Now for something a bit Rock n' Roll. It was a hard decision on which of my "D" bands to listen to first, but I thought I'd begin with this fun Danish act. They began performing in the early 1980s under the name "Disneyland After Dark" but that ultimately resulted in the threat of a law suit, and thus they switched to D.A.D, because if there's one thing you don't want, it's to be sued by one of the richest companies in the world. Despite being around for ten years, it took a while for them to find their way onto the international market and I discovered them in the early 90s, when I purchased a sampler cassette with a couple of their tracks on it.
The CD begins with the rockin' "Bad Craziness" with its catchy chorus, bombastic stylings and all out, a flavour of fun. We are then treated to "D Law" which stands for "Disneyland Law", in case you didn't guess.
"Day of Wrong Moves" follows that up, moving into "Rock 'n' Rock Radar" which is a catchy, rockabily number.
"I Won't Cut My Hair" is one of my favourites, with its ridiculous lyrics and, at times, frantic insistence that "...I won't cut my hair, cos I'm proud of my hair..." Vocalist Jesper Binzer insists that he will never cut his hair, even now - it's the name of his biography.
"Down that Dusty 3rd World Road" is a more mellow number, with almost country rock elements. It rather makes me think of American deserts, for some reason.
We're back into the rock n' roll with the rather amusing "Makin' Fun of Money".
"Grow or Pay" is a rather less cheerful number, heading towards ballad terrain, and Jesper Binzer's voice is raw with emotion and tinged with a little desperation.
The country-ish feel is back in "Smart Boy Can't Tell You."
We become a little more frantic in "Riskin' it All" before concluding with my favourite track, the rather beautiful "Laugh n' a Half". The first chords stir something in me. Maybe it's memories - this is one song that I distinctly recall from my youth - when I first heard it on a ballad album that a friend of mine owned (along with Return's wonderfully emotional "Bye Bye Johnny" one of the finest ballads ever). Whatever the reason, it's a worthy way to end the CD.
D.A.D have been around a LONG time - since 1982, and have changed their line-up very little. They have great acclaim in their home country, Denmark, but never seem to have entirely taken off on the international scene. This is strange, given that, in my opinion, their sound has an almost American feel with aspects of country mixed with rock n' roll. According to wikipedia, they began in 1982 to thumb their noses at the negativity of punk music - calling their style "cowpunk". And, since their emblem is a bull skull with long horns, one cannot but feel that they wanna be cowboys. They do a bitchin' cover of "Horse with No Name" too. Why they never made it big in the US I cannot understand - maybe because they refuse to take themselves seriously - and of course, are up against some steep competition.
This is a decent album, I do not think it is quite as catchy as "No Fuel Left for the Pilgrims", but enjoy it more than "Helpyourselfish" which are the full collection of D.A.D albums that I own (and one is on cassette tape). They have 11 albums in total.
I rate this one = 7/10
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Candlemass - Epicus Doomicus Metallicus (1986)
Ah, the first Candlemas album, before they took on the majesty of Messiah Marcolin and had instead Johan Langquist on vocals.
This album is very old, I was 9 when it was released. Disregarding the slightly silly title - silly it may be, but it certainly does describe this album and the pretty crummy cover - this is a damned fine album.
Candlemass were a Swedish band that formed in 1984 and I discovered in the Great Metal Revelation that was my teenage years. It may seem strange that the bands I would commonly claim as my favourites were Candlemass (admittedly, Marcolin-lead Candlemass, I discovered this CD later) and Helloween - two metal bands that may seem like polar opposites of one another. I believe Candlemass spoke to the angst-ridden, hormonely-tormented me - the me that luxuriated in feelings of misery and gloom.
I just looked up Candlemass on Wikipedia and discovered that for SIX WHOLE YEARS they had Robert Lowe as their vocalist. Robert Lowe*! The only band that can compete with Candlemass for melancholic emotion were Solitude Aeturnus. I MUST track down "King of the Grey Islands" and/or "Death Magic Doom".
