"In my world love is for poets, never the famous balcony scene..." - Swanheart

Few albums have left me in awe as the first two songs on Nightwish's "Oceanborn" have. The band's maturity since their debut appears very obvious with this release. Surprisingly, their music on this release shines above most music released in 1998.



Lyrically, the album is particularly uplifting, well at least for every song except for "Swanheart" and "Sleeping Sun." Regardless, "Swanheart" may be the best ballad the band has ever recorded. Virtually every line in the song conveys deep emotions that simply are not found in most music. This is not because of the lyrics, though they too are good, but because of Tarja Turnen's vocal performance, which should be counted amongst the top female singers. "Sleeping Sun" does not lack any of the emotion portrayed in "Swanheart," but has an interesting subject matter. The song was inspired by a solar eclipse during 1999 in Europe, and has a dreamy atmosphere surronding it.

Though these songs are slow and emotional, there are faster, more upbeat tracks. One such is "Gethsemane." Honestly, I cannot figure out what the song is exactly about, but it seems to have religious overtones. This likely is true considering that gethsemane is the place where Jesus and his disciples went to pray the day before his crucifixion. Also, there is the line in the chorus that is inspired by Christianity, which reads: "You wake up where's the tomb? Will Easter come, enter my room?"

Other songs such as "Devil and the Deep Dark Ocean" are quite dark in content, but have an uplifting section. Particular, in this song there is this verse:

"We shall come to set the dolphins free
We shall wash the darkened bloodred sea
Our songs will echo over the mountains and seas
The eternity will begin once again in peace"

As their previous album was musically interesting, this album has much improved technically. Particularly with the guitar work. This release sees the growing skill of guitarist Emppu Vuorinen. There are many songs that have guitar and keyboard harmonies, which lend to a fuller sound not found on their debut. Many, including myself, believe this is the bands greatest album, and it should not be missed by anyone remotely interested in wonderful female vocals and interesting song writing.

The 13th Floor

True, it would have been clever to make this the thirteenth post, but this album simply cannot wait. the latest album by gothic metal band Sirenia has matched the level of their debut. Though, rather than being another overly depressing album likes so many gothic metal albums are, this has a sort of upbeat feel to it. The songs usually have a catchy chorus, but never actually become too popish.

Naturally the lyrics need a singer, and though there are two singers on the album, only one really is significant with the exception of one song. Ailyn joined the band for this album, and her voice really helps in making the music interesting. It is hard to say whether or not she has a great vocal range or anything because it was her first album with the band. Still, looking back on past videos and recordings she has without the band it is evident that she will be able to led a lot more vocally on the next album. After all, being selected out of more than 500 possible candidates for their new singer is quite impressive.

The other signer is Morten Veland, who is also the lead guitarist, songwriter, and programmer. The final track, "Sirens of the Seven Seas" is sung only by him, and really shows off his vocal ability. Other than that song he has various parts within other tracks, but he performs death metal growls on them that are becoming weaker with each album. Still, his main role is to be the songwriter, which is does a solid job with throughout the whole album.



Going back to the catchy parts of the album there is the reoccuring keyboard riff in "Winterborn 77," which is one of the best songs the band has ever produced. Surprisingly the chorus in "Sirens of the Seven Seas" is catchy. This is surprising because it is done completely by a chorus that sings in what I believe may be latin, though I may be wrong.

Overall this is a very solid album. All the parts fit perfectly with each other. It will be interesting to see how their next album turns out if they still have Ailyn as their singer (they seem to have a problem keeping the same singer for more than one album). Though the most amazing part of this album is that it can be found at Hot Topic. Even if you do not like the album you can check out Ailyn's solo wor, though because she is from Spain it is mostly in Spanish, but still good.

Angels Fall First

Bringing symphonic metal from obscurity to popularity,"Angels Fall First" is the debut from the Finnish band, Nightwish. During a time when every unsigned band tried too hard to be the same this band stood out. Rather than having largely overdone guitar solos or any other generic element of metal, their first demo was all acoustic. That is, acoustic with a female opera singer. Needless to say, this was definitely new at the time, and because of that they were quickly signed to a label and created "Angels Fall First."

