Billy & WegVag's Music Review

Lacuna Coil - Shallow Life

2009-04-08T12:38:00.001-07:00

I've been waiting to write this blog for quite some time. My respect for Lacuna Coil, as with a lot of their other fans, waned after they released Karmacode. All due respect to the album, it was a great, guitar driven album, but after waiting for many moons after the release of Comalies, it just didn't whet the appetite of those wanting some more atmospheric fuelled metal, such as myself. ;)

Shallow Life opens with Survive. As a song, again, i have to respect that it achieve in becoming what it probably was intended to be- a rocky track reminiscent of the bands prior release- the aforementioned Karmacode. Not a terrible start, but nothing to surprise or shock what had been expected from this release. What does stand out, for me, is the chanting that occurs part-way through the song. A subtle addition that adds a depth to the track, and makes the composition considerably more interesting.

I Won't Tell You runs a more melodic route- and Cristina Scabbia's vocals especially shine for the first time- complimenting Andrea's. It seems to take new steps for Lacuna Coil- not back into their atmospheric beginnings as many would hope, but treading new ground in the rock scene. A catchy track, and without doubt a great addition to the bands back catalogue of creations.

Scabbia takes prominence over Andrea for the first time- soaring in the chorus and bridge of Not Enough, the first highlight of Shallow Life. A blistering chorus that is only perfected by Cristina's powerful tones sees the band producing not just another great creation, but a potential hit single.

The album pushes forward, once more with Cristina taking center stage for I'm Not Afraid. The middle-eastern vibes return from Karmacode, with Scabbia's serene calls. Sadly, the song, for me, has nothing special and remains one of the most uninspired tracks on the album. Far from being terrible, or even bad, just predictable.

Mainstream rock takes audio form in the next track- I Like It. Despite a somewhat cheesy refrain from the lead-lady, the song has a catchy chorus and would fare well as a single, indefinitely. As a track, I Like It stands out from the other songs on offer- but whether that is a good thing or not remains for each listener to decide.

A darker sound, accompanied by Linkin Park styled electronics See's Underdog take Shallow Life in a new direction. Surprisingly, Andrea sounds particularly suited to this style, and with Cristina's backing, the vocals only make the track better. Another highlight, and a great return to form from the band.

The second half of Shallow Life proves to be the standout segment, as The Pain steps on more unknown territory. Industrial elements and alluring synths thrive for a more mellow sound- successfully topped off with Cristina's dulcet tones. Despite feeling that this song may have benefited more from a solo performance from Cristina, the track remains a favourite and a positive hint back to Comalies-styled material. Passionate and beautiful.

Spellbound fell under intense criticism from some Lacuna Coil fans for being too predictable, whilst it was hailed in equal measure from other audiences. Personally, the song acts perfectly as lead single. Presenting a sense of the album, as it does, and grabbing the listeners attention with a catchy and distinct chorus, another thing it succeeds in doing. Evidently an opinion divider, the track, admittedly, may be considerably akin to their Karmacode material, but certainly excels it, in my opinion, with it's excellent musicianship.

The albums first true ballad comes in the form of Wide Awake. Lead by a beautiful piano refrain. Without a doubt, one of the best tracks Lacuna Coil have put their name to. Trying something new seems to be the theme of Shallow Life, as this song sees them like never before and at emotional extremes. Cristina rightfully leads the stunning epic and the chorus is simply to die for. Exceptionally beautiful and an awaited success from the band.

Andrea returns and once again finds his perfect grounding on the verses of The Maze. The chorus may be a little underwhelming, but the verses and Cristina herself save it from failure. A good track, could certainly be better, but a good track nonetheless.

The penultimate track on this release, Unchained, is another potential single. Embedding itself and it's vocal lines into your subconscious, the track leads perfectly to a close by bringing together all that Shallow Life has promoted- amazing vocals, catchy refrains and excellent musicianship.

Shallow Life ends with it's title track. Taking the brave decision to end with another mellow, industrial heavy composition that sees the band evolve from the monotony of Karmacode, contrasting it with the utter experimentation of Shallow Life.

Without a doubt, nothing i expected or desired from Lacuna Coil returned on Shallow Life. However, the bands evolution and progression has produced a record that i enjoyed and embraced not as a disappointed Lacuna Coil fan, but as a fan that has accepted their growth and thankfully found the beauty in it.

8/10

Interview: Bim 'Taking The Right Steps' [Ambient / Electro]

2007-11-04T07:20:00.000-08:00

Bim are a british electro outfit, currently supporting the release of their debut album. The duo are part of the internet sensation: sellaband.com which elevates artists into the eyes of a wider audience, here we speak to Tim Davis about Sellaband, gigging and their eighth album...

First of all, how did you hear about Sellaband?
Katy Davis (my sister) produced the video for Second Person's 'Gone Fishing'. After hearing the band, we saw they were on a site called sellaband.. and haven't looked back!

How do you feel your Sellaband journey is going so far?
Well enough! We are still slowly creeping up the list, almost reaching the top 20 in the world. All the hard work is paying off - but there is still lots and lots to do!

Who are you're influences?
Eeek! This is a hard question! I learnt to write songs after growing up listening to the likes of Eric Clapton, Elton John, Enya and Queen. Through my teenage years I was very much into rock bands, and loved the crossover between electro and rock. Bands like Pitchshifter and Deftones were some of my favourites. Nowadays I like to use the phrase 'anything that's good' - sorry for being vague, but it's true!

We both keep a keen eye on the commercial side of music, always being interested in what is popular and 'chart-worthy'. I guess that's why we aren't a crazy-electro group - maybe for our 8th album, hehe!

How do you feel when you gain a new believer?
I feel proud. Becoming a believer shows that there is a lot of respect and faith for the music, and us as people.

Will Bim be touring/performing soon?
Yes! We are currently finding band members to play live with us - and have been playing acoustic shows with cello, piano and voice. It takes time to grow as a live act, and we are certainly taking the right steps to get there!

What will the future hold for the band?
I believe it will hold everything we dream of. Sellaband will be a fantastic stepping stone for us. I can't wait to record the album.

Finally, Any message for your fans/believers?
Stay with us! We will not forget about your amazing support. Thank you for inspiring us to continue in this rollercoaster of a journey!

Bim @ Sellaband

Official Bim Website

Interview: Invey 'It's All Rock 'N' Roll Baby' [Metal]

2007-11-04T07:09:00.000-08:00

Invey are the self proclaimed 'Hate Fuelled' saviors of british metal. Constantly touring, and advertising themselves, they have recently released their debut cd: 'Addiction For Comfort'. Lead vocalist Claire Natalie tells us about the bands future as they continue to tour the country

What is Invey? Is it a made up word...?
It's an old English word that means to curse or to verbally harrass someone. It's kinda apt.

How far back do the band go? When were you formed?
Invey was formed about four years ago when we started writing and played Bloodstock.

You played at Bloodstock 2003, How was that?
Wicked, there's an atmosphere that's completely different to any other festival we've done.

Who inspires you, personally?
We all have different personal influences that span pop to hardcore. Hopefully that comes across well in our music.

What would you say was the high point of you're career so far?
I don't know If I can answer that yet, we've not been going long enough to have had a real career. It's like Britney writing an autobiography and everyone thing well hell your only 18 how can you write a book about your life already. I will say we love playing though and if there's an audience that get's you then that's always a good feeling.

...and the low point?
None really you take the good with the bad.

Before Addiction For Comfort, had you recorded any material?
An E.P. called Release.

What is the most receptive song at concerts?
Usually Release. It's the video that's had the most promotion. There's a new one called F.U.L that's always well received though.

Have you ever had any embarrassing moments on stage?
Every time we play I always fall over or do something stupid. I kinda zone out though and don't notice cables and stuff, one time I fell over about five times in one show that was really funny but no one mentioned it.

What does the future hold for Invey?
Hopefully a few people will buy the album and turn up to our shows. Other than that it's all rock n' roll baby.

Claire, you're movements on stage are often very energetic, do you dance outside of Invey?
Only when I'm drunk...

Invey Official
Invey @ Myspace

Interview: Tiffany Gow - "No Fear. No Doubt." [Metal / Rock]

2007-10-23T12:07:00.002-07:00

Sellaband.com, the latest method of getting noticed is slowly but surely becoming an accomplished route to success. With artists such as Julia Marcell, Vegas Dragons and Nemesea, among others, obtaining a vast majority of support from the site, its progress looks likely to grow more and more. One of the most dedicated artists on the website, and one of the most determined, Tiffany Gow finally made a break for the top 10 artists recently, and it seems nothing is going to get in her way...

Tiffany, thanks so much for taking the time for this interview. First of all, how did you discover sellaband.com?

My Best Friend, Mr Brian Taylor of Vegas Dragons was walking along the main street in Sydney when he noticed a Newspaper clipping. He was originally attracted to the article because he loves Science Fiction and thought it was a related Article. As by an incredible twist of fate, it was actually about 'Sellaband' and the concept of having an opportunity of investing in an Artists future. He told me and showed me the site. We of course, immediately joined up. It was an incredible opportunity that from Day One we both knew we had every success at achieving and that we are proof that you can definitely achieve 50K on Sellaband.