Anyhow, back to this album - their very first:
With its slow and dramatic opening chords, we are immersed into the majesty of "Solitude" - a song that drips with melancholy and loneliness, a song that sings of death and the desire to be alone with it. Whilst not as elegant a vocalist as Messiah, Langquist's low voice is filled with the emotion and conveys the doomladen tone with suitable power.
"Demon's Gate" is suitably ominous, beginning with a rather creepy, almost demonic voice proclaiming the entry into this other realm of terror and darkness, before we are once again treated to Langquist's emotive vocal style. The bass and drums are slow but heavy, laden with doom. The tempo increases slightly, becoming more ominous as the song progresses and the vocals turn, at times, almost frenzied, before fading into a slower central beat, in which the drummer hammers away in a rather dramatic fashion. It attains an almost dirge-like quality, before the lyrics start again from the beginning, Langquist sounding somewhat more anxious.
Lyric sheet could do with a bit of a proof-read, however. Should it be "Demons Gate" or "Demon's Gate"?
Also, "...where it's darkness..."
We are pounded into "Crystal Ball," and experience once more Langquist switching from low and melancholic to shrill and frantic.
"Black Stone Wielder" is suitably pounding.
The brooding "Under the Oak" is a haunting piece. Langquist's voice soars over the instruments and tells us of a time when the world has died, and all that remains is he - a single man left after the Lord has swept away mankind. Certainly, Candlemass may have religious elements to their lyrics, but their God is anything but benign.
The epic "A Sorcerer's Pledge" is probably my favourite song on this CD, and also displays that the sleeve-designers DO understand punctuation. It begins with low, ominous vocals, weaving the start of the story about the Sorcerer's desire to cheat time. Actually, reading the lyrics, they do not make a lot of sense. Anyhow, who cares, this is a song, not a novel! The slow build ends savagely as we soar into Part II, where the Sorcerer's evil schemes are revealed and his plans to rise and rule take hold. Part III describes the rather anti-climactic results of his plans. All in all, not a great plot, but an awesome song.
The pacing of all these songs is slow and powerful, as befits the genre known as "doom metal", for which Candlemass were the GODS, drawing inspiration from Black Sabbath's darker moments. There are no additional instruments past the standard lead guitar, bass guitar, rhythm guitar and drums. This is basic, primeval metal. Dark and heavy, it reaches deep into your soul with its gloom-laden vocals and pounds in your viscera. It is not happy music, but it is not aggressive either. Not even depressing (although sometime of the lyrics are rather negative).
Rating = 7/10
However, now I've got distracted and am listening to Robert Lowe sing The Bleeding Baronness on youtube (no video, alas, it would be interesting to see how he has aged). Well, looking at him on wikipedia - much like the rest of us - larger, older, actually looks a little like Bill Bailey. Hrm...
* Not to be confused with the actor by the similar name, who is also rather lovely.
This album is very old, I was 9 when it was released. Disregarding the slightly silly title - silly it may be, but it certainly does describe this album and the pretty crummy cover - this is a damned fine album.
Candlemass were a Swedish band that formed in 1984 and I discovered in the Great Metal Revelation that was my teenage years. It may seem strange that the bands I would commonly claim as my favourites were Candlemass (admittedly, Marcolin-lead Candlemass, I discovered this CD later) and Helloween - two metal bands that may seem like polar opposites of one another. I believe Candlemass spoke to the angst-ridden, hormonely-tormented me - the me that luxuriated in feelings of misery and gloom.
I just looked up Candlemass on Wikipedia and discovered that for SIX WHOLE YEARS they had Robert Lowe as their vocalist. Robert Lowe*! The only band that can compete with Candlemass for melancholic emotion were Solitude Aeturnus. I MUST track down "King of the Grey Islands" and/or "Death Magic Doom".
Anyhow, back to this album - their very first:
With its slow and dramatic opening chords, we are immersed into the majesty of "Solitude" - a song that drips with melancholy and loneliness, a song that sings of death and the desire to be alone with it. Whilst not as elegant a vocalist as Messiah, Langquist's low voice is filled with the emotion and conveys the doomladen tone with suitable power.
"Hate is my only friend, Pain is my father. Torment is delight to me. Death is my sanctuary, I seek it with pleasure. Please let me die in solitude..."
"Demon's Gate" is suitably ominous, beginning with a rather creepy, almost demonic voice proclaiming the entry into this other realm of terror and darkness, before we are once again treated to Langquist's emotive vocal style. The bass and drums are slow but heavy, laden with doom. The tempo increases slightly, becoming more ominous as the song progresses and the vocals turn, at times, almost frenzied, before fading into a slower central beat, in which the drummer hammers away in a rather dramatic fashion. It attains an almost dirge-like quality, before the lyrics start again from the beginning, Langquist sounding somewhat more anxious.
Lyric sheet could do with a bit of a proof-read, however. Should it be "Demons Gate" or "Demon's Gate"?
Also, "...where it's darkness..."
We are pounded into "Crystal Ball," and experience once more Langquist switching from low and melancholic to shrill and frantic.
"Black Stone Wielder" is suitably pounding.
The brooding "Under the Oak" is a haunting piece. Langquist's voice soars over the instruments and tells us of a time when the world has died, and all that remains is he - a single man left after the Lord has swept away mankind. Certainly, Candlemass may have religious elements to their lyrics, but their God is anything but benign.
The epic "A Sorcerer's Pledge" is probably my favourite song on this CD, and also displays that the sleeve-designers DO understand punctuation. It begins with low, ominous vocals, weaving the start of the story about the Sorcerer's desire to cheat time. Actually, reading the lyrics, they do not make a lot of sense. Anyhow, who cares, this is a song, not a novel! The slow build ends savagely as we soar into Part II, where the Sorcerer's evil schemes are revealed and his plans to rise and rule take hold. Part III describes the rather anti-climactic results of his plans. All in all, not a great plot, but an awesome song.
The pacing of all these songs is slow and powerful, as befits the genre known as "doom metal", for which Candlemass were the GODS, drawing inspiration from Black Sabbath's darker moments. There are no additional instruments past the standard lead guitar, bass guitar, rhythm guitar and drums. This is basic, primeval metal. Dark and heavy, it reaches deep into your soul with its gloom-laden vocals and pounds in your viscera. It is not happy music, but it is not aggressive either. Not even depressing (although sometime of the lyrics are rather negative).
Rating = 7/10
However, now I've got distracted and am listening to Robert Lowe sing The Bleeding Baronness on youtube (no video, alas, it would be interesting to see how he has aged). Well, looking at him on wikipedia - much like the rest of us - larger, older, actually looks a little like Bill Bailey. Hrm...
* Not to be confused with the actor by the similar name, who is also rather lovely.
The Brunettes - Holding Hands, Feeding Ducks (2002)
The first time I heard The Brunettes was in Takaka, where my now-husband (then boyfriend) and I were staying at a local inn-come-pub. The first night we were treated to the retro-vibes of this vocal duo and their backing band, as it came up through the floorboards and soaked through the walls. The next evening we had to endure the rather less charming sounds of Salmonella Dub, as their bass pounded through the floorboards, but from that moment on, I was intrigued by this Indie-pop band that sounded as though they had stepped from a time machine.
If you have read my earlier two entries in this journal, the inclusion of this rather sweet-sounding, bubblegum blowing band may surprise you. I do have a few more... eclectic tastes. And I do so hope there shall be some other unexpected surprises in store for you.
As you may also have guessed, to choose the CDs to listen to, I am working through the alphabet. For each letter, I shall play one CD until I reach the end of the alphabet, then I shall begin again. I do not have multiple CDs for every letter - I may not even have one for each letter, but we shall see - and it will save you from having the entire backlist of Helloween thrust upon you in one swell foop.
If you wish to hear the Brunettes for yourself, hop along to their MySpace page.
