From my guess, Michael Cretu stated that Enigma's third album is like a combination of the dark and Gothic feel of MCMXC, and of the brighter feel of Enigma 2: The Cross Of Changes. While yes, I can see a point in his description of this album, it has the Gregorian chanting that was present on the first album and the brighter, earthier sounds of The Cross Of Changes, but from my perspective, this third album from Enigma has a more of an aquatic atmosphere and in my opinion, sounds totally different from the previous two albums. I especially love the album cover and it's transparent album jacket.

The first track entitled "Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi" starts off the album with the trademark chord structure that made the musical backbone of the intros of the previous two albums except unlike the eeriness of the first albums intro or the more Mayan sounds of the second albums intro, the third albums intro has a more of a futuristic and aquatic feel to it. The track gets more intense until a recording snippet of a NASA space shuttle launch blasts in the next track "Morphing Through Time". Morphing starts off with a voice effect of someone ranting about a biosphere and a life supporting system before it mellows down and a very mellow yet strange minor note melody begins and the Gregorian Chants come in(How we missed those so much on Cross Of Changes). Some bizarre Middle Eastern instruments and Cretus vocals are also present too. The song is a very ambient, slow-paced, daytime-Gothic sounding track with echoing "ya-ya-ya-ya" voices for a blissful aural experience. As the song fades out, the echoing voices continue into the third `track', "Third Of It's Kind" which is just an 18 second interlude with a narrating voice about the first as the father, the second as the mother, and the third is the child. After the 18 second break, we head into the fourth track, "Beyond The Invisible". This song is a bit more upbeat and more on the sensual side with the breathing effects combined with strange flutes and the sultry narrating voice plus the echoing voices make this one a steamy New Age classic. This one also has some of Cretu himself singing too and he has a great voice. The song ends with the echoing voices fading into the background and a new beat comes in ushering us into the bitterness of "WHY!". Cretu sings with incredible passion on this voice and the song is probably the coldest and most urgent song that Enigma has done at this point in their career. The beats are addictive, the melody is bitter, the lyrics are great and the mood is spellbinding, plus there are occasional Gregorian Chants too. The song ends with Cretu singing "I'M ASKING WHY!" and the vocal line of that echoes away into much calmer territory of the next track. The next track entitled "Shadows In Silence" is a much calmer track brings up images of swimming in a clear ocean with the rays of sunlight shining through. The guitars are beautiful. The song gradually winds down until bizarre bleeping sounds end the track with an ambient crescendo before the siren like sounds lower in pitch and begins what I consider one of the best songs that Enigma have ever recorded in their career, "The Child In Us". Similar in mood to "Return To Innocence", this track brings in Sanskrit vocals and a Sitar from India and combines Gregorian chanting with a very bright daytime mood which from my perspective, results what I consider the best song on Enigma 3. I would even call it the `bright daytime' equivalent of the dark "Sadeness". By far my favorite song on this CD. After the daytime major note of "Child", a darker minor note atmosphere returns with the steamy "TNT For The Brain". This track is more `erotic' in mood and more intense and has some cool pizzicato strings in the background and a cool Asian beat to it. There is a much superior version out there called "The Midnight Man Mix" which is darker and more ambient and far sexier. After the intensity of TNT comes the much mellower "Almost Full Moon". This song has a distant cry that was present on "Callas Went Away" and makes it appearance. The guitars from Shadows In Silence are heard on here too. The drum loop is borrowed from Peter Gabriel's "Washing Of The Water". A shooting star effect ushers in the next track "The Roundabout". Roundabout is a far more intense track with Cretu singing like he did in "Why!" . This almost became a single but was pulled back unfortunately. The last true song on the album "Prism Of Life" is a much more joyous track with low-pitched African chanting, Gregorian Chants, strange echoing beats and a joyous atmosphere. The echoing voice of Cretu ends the track and ties it into the last track "Odyssey of The Mind" which is the intro being played backwards giving a feel of the journey of Enigma 3 coming full circle.

I just can't even say how amazing this CD really is. One thing though that I urge you to do before it's too late: Buy the clear jacket edition of this album while it's still available because I'm already starting to see regular paper sleeve editions being released to CD stores and it's harder and harder to find the clear jacket sleeve editions of Enigma 3. the transparency of the clear album jacket magnifies the albums appeal, far more so than the opaque paper jackets. And for those who hate Cretu singing, well, that's their problem as Cretu sounds great on vocals especially on "Why!". Even if you end up buying the regular paper sleeve version, you still have spent your money well. Buy this amazing CD now! Grade: A+

Aside from hearing someone else's copy of 'The Screen Behind The Mirror', 'Love Sensuality Devotion' was my first album by Enigma. My actual introduction, however, was through the "Sadness" single. At the time I had never heard anything quite like it and I was simply blown-away with the Gregorian chanting amidst some infectious dance beats. By no means is Enigma considered mainstream but I have heard them on the radio before. Just like Delerium, they'll never receive top 40 airplay but they're more well-known than, say, B-Tribe or Sacred Spirit because of club-friendly remixes and the successful Pure Moods series, which caught the attention of some unlikely listeners.