Brian has successfully reached 50K and is working in the Pre-production of his Sellaband album and I am extremely proud to say that I have the honor of being included on Page One. I have come so far, in January I was approximately Page 3/4 and on $1000. Team Tiff is progressing very fast daily and we are living proof with extreme consistent hard work you can be well on your way to 50K and then actually achieve it.

On the subject of believers, you are also a believer aswell as an artist, so what draws you personally to believe in an artist?

First and foremost, the way the music makes me feel. I am an extremely emotional person, so I have to feel it well in my bones. It either has to do one of two things (preferably both !) either make me feel fantastic or make me cry. If it doesn't do anything remotely for me with those emotions - forget it ! A positive attitude and creative thinking is essential.

A big turnoff for me is an Artist/Band that is exceptionally talented but logs in once a month or even longer than a month. Sellaband should be taken as seriously as any other job. It is great to make friends and have fun but if you want to be taken seriously you have to work hard and regularly.
This is your career and should be approached with the utmost professionalism.

Your debut CD, No Fear is available to believers, what is you're favourite song from it?

Absolutely without a doubt the title track of the Album "No Fear". The memory of writing this song is as clear as yesterday. I was sitting on a train going to work. I was so depressed and sad. I hated my life. Going to work each day to a job that I could not stand in order to fund my music was heart wrenching and that's how "No Fear" was born. I saw so many people (and sadly still do today) that go to work day in and out to a job they hate just in order to put food on the table and live. We all must live but surely there is that one thing that they are passionate about doing, that could also finance daily living ? I wrote from the aspect that if I really do not go for my dreams, I may wake up miserable too and that really scares me. I sadly have a friend who wanted to be a successful musician but his partner become pregnant and well....you can figure out the rest. It is so sad but I always remember him. You can see the sadness and regret in his eyes. It breaks my heart and is a motivating factor for me.

... And which song would you say you would most like to Revisit/Re-record if you got a chance?

To be really honest - none. I am very proud of the album. It reflected that time of my life and I am very proud of the songs I wrote. I am extremely so happy to say that my voice has become so incredibly strong. I am really evolving as an Artist and I really I like the person am I. I come along way since musically and personally recording "No Fear".

As a female in the metal scene, how do you cope? Do you feel it is harder/easier to achieve success if you're a female?

I don't really think about it to be honest, as the number of Female Rock/Metal singers is increasing all the time. I just go out on Stage and concentrate on singing the best I possibly can. I look up to Gwen Stefani, she is a great example that a "Rock Chick" can match the guys any day.
I feel there is equal opportunity for both sexes. Looks and Images are skin deep and Ultimately it is a combination of your music, hard work, attitude, being at the right place at the right time and fate/destiny at the end of the day that determines your success - Male or Female.

You will always get some criticism but i am strong enough to cope with petty jealously.

Give us an insight into the Tiffany, away from music.
What hobbies do you have other than music? We hear you're a very busy girl...

You mean when I am not working 45-60 hrs a week ? !!!! I work quite hard but the only reason is to fund my dreams and the remainder to live on. I try to remember this at work, so I constantly remind myself of the whole point of doing it.

I Love cooking !!! Hence where the autographed spoon came from ! But sadly do not have alot of time anymore. I cook at every given opportunity.

I love seeing live gigs and movies. I am a huge fan of movies and sadly walk around often quoting famous lines from my Favorite flicks !

Spending time with my family and my best friend is really important to me. They are everything to me and are so supportive and truly genuine people.

One of my biggest passions is Rugby league. I was born and bred into a Football town, where (and no I am not kidding !) most people are Rugby league mad !!! I love to Kick back on a weekend and watch the footy with a cold beer with my family/friends. It is a simple but extremely enjoyable part of my life. The Knight tattoo on my left arm is my team's emblem !!!!!

(The Newcastle Knights).

What are the plans for the next year or so, with your music?

I plan on making 50k within the next 4-5 months at the most. I am aiming to achieve 50k earlier than this. I am extremely confident that I will be at 50K within this time frame, if not earlier. I am gaining incredible momentum. I am progressing quite steadily every day. The support from my Sellaband friends is absolutely amazing, I have no doubt at all about reaching 50K soon.

When I do, I am going to make an Incredibly high quality CD. I will make sure it is the absolute best I can produce and then extensively go out and promote it. Have Fan days to sign autographs and give back to the beautiful people that have made Team Tiff the success it is.

I will be singing on one song on the Vegas Dragons album in December/ January. I am so excited and honoured to be doing this. I would love to work at some point with Vegas Dragons also.

Touring, either Solo or as a support act is a huge goal of mine for 2008.

I have always dreamed of performing with Bon Jovi at some point of my career, whether that be 2008 or little later, it is still a goal I would love to achieve. Any opportunity given to me, I will indeed grab with both hands and work really hard. Touring Europe has always been a huge dream of mine. I have found that alot people from European countries love my music. The Sky is the limit-I plan on being extremely successful and repaying back the faith of my friends well beyond 2008.

2008 will be Fantastic but I know that after achieving 50K, the hard work will always continue. I will enjoy every moment but continually work hard to maintain and improve success. Always making sure my family and fans are being properly taken cared of an their faith repaid.

Is There Any Plan To Tour/Perform Soon?

I have performed many, many successful shows and I will continue to perform shows till the day I die. There is nothing like the feeling of performing. It is such a buzz and there is truly nothing else on the planet that can make you feel like this. The support and fan base I have is incredible and it motivates me so very much. Fan participation at shows is so important. It is not only about seeing me perform, it is about enjoying the moment with your fans and ensuring they have a great time too.

If you had an unlimited budget, and unlimited time, what type of cd would you create, genre-wise?

I would experiment with many different styles such as Opera, Jazz, latin infused with Rock and Metal. I just love Rock fusion.

With an Unlimited Budget I would collaborate with some of my idols such as Bon Jovi and Chris Cornell (Audioslave). I am a huge fan of Linkin Park and would at some point of my career produce a song/s similiar in style to their Rap/Metal fusion sound.

Basically just experiment with sound and put on my album what sounds great and feel right.

How do you feel when you notice believers have put their faith in you?

Extremely grateful and Happy. I do not take any of my friends faith and hard earned money for granted and never,ever will. What they are doing for the team is incredible and I truly cannot Thank all my Beautiful friends enough. They see incredible potential in my recording career and envision success. My believers motivate and encourage the best out of me so much. When a friend believes, it only makes me work stronger and harder and re-inforces my self belief and creative abilities. Their faith gives re-confirms that I will definately achieve 50K with absolute certainity.

You recently duetted with Dandelium, a fellow Sellaband artist, What is the song 'Stronger' about?

The music of 'Stronger' was written by Dandelium. However, I wrote the lyrics and arranged the vocal structure.

The lyrics are about being locked away in an unhappy relationship. Your true self being pushed down and buried. It is about the other person trying to change who you are and that ultimately Karma will work it's magic on them and they will in the end get their 'Just desserts', it is also about coming through the darkness and letting ago of all the misery.

Regaining your own life.

And finally, are the spiders really common on Australia? EEK! :-|

Hell yeah !!!!! I have a private spider collection !!! Keep's the big bad woof away !!!!! hehehehe

They are quite common but like most animals if you leave them alone,they will leave you alone. Sounds more than fair to me !!!

Thanks so much Tiff, and good luck with you're future on Sellaband.

Tiffany Gow @ Sellaband
Tiffany Gow @ Myspace

Fan Interview: Morgan Claire on Sirenia

2007-10-23T12:07:00.001-07:00

Morgan Claire is a devoted fan of Symphonic metal band Sirenia, who hail from Norway. Here she speaks about her contact with the band, her favourite aspects of Sirenia, and Mortens girlfriends blonde moments...

When and how did you discover Sirenia?

Last year in August, I bought Beyond the Veil by Tristania (Morten of Sirenia's former band) and my best friend told me to download Sirenia if I liked it, so I downloaded Lethargica and really loved it...and I also thought Morten was a sexy beast so I got At Sixes and Sevens in December :-)

What do you find so Compelling about Sirenia?

Because is doesn't sound like every other gothic metal band, because Morten is sexy, because the singers aren't all opera chicks, because Morten is sexy, because they try different things without giving up who they are, and because Morten is sexy.

What Album is you're favourite? And Which songs do you enjoy most?

My favorite album is An Elixir for Existence and my favorite song is...I don't know. I have a lot but my favorites overall are Meridian, Manic Aeon, Voices Within, Star-crossed, Sundown and Glades of Summer!

As a close fan, do you have any personal contact with the band members? Have you had any contact in the past?

Well I have contact with Monika and Morten's girlfriend through Myspace since I often leave Monika image comments, she replies sometimes.
...Did I mention that Morten's gf had 30 of 39 blonde moments? Just thought I'd share...

Sirenia have been known for swapping vocalists throughout their 3 albums, which singer is you're personal favourite?

I like all of them. Fabienne is obviously the best vocal wise but she wasn't an official part of the band so I can't say her, Henriette was good live but not so much in studio even though she was sexy, Monika is probably my favorite since I think people judge her too much even though she's nice and talented.

Is there anything that Sirenia could do to make you dislike them?

I don't think there's much they could do- except get rid of Morten. Which WOULD NOT BE COOL.
And finally, what do you think makes a good fan, in general?

I think what makes a good fan is when you stick with the band 'til the very end and always appreciate their music, no matter what it becomes.

Morgan @ Myspace
Sirenia's Official Site

Review: After Forever - After Forever [Metal]

2007-07-14T14:24:00.000-07:00

After Forever promised great things with their newest album. The self titled release was said to be a mixture of their earlier material, with their more melodic recent releases. Following the dissappointing Remagine, the band have a lot to prove, but does After Forever prove anything at all?

The album opens with the gothic anthem 'Discord'. Choirs in tow, along with the epic orchestra, the band really have gone back to their roots. Not truly, ofcourse, as ex-member Mark Jansen was highly responsible for the orchestral antics provided on debut album 'Prison Of Desire' and 'Decipher'. However, this fresher, heavier gothic sound really suits After Forever, and is a splendid opener, and should be a cracking live track also.

'Evoke' hints back to the more mainstream leanings of Remagine, with touches of Exordium-era After Forever to add a nice touch. Floor Jansen really shows she is the Queen of metal, with her impressive vocal skills. Elegantly yet forcefully, she leads the song along, particularly in the chorus 'Let It Flow. This Endless Beauty Will Evoke'. It's also worth noting how keyboardist Joost Van Den Broek has influenced the bands sound too, with his beautiful keyboard arrangements.

The third song is likely to be a live favourite. 'Transitory' is fast, simple and heavy, to the point of exhaustion. It's amazing beat, topped off by Floors strong vocals, entwining with the deep grunts of Sander Gommans. The vocal lines are insanely catchy, and the keyboard effects are vital in making this song as perfect as it is. Those expecting After Forever to be an airy female fronted band, that never passes funeral pace, will be surprised by this powerful track.

Lead single 'Energize Me' is a catchy, mainstream track, reminiscent of the recent After Forever releases. However, Energize Me manages to be interesting, and typically After Forever, aswell as radio-friendly and appealing. Highly commendable first single, especially the powerful vocals in the later choruses.

'Equally Destructive' may appear to be the heaviest track on After Forever, but the novelty soon wears off, and you are left with a generic rock song. However, the lyrical themes are very interesting, dealing with earthquakes and natural disasters. The song still manages to be interesting in places, particularly the last chorus when Floor does some beautiful multi-vocals.

Get ready for another fusion of old and new After Forever with track 6 'Withering Time'. The amazing orchestra and powerful heaviness bombard the listener on the first hearing. Around the 2 minute mark, the orchestras begin to sound like a devilish movie soundtrack, before throwing itself into a metallic feast, with grunts screams and fast guitar action. Definitly one of the heaviest After Forever songs. The chorus is also a well thought out catchy choir-fest, lead, ofcourse, by the seductive Floor Jansen.

'De-Energized' opens fiercly like a movie trailer. The epic opening leads into a battle of grunts and keyboard-lead metal. Sander Gommans is on top form with his fine-tuned growls, as Floor puts in her best performance to date, striking down a stunning note towards the end of the chorus. around 2.5 minutes, she goes almost acapella, backed only by a few effects, and pulls it off spectacularly. Her amazing skill as a vocalist really shines through on every track. The choirs, although not used as often as usual, still perform very well, and appear at the perfect times. They sound anxious and angry, with their sudden notes, a perfect supplement to a great song.

Power-ballads are often a tragic affair, with the vocalist yelping at the wrong times. However, sometimes they are done with such effort and precision, that the artist has to be applauded. As you can probably guess 'Cry With A Smile' despite the god-awful title is an epic, melancholic ballad that is the band at their best. Not much more can be said, other than the band are on fine form, each member playing their part perfectly, creating a wonderfully beautiful song.

'Being Everyone' from 2005's Remagine was a very strange foray into melodic pop metal. It may worry fans to hear that 'Envision' is not much different. But this track offers so much more, the interesting, yet catchy vocal lines, to the beautiful keyboard effects, 'Envision' actually turns out to be a highlight of the album. A single release would have been perfect, as this is a great example of After Forevers amazing songwriting skills.

'Who I Am' is a duet with rock goddess Doro. On paper it sounds perfect, two of the greatest vocalists working together. True, they both add a unique and flawless vocal performance but the song itself is dreadfully boring. Nothing outstanding in the slightest, on the musical front. Thank goodness it wasn't an instrumental... Perhaps the wekaest track on the album.

The album continues with the beautiful 'Dreamflight'. The album opens just as graceful as its title, with a short string segment, fading into the voice of Floor. Bas Maas makes his first, and only appearance on this track with his effortless voice. The song switches between strong, metallic passages and calmer, serene segments. Not the greatest epic ever written, but surely an interesting and commendable track.

The album concludes with the electronic influenced 'Empty Memories'. This is a perfect ending, especially with the calm choral passages, and the final 'No No No' that Floor spits venemously, ths is truly among After Forevers best work. The lyrics, also are nothing less than amazing.

Overall, After Forever prove all doubters wrong by releasing a strong and honest album. I must state, they do hint at the earlier material, not as often as i would like, but they kept their promise. There is only 2 weak tracks on the album, and even those have their charms, and the strong tracks more than make up for their downfalls. After Forever is an astounding album that deserves to be heard by all fans of the genre, aswell as people who like their music heavy.

Review: Epica - The Divine Conspiracy [Metal]

2007-07-14T11:54:00.000-07:00

Releasing a debut album, as amazing as Epica's release The Phantom Agony can be a blessing and a curse. The album brought them a mass of attention and success, but also raised them on a pedestal, and the second album Consign To Oblivion, although still succesful, was panned for being too generic, and straying too far from the sound that garnered their success. With a return to form due, is The Divine Conspiracy the album the fans expect...

The Divine Conspiracy is the first concept album by Epica. It deals with the theory that, as a test, God created all kinds of different religions and released those upon humanity to see if they would be able to find the true nature of them, realizing that in all religions it is actually the same. The main character is introduced in the prologue and can be found in the last songs.

The Divine Conspiracy opens with, as always, a slow build up. This time we are treated to the best intro yet; Indigo. Sure, it lasts a little longer than it should, but the amazing orchestra is so breathtaking, this isn't just metal, this is film music. Hans Zimmer would have been proud, that's for sure.

`The Obsessive Devotion' starts with heavy guitar riffs and orchestra. Immediatly it's clear how much Simone has grown between Consign to Oblivion and The Divine Conspiracy when she hits the first lines with her angry voice. The drums done by Ariën van Weesenbeek are great and make you want to headbang. Already a proven great life song, this song rocks just as much on the cd. The spoken segment by Amanda Somerville is very passionate and emotional, followed by amazing choirs and Marks angry grunts.

Symphonic Metal at its heaviest, describes 'Menace Of Vanity'. A surprisingly bombastic arguement between the guttural growls of Mark and the collective force of the skill of each participant. A truly strong song that has little, or no faults at all. Each portion is thought up wonderfully, ensuring everything works together to create such an exceptional song. This song on the live scene will definitly blow anyone away.

The 4th song of The Divine Conspiracy is `Chasing The Dragon'. We used to wonder, wow what's Epica got to do with dragons? But it didn't turn out to be a fantasy tale, instead this song deals with problems of drugs. The song includes an acoustic guitar, though abit drowned by Simone's powerful voice. Slowly getting heavier by adding drums and heavy orchestra, we come to the beautiful chorus. With Marks angry grunts, frantic violins, and a male choir the song comes to a heavy climax, reminding of `Run For a Fall'.

`Never Enough' is the most mainstream track on the album, and therefore a perfect candidate for lead single. Simone features promimently, showcasing her superb skills once again. Also, for a single release, this track is conciderably heavy, even including grunts towards the chorus. The final note hit by Simons is a perfect conclusion to a great song. Definitly not the best track, but by far a strong and interesting single.

`Le'petach Chatat Rovetz' is an instrumental intro for `Death of a Dream', featuring oriental instruments, with the title focusing on the Jewish religion. The score seems to have been a source for this song.

The first of the series of 'mbrace That Smother's section is `Death Of A Dream'. Perhaps one of the heaviest tracks, opening with an array of angry choral sections, talented drums courtesy of Arjen and a major guitar shredding. The vocal lines, as with most tracks, are very interesting, with Simone, as always, on fine form. The song also features a guest, in Sander from After Forever, lending his powerful grunts, to entwine with the powerful Epica sound. The song is likely to be a success on the life front also, alike `Menace Of Vanity', it's almost impossible not to bop your head with this track.