The CD packaging is designed to look rather retro - the two vocalists are pictured on the front, looking very clean and like they've stepped from the 70s (and yes, they are both brunettes), complete with circles (which make it look a little like a record) and a san serif font, the whole image is of clean and wholesome-ness. Almost an innocent vibe.
The interior contains a rather whimsical story about how the band formed -
The songs are similar in tone, polished and sweet. We begin with "The Moon in June" - a quirky little short piece that merges into the longer duet of "Cupid".
"Holding Hands, Feeding Ducks" begins with ducks quacking. I love the playful-ness of this song, and Heather's voice is pure sweetness. It makes me think of summer days and long afternoons chillaxing in the park.
"Talk to Jesus" is a more mellow tune, and followed up by the boucier "Dancefloor" - a song which kind of wants to make you take to the dancefloor.
"Summer Love" is charming, especially since Heather is the one singing "... I could do with summer love with a girl named Sandy, I'm sure it's good..." It sounds like an innocent love song, but you cannot help but feel that there is a tongue-in-cheek cheekiness.
Take, for example, the lyrics to "Super Eight":
"Mafioso" is fun - mostly mellow with a few uptempo moments as the two vocalists plan a afternon - a date, together that involves sarsapiralla and ice cream. Oddly enough, I cannot find the lyrics to this song online, getting something from some rap artist.
"End of the Runway" is very cruisy, complete with "sha-la-la-las".
We pick up the pace on "Cotton Candy", which comes across as a bit flirty and cheeky - "... at the rollercoaster I had tucked in my teddy... he told me I was just like Cotton Candy." Just brings mental images of a young lady, blowing bubblegum and holding an enormous teddy bear (such as one would win as a carnival price).
"Tell Her" is a rather melancholic break-up song, still in the sweet, innocent manner of the earlier pieces. A ratherlovely conclusion to the album.
All up, this is a fun album, with a playful innocence that is rarely seen nowadays. Very clean, very sweet, very much what I would refer to as "bubblegum pop" but yet there is a slightly cynical edge, where you get the feeling that the vocalists are teasing you - and having a damned fine time of it all.
Overall score = 7/10.
If you have read my earlier two entries in this journal, the inclusion of this rather sweet-sounding, bubblegum blowing band may surprise you. I do have a few more... eclectic tastes. And I do so hope there shall be some other unexpected surprises in store for you.
As you may also have guessed, to choose the CDs to listen to, I am working through the alphabet. For each letter, I shall play one CD until I reach the end of the alphabet, then I shall begin again. I do not have multiple CDs for every letter - I may not even have one for each letter, but we shall see - and it will save you from having the entire backlist of Helloween thrust upon you in one swell foop.
If you wish to hear the Brunettes for yourself, hop along to their MySpace page.
The CD packaging is designed to look rather retro - the two vocalists are pictured on the front, looking very clean and like they've stepped from the 70s (and yes, they are both brunettes), complete with circles (which make it look a little like a record) and a san serif font, the whole image is of clean and wholesome-ness. Almost an innocent vibe.
The interior contains a rather whimsical story about how the band formed -
"It all began on 90 mile beach where the two first crossed paths. Jonathan, a frisbee hurlin' widewalk surfin' highschool dropout and Heather, an innocent girl desperately running from her small-town ghosts...."
The songs are similar in tone, polished and sweet. We begin with "The Moon in June" - a quirky little short piece that merges into the longer duet of "Cupid".
"Holding Hands, Feeding Ducks" begins with ducks quacking. I love the playful-ness of this song, and Heather's voice is pure sweetness. It makes me think of summer days and long afternoons chillaxing in the park.
"Talk to Jesus" is a more mellow tune, and followed up by the boucier "Dancefloor" - a song which kind of wants to make you take to the dancefloor.
"Summer Love" is charming, especially since Heather is the one singing "... I could do with summer love with a girl named Sandy, I'm sure it's good..." It sounds like an innocent love song, but you cannot help but feel that there is a tongue-in-cheek cheekiness.
