Most jazz fans will tell you that there's nothing more boring than hearing an exact replica of a well-known song -- if you're going to embrace a song that someone else made famous, it's best to put your own spin on it and do some honest-to-God interpreting. And that rule of thumb doesn't just apply to jazz; it also serves rockers well. The thing that makes this Doors tribute so interesting is the fact that the artists make a point of bringing their own ideas to the table and give the Doors' classics serious makeovers. Cleopatra billed Darken My Fire as "a gothic tribute to the Doors," which doesn't describe the entire CD because a few of the selections are more industrial or alternative metal than goth rock. But regardless of whether a particular track is goth rock, alternative metal, or industrial, Darken My Fire is certainly a creative, risk-taking tribute. All of the artists bring something different to the Doors' classics, whether it's the Newlydeads on "Hello, I Love You," Rhea's Obsession on "End of the Night," Nosferatu on "People Are Strange," or Spahn Ranch on "Strange Days." The Electric Hellfire Club puts a metallic spin on "Light My Fire," while Ex-Voto has a very quirky take on "Riders on the Storm." Jim Morrison died in 1971, but Darken My Fire -- which was assembled in 1999 and released in 2000 -- demonstrates that the Doors' songs still have a variety of possibilities long after his death. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide