Review: Armenia: Eurovision 2015 | Genealogy

Undeniably Genealogy: the Armenian representatives

Not only was Armenia's Eurovision song, Face the Shadow (formerly Don't Deny), revealed last week, but also the line-up of six Armenian singers who have combined to create the "supergroup", Genealogy. As a result, the country has now accomplished it's initial aim in assembling a body of vocalists, all relatives of the survivors of an April 1915 Armenian genocide. They are: Inga Arshakyan, Essai Altounian, Tamar Kaprelian, Vahe Tilbian, Stephanie Topalian, and Mary-Jean O’Doherty Vasmatzian.

The number of performers is significant. The overseas singers represent the Armenian diaspora caused by the massacre - their forebears fleeing globally to each of the five continents - while also symbolizing the petals of a the forget-me-not: the flower that is the motif of the country's centennial memorial. Its sixth member, a native Armenian, denotes the centre of the flower.

The context is pivotal. The anniversary is a remembrance of the Ottoman empire’s decimation of its Armenian minority, which is still denied by modern-day Turkey. Hence, the symbolism in the former title of the song. Amid complaints from both Turkey and neighbours Azerbaijan that Don't Deny (now Face the Shadow) politicizes the Eurovision Song Contest, the song may yet suffer the fate of Georgia's 2009 entry and be disqualified.

Should it remain, it's highly possible that it won't stay around for too long, anyway.

While the entire concept may have been sound, the reality is that this combination of voices just doesn't work. Essai Altounianis begins the track with some appalling pronunciation problems and he is followed by a clunky transition into some operatic phrasing from Mary-Jean O’Doherty Vasmatzian. It's not until the song has finished its first minute that it begins to improve with the start of the first chorus.

Unfortunately, that recovery does not last too long, as the last third of the track hits you with a cacophony of voices and percussion. These layers of sound combine to attack your senses in the most unfortunate of ways, leaving Face the Shadow memorable for all the wrong reasons.

It's a shame because Armenia has produced some better-than-average stuff in the past. However, by fielding this grating shambles, the country looks to have gone from Eurovision hero to Eurovision zero in the space of twelves months. Consequently, their trophy prospects look bleak this year, but expectations of the proverbial "early bath" appear more feasible.

What are your thoughts?