Take, for example, the lyrics to "Super Eight":
I don't like the hoursThis is followed up by the rather bouncier "Jukebox" in which Jonathan gets more vocal time. Once again, the lyrics are innocent and sweet.
And the big blinding lights
I don't like the make-up
I just want the money"
"Mafioso" is fun - mostly mellow with a few uptempo moments as the two vocalists plan a afternon - a date, together that involves sarsapiralla and ice cream. Oddly enough, I cannot find the lyrics to this song online, getting something from some rap artist.
"End of the Runway" is very cruisy, complete with "sha-la-la-las".
We pick up the pace on "Cotton Candy", which comes across as a bit flirty and cheeky - "... at the rollercoaster I had tucked in my teddy... he told me I was just like Cotton Candy." Just brings mental images of a young lady, blowing bubblegum and holding an enormous teddy bear (such as one would win as a carnival price).
"Tell Her" is a rather melancholic break-up song, still in the sweet, innocent manner of the earlier pieces. A ratherlovely conclusion to the album.
All up, this is a fun album, with a playful innocence that is rarely seen nowadays. Very clean, very sweet, very much what I would refer to as "bubblegum pop" but yet there is a slightly cynical edge, where you get the feeling that the vocalists are teasing you - and having a damned fine time of it all.
Overall score = 7/10.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Angra - Holy Land (1996)
Ever since Andre Matos was described as a "younger* and more energetic Michael Kiske" I have been drawn first to Viper, then to Angra.
Angra are a great band in the power metal vein, with a heavy injection of prog rock. I own the limited edition pack of this cd - which means it comes in a tall and thin cardboard case, with a bonus live cd (3 tracks), a poster and a brochure with information on Angra's history and a list of the songs on this cd. Nice packaging, and limited edition, but a bitch to store!
The track listing in particular is quite amusing, as it reads like a menu:
"Crossing: It's the album's intro track. A tropical atmosphere is mixed with a Renaissance religious musical climate."
Which makes me laugh.
Brief history: Angra formed in the early 90s, stealing Andre from the now-turned-punk band Viper. Their first album was "Angel's Cry". They are from Brazil, and the story of this CD is about the discovery of the South American sub continent.
It begins with "Crossing", in which bird cries intermingle with this haunting instrumental before leading in to the rockier "Nothing to Say" - which according to themenu track listing is "in an aggressive yet melodic way".
The next song is the haunting "Silence and Distance" which is something of a ballard, with a nicely orcheastral build. Matos' smooth, rich voice croons to me.
Into the longest track, "Carolina IV" with a ten minute duration and changeable style.
"Holy Land" brings in some Brazilian and African vibes. Catchy and melodic. Likewise is "The Shaman", which includes authentic Indian insertions from the beginning of the century (doesn't specify which century, I'm thinking the early 1900s?).
"Make Believe" has a much rockier vibe, guided by the 70s sounds.
It has a video too
It is a very strange video, with rather saturated colours. I remember jumping with glee when I first heard it on MTV, back in the day when we had real Music Television that played Heavy Metal.
We rock it up with the somewhat heavier "Z.I.TO," before mellowing into the classical ballad of "Deep Blue" with its fine orchaestral moments, until finally concluding with the short, but lovely, acoustic "Lullaby for Lucifer", complete with seabirds.
Then, delightfully - a bonus track - "Queen of the Night" in which Matos displays the quirk to his vocals and builds to a bold chorus.
Andre Matos always sounds like he's smiling, and I can imagine he is having a grand time, strutting about performing his tunes (while wearing leather pants and an open shirt, yes please). His voice is not quite as rich or sexy as early Kiske, but has a youthful exuberance which I find quite charming. Overall, this cd is a fine blend of progressive rock intermingled with slower tunes, and with something of a hint at the band's South American heritage.
