic bands currently on the scene.