Originally the band wanted to be an acoustic only project, but then they realized the strength in Tarja Turnen's voice. Though, there is still an acoustic vibe on the album, with a majority of the songs either being exclusively acoustic or having acoustic parts in them. Most notably is the title track, which is solely acoustic.
Notable because of the wonderfully heartfelt lyrics. For an example read the following lines:

"Yesterday we shook hands
My friend
Today a moonbeam lightens my path
My guardian"

Needless to say, the song is about how death can happen at any time to anyone. Though it is impossible to escape death there is still faith that the deceased may ascend to heaven to watch over and protect those they love.

Do not be tured off if you are not a fan of ballads and the like, because there are many upbeat songs on the album. The problem is that if you are not a fan of fantasy or Disney then you most likely will not enjoy the lyrics. The song "Beauty and the Beast" is based soley on the Walt Disney adaptation of the story.

Still, the music itself is quite good for a relatively low budget album. Surprisingly the keyboard orchestra and strings sound not too bad, and the rest of the keyboard effects are pleasent. Even if this album does not fully impress you it must be noted that their sophomore release taps further into their potential, and is arguably their best album. This will be reviewed at a later date, but for now experience the album that started it all.

Anyone up for a cabaret, well dark cabaret that is

Lurking in the shadows of the music underground is dark cabaret. A wonderful genre of music that has yet to become even remotely popular. This is still fine, because the music is quite enjoyable to listen to. Often, the music is made to have a fun, upbeat tone, while still maintaining dark or sarcastically dark lyrics. There actually are a large amount of these types of bands, but they essentially reside in the underground. Rather than discussing them all, I shall focus on one in particular, and eventually will come back to some other ones later in the blog. The band of choice is Birdeatsbaby.



The band is from the United Kingdom, and right there a little light should go off in your head telling you they are probably good. Well, regardless of whether the light went on or not they are a good band. Without listening to their full debut album, Here She Comes a Tumblin' it is still evident that they are quite talented. Instead of having guitars, they use a violin and cello. These instruments often contribute a dark, hypnotic tone to the music. Surprisingly, every song they write is original, and hard to compare to anything else. Mishkin, the piano player and singer does not have a lack of passion while playing. This translates through there music and her voice.

Often, the lyrics are rather odd, but so is every other dark cabaret artist. Some songs focus more on sexuality, such as "Miserable." Then there are those songs that go where most songs won't go, such as "Jim," where Mishkin starts the song off by asking:

"So do you still
Think of me?
While you’re masturbating slowly over Kiera on TV"

Ah, the best part of the band is that they are from the UK. You may be wondering why that matters. Well I shall tell you why. Their music videos are so absolutely English. In other words, they are subtlely witty and charming. Just watch their latest video for "I Always Hang Myself With the Same Rope," and you will see exactly what I mean.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2F8ZzjW610

Still, it is worth watching their ultra-low-budget video for "Miserable," just because it shows how much can be done with so little.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zdqh28jPB8&feature=related

Essentially, if you are even remotely interested in entertaining music that is original then this is most definitely the band for you.



*(insert links into search bar)

Representing New Jersey

Some, including myself, may have lost hope in New Jersey the second that My Chemical Romance signed to a record label. Alas, we can now rejoice, for a new band, amongst several other good ones belive it or not, has emerged. This band is none other than Mutiny Within.

They are a blend of power metal with progessive metal. In other words, they are a recipe for greatness. Throughout the album it is apparent that every musician in the band is wonderful at their respective instrument. Even the bassist has his moment(s) of glory with intricate bass lines. Mixing in keyboards lends a fuller, atmospheric feel to the album.

The singer, Chris Clancy, is the hardest member of the band to forget. His vocal capabilities are quite impressive. He appears to change his vocal style for almost every other song. All the while it does not seem out of place, but rather adds to the diversity of their music. Sure, he can do the harsh metal growls, but he really shines with clean vocals. His range is quite impressive, especially when he hits the high notes.

Lyrically it is difficult to comment upon because the lyrics are not yet online. Therefore, I do not want to falsely critique lyrics because of not knowing them all. Still, what I recall of those I know are not that bad, but still not at the point of being quite as exceptional as the rest of the album. Still, this may just be because I do not know all of them.