Bonus Acoustic CD - three tracks:
The intros and other talky bits are all in Portugese - in which I learn that Angra is pronounced "On-Gra". First track is "Angel's Cry", which I love. It has a catchy beat and an even catchier chorus. I love the bit in the centre where it picks up the pace and the audience start clapping along. How I wish I could be there! The acoustic touch is nice too, makes it sound that bit more tribal. And you've gotta laugh when he goes "ariba-ey-ey". Ah, these guys are having a fine old time, with changes in tempo, a fairly tribal sound and then back into the soaring symphonic chorus.**
After that, we are treated to "Chea de Saudade", which is a classic Bossa Nova song - a fusion of samba and jazz.
Then, to the disappointment of the crowd, we reach the grand finale - "Never Understand". Matos's voice swoops and soars through the verses and into the chorus. Like "Angel's Cry" this is a song to clap along with. The acoustic elements allow a lot of scope for Matos's rather soaring voice and also seem to permit the other members of the band to have some fun with more traditional instruments. It's playful and appealing.
I rate this album 9/10.
* A while three years younger. Heh. And no, I cannot remember the source of that quote, some old metal magazine I'd be willing to bet.
** The original version, from the album with the same name is pretty wicked too, but I think I prefer the playfulness of the acoustic version.
Angra are a great band in the power metal vein, with a heavy injection of prog rock. I own the limited edition pack of this cd - which means it comes in a tall and thin cardboard case, with a bonus live cd (3 tracks), a poster and a brochure with information on Angra's history and a list of the songs on this cd. Nice packaging, and limited edition, but a bitch to store!
The track listing in particular is quite amusing, as it reads like a menu:
"Crossing: It's the album's intro track. A tropical atmosphere is mixed with a Renaissance religious musical climate."
Which makes me laugh.
Brief history: Angra formed in the early 90s, stealing Andre from the now-turned-punk band Viper. Their first album was "Angel's Cry". They are from Brazil, and the story of this CD is about the discovery of the South American sub continent.
It begins with "Crossing", in which bird cries intermingle with this haunting instrumental before leading in to the rockier "Nothing to Say" - which according to the
The next song is the haunting "Silence and Distance" which is something of a ballard, with a nicely orcheastral build. Matos' smooth, rich voice croons to me.
Into the longest track, "Carolina IV" with a ten minute duration and changeable style.
"Holy Land" brings in some Brazilian and African vibes. Catchy and melodic. Likewise is "The Shaman", which includes authentic Indian insertions from the beginning of the century (doesn't specify which century, I'm thinking the early 1900s?).
"Make Believe" has a much rockier vibe, guided by the 70s sounds.
It has a video too
It is a very strange video, with rather saturated colours. I remember jumping with glee when I first heard it on MTV, back in the day when we had real Music Television that played Heavy Metal.
We rock it up with the somewhat heavier "Z.I.TO," before mellowing into the classical ballad of "Deep Blue" with its fine orchaestral moments, until finally concluding with the short, but lovely, acoustic "Lullaby for Lucifer", complete with seabirds.
Then, delightfully - a bonus track - "Queen of the Night" in which Matos displays the quirk to his vocals and builds to a bold chorus.
Andre Matos always sounds like he's smiling, and I can imagine he is having a grand time, strutting about performing his tunes (while wearing leather pants and an open shirt, yes please). His voice is not quite as rich or sexy as early Kiske, but has a youthful exuberance which I find quite charming. Overall, this cd is a fine blend of progressive rock intermingled with slower tunes, and with something of a hint at the band's South American heritage.
Bonus Acoustic CD - three tracks:
The intros and other talky bits are all in Portugese - in which I learn that Angra is pronounced "On-Gra". First track is "Angel's Cry", which I love. It has a catchy beat and an even catchier chorus. I love the bit in the centre where it picks up the pace and the audience start clapping along. How I wish I could be there! The acoustic touch is nice too, makes it sound that bit more tribal. And you've gotta laugh when he goes "ariba-ey-ey". Ah, these guys are having a fine old time, with changes in tempo, a fairly tribal sound and then back into the soaring symphonic chorus.**
After that, we are treated to "Chea de Saudade", which is a classic Bossa Nova song - a fusion of samba and jazz.
