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Midnattsol - The Metamorphosis Melody

Change is the first description of Metamorphosis Melody that comes into head – quite fitting with the albums grand title really. But is this change for the best? The band – purely revealed by the opening track Alv, have taken a more symphonic approach on this album. The thing I admired about Nordlys was how different it was to other femme metal bands out there...and I loved Nordlys.

But by the time of the title track, we see that Midnattsol haven’t really changed all that much. Perhaps the music is slightly more camp than before – yet they remain true to themselves, and luckily barely play on the symphonic elements.

Nearly every song is 5 minutes long. This allows for a hell of a lot of variation and development. With Midnattsol switching between heavy but moving folk inspired melodies, to quieter pieces which depict a folk sing along round a campfire. Perfect music to listen to when relaxing, when reading, and when in a good mood.

This isn’t music for the angry metal head, or the fan of trends. This band doesn’t fit into any of the current trends in modern metal, and I don’t really think they ever will. They are similar to Sarah Jezebel Diva in respect to their outcast but beautiful style...something that I really admire and love as it gives the listener an experience completely unique to other bands.

I know many people whom have said Midnattsol ride on a wave of success from their sister band, Leaves’ Eyes. This isn’t true. Liv has nothing to do with this project other than blood relations...and thank god for that. I wouldn’t want Liv’s voice ruining this band, or their camp symphonics overblowing and screwing up their music. Don’t get me wrong – I love Meredead, but Leaves’ Eyes aren’t something I’ve ever found incredible and I’m fed up of Midnattsol getting flak because they know Liv...they aren’t the same thing...

Spellbound is one of the stand out tracks on the album because it’s very different from a normal Midnattsol song. It depends on a beautiful flute line to lead the song, with guitars in support as opposed to lead, and then uses heavy strings around 2 minutes in to help progress the song. Though they used a lot of symphonic elements, it’s nearly always been in a background/support role – but this marked a change in the approach of the band. This is very much against the traditions of Midnattsol but shows they aren’t afraid to change...

They’ve not got any more folk – they’ve always been folk metal (more so than other pseudo-folk bands like Amon Amarth who merely have inspired lyrics, but not actual folk music) and hopefully always will be. They also don’t stick to English like many bands do – for example, the beautiful Motets Makt. This has been something always around in Midnattsol albums and has been somewhat appealing that they aren’t stuck in English like every other band thinks necessary.

Unfortunately, I don’t feel this album has as much identity compared to Nordlys or even Where Twilight Dwells (which in my head just sounds like Elis? Or at least Haunted and Infinite Fairytale do!), and though I personally love the album, I don’t think it’s as good and really, in the grand scheme of things, probably isn’t that good, so I must give it a 6/10. Not average, but not spectacular...
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Diabulus In Musica - Secrets

I want to say I love this album; I can’t. Sadly that will be the general tone of this review.

Having discovered them through Myspace some time ago I really looked forward to the release of Secrets. Nocturnal Flowers was an incredible song the first time I heard it – if a bit cheesy, but hey, I like Lunatica and Edenbrdige; cheese isn’t an issue for me.

What is an issue is that this band doesn’t seem to understand how to best utilise it’s components. They have live strings, and a choir. Something a lot of debuts really could do with, but never get. It opens with a small intro and then the starting track – Come to Paradise. It’s by far not a bad song, but it feels empty. The vocalist isn’t to be flawed...what is to be flawed is how lazy some of the song writing is. It feels like the band have gone “insert some synths there, just to pad it out” as the synths don’t really fit in until the harpsichord is played during the chorus.

That’s the saving grace of this band, choruses. It’s almost like this band is stuck somewhere between Epcia and Delain. A fate that Nemesea famously made with their album ‘Mana’ which sounded like an Epica clone...though I don’t think Diabulus in Musica have quite suffered as much to be called clones, they don’t really have their own identity.

One place I feel identity is beginning to emerge is on St. Michael's Nightmare. This song has a great opening and fantastic riff throughout. However, it does suffer from the same over-produced emptiness...the guitars are too clean and there is nothing in the background. Everything sounds a bit separated. To be honest, this band could do with some more orchestral work, as by the sounds of it, it could really help boost their music by giving it some melody and a generally more advanced sound.

Another band that they remind me of is Whyzdom...of course, Whyzdom’s debut album was incredible – but Diabulus seem to suffer a lack of identity...like a middle aged man who starts copying his friends, gets a younger boyfriend or girlfriend, buys a Range Rover, and then changes that all a week later with a new partner, new car, etc. It’s not till 3 minutes in to St. Michael's Nightmare that the band really start to shine. With – it’s not what it is, but it’s the phrase that came into my head – jazz piano and wonderful pseudo-operatic singing (trust me, people call it opera) over the top...