`Living a Lie (The Embrace That Smothers - Part VIII)' is probably the slowest song out of the The Embrace That Smothers series (which run back to After Forever's first album; Prisoner of Desire). A humming choir opens the song leading to the first verse by Mark, in turns verses are taken by the choir. The very slow and rather boring chorus is sung by Simone. A Latin segment featuring some religion aspects is terribly spoken without emotion or conviction. The only original and interesting part of this song is the end: Hebrew chanting leading into `Fools Of Damnation'.

The final of the Embraces is the best. `Fools of Damnation' is such a detailed, individual Epica song. Featuring a few details that make it 'Epica' but also incorporating new vocal lines, and new instrumentals such as the indian influence. The song begins, reminiscent of `Seif Al Din' from the debut, with Simone performing beautiful chants leading into a slow, mournful chorus, where she shows she can be emotional aswell as effortlessly amazing. The true hilight of this song is the astonishingly magnifiscent chorus. The way Simone serenades with the word 'Fools' is superbly catchy and will have you singing along for a while.

`Beyond Belief' is a typical Epica song, which makes it slightly boring and predictable. The chorus however is very catchy with an amazing choral segment. Heavy guitar riffs make this a great live song, the solo on the other hand is overdone. Fragments of the news aren't very original and reminds of `Beneath' by After Forever. By fading heartbeats we slowly enter the afterlife..

`Safeguard To Paradise' begins with a slow, soothing piano intro, that never quite gets anywhere. It succeeds in being a boring ballad that, despite such serene lyrics, and a very nice melody, particularly the vocal lines of Simone, Safeguard To Paradise is nowhere near as beautiful as it had the potential to be.

Another typical Epica song, `Sancta Terra' opens with orchestra and slightly strange keyboard sounds. Simone sings most of the song, only joined by the choir in the amazing and catchy chorus. Once more you can hear the enormous progress in Simone's voice. This being a heavy and catchy song I can't wait to see this song live!

The finale of the album is this 'divine' epic, 'The Divine Conspiracy' is a 13-minute track that concludes the theme of the opus. The vocal theme is very smilar to that of `Consign To Oblivion', a large amount of duty rests on Mark Jansens screams/growls and the choirs. With Simone occasionally chipping in at the perfect time. The song is a grandeur track that needs a lot of concentration to understand its true beauty. Especially the intricate details such as the serene voilins and unique fusion of grunts and organs. My only complaint of this track is the fact that the orchestral segment seems to last a little too long. But to end such a strong album, this track is wonderful.

Overall, Epica have created another masterpiece, making up for their controversial last album, Consign To Oblivion. The Divine Conspiracy is a heavy, beautiful and epic album that delivers in every imaginable way.

Epica Official
Epica @ Myspace

Interview: To-Mera 'Transcending From Mars' [Metal]

2007-07-10T05:32:00.000-07:00

To-Mera are a british band that specialise in an interesting mixture of Jazz, Progressive Metal and a variety of other genre's, topped with the serene tones of vocalist, Julie Kiss. The band have released one cd so far; Transcendental on Candlelight, i got the chance to speak to guitarist and composer, Lee Barrett about femme-metal, the success of Transcendental, and opening for Emperor.

Hey Lee! First of all, thanks alot for answering these questions! It means a lot!
No problem!

To-Mera's debut album 'Transcendental' was received very well by both critics and fans, do you feel any pressure to make the follow up even better?
Not really. We already know the next album will be better because the new songs are far more mature and written on a grander scale. Transcendental was the first 8 songs we ever wrote, and stylistically there were places where we were just basically dipping our toes in the water. We've got a lot more confidence as a band now, and more of an idea of what works and what doesn't for us.

You play a lot of shows in England, will you be visiting any other countries when the next CD is released?
That's the plan. It's difficult trying to get support slots, etc, when you only have one album out. But we have a good booking agent who will hopefully be pro actively pushing us onto a decent tour should the opportunity arise. We're happy to play everywhere and anywhere!

You've toured with a variety of bands, from the Gothic ambience of Octavia Sperati, to the utter brutality of Emperor. What is it like to perform to such wide audiences? What type of reception do you receive?
Well, the Emperor show was a strange one. 2000 people looking at us like we'd come from Mars :). We didn't get booed off or anything bad like that, but it was definitely a partisan Emperor crowd. I guess to a degree we could play with most types of bands, but we'd be more comfortable playing with progressive metal bands. Symphony X would be nice, someone like that.

Forgive me if i'm wrong, but i remember you said you recorded 2 videos? The video for 'Blood' was released a while ago, but what happened to the second video, for 'Phantoms'?
No, the original plan was to do two videos, but since very few TV stations bothered to play "Blood" we decided not to bother paying for another video.

Could you give us an explanation as to what the video for 'Blood' is about?
The director interpreted the lyrics in a slightly different way than the song intends, but it seemed fun to do it this way (even though not many people get it!). In the video, it's relating to the fact that it's difficult to escape your past. It's always around to haunt you. I can't really go much deeper than that, hehe.

Due to Julie Kiss being female [I'm pretty sure, anyway ;)] To-Mera get lumped into the Femme Metal category with bands such as Nightwish and Evanescence. Do you see this is a good thing? Or not?
We used to be annoyed about it, but now we don't care to be honest. It's impossible to stop people thinking in this way. We know we have nothing in common with these other bands, and a lot of other people realise this too. That's good enough for us.

Are you interested in the femme metal scene?
Not really, I have to say. There are some great individual bands, like Stolen Babies, Unexpect, Aghora, Diablo Swing Orchestra, etc, but I'd listen to them no matter who was singing. I've seen a few of the femme bands play live, and After Forever seem like a very tight and professional band. I wouldn't listen to them at home though.

At home what music would you listen to?
I have literally thousands of CDs, so anything from Abscess to ZZ Top. I have a rotation of random songs playing all the time, and once in a while I focus on particular band. Right now I'm crazy for Death Breath and Kansas with some Mats/Morgan, Anti-Cimex and Amon Amarth thrown in too. I'll listen to anything from emo to jazz to death metal to experimental noise.

Was it strange, to be picked up by the label you founded? ;) :)
It was to be honest. It's a long(ish) story, but I'll try and keep it short :)

I was involved for a short while with Earache records and my imprint label there (Elitist) had been cancelled (this is a story of it's own, hehe). Anyway, I had some bands in the studio or with finished albums that Earache were refusing to pay for. In desperation, I turned to Edward, the "new" owner of Candlelight to see if he could help to take some bands from me (he took Daylight Dies and Wolverine). When I sent the other band's CDs I also threw in a To-Mera demo. At this point we were already speaking to two other labels, but a week or so later I got an email saying that Candlelight were interested too.

It was obviously slightly strange for me considering my past, but Candlelight offered the best deal in terms of flexibility and artistic control and, as a band, we chose them over the other deals offered.

What is going to be happening with To-Mera in the next year?
The new album will be out early 2008. We hope we get the chance to support the record with plenty of shows.

To-Mera are currently recording the follow up to their debut CD; Transcendental.

To-Mera @ Myspace
To-Mera Official

Review: Nemesea - In Control [Rock/Electronic]

2007-07-04T10:10:00.000-07:00

Nemesea have certainly changed over the past few years, from the mournful, yet beautiful brand of symphonic metal they produced on debut, 'Mana', to this, the opposite type of gothic metal. With more electronics, no more orchetras and no more choirs, vocalist Manda has even given her operatic vocals a rest. But the question is, was it worth it?

The album opens with the extremely radio-friendly, punchy track 'No More'. The verses are delicately whispered by Manda, before the band kick in for the powerful chorus. It's almost impossible to remember the bands darker past, when this catchy album is in your hands!

The title track; 'In Control' is less impressive. Sure, it has psychadelic undertones, catchy beats, and a simple verse-chorus-verse formula, but wait a second, so did 'No More'. 'In Control' is by no means a terrible song, it's not even remotely bad, it's simply forgettable.

'Home' is the third track, and opens in a rather predictable way, the same effects are hidden beneath Manda's beautiful voice [the saving grace of the CD, so far]. However, when the chorus lashes out, unexpectedly, i am made to eat my words, it all fits together, the chorus is extremely professional, beautiful vocal lines and a lovely melody intertwine, to create the standout track of 'In Control'

Fellow Sellaband-victor, Cubworld appears in the next song. Granted, the song is a refreshing change from the same old electronics, but i can't help but feel that 'The Way I Feel' could have been so much better, and more powerful. The positive note is the succesful merge of Cubworlds acoustic ambience, and Nemeseas beautiful arrangements, aswell as Manda's breathtaking vocals, once again dominating the attention of all who listen in.

The CD proceeds with 'Lost Inside'. The song would sure enough embed inside your brain, and after a few listens, it's easy to sing along, the repetition of the line; 'I Can't Tell You' is very powerful, and well thought out. The lyrics are once again, interesting, and forward, as with most songs on the CD, however, another feeling tells me, the song could have been so much better, if it wasn't so similar to the other tracks of 'In Control'.