Then, to the disappointment of the crowd, we reach the grand finale - "Never Understand". Matos's voice swoops and soars through the verses and into the chorus. Like "Angel's Cry" this is a song to clap along with. The acoustic elements allow a lot of scope for Matos's rather soaring voice and also seem to permit the other members of the band to have some fun with more traditional instruments. It's playful and appealing.
I rate this album 9/10.
* A while three years younger. Heh. And no, I cannot remember the source of that quote, some old metal magazine I'd be willing to bet.
** The original version, from the album with the same name is pretty wicked too, but I think I prefer the playfulness of the acoustic version.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Within Temptation - The Unforgiving (2011)
I have randomly selected the cd to begin this new blog with - and it is from Dutch symphonic metal band, Within Temptation.
Formed in 1996, Within Temptation have released a number of albums, which have moved from the symphonic beauty of "Mother Earth" and towards a more commercial, reminiscent-of-Evanesence sound.
This is their 2011 release and one of the more recent cds I have purchased (since the 2011 earthquake closed our local CD store, my purchasing has been severely limited - I have also realised quite how many cds I own that I don't really "know".
It is a handsome looking set, with a slip in case that comes with the CD and a DVD, along with a large folded poster. On the back of the poster are a number of names - people that promoted the release via Facebook, I do believe. The lyrics booklet is illustrated with line-art sketches, presumably from the comic book.
There is a comic book series available, and several short films, which are included with the "special edition" on a DVD. The short films are haunting and weird. The first three are all in black and white, with dubious syncing between lips and audio (a flaw? intentional? I know not) and they are moody and somewhat melancholic, leading into the song they represent. I have yet to figure out how they tie together. The fourth is colour and seems a little more upbeat, merging with the song ("Where is the Edge").
The songs themselves are fairly similar, with catchy choruses and the vocals seem to vary little in pitch. The music is more atmospheric, but is let down by the fairly repetitive nature of the songs.
"Utopia", on the DVD (not the cd) with Chris Jones (a British singer) is radio-friendly pop. It does have a nice melody to it, but it lacks rather in majesty and power.
Now, for the analysis of the CD itself:
It opens with a nicely eerie intro, with a woman declaring how someone has to save the world, so "Why not me?" - this intro is extended on the DVD. "Shot in the Dark", the following song, starts promisingly, with some nicely atmospheric chords before the vocals begin and bring with them the commercial vibe and rhythm that in synonymous with this album.
"In the Middle of the Night" begins in fairly typical rock style.Vocals are a little different at first, but ultimately become the same as the earlier. Some nicely atmospheric bits on behalf of the other musicians.
"Faster" has the full on commercial vibe going - by now Sharon's voice is beginning to irritate me somewhat, in a manner that it never did in the earlier albums. Very catchy, good rhythm, I can see it being popular to the mainstream.
MAINSTREAM.
Where is the dark atmosphere and the haunting folkish feel that I use to cherish with this band?
Well, the next track ("Fire and Ice") begins with a haunting melody and piano. Promising?
Oh yes, she's singing at a lower pitch. Very nice. Let's hope it remains that way... It does, although her pitch still seems a little on the slightly shrill side... Much better atmosphere in this song, however.
Let's see how "Iron" follows it up. Well, rockier beginning. Are we going to see any variation in the vocals? Somewhat. Chorus is nice and catchy.
"Where is the Edge" has a nice beginning, but then falls back into the same pattern as the earlier songs.
"Sinead" is somewhat more haunting, and followed up by the rather beautiful "Lost". From here in the album continues to be reasonably decent - or maybe I'm getting used to it. I enjoyed "Murder."
We're back into the rock with "A Demon's Fate" but after the slower preceding tracks, it provides a decent variation in pace.
Finally, we conclude with the beautiful and haunting "Stairway to the Stars", which is much more of the Within Temptation that I have grown to love. Her voice is pitched slightly lower and the music flows in haunting counterpoint. A lovely way to finish.