Lonely Soul is a beautiful ballad though. It’s the type of song I do expect to hear when I go into my coffee shop with students playing the piano however. It’s nothing amazingly original, and for some reason I don’t think the vocals particularly suite the song either...but this is probably an issue exclusive to myself. I think it could’ve been a beautiful instrumental track though.

Ishtar is one of the other stand out tracks though, and another sign of where the band can travel. It’s heavier than the rest of the album I feel, but it’s developed. The strings aren’t just supporting the guitars, they stand out and exaggerate the guitars actions and progressive the songs. Moreover, the female vocals compliment the higher-screeched vocals by being in her lower ranges...and this foreplay builds up to the orgasm of middle-eastern vocals at 1:12 or so...that really makes this song stand out.

It’s clear to see then, that this band has potential. But where does it leave us? They have potential but I felt a bit bored by this album. I don’t mean to offend the band. It’s clear there is a lot of thought on this...but I feel only half of the songs really had the bands identity...and it’s a mixed identity at that. Either way...it's still a good début.

6/10

Dekadent - Venera: Trials and Tribulations

Dekadent are a wonderful band. They are not known at all, sadly, but make superb music that is truely unique. Their debut (Manifestation of Seasonal Bleeding) and latest release share musical interests – Deliverance of the Fall (which I shall later review) is extremely different, for these purposes it probably won’t be referenced much, other than to say I don’t really mind that Dekadent chose their old sound again, as I love how unique it is too.

Venera : Trial and Tribulation is Dekadent back to their heavy-ass routes...but still with dynamics that I’ve never heard anywhere else, and to be quite frank, hope stays true only to Dekadent as they are such masters of their creation. I think one of the most important things about their sound is it’s light...not in a heaviness sense, in that respect they are pretty damn heavy. One means to say that they are not as dark as a lot of black metal bands...I’d almost say this is “positive” black metal...whereas so much black metal seems to be so dark – particularly in the underground (though I understand why, it doesn’t mean it should exclusively be so).

The opening track is a good example of this; Thralldom Decree. Not only are the growled vocals raw, gritty, and intense, but there are also clean vocals that help keep the song extremely emotional and personal. Raided I feel continues this theme, and this album as a whole flows far better than Manifestations and I feel is listenable as a single album – in one sitting – something I struggled to do with Manifestation. The only thing I struggle with is the pure intensity of this album – as I said it’s very personal...and when the piano comes in on Raided I feel a sense of empathy towards the lyrics and..though the sound is positive, it conveys the desperation and sorrow in the song extremely well.

The lyrics are something to be proud of. Dekadent write impressive lyrics. They are extremely good at depicting a situation or story that works well with the music, rather than a lot of bands whom seem to compromise lyrical content in order to satisfy a songs need. This is down right wrong.

There are faster songs too on this album, which makes nice variation when listening to it. Day of Solice and Beutiful Fire for example are ferocious tracks – they are monsters in speed...but they still have good interplay. Day of Solace for example see’s a lot more symphonic use compared to the other songs, but opens extremely with speed, and returns to it not so long after a small interlude. This is well contrasted by In Pulchritude Adorned which almost sounds like a love songs in some respects – it’s a powerful song about self-discovery and self-empowerment and I think it’s well displayed through the tempo and construction of the song.

Two of the more interesting songs are Providential Love and Sunday’s Lament (which are conveniently tracks 8 and 9 respectively) . The previous has creative guitar work that has a definite groove edge to it, that almost doesn’t fit in to Dekadent’s sound, but works purely due to it’s careful placement and occasional rather than constant use. Sunday’s Lament is interesting purely for the drumming – it’s impressive stuff for a small Slovenian band.

This album is something that should make the band pat themselves on the back. They’ve managed to survive the great pressure and shadow built upon by their symphonic masterpiece – The Deliverance of the Fall – and come out stomping high with pride and dignity – no selling out, no change of values...this is black metal with liberal values at it’s purest and, by far, most beautiful.

9/10

Septic Flesh - The Great Mass

Septic Flesh (Septicflesh) are a band of great accomplishments. Their last 3 albums have helped them carve out a new approach to symphonic metal. Instead of focusing on gothic metal, or female-fronted symphonic metal (Sirenia, Nightwish, Theatre of Tragedy, Tristania all included here) and how they use instruments in relation to the metal influences Septic Flesh have created a new style of music, something far more powerful and beautiful.