'Remember' is one of the truly weak tracks on 'In Control'. It's hard to be so negative towards a lovely band, but this song truly is 'filler' material. A boring song, that has been done time and time again. The only positive comment i can muster for this track is the heavy electronics sounding not-too-bad.

Thank goodness for 'Believe', another great song, a heavy, mid-paced, easy on the ear track that is a nice change, and to hear Manda reach her true potential is great. One of the most enjoyable tracks from the album, sounding like a mix between Sheryl Crow and Korn.

'Like The Air' is a nice song, and i regret to say, i wished the album ended here. The song has the most beautiful lyrics of all the tracks, and the wonderful chorus has been a favourite of mine, since it's demo stages. Perhaps, not the most original song, but still incorporating Nemesea sound. A rare hilight of 'In Control'.

The final two tracks 'Broken' and 'Never', on first listen give you a strange sense of Deva Ju. Due to the severe lack of originality, despite the chorus of 'Broken' being slightly bareable, the two songs truly should have been left out of the album. They give nothing to the sound, and achieve even less. An anti-climax, for sure.

Overall, the latest Nemesea album, though it pains me to say it, is dissappointing. Nothing you haven't heard before, and could easily be re-enacted for free, by playing the latest Clubbers Anthems compilation over a Korn CD. Nothing special, and rather boring. By all means, download the standout tracks; 'Home', 'Believe', and 'No More'. But sadly, i've lost almost all my interest in Nemesea for the time being.

Nemesea Official
Nemesea @ Sellaband
Nemesea @ Myspace

Live Review: Devolution Vs Insomnia Festival [Metal/Rock]

2007-06-28T11:36:00.000-07:00

True goth is extremely misunderstood. The mainstream perceive it as My Chemical Romance, and anyone daring to be different, many metal scribes insist it is anything with a female vocalist, but no my dears, if you want goth, you've come to the right place. The Devolution Vs Insomnia Festival opens its doors at 4pm, the variety of CD's and merchandise on offer stretched throughout the back of the venue draws the attention of almost everyone, before the first band take to the stage;

Ivy's Itch are a relatively underground band, playing an interesting form of Grunge rock. The vocalist Eliza Gregory takes to the stage in her floral dress, the picture of innocence and beauty, the opening chords are strummed as she childishly plays around with her guitar. Her high and fragile voice begins to seep through the speakers, and without a moments warning, she throws her arms in the air, and screams down the microphone with such passion and anger, a truly great vocalist. The band itself are very heavy, perhaps the heaviest of the day, and play with excellent precision. My two favourites from their set is the midpaced 'Roses' and creepy-beautiful 'Laudanum' Interesting and talented band, who truly deserve to go far...

Sadly TearTricks didn't make it to the event, therefore the next band to play were the local, Lycan, who took to the stage like true professionals. Sadly, their music wasn't entirely my cup of tea, though a lot of people, especially my friend, enjoyed their brand of heavy metal. The standout track has to be the lengthy, 'Primal' that shows Lycan's amazing songwriting skills.

The third performer is the (one-time) soloist SarahJane and her project, Novus. Having met her before the show, i was excited to see her onstage. As she kicked off her set, she relied heavily on a backing tape, due to the lack of her band (They had not turned up, eek!). However it's extremely admirable to see SarahJane draw in the audience for the first time today. A really beautiful voice set off lead single; 'Liberty' and album tracks such as 'The Closer The Net'. Despite the odds building up against her, she proves her worth by making it through the set, and gaining many new fans. A really admirable performer, for sure.

I was planning to leave before Pro-Jekt took the stage, so the next two bands Avoidance Of Doubt, and Two Witches were eagerly awaited, as my own headliners.

Avoidance Of Doubt kicked off the longer sets with their amazing mix of metal and interesting effects. The deep voice of D.Void worked well, and the stage presence was astounding. The band came out in full force, headsets, microphone stands and wings intact and hold the audience for the whole 45 minutes. The band are very energetic and witty, often jumping into the crowd to get closer, and throwing out all the stops with their intense live show. Despite the lack of dancer, Missy, the band prove nothing can stop them, with hilights such as; Jesus Wept and Watch Me Bleed.

The final band i encountered on my gothic venture were the finnish, Two Witches, alike Avoidance Of Doubt, the band really prove their worth on the live scene, delighting various devoted fans, the bands clothing was also very interesting and brave! With fire-eaters, tons of latex and some good gothic rock, the climax of my night couldn't have been better!

The festival was an amazing experience, the beautiful clothing, amazing music and great merch, it was time to dedicate myself to visiting this festival as many times as possible!

Avoidance Of Doubt Official
Avoidance Of Doubt @ Myspace
Ivy's Itch Official
Ivy's Itch @ Myspace
Lycan @ Myspace
Novus @ Myspace
Two Witches Official
Two Witches @ Myspace

Live Review: Stevie Ann @ Parkpop 2007 [Pop/Rock]

2007-06-25T09:45:00.000-07:00

Young, beautiful and talented.. it's all Stevie Ann. Entering the Dutch music scene in early 2005 with her debut album Away From Here, she has gained a firm fanbase over these 2 years. Influenced by artists like Sheryl Crow and Joni Mitchell, Stevie has created her own unique sound. Opening-act for Parkpop, she has to wake up the crowd for artists like Maria Mena, Air Traffic, Beef, Kim Wilde and many more.

Although it's very rainy and early there are already alot of people to see Stevie Ann kick off the largest free festival in Europe. Starting with a new song the crowd doesn't really seem to be into the music much yet. When she continues with `You versus Me' there's more interaction; the crowd is clapping along and Stevie Ann laughs at the dedicated fans who made her a ``happy birthday'' sign.

She plays most of the upbeat songs from the album instead of the more acoustic songs she usually plays at intimate shows. But of course she doesn't leave out the mostly acoustic `The Poetry Man', her first single.

The cover of Depeche Mode's `Personal Jesus' is amazingly played and her voice is outstanding. The guitarist does his solo's very well, but the interaction between the band itself isn't really to be noticed, if it's there at all. Probably because they have only played a few shows together, but still a great miss.

She plays a few songs from the upcoming album in September. Usually I don't really get excited by new songs, but she really hit me with these outstanding new songs. Her vocal range even better used, great solo's and build-ups made them almost perfect. The crowd as well got wild at these songs and Stevie probably just got some new fans with this great performance.

A few songs were missing in the setlist, but still an amazing show. Stevie Ann really proves herself live, capable of letting the crowd rock to her songs as well as emotionaly capture them with her acoustic ballads. Hopefully I can make it to one of her more intimate shows sometime.

Stevie Ann Official
Stevie Ann @ Myspace

Interview: Novus - 'The Curse Of A Goth Band' [Rock/Dance]

2007-06-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

'Novus', fronted by the charismatic Sarahjane, are a female fronted industrial goth phenomenon. Despite being a conciderably new band, they have a series of past gigs, and a lot of determination under their belts. We got the chance to ask Sarahjane about her past, in the band 'Faithful Dawn', and the future of 'Novus'.

Hi SarahJane, First of all congratulations on releasing your debut cd with Novus; how long has Novus been active? What happened with your previous band Faithful Dawn?

With faithful Dawn you either liked us or you didn't and we had reached a glass ceiling on how far we could go, the curse of a Goth band!! We had played all the big Goth Festivals and all the main venues around England and kinda ran out of ideas. Then I split up with Glenn who was the other half of FD so it came to a natural end!

What do you write your lyrics about? Any themes or subjects you enjoy writing about?

The lyrics of FD were alot more powerful than Novus because I was going threw alot more personally and it always makes great lyrics!!! Novus is more harder edge, but I still write about relationships etc. 'Closer the Net' is about a friend of mine who is always getting the wrong end of the stick with relationships!! He is also very bossy and controlling, a real "Battle Master!"

'Emotive' is about my relationship with my ex and my now partner, how I moved on but still can't escape the Ghosts of the past!

Who are your main musical influences?

I love Duran Duran (god I am old!), I think that Simon Le Bon was and is a great lyricist.
In the now, I love Gwen Stefani, she is a girl who know what she wants!!
I listen to all sorts myself, I love Biffy Clyro and a great new band called The Medic Droid, you guys will love them!

Do you run a dayjob aswell as being in Novus?

I am Mrs. 2 jobs!! I am a radio broadcaster in the very early mornings, presenting the traffic and travel on Robbie Dee's breakfast show on CFM and in the afternoon I work for the local paper, doing research for them, I love working in the Media!

Thanks a lot for this interview!Do you have a message to all of your fans?

That I hope they enjoy what I do and don't get put off that I may be as old as some of their Mums!! My fan base is getting younger and younger!!
Enjoy life, don't take it too seriously and if people have shit opinions on something you enjoy and love, then stuff em!