For anyone interested in metal and from Jersey this is definitely not an album that you want to miss. It has the perfect blend of heavy guitars mixed with power metal and clean vocals. This is a unique album that should make anyone proud to be from the Garden State.

Sonata Arctica - The Days of Grays

Perhaps one of the most fluent albums of 2009, "The Days of Grays" is also one of the most discussed amongst the symphonic/power metal community. The album is the sixth by the band, and is drastically different from prior releases. Interestingly enough there are those who do not like this album but claim that previous albums copied other artists too much. Still, this album is worth listening too because it is such a departure from their previous sound. Rather than having excessive solos at impossible speeds they have decided to go for a more melodic tone. This is to be expected considering that their keyboardist, Henrik Klingenberg has reported that it is darker than previous albums by the band.

The darkness of the album lends to a more emotional approach. This is further represented through the vocals and lyrics, both done by Tony Kakko. Some of the best lyrics are found in the beginning of the disc. With lines such as

"In the eyes of every newborn, I see the past times
A familiar face
I close my eyes and see them, waiting for me
Amongst the amazing grays"

there is no surprise that there are emotional references to ones own mortality.

The song "Juilet" is a distorted version of the classic Shakespeare play, "Romeo and Juliet." Right from the beginning it is clear that it is a dark tale of the tragedy.


"I hold your hand, close my eyes all I love finally dies
Drank the poison most foul with you...
But why do you smile?

...Don't smile
Don't you smile
You were supposed to wither away with me, so, Juliet
Please don't smile
I'm paralysed and you are still alive"

Towards the end of the song he professes his love and devotion, but not before falling to his death.

"It is too late to regret anything tonight
After what has come to light
...You have played me for a fool, for all this time?
The story may rewrite itself after I'm gone
One more breath, the day will dawn

How hard it is to understand
My wish to die hand in hand?
These wounds stay open all night long,
You are the last thing I will see...

I lived only by you,
My scar, my heart, my truth,
My sole reason to die... for
There's no life without you"

There are, of course other songs on the album, but to take on a challenge as large as a classic Shakespearean tragedy is quite impressive. Sure there are pretty great lyrics throughout the album, but there are also instruments (those important things that make sound and what not). Before getting to them it is also worth noting that as a guest singer on a select few tracks they used Johanna Kurkela, a Finnish solo artist. Her work can be heard on the songs "Deathaura" and "No Dream Can Heal a Broken Heart." Back to the instruments, which are not always complex, but are always layered enough with orcestrated effects to add to the dark tone.

There is definitely something on this album for everybody. There are songs that may be considered epic, but there are also the ballads, which by far are the star of the disc. Surprisingly this can be found at any local store, and is worth picking up.

Mirror Mirror on the Wall

"Nightfall in Middle Earth" may seem like an album made for every Lord of the Rings geek out there, but it is much more than that. This album is one of the few that is worthy of being called "epic" (a word I try to refrain from using). Rather than following the story of The Lord of the Rings, it focuses on the First Age of Middle Earth. This provides a refreshing take on the genre rather than just riding the success of the movies, and at the time the books.



The album has twenty-two tracks, with half being short instrumental interludes and the other half full length songs. Interestingly, it begins at the end of the story, which may be confusing to those who have never read up on the backing story. Luckily, the songwriting far surpasses any issues one may have with the set up. Every song follows the same theme, but manages to have a distinct feel to it, giving them all their own personal touch. This is partly due to the wondrous voice of lead singer Hansi Kursch. He fully utilizes his ability to overdub and harmonize numerous times with himself in order to create the atmosphere of a full choir.

The whole scale of the music fully immerses the listener into it. Mainly because it is something that is rarely done with vocals. Often bands will have various orcestrated pieces, but rarely will they attempt to make a fuller sound with just one singers voice. Aiding him are various classical inspired guitar parts mixed with non-traditional metal instruments such as flutes, horns, and various forms of stringed instruments.

This album is definitely not for everyone, but on a musical standpoint it is definitely one of the most unique albums to date. Whether you are a fan of vocals or instruments this piece of art will most likely satisfy. At its roots it is still a power metal album. Though, due to its incredible scale it ranks among one of the best, and if by some chance you are a fan of the genre and missed this album it is highly recommended to give it a listen.