2010, Looking Forward

Nothing has come out recently, but 2010 is going to be quite a year. Here's what to look forward to:

Jan 25, Orphaned Land- ORwarriOR
Feb, Eluveitie- Everything Remains
Feb 17, Finntroll- Nifelvind
Feb 22, Borknagar- Universal
March 1, Dark Tranquillity- We Are the Void
March 22, Kamelot- TBA
April, Kiuas- TBA
April 1, Nevermore- The Obsidian Conspiracy
May, ReVamp (Floor Jansen)- TBA
Sept 20, Dragonland- The Return

My most anticipated releases are also those without any dates yet:

Pain of Salvation- Road Salt
Circus Maximus- TBA
Blind Guardian- TBA
WINTERSUN- TIME

what am i missing?
addendum:
Royal Hunt- X
Agalloch- TBA
Symphony X- TBA

Swallow the Sun, "New Moon"

Swallow the Sun's fourth album released november 4th. they supposedly had no idea they were naming and releasing their album close to the new twilight movie. i'm sure it didn't hurt sales, though. I must admit i've never listened to swallow the sun before so i have no expectations. Kai Hahto is their new drummer, should be exciting. also, it was just announced swallow the sun would be touring the U.S. with Finntroll and Moonsorrow in the spring as part of the 'Finnish Metal Tour'.

1.these woods breathe evil- a pretty heavy doom metal song with growled vocals and occasional doomy spoken parts. lyrics are in english. guitar work at times is cold and atmospheric, other times brutal. from this brief introduction to swallow the sun, they sound like a mix of moonsorrow and agalloch-- a very pleasing match.

2.falling world- the main riff is extremely melodic and catchy. the verses are disorientating with atmospheric alternate picking. most of the lyrics are sung in a clean voice. the singer is weak but decent enough to not detract from the music.

3.sleepless swans- a slow brooding song for the first couple minutes. in no part of the song are there any noticeable melodies, so there is little memorable about it. as such, it seemed a bit long and boring-- the doom was too much for me i guess :)

4. ...and heavens cried blood- nice piano accents over thick, slowly growled vocals. this goes for most of the song. it ends with a guitar lead followed by solo piano.

5.lights on the lake (horror pt. III)- a truly great song and an instant favorite. it opens with a completely haunting and mesmorizing melody with harmonics on one guitar and clean rhythm on another. the female vocals are beautiful and spectral, perfectly matching the lyrics. the song picks up with a a lead guitar playing the main melody. the lyrics deal with a father who's drowned her daughter in a lake. after a haunting interlude, the drums go nuts with double bass and several fills. the songs ends after several final choruses.

6.new moon- similar to sleepless swans, but more eventful and at a faster tempo. the chorus is a little epic, more like an ode...har har har

7.servant of sorrow- at this point my attention is waning and i'm hearing little of anything worth mentioning that hasn't already been said.

8.weight of the dead- slightly better, more melodic. the drums are more active. ahh yes, this is definitely kai hahto. the verse, though, is unbearably slow and heavy. a nice little guitar solo is found midway in. after, there is a nice vocal chorus effect complimented with guitar harmonic strumming. it ends with a more epic version of the verse/main riff.

some true gems are to be found, but other songs are quite lackluster. a great album on the whole and worth listening more to.

Pain of Salvation, "Linoleum" EP

Pain of Salvation's new 6-track EP.

1.linoleum- similar sounding to songs from "Scarsick". The only noticeable difference in sound are dirtier sounding guitars and organs. after the second verse-chorus, there is a slow buildup beginning with a music box and daniel's delicate vocals. after a couple of minutes the crescendo crashes into a powerful climax. the lyrics are about a woman who shut herself off from emotions in order to get ahead in the world but who is now broken down, weeping on a linoleum floor. "sometimes that's all it takes-- a hand on your shoulder-- then she breaks."

2. mortar grind- retro sounding with distorted guitars, organ, and high-pitched snare. daniel sings with a lot of grit in his voice, some have said he sounds too much like mike patton. the song itself is simple, just a verse chorus repitition. i don't mind the sound, but this song is not progressive at all.