Individually, the songs are quite enjoyable - and I could imagine leaping around the lounge and maybe doing a bit of headbanging to them. However, listening to this CD from beginning to end is a little tedious, as the songs are all fairly similar in vocals and rhythm - it comes across as somewhat uninspired and monotonous. Best listened to in short doses, or randomly muddled up on your playlist.
I give this album 6/10. It had some damned fine moments, but overall was a little bit too commercial for me.
Formed in 1996, Within Temptation have released a number of albums, which have moved from the symphonic beauty of "Mother Earth" and towards a more commercial, reminiscent-of-Evanesence sound.
This is their 2011 release and one of the more recent cds I have purchased (since the 2011 earthquake closed our local CD store, my purchasing has been severely limited - I have also realised quite how many cds I own that I don't really "know".
It is a handsome looking set, with a slip in case that comes with the CD and a DVD, along with a large folded poster. On the back of the poster are a number of names - people that promoted the release via Facebook, I do believe. The lyrics booklet is illustrated with line-art sketches, presumably from the comic book.
There is a comic book series available, and several short films, which are included with the "special edition" on a DVD. The short films are haunting and weird. The first three are all in black and white, with dubious syncing between lips and audio (a flaw? intentional? I know not) and they are moody and somewhat melancholic, leading into the song they represent. I have yet to figure out how they tie together. The fourth is colour and seems a little more upbeat, merging with the song ("Where is the Edge").
The songs themselves are fairly similar, with catchy choruses and the vocals seem to vary little in pitch. The music is more atmospheric, but is let down by the fairly repetitive nature of the songs.
"Utopia", on the DVD (not the cd) with Chris Jones (a British singer) is radio-friendly pop. It does have a nice melody to it, but it lacks rather in majesty and power.
Now, for the analysis of the CD itself:
It opens with a nicely eerie intro, with a woman declaring how someone has to save the world, so "Why not me?" - this intro is extended on the DVD. "Shot in the Dark", the following song, starts promisingly, with some nicely atmospheric chords before the vocals begin and bring with them the commercial vibe and rhythm that in synonymous with this album.
"In the Middle of the Night" begins in fairly typical rock style.Vocals are a little different at first, but ultimately become the same as the earlier. Some nicely atmospheric bits on behalf of the other musicians.
"Faster" has the full on commercial vibe going - by now Sharon's voice is beginning to irritate me somewhat, in a manner that it never did in the earlier albums. Very catchy, good rhythm, I can see it being popular to the mainstream.
MAINSTREAM.
Where is the dark atmosphere and the haunting folkish feel that I use to cherish with this band?
Well, the next track ("Fire and Ice") begins with a haunting melody and piano. Promising?
Oh yes, she's singing at a lower pitch. Very nice. Let's hope it remains that way... It does, although her pitch still seems a little on the slightly shrill side... Much better atmosphere in this song, however.
Let's see how "Iron" follows it up. Well, rockier beginning. Are we going to see any variation in the vocals? Somewhat. Chorus is nice and catchy.
"Where is the Edge" has a nice beginning, but then falls back into the same pattern as the earlier songs.
"Sinead" is somewhat more haunting, and followed up by the rather beautiful "Lost". From here in the album continues to be reasonably decent - or maybe I'm getting used to it. I enjoyed "Murder."
We're back into the rock with "A Demon's Fate" but after the slower preceding tracks, it provides a decent variation in pace.
Finally, we conclude with the beautiful and haunting "Stairway to the Stars", which is much more of the Within Temptation that I have grown to love. Her voice is pitched slightly lower and the music flows in haunting counterpoint. A lovely way to finish.
Individually, the songs are quite enjoyable - and I could imagine leaping around the lounge and maybe doing a bit of headbanging to them. However, listening to this CD from beginning to end is a little tedious, as the songs are all fairly similar in vocals and rhythm - it comes across as somewhat uninspired and monotonous. Best listened to in short doses, or randomly muddled up on your playlist.
I give this album 6/10. It had some damned fine moments, but overall was a little bit too commercial for me.
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