Novus:UK @ Myspace

Review: Kelly Clarkson - My December [Rock/Pop]

2007-06-20T11:43:00.000-07:00

Kelly Clarkson, perhaps best known for rising to fame after winning American Idol. The former waitress began her career as a pop artist, playing a variety of heart wrenching ballads, upbeat pop numbers, and yet more of the mushy stuff. However, having found her feet in the music buisiness, she began to form a rockier sound, with gritty guitars, and less of the pristine production major labels provide.

Her new album gives an amazing impression, with the gothic beauty of the breathtaking artwork, and first single, 'Never Again', proving she hasn't lost her skill in the songwriting department, but with a darker sound and image, can Kelly convert the masses with 'My December'?

Well, opening with the aforementioned lead single, Kelly packs a punch, rarely seen on the rest of the album, the song is witty, angry and surprisingly rocky! Definitely one of the highlights from the album, and a tough song to follow. On later listens to the track, the intricate instrumentation, such as the strings deep in the background of the first verse and the effective, almost spoken backing vocals in the chorus become apparent, a really great pop song! Also, in some ways musically similar to "Since U Been Gone".

It is followed by the upbeat and poppy track; 'One Minute' which is destined to be a single. The song has a very happy feel, with interesting lyrics, not as mature as certain songs on 'My December' but still more intelligent than the current wave of pop artists. Its another standout track, and very catchy, especially the wonderfully frantic chorus.

'Hole' continues the string of great ear-candy, with its sexy guitar beats sliding aside the calm vocals of Clarkson in the first verse, mounting up to an explosive chorus, "Theres A Hole, Inside Of Me, It's So Cold, Slowly Killing Me". Granted, the lyrics aren't the best, but the freedom and loose feel the song gives, really works to Kelly's advantage. 'Hole' is another upbeat song, that incorporates the best parts of 'Never Again' with the outstanding dance factor of 'One Minute'.

The first slow track of 'My December' comes in the form of 'Sober', a calm, soft power ballad, that kicks in around the third verse. Although it sounds awfully generic on paper, the actual song is very beautiful. However it doesn't match up to the wonderful 'Break Away' or the later track 'Irvine'. Despite it's imperfections, 'Sober' is definitely still an enjoyable song, just slightly harder to get into than the previous tracks.

It's straight back to the American rock sound with 'Don't Waste Your Time'. The opening backing voice, really provides a great feel for the song. Sadly, the track doesn't match up to its potential, sure enough it's a catchy song, but the fact that every last second can be predicted after only one listen simply proves how generic it is. The song is definitely not a bad song, it is just far too predictable.

'Judas' begins with Clarksons beautiful voice, over a thick beat, soon joined by light guitars. The song continues with this formula until it reaches the chorus, and once again becomes dissappointing. By this point, even the lyrics are becoming uninteresting and boring, the same old anger at an ex boyfriend had been used to death on 'Never Again', and to some extent 'Sober' and 'Don't Waste Your Time'

Thankfully there's salvation in the unique 'Haunted', surprisingly the verses stand out, with Kellys fragile voice emotionally singing over the guitars. 'Haunted' is another shockingly heavy songs, and would definitely sit well among her classics on the live scene. The lyrics, although cliche, are very clever and intelligently written, suiting Clarksons voice perfectly.

'Be Still' and 'Maybe' are perhaps the two most boring songs on 'My December', based on the usual acoustic guitar and over-produced vocals. Its worth mentioning the heartfelt lyrics, that save the songs from being disastrous. 'Be Still' provides a wonderful single lyric in 'I'll Glady Climb Your Walls, If You'll Meet Me Halfway". Kelly has the ability to write for a new audience, but she really needs to be careful not to slip from emotional into boring, the line is thin and with 'Maybe' and 'Be Still' she seems to have crossed it.

'How I Feel' is very reminiscent of 'One Minute' with its upbeat and americanized indie rock. Once again, the verses stand out, and Kelly proves why she was crowned Amerian Idol, with her fantastic tones. Sadly the song borders on generic, and is another letdown.

The highly original, 'Yeah' is another awesome song. The sound of the thin guitars wailing behind Kelly's amazing voice, slowly building up to the multi-layered voices of the chorus, the song can be described in two words; "Feel Good'. The beautiful effects, and Kelly's interesting vocal lines prove that she still has the courage to be different! 'Yeah' is one of the most original rock songs of recent times.

Following this, is the mid-paced 'Can I Have A Kiss'. The adorable lyrics document Kelly's desperation to get close to her love interest. "If I Can't Hold You, Can I Give You A Kiss?" she asks in the chorus, and with her beautiful tones, i forbid anyone from turning her down.

'Irvine' is another very individual, intelligently written song. The beautiful sound of an acoustic guitar fusing with Kelly's luscious vocals, works very well, the lack of production is the perfect effect, sounding like the song has been recorded by a campfire, adding that last simple touch that sets the song off perfectly. The lyrics are the best in Clarksons history; honest, emotional and pure; Irvine is one of the best written pop songs i have ever had the pleasure to hear.

'Chivas' is the final song on 'My December' and ends the album well. It's definitly not the best song on the album, but the pretty lyrics and acoustic guitar really works well for her, hopefully she'll utilze it more on the follow up to this CD.

In conclusion, Kelly has taken a brave risk with 'My December'. She has risked her success and her original fan base, to follow her heart in creating the music she enjoys. I really hope she gets a lot of success with this album, not because it's the best album I've ever heard, but because she is being true to herself, unlike so many other 'million-dollar musicians'. 'My December' is worth your time, if you want honesty and emotion in your music. Let's just hope she carries on this beautiful new sound in the future...

Kelly Clarkson Official
Kelly Clarkson @ Myspace

Review: Kamelot - Ghost Opera [Metal]

2007-06-19T14:02:00.000-07:00

Kamelot is one of metal's most unique, influential and prestigious acts to come along in decades. The group has already released 7 albums and has a large dedicated fan base. Ghost Opera is their latest effort including guest appearances by musicians as `Simone Simons' from Epica and `Amanda Sommerville'.

The album opens with the intro `Solitaire'; an instrumental track mostly consisting of strings and keyboard. The intro leads to the song `Rule the World' and continues to be a sort of a foundation of this song. `Rule the World' is a song about the problems we face in everyday life. Khans powerful voice really strengthens this track.

`Ghost Opera' is the first single of the album. A logical choice, this being a `typical' Kamelot song. Powerful riffs, catchy chorus and the finishing touch of Amanda Sommerville's outstanding voice. Though only heard chanting at the chorus this song wouldn't be half as good without her. I just have to add that I especially love the video for this song, it's perfect!

The 4th song is `The Human Stain'. Lyrically truly outstanding but instrumentally perhaps uninteresting. The intro is good but the same riffs throughout the song get boring, a solo and an amazing verse after make up for this though.

Simone Simons joins Kamelot once more on `Blücher'. A song about war and the lost love because of it. This song reminds of `The Haunting (Somewhere in Time)', another duet with Simone Simons on The Black Halo. Perfeclty built-up and the stunning voices of Simons and Khan make this song almost perfect.

`Love You to Death' is another song with Amanda Sommerville. It tells the story of two young loved ones, the girl already knowing she is going to die soon. The song is told from both views of the boy and girl, characterized by Khan and Sommerville. In all, this is a beautiful slow song.
Moving on to number 7.. `Up Through the Ashes'. The sound typically Kamelot, epic but also catchy. It deals with the problem of religion. One of the things I particularly like about this song is the line ``I don't need your blood''.

Amanda Sommerville lends her voice once more on `Mourning Star'. The song starts with a (male) choir chanting, the guitars kick in after and it proves to be another 'typical' Kamelot song. This track is also about the war and the questions it brings. Sommerville joins in at the chorus. I find this song most interesting for the lyrics really let you think about it.

`Silence of the Darkness' starts with a fast guitar riff and slows down at the first verse. The song being pretty much the same all the time, I find this one of the weakest songs on Ghost Opera.
One of the few slow songs on the album is `Anthem'. The Anthem of life that is. Khan uses his voice really good and emotionally, but the overdone orchestra part at the end of the song ruins that in a way.

`EdenEcho' is a song about lost love. Instrumentally uninteresting and the lyrics abit overdone the first 2 minutes aren't a real pleasure. The verse `Remember my name, and paint the darkness with your light. You'll sing your song for all broken hearted, like Eden echoes in my head. The unforgiven gave you all' accompanied by the stunning choir makes up for most of the song, but the chorus just can't bother me.

In conclusion this is once more a very good album by Kamelot. Though it sounds pretty much like The Black Halo, they did make progress. If you have the time be sure to check out the video for their first single; Ghost Opera!

Kamelot Official
Kamelot @ Myspace

Live Review: Maria Mena @ Pinkpop 2007 [Pop]

2007-06-14T09:32:00.000-07:00

Maria Mena is a singer-songwriter from Norway, only 21 years old she has already released 3 cd's, of which her last album``Apparently Unaffected'' with the single ``Just Hold Me'' put her on the international charts.
She has already played a vast set of shows in the Netherlands, but playing at Pinkpop is a huge event.