Their greatest hits compilation came out just as I was trying to decide which record of theirs to start with, and it turned out to be the perfect preface before launching my intent to gather their entire catalogue of works. Since I had a good feeling about it, I finally made up my mind and bought their third release, 'Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi!' first and do not regret having done so. The eight new tracks (to me) that weren't included on 'LSD' are absolutely breathtaking and I'm astounded by how well the CD holds up as a whole. It must have been a difficult process to hand select their so-called 'best' songs because they're all amazing! I thought I had the best of the best already but now I'm more determined than ever to someday own everything Enigma's produced. This album flows at a beautiful pace and while the songs are hardly subtle, they're not quite as upbeat as some of their previous material. "Why! ..." is probably my favorite cut as Michael Cretu screams, but in a non-abrasive way, "I'm asking why!" amidst a lush, moody soundscape. I also love "The Roundabout", which is very Deep Forest-esque, as well as some old favorites, "Beyond The Invisible" and "T.N.T. For The Brain". They're truly all gems, though, and this is definitely worth your time and money so don't just settle with their singles.

When I first bought this CD, I was really disappointed. The only song I liked was "TNT for the Brain". I was expecting something more like MXMC AD, which is probably still Engima's best album.

After about a year, I popped it into my CD player and was amazed. I have been listening to it almost every day since then. This is a really beautiful album. I am not sure if I like this one better or "The Screen Behind the Mirror", but Enigma's first, MXMC A.D., is probably still the best.

I now find Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi! very soothing. My favorite song is Prism of Life, but I love every track on the album, with the possible exception of Why. (I hate when he sings!) TNT for the Brain is awesome.

This is Enigma's most mellow, soothing album. MXMCAD and Screen Behind the Mirror both have drums, are faster, and are more sexual, while this is slower and more spiritual..music you can meditate to..

I *HIGHLY* recommend this album. It is probably the 2nd or 3rd best album I have ever heard (1st being MXMCAD)

Because I own all 4 and of them all I have to say that Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi! is the BEST(!!) of them all. Third of its kind gives me chills EVERY TIME I listen to it. How morphing through time goes from the "lahh..lahh..lahh..." seductive voices to third of its kind all the way to the drumbeats and scratching used in Beyond the Invisible, this CD is so seductive and so mystical. Second only in its mythical proportions to Sadness Pt. 1, I'd say if you don't own this CD "you are insane. It is love and not a game!" :) Sorry, those were lyrics I couldn't resist, they're in T.N.T. for the brain. Speaking of couldn't resist... "You were my side... I couldn't resist..." Heh, okay I'll stop now. Anyway, bottom line, finé, you have to be slightly deranged and totally unresponsive not to get this CD! You WON'T be disappointed!

It's the second review that I do about Enigma albums after "The cross of changes", and now my interest is taken from "Le roi est mort, vive le roi!". The songtitle is a good introduction to your acustic adventure. "Morphine thru time" makes you calm and its catchy melody covers everything like a velvet sheet. The same feelings are producted by "Beyond the invisible", which represents a main element of the album. This is followed by "Why!...". THIS IS THE BEST!!! It'll guide you to another universe, with sweet sounds but also with the power of the singer's voice. He shows his troubles and the questions he can't answer to. The next song must be heard in the dark, with no disturbs: the dull percussions and the pleasant melody of "Shadows in silence" are the right ways to leave our world for some minutes and find another one to land on. "The child in us" reminded me to people and places I knew in the past, and I know there's a spirit inside us that will never die. The 8th song is "T.N.T. for the brain". It goes a bit faster than the other songs, and you can hear how modern sounds and the words whispered from the singer make this one a great experience. All turns into relax with "Almost full moon", which follows Morphine thru time's rhythm, so you can find the first songs' calm...but just for a moment: "The roundabout" comes with dance passion and tribal drums. It's time again for a quiet song ("Prism of life")which has continuos voices in the background that go with a same kind of percussions. Finally, "Odyssey of the mind" closes the circle created by this incredible album. Once again Enigma shows, to the ones who care, that real music can be made only through real emotions.