The Great Mass continues with the same approach as I feel Communion had – this isn’t just about metal, it’s about creating a new breed of classical music. It’s obvious that there are a lot of 1800-1900 classical influences here...though I feel a lot of these are due to how metal music is constructed as opposed to the band themselves limiting their influence. As an interview in Terrorizor stated, they are huge fans of Mozart and Stravinsky and both influence the album.
Many wont get this album. It’s not a death metal album and isn’t designed for that niche. This is about the orchestra being as brutal as the guitar work, something I’m extremely keen on hearing more and even more pleased to hear is happening already by such an accomplished band – the only other band to try anything similar I feel really is Xerath who are still not quite as advanced as Septic Flesh and really have a different approach.

The Great Mass starts with The Vampire from Nazareth, which in turn begins with haunting female vocals and a build of orchestration before pummelling your ears to remind you this isn’t a film score or a simple concept album, this is bloody well Septic Flesh and you’re here to hear them. The song shows that the vocals have changed a lot, with “We offer the sun” chanted beautifully over the heavy orchestra/metal intercourse below. The Great Mass itself is one of the more brutal affairs, but still keeps the orchestra as an essential. The guitars do perhaps loose power here, and I can understand why many have been put off by this...but at risk of sounding like a musical elitist, you’re stupid for being put off for brutality. Orchestras are equally brutal.

Pyramid God amused me when I first heard it – not in a “what a joke” way, but in the manor that it was so damn catchy...yet didn’t compromise any of their sound. I’d compare this to Anubis off Communion for this reason, even though the songs are not similar at all. I mean, this song has an orchestral breakdown (if there is such a thing...well, there is now, so screw you).

My favourite track has to be Oceans of Grey though. Man, this song was caught in my head all day, and I think it’s because it’s so damn deep and textured. It’s like rubbing your hand along a 3d copy of the sheet music, with each note grasping every senses attention before one is forced to experience the next. This song really shows the use of the orchestra well...from 1:10 when the death metal dies down to something that any composer would be proud of...this song makes me cry with how beautiful it is (one song I don’t mine paying £45 to get the orchestral version of)!
Rising is different from the other songs in the sense it barely uses the orchestra, and is very reminiscent of their first 2 albums in this sense...it’s composed in a very traditional Septic Flesh style and should please all of the elitists who think they’re rubbish now they use an orchestra (and trust me, they do exist).

Apocalypse ends up being one of the heaviest tracks (remember, orchestras are heavy – embrace it) and one of the most complex on the album...that is before you hear Mad Architect – a song that helps the listener to understand the previous song – are humans gods of destruction and their own creation. It’s an epic song (but please, next time, make it 3x as long!) that at around 2minutes in becomes a sprawling symphony of emotions – something the band has mastered.
Therianthropy...yeah, it’s a weird song. It’s really cheesy...it reminds me of Lunatica’s EmOcean to be honest...which starts playing in my head at the same time, even though really they aren’t that similar at all. Oh well, it’s still a good song...if a bit more like Inactive Messiah.

Overall I’ll give this 9.5 out of 10 – I can’t give it 10 as no album is perfect, but the album is extremely strong. It could do with longer songs – songs that TRUELY show off their style compared to their companions of the genre.

Leaves' Eyes - Meredead

The long awaited follow up to Njord wasn’t something I was really losing sleep wondering about. A lot of people I know were extremely excited, but I was never a huge fan of Leaves’ or Liv for that matter (insert flaming here). It wasn’t really her voice – I like her voice really – it was just that I found them to be another symphonic band as opposed to anything truely original.

That opinion ended with Meredead. Not initially though (the first track didn’t captivate me much, ironically Njord is my favourite track of the album of the same name). When Étaín started playing I noticed that Leaves’ were taking a more thought through approach to their song writing.

Obviously from Spirits’ Masquerade it’s obvious they are using choirs and orchestration better; Étaín however is amazingly catchy, but doesn’t sacrifice this to become anything akin to a pop song – perhaps it’s the folk injections, however, via the methods of dual vocal passages and instrumentation, that truely make this song stand on end.

I’ll admit, after Étaín I had high hopes.

Velvet Heart was a song I’d already heard on youtube before the album was released. It’s by far the poppiest on the album, yet for once the lyrics aren’t traded in for more simple ones to make it more accessible. Moreover, it’s actually got – though sparingly used – really lovely choir parts written in that complement the use of the symphonic/folk elements of the song to brilliant results.