Starting with ``What's another day'' most of the crowd is rather impatient and waiting for her to play the two big hits she scored in the Netherlands; ``Just hold me'' and ``Miss you love''. I move more to front, impatient myself because of the people only standing in the tent because it's dry. While getting to the front she gets on with ``You're the Only One'', an upbeat song which gets the people more into the music. Maria then announces how terribly nervous she was for this big show and how she had been peeing every 15 minutes, only then to apologize that that was rather a gross thing to say. ``A few small bruises'' follows, a song she wrote for her best friend who helped her with a depression. A beautiful song and very emotionally sung by Maria Mena. She jumps to the next song ``Blame it on Me'' and wants the crowd to do the same. Only a few actually do, but she seems to enjoy herself enough. Again she thanks the crowd for coming to see her by saying: ``it feels like its my festival, oh my god 65000 people bought tickets.. for me!''

Then going acoustic with the song ``Internal Dialogue'' Maria's voice comes to the fullest and just gives me the chills. The lyrics to this song are written as if she were argueing with herself, the emotion she puts into the singing makes this song almost perfect! Declaring the Netherlands with our ``poffertjes en bitterballen'' as her second home she moves on to a really emotional song ``Sorry'', this being a personal favourite and a very meaningful song to me, it actually brought me to tears. Again by the true emotion in her strong and beautiful voice this song is a real pleasure to hear live. Moving on to her second hit ``Miss you love'', I'm still and again emotionally touched and can't help but thinking of old memories.

``These Shoes'' is a suprising next song being very upbeat and happy, but helps me get my mind back to the show. Getting back to more serious songs she plays ``He's hurting me'', a short but very good song. The verse ``don't leave me, please believe me, baby there is, I can explain, please love me.. please need me, ohh'' just gives me the chills! Once again telling how fine we Dutchies really are, she claims she should get a Dutch boyfriend.

The next song is ``Patience'', the backing vocals terribly off was abit of a letdown compared to Maria Mena's wondeful voice. Up next is a song for all the girls in charge or as Maria would say ``I need you to shake your asses with me, I need you to take out your boob! No don't do that..''. The song ``Boytoy baby'' really gets the crowd going, singing loud to the line ``boytoy baby, nananana'' when Maria Mena wants them to.

``Your Glasses'' I find an again surprising song, a song not so easy to relate to. Her performance is still great and with a really long ``me'' at the end I just get the chills once more by her amazing voice. After introducing her band she finally gets to the song the most people have been waiting for.. ``Just Hold Me''. The whole crowd enjoying this one it's a pity she gets to one of her last songs; ``Free'', a song from her first album. Again the crowd sings along to this song although it is a rather unknown.

Ending with the new single ``Our Battles'' she put down a fine show.

Maria Mena really surprised me with her stunning performance. Her voice is just as great live as it is on her cds. Her energy and interaction with the crowd makes it even better. So if you get the chance to see her live.. take it!

Maria Mena Official
Maria Mena @ Myspace

News: Nightwish Reveal New Album/Single Artwork [Metal]

2007-06-14T05:50:00.000-07:00

Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish have revealed that the title of their new album, the first to feature recently recruited vocalist Anette Olzon, will be 'Dark Passion Play'.

The tracklisting will be as follows:

1. The Poet And The Pendulum
2. Bye Bye Beautiful
3. Amaranth
4. Cadence Of Her Last Breath
5. Master Passion Greed
6. Eva
7. Sahara
8. Whoever Brings The Night
9. For The Heart I Once Had
10. The Islander
11. Last Of The Wilds
12. 7 Days To The Wolves
13. Meadows Of Heaven

The band have released Eva as the first single, downloadable only, and will release the second single Amaranth, in August, followed by the album in September.
No tracklisting has been confirmed for the single.
The band will start their tour later this year, in support of the album.

Nightwish Official
Nightwish @ Myspace

Interview: Visions Of Atlantis ''Third Time Lucky" [Metal]

2007-06-13T13:24:00.000-07:00

Visions of Atlantis are an austrian symphonic band, currently promoting their third opus, Trinity. Here we speak to vocalist Melissa Ferlaak

Hey Melissa, thanks a lot for doing this interview with us!
Oh goodness sake, dont mention it. haha! :)

First of all, before you joined Visions Of Atlantis had you heard of the band?
Nope! haha! The band was brought up to me and I was like, 'who?' ;) I heard their music then, liked the fresh sound of it and thought well why not! :)

What was your opinion on previous vocalist Nicole Bogner?
Unfortunate the girl didnt take care of herself because she has a pretty voice. She is young though, so she has time to grow up a bit. I liked what she did though!

What is your favourite VOA song, Pre-Trinity, to perform live?
Hm, gosh all of them are a lot of fun in their own rights. Even though I dont sing a lot on it, I love doing Lords of the Sea. Lost is always cool because everyone starts singing along. Cast Away is cool because of the soaring lines which are fun to sing. Winternight is a beautiful song and always a pleasure to sing. So yup, there are a few! :)

You recently stated you are very against downloading, did you download before you realised what problems it can cause?
Honestly, I never really got into downloading, however, a lot of people would give me copies of CDs they bought. It always felt weird to me, but accepted them as gifts, you know? If I liked something enough though, I would go out and buy it. Again, it is definitely a mass moral dilemma. It isnt really some teenagers fault that he doesnt have remorse for downloading some artists tunes. MTV has painted a pretty wild picture of the life of artists and so many think, well, what will one CD affect the millions of dollars this artist has, you know? I dont blame people, but I think they need to be educated on the fact that it isnt like MTV paints it to be.

The new album 'Trinity' has received reviews in many british magazines such as Kerrang, Metal Hammer and Powerplay, does the band have a big UK following?
It's funny...I've been told that symphonic metal isnt a big thing there, but yes, we have been in these magazines. I've also had a lot of folks visit my myspace who are from the UK requesting we play there. Honestly, our UK listeners need to go to their local venue promoters and request we go. That is how we will make it there or trust me, we would have been there a long time ago! haha! :)

Are you a fan of the female fronted metal scene?
Definitely, it is my favorite genre of music. I support all my other colleagues endeavors very much. I'm always amazed at what other bands are coming up with. It is a good thing to see people working together to bring a genre of music you like even higher and higher. I feel very proud to be part of that.

Before 'Trinity' many reviewers wrote VOA off as Nightwish clones, do you think the new album will change this?
Haha, well, their loss. The new album already has changed a lot of reviewers minds, some reviewers I doubt even listened to the album and just made up a bunch of shit about us. To each their own. But those who are known to be respected in knowing good symphonic metal have praised this album. Those are the people I respect, not the gore grind fans who are reviewing music they wouldnt like anyway. ;)

Do you have a message for your fans, now the new album is released?
Friends (not fans), thank you all so much for your support! Much love to you and hopefully see ya soon!

Thanks Simon and Ka!
Mel

Visions Of Atlantis Official
Visions Of Atlantis @ Myspace

Review: Linkin Park - Minutes to Midnight [Rock]

2007-06-13T09:44:00.000-07:00

After 4 years of abscence, Linkin Park returns to the music scene with their latest release Minutes to Midnight. This being a product of 18 months work and over 150 demos written, does this prove to be high quality music?

The album is based on a old and rather creepy concept; ``The title is a reference to the Doomsday Clock, created by scientists after the US dropped the atomic bomb on Japan'', Linkin Park co-frontman Chester Bennington explained. ``Given the idea that mankind now had this ultimate nuclear destructive power, they were contemplating what the repercussions of this would be and the idea that the end of the world could be imminent''.
The clock has been moved back and forth several times since its inception, and indicating right now at ``Minutes to Midnight''.

``With Minutes to Midnight Linkin Park says goodbye to their old ``nu-metal'' sound. The first single ``What I've Done'' was written after they decided on the Midnight concept, it's Linkin Park dropping the bomb on their rap-rock roots.

The album opens with ``Wake'', a slow intro.

Moving on to ``Given Up'' the song starts with clapping, soon accompanied by heavy guitar riffs and Bennington's raw vocals building up to the catchy chorus. This being a rather chaotic and screamy song, you first notice they've started using curse words. Formely against using those because it ruined the art of language.

The third song being a ballad: ``Leave out all the Rest'' is a rather generic song, done tons of times before, with a really catchy chorus that easily gets stuck in your head.

``Bleed it out'' underlines the new use of cursewords: ``Yea here we go for the hundredth time, Hand grenade pins in every line, Throw 'em up and let something shine. Going out of my fucking mind. Filthy mouth, no excuse. Find a new place to hang this noose''. This being one of the raps by Mike Shinoda, rarely heard on Minutes To Midnight. Once again the clapping kicks in and Bennington does the chorus. The song doesn't add much on the album, but is a nice song played live.

Another ballad ``Shadow of the Day'', starting with an annoying beat and instrumentally uninteresting, Bennington's voice seems to be the only good thing of the song at first. However, later on the rest of the instruments join in, including some strings, which brings this song to a very nice climax on the end, slowly turning into an outro and intro to the first single ''What I've Done''. This probably being one of the most interesting songs on the album, starting with the lyrics: ``In this farewell, there's no blood, there's no alibi'', it's Linkin Park saying goodbye to their old image. The guitar and drums sounding raw and stripped down, it's a very good choice as first single.

