1994  "The Emerald Touch" CD

Sascha joins in to record the first full-length Cream8 CD. Recorded partly with the help of The House of Usher, it is released on Sounds of Delight / SPV.

Reviews:

(4-track preview tape review) After their debut 7" release, Cream 8 strike back with a 4-track demo which will soon be released on CD as the band has been signed by the label "Sounds of Delight". Very positive development of this excellent band and a very professional production. "And this one bleeds" is a powerful, quite danceable track in the style of The Sisters, featuring wonderful Eldritch-ish vocals and great guitars. "Salvation Time" starts very calm before it becomes a real Gothic hymn, straight and explosive. A half-time tempo change in the middle of the song with acoustic guitars that will chill you! Side two includes "Doomed, Dark Land" in typical mid 80ies gothic style and "Sister Moon", an excellent slow track which features wonderful piano sounds and transports the mood of the Sisters' "1959" into the 90ies. The best track on this EP and a guarantee that this band is really gifted. The tape also features Joerg Kleudgen of "The House of Usher" on some backing vocals. Undoubtly recommended to our Goth readership. Watch out for the CD release.
Janis Kalifatidis FIGHT AMNESIA! # 4

If you really want to attach attributes to the work of Cream8, then you have chose "goal-oriented". Few bands were as determined and quick to gain a record contract after publishing a 7" E.P. and some demo cassettes as them. But it is not only Boris Brosowski's personality that made KM Music sign them up, even if you take his voice as indicator of their self-consciousness. More it was the maturity of the music itself, which can easily be proven by listening to the just published CD THE EMERALD TOUCH.
This is a collection of eleven songs with no concept other than Boris' own experiences which he modeled into classic Gothic Rock songs. Centerpiece of the album must be "The Hunter and the Prey" which shows a new quality of Cream8 songs: multi-layeredness. In opposition to this, songs like "Living for War" and "Doomed Dark Land" sound more simple in approach. THE EMERALD TOUCH is a balanced effort between art and listenability as well as between pressure and pressure-release. In between you will find slow, keyboard-dominated parts that liberate the band from the shadows of their idols. Listening to a track like AND THIS ONE BLEEDS you can easily find them out.
Joerg Kleudgen GOTHIC # 22

This is something that withstands easy categorization since Cream8 obviously does not offer the cliches usually attached to gothic. No theatrical effects, no esoteric touch that should give the music artificial depth and meaning and they're even less serious than others. Which does not mean that Cream8 doesn't have to say anything: but it is no abstract reflection on given themes but the pure personal world of feelings they have. Disguised in metaphors full of complexity. Two musical influences are obvious: David Bowie and - of course - the Sisters of Mercy. If you do not give your attention to "The Emerald Touch" something worthwile has slipped through your fingers.
Peter Bossdorf Zillo 8/9-96

Slow, sparsely used guitars and quiet keyboardsounds are the background to Boris' dark and ernest singing. Luckily this is not one out of the usual bunch of new german gothic bands as they offer original, moody and melodic dark wave. Songs like "The Hunter and the Prey" and "And This One Bleeds" will stay in your head for a long time.
Rainer Metz Codex # 7

You may be excused for thinking that the name CREAM8 indicates another one of those EBM-Tekkno-Electrowhackerbands. But you would be completely wrong. Cream8 offer a densly woven soundmix between nineties gothic rock and minimalistic guitar wave, carried by a unique voice which luckily does not offer any hint to the Sisters, Fields or Mission. You could be reminded of bands like Bauhaus or March Violets, but this is a german band, which I'd like to point out. It's nice to hear a band that is not the usual German Death Artist Group like "Das Ich" or "Goethes Erben" and not a Sisters-carbon-copy. The Emerald Touch offers music for quiet hours as well as slightly driven songs which could have been better with a real drummer. Nevertheless this is a promising debut.
Thomas Vogel Sonic Seducer 1/95

Since THE CRIMSON DANCE, the sound of the group has changed. The eleven songs are dominated by playful guitars, Boris' voice and soft and lulling synthezisers. The style changes from song to song, from gothic to moody keyboard dominated music. Although you have to give credit to guitarist for he knows how to play, one or another solo is too much here. "And this one Bleeds" is a dead ringer for "Alice", but then these are minor points of criticism, and they are overshadowed by the melodic, attention-grabbing soundcompositions you will hear. Centerpiece must be the 8-minute long titlesong. If you want to know what Cream8 means by titeling their music "Adult Gothic Music", you should find it out here.
Christian Piefke AETERNA #6

Their music, as they use to say is adult gothic music with powerful guitarsounds, clear, melodic and direct. They have been able to amalgament different influences like Sisters of Mercy (early and actual), Bauhaus, Toxedomoon and the typical cold wave of the golden 80s. Some tracks are powerful and hard like "Water feels so comfortably warm" and some othe quiet and almost rock-folk like "Forever" or "Sister Moon". The whole work presents a mature band out from a conventional style.
N.N. UNDER THE BLACK ROSE #6 (UK)