I was excited for Kråkevisa and Veritas/Nystev most though. Songs in freaking Norwegian! As someone who loves hearing other languages and folk songs these songs were ones I sat waiting to be played when I listened to the album. They are beautiful. I mean truely stunning songs. Of course, the lyrics aren’t the work of Leaves’ – I’m sure both are folk songs (I know Kråkevisa is, and I think Nystev’s lyrics are a folk song or folk story) but they are both so wonderfully unique to Leaves’ Eyes that it’s essentially made this album the album that transcends them from average symphonic/folk band, to masters of symphonic/folk metal – and I say this with great respect for them.
Meredead (the song itself) is also one that caught my attention. It’s very different from the rest of the songs on the album I feel...it’s a song that I think needs to be listened to a few times to truely appreciate...but with acoustic guitars maintained throughout, and wonderful vocal work as the introduction, this song defines the album.

It ends with Tell-Tale Eyes (unless you have the bonus track, but I don’t include these in reviews for bias purposes) – a relaxed folk song with male and female interplay. This song isn’t really for me – it’s the male vocalist I don’t really like here, and I feel the ‘alternate’ version on the Melusine EP is better, but it’s still a wonderful song and I can see why it would appeal and why it is the last song of the album...it really contrasts Nystev well and helps reveal the many wonderful sides of the folk/folk metal genre.

I feel there is a lot of room for improvement too – and I feel that they could make a few of their songs longer – as shown with Meredead and Sigrlinn, it’s something Leaves’ do well, where as songs like Velvet Heart feel like radio filler trash at times when compared with these epics.
8/10

Epica - Design Your Universe

I have a soft spot for Epica. They were one of the first bands – back in 2003 when I just entered Secondary School – that I really admired for using death metal vocals. Sure, I’d listened to some black metal – but I tend to drift from the vocals and beautify the music inplace – that’s what listening to Classical music all the time does to you. One day, I was on the internet and managed to hear “Cry for the Moon” by accident. I craved for this artist and had to find out who it was. Epica. I was at that moment a long standing fan.

When Design Your Universe was announced I was nervous. I loved The Divine Conspiracy and I struggled to see which direction Epica would take – their last few albums had seen Epica develop dramatically to a creative peak with the 14 minute epic title track – The Divine Conspiracy.

When Samadhi played, I knew it was Epica. Only Epica could use chants in this way...and whilst I stared at the cover art on my computer screen (full screen, that way I could admire it properly) I was filled with glee. Resign to Surrender starts with huge bombast – epic choir, backing strings, and much less Simone-focused vocal approach. I was worried this wouldn’t work, but I found that it was still very much Epica in sound, and just took a little bit of adjusting to.

I’d hate to say, but I think Unleashed is one of the weakest songs on the album. Not because it’s commercial – I loved Never Enough and that sounded like Evanescence with an injection of testosterone – it just never really appealed as much as the rest of the album...it seemed like a lazy song that focused on Simone purely to be accessible as opposed to being structured around Epica...but, hey, a band has to make money when it’s such a huge part of their lives.

The album has an extremely positive view I’d say though. As opposed to most death-influenced symphonic metal bands the lyrics aren’t just about pointing out flaws or constructing an argument – they point out points of progression towards a solution as well. And though a lot of the arguments result into Quantum Mysticism (which for anyone who is interested, has resulted in many interesting essays and experiments into quantum dualism/dualistic theories). I’ve always considered Epica to be more positive to delivering negative messages...like 80’s synthpop/new wave used to.

The 3 highlights for myself have to be Kingdom of Heaven, Design Your Universe (for once, the title track is not the longest song on the album), and Deconstruct. I know that many who read Deconstruct as a favourite must think I’m crazy – this is true, but it’s not why I chose it. Deconstruct is just a well crafted song that is fun to listen to. Something that is very often neglected in an album...luckily Epica created a varied album where most of the latter half actually flows together seamlessly.

Kingdom of Heaven will always be what draws most people’s attention though. This song is incredibly written, and unlike many songs of its length, it doesn’t sound like several songs with recurring themes glued together – it’s one cohesive song that’s not only brutal (which has had several fans ruling the band a sell out of the trends of music...erm...lol?) but also incredibly beautiful. Moreover, lyrics like “Misled by science, Our wake up call, Conditioning cannot fool us 'till the end” and “Scorn shall be directed at the genius, Represses subtle theories of the light, to the questions of life” show something rare; a band attacking theology and science at once. (Of course, I’m aware of the deeper purposes of this song).
Overall this album is beautiful, blinding, and surpasses all of Epica’s previous work (but TDC still remains my favourite, and always will probably) in terms of technicality, originality, and lyrically.

9/10