More rapping from Mike Shinoda on ``Hands Held High''! Most likely to be influenced by Shinoda's side-project Fort Minor, the song features an organ and an choir repeatly singing ``amen'' after the verses and at the end of the song. This being a truly beautiful and mature song, it has to be one of my favourites of this album.

Next on Minutes to Midnight is ``No More Sorrow'', the instruments and build-up of the song sound much like ``Given Up'', which makes this song not very interesting.

``Valentine's Day'' is a song that's not much Linkin Park at all. Chester sounding very weak and fragile at the beginning of the song, only to regain his powerful voice at the end of the song singing the lyrics ``I never knew what it was like to be alone on a valentine's day''. These lyrics really disappointed me, not mature at all!

The next song ``In between'' is interesting for the fact that Mike Shinoda does the main singing. However this song didn't turn out so well as I hoped and is instrumentally again uninteresting.

``In Pieces'' starts off with a really annoying beat overruling Bennington's voice. This ruining like half of the song is such a shame. After the beat changes the song is alright, but after the annoyance of the first 1.5 minutes I can't really be bothered by this song.

The last song, and the longest song, is my personal favourite of this album. The song is based on their experiences visiting the `ruins' of New Orleans. ``The Little Things Give You Away'' is a slow song, perfectly built-up.

Overall this was well worth a 4-year wait. Though alot of Linkin Park fans might not like this new sound, it's definitely worth a listen.

Linkin Park Official
Linkin Park @ Myspace

Interview: Arapacis 'The Altar Of Peace' [Metal/Rock]

2007-06-12T13:59:00.000-07:00

Arapacis are a female fronted band, formed in 2003, releasing their debut CD 'So Many Leapers' in 2006, featuring vocals by Shelsey Jarvis. Shelsey has since left the band, and been replaced by the young vocalist Elizabeth Fyre. The band are currently searching for a new drummer, and performing live throughout their country. Here i speak with guitarist and main songwriter, Jerry Fielden.

Hi Jerry! Thanks a lot for taking the time to answer these questions!

-You're welcome!

Lets start from the beginning: How did you come up with the name AraPacis?
-Well I'm a History graduate with my specialty being ancient Roman history, so I came up with the name of one of their most beautiful pieces of architecture, the Ara Pacis ("altar of peace" in Latin), which was built in 9 BCE by the emperor Augustus and still stands to this day in Rome.

When you lost original vocalist Shelsey, did you fear you wouldn't be able to replace her?
-Yes and no, and she wasn't actually our first vocalist (although she's right up there as one of the best I know and of course, sang on the first album), I knew it was just a question of time and patience to find the right person. But yeah, they were tough shoes to fill!

Your fanclub leader, and good friend Bonnie McKannon wrote the lyrics to your song 'The Green Fairy'. Were the lyrics written especially for the band?
-I saw the poem in her blog, thought it was amazing, and asked her if I could use it. All she had to do was to write a chorus and there - we had a great set of lyrics, I just had to put the music to it after.

Would you say that you are building a solid fanbase thanks to your constant live shows?
-It is taking a while, we are building slowly - it's a relatively small fanbase as our genre is quite uncommon - a female fronted metal band playing old school mixed with prog... and it's a lot less gothic than most female fronted bands! - but these are very dedicated incredibly unique fans from all over the world and of course, we love them all :)

Since its formation, AraPacis has lost many members, has this ever disheartened you?
- It depends on the circumstances; in cases like Shelsey's it was obviously hard, but in some others it was quite a relief! That said, I wish them all success in whatever they are doing!

What does the year ahead hold for AraPacis?
-Well we'll be surely recording our second album - we have a great set of new songs, written by Bonnie, Shelsey, Liz, Gab, and myself. So it will be as varied as the first if not more :) And yes, we have to find a new drummer too. Also, we'll be playing as many shows as we can.
Possible track list (in no order, and not sure if they will all be used)

-The Green Fairy (McKannon, Fielden) -Theocracy (Fielden) -Towers in the Evening Sky (Boudreault, Fielden) -Siren's Call (Boudreault, Fielden) -Consequences of Dreams (Fielden) -Roadways (Fielden) -Death of Loneliness (Fyre, Fielden) -Going Noah (Jarvis, Fielden) -Hesitate (Jarvis, Fielden) -Thunder Lizard (Fielden) -Live Forever, Die Soulless (Boudreault)

and more!

Will the band be venturing out of the country for any shows on foreign turf?
-We'll be probably touring Europe first, that will be a lot of fun! As for the US, we'll see in a couple of years what is happening.

Thanks!

Most welcome! Cheers, Jerry

Arapacis Official
Arapacis @ Myspace

Review: Rihanna - Good Girl Gone Bad [R'n'B/Hip Hop]

2007-06-12T07:51:00.000-07:00

Rihanna is the stunning sensation that is currently pursuing her 15 minutes of fame, as America's sweetheart. Her new album, 'Good Girl Gone Bad' shows a mature and sexier sound, featuring such well know names as Justin Timberlake and Timbaland.

The album opens with the insanely catchy first single, 'Umbrella', with guest rapper Jay Z on board, the track struts through over 4 minutes of developed beats, accompanied by the soulful tones of Rihanna herself.

The album continues with the destined-to-be-a-single 'Push Up On Me'. The song is a clever mainstream track that fails to be generic in the slightest. So far so good.

However, GGGB takes a halt at third track 'Don't Stop The Music', a song that has been done, thousands of times before. The highlight of Rihanna's music, for me, is her originality and ability to stand out from the crowd, sadly this song fails to do anything for her. Disappointing.

However, the next track 'Breakin' Dishes' is another class act of sexy beats layered on top of a slick production, the song sounds like an insane mix of Gwen Stefani's solo material, and Nelly Furtado [Loose-era].

Second single, 'Shut Up And Drive' begins with a grungy guitar sound that is soon tied in with R'n'B beats, and the mature touch of Rihanna's fragile voice. The song is a pleasant change from Rihanna's usual material, and a very original track.

Now, there has been a lot of excitement over Rihanna's duet with Ne-Yo, 'Hate That I Love You' however i fail to see why. The song is less than memorable, and sounds like most hip-hop ballads. The only thing that rescues this song from being dreadful, is the intelligent lyrics, that are nothing less than beautiful.

'Say It' reminds me of such skillful artists as Beyonce and Mary J Blige, a chilled out tune that isn't Rihanna's best work, but is enough to put a smile on a fans face, the polite vocals and tame sounds make great background music, but on an album like GGGB is that really needed?

'Sell Me Candy' seems to be a very "Marmite" song, you either love it or hate it. The summer beats, reminds me of 'Wait A Minute' by The Pussycat Dolls, but as the chorus rolls around, the sound develops a layered feel, with many different instruments and effects. Perhaps, the hardest song to get into from the album, but definitely one of the most delightful tracks!

'Lemme Get That' is lyrically pathetic. So cliche, and even going as far as using the dreadful line '...why spend mine, when i can spend yours?'. The music itself is very interesting, and flirtatious, as we've come to expect from the talented Timbaland. 'Lemme Get That' is very appealing, and embeds into your mind subconciously, however, anyone looking for meaning in their music, steer well clear from this track.

The album continues with the mellow 'Rehab'. Co-written by Justin Timberlake, the song promises a lot, and thankfully delivers, especially in the beautiful opening, with piano, and serene strings. Rihanna provides a stunning vocal performance, whilst the song manages to be accessible, yet heartfelt. One of the stand out tracks, indeed, let's hope Rihanna can pull it off on the live scene as well.

The penultimate track is 'Question Existing'. I'm torn on this song, as to whether i like it or not The positive points are the sexy effects, complimenting Rihanna's steamy voice, the song is a charming flirt away from reality. However around the 2.5 minute mark, Rihanna does what no singer should ever do. She mentions the over-used and ever-boring flaws of being a celebrity. Oh woe, it sucks to be me. What makes this song worse is the fact that she doesn't sing these lines, she speaks them and also uses the line "Dear Diary...".Perhaps hidden beneath her sultry tones, i could have forgiven her, but in her over-acting, unpleasent speaking voice, i'm afraid she ruined what could have been a good song. Such a shame.

The album concludes with the intimate, soothing title track, with more stunning lyrics and divine instrumentation. The vocals are pitch perfect, and the thick vocals, allow Rihanna to sound strong, as opposed to the weak voice she often attempts. A perfect way to end an accomplished piece of art.

In general, 'Good Girl Gone Bad' is a mature, interesting and thought provoking release, with complex melodies and meaningful lyrics. Many artists should take note from this release, as it's not often an over hyped muscian lives up to their reputation and expectations, but Rihanna does just that, making sure that her 15 minutes last as long as possible.

Rihanna Official
Rihanna @ Myspace