Upon the next stage, a spotlight is focused on a mammoth bronze sculpture of two snakes entwined. Their bodies are wrapped around each other in an intimate embrace, and their tongues touch suggestively. The deep, somber boom of a standing bass leads into a twelve-string guitar’s plaintive moan, and as the music swells, a stunning, statuesque woman steps out from behind the statue, her fierce and regal face in profile. The spotlight dims to a deep amber-red, and shines a dark, sanguine light onto her, tinting her long, wild hair the color of blood. She sings:
Sunday is gloomy, my hours are slumberless.
Dearest, the shadows I live with are numberless.
Little white flowers will never awaken you,
Not where the black coach of sorrow has taken you.
Angels have no thought of ever returning you.
Would they be angry if I thought of joining you?
Gloomy Sunday.
She turns, and abruptly faces left. Her features are coarser, more masculine, and you notice the rough, dusky shadow of an evening beard on the singer’s face. On this side, the hair is cropped short, and as s/he sighs and begins the next verse, you hear the voice deepen to a weathered, sorrowful baritone.
Gloomy is Sunday; with shadows I spend it all.
My heart and I have decided to end it all.
Soon there’ll be candles and prayers that are sad, I know.
Death is no dream, for in death I’m caressing you.
With the last breath of my soul I’ll be blessing you.
Gloomy Sunday.
The singer turns to face the audience, and your senses reel. On the left side, the features are sharp, but feminine. You can see the curve of her breast, the soft fullness of her hips, the arch of her fine brow. On the right, it is the body of an Adonis, muscular and commanding. You see that a thick seam runs down the center of the body, stitched roughly.
Though the vision is disconcerting, the warmth and passion in the singer’s voice swells inside your heart, and you are spellbound. Enraptured, you realize that though the gender is opposed on either side, one soul binds the whole.
Dark, moody, and bittersweet: black currant, patchouli, tobacco, cinnamon leaf, caramel, muguet, and red sandalwood.
Gloame –
Ahh blood resin, you tricky thing. Sometimes I love you, sometimes you smell like bubblegum. In this instance, Dragon’s Heart is teasing at bubblegum without actually committing. I really like the black currant and fig in here, but it’s just not coming together for me. Warm, sultry, a hint of dark fruit.
Where I’d wear this: Carnaval
Megan –
The dragon’s blood resin has a certain smokey scent to it, which means I cannot wear this one often or for a very long time. The lovely musks and the background scent of blackcurrant make this such a lovely smell, though, so don’t let the smokey scent hold you back from trying it!
xaglow –
This one is an obviously oriental scent with the black currents and musk becoming immediately noticeable when you open the bottle. It dries very warmly. I think it’s the fig, with its light, light sweetness, reminiscent of burning incense, that adds that exotic tone to the scent.
Sara –
There’s definitely musk accenting the spicy dragon’s blood, but I think it’s mostly black musk. I’m just not picking up any red musk, which is usually so bold and unmistakable. I don’t notice any currant or fig either, so maybe my nose is broken tonight. But the dragon’s blood and black musk are a fine combination on their own. It’s a sweet, exotic, and very warm.