3.if you wait- a pain of salvation ballad. reminds me of some songs from BE. daniel's singing becomes quite inaudible at times; i have no idea what he's saying. yet, this song has a lot of emotion and you can really feel the pain gildenlow wants to convey in the lyrics (which deal with being permantely separated from someone).

4.gone- a powerful song about a character recognizing his loss of individuality to altruism and not being able to stop it. daniel's lyrics really creep you out with its vivid imagery:
"So crawl over the words I've bled
I'm not really there
Undress and crawl into my bed
I'm not really there
I'm gone
You see, deep inside I'm gone"

this song is most like pain of salvation's other work and is my favorite from this EP.

5.bonus track b- not a song, just the band talking, but it's funny. it involves hair.

6.yellow raven- a scorpion's cover. amazingly, pain of salvation's cover sounds even more blues-like than the original. a faithful rendition.

pain of salvation's linoleum differs from previous work with its retro-distortion guitars, less progressive riffs, and scratchier vocals. i don't really think it suites PoS, sounds almost like classic rock. still, a lot of the great things about PoS are still here: powerful lyrics, crescendos, etc. these songs are already confirmed as being on their upcoming "Road Salt", so expect this EP to be a good indicator of their new sound.

Katatonia, "Night is the New Day"

Katatonia's 8th studio album, now released three years after their great work 'The Great Cold Distance'. the production of this album is incredible. Night is the New Day is a bold step for Katatonia, but is still a natural development.

1.forsaker- electronic elements compliment the heavy guitar opening. the verse is fragile while the chorus is one of the heaviest they've done. then there is a guitar solo behind the verse instrumentals. jonas' voice is clear and calm as always. about three quarters through the song is an instrumental break that blows my mind. it's by far the most beautiful couple of seconds on the entire album. in the background is a muted distortion guitar while a clean guitar with echo leads before abruptly breaking into a heavier ending chorus; it's hard to describe.

2.the longest year- clean guitars, electronic drum pad and other synths create an atmospheric tone complimenting jonas' mournful voice. the tempo changes with a progressive, heavy break. the chorus is the result of an escalation from the atmospheric verse into a chaotic melody. this pattern repeats a second time and ends after the second chorus, where jonas lets his voice rise a little from its usual reserved nature.

3.idle blood- whoa, an acoustic track. the intro a beautiful guitar melody with matching synth strings. the verse picks the song up with chord strumming on the guitar. the chorus' vocal melody is amazing and is even almost not sad (though the lyrics are). the synths add a lot of dimension to the song. idle blood ends with jazz-like drumming, guitars, and electronic piano.

4.onward into battle- a simple song with a leisurely tempo. this is the song you listen to in order to let your mind drift. the guitars are a little retro with the flanger. the synths help elevate the chorus from the rest of the song.

5.liberation- a heavy opening that carries throughout the song reminds me of 'the great cold distance'. the verse is more atmospheric, though. half way through is a progressive, off tempo passage that begins with muted, dulcimer-like synth. a guitar solo grows off of it before becoming the ending chorus.

6.the promise of deceit- atmospheric yet more aggressive than, say, onward into battle. the electronic influences really give katatonia a clean, modern sound.

7.nephilim- distorted guitar with a lot of bends create a memorable opening. the chorus is heavier than the median for this album. after the second chorus jonas sings a melody without adding words to it.

8.new night- a more lively song than previous ones with rhythm guitar being heard in the verse. an instrumental break with distant sounding piano and guitar. the chorus is fluid even with distortion staccato on the guitar.

9.inheritance- there is not so much to say about the song specifically. more importantly, the atmosphere and tone of the song is what you listen for (as with the rest of the album). these songs, this one in particular, evoke real responses with minimalistic instrumentals and calm, simple vocal lines.

10.day and then the shade- similar in structure and liveliness to forsaker. this is their first single for the album. a song meant to be played live unlike some of the other tracks from this album. although this song is heavier than most from this album, its still as calming as the rest-- something about the way jonas' voice is always so peaceful.

11.departer- krister linder provides guest vocals for this track. somber piano chords are the spine of departer. krister linder sings with extraordinary honesty and emotion. an instrumental break changes the tone to a more haunted sound.

a great album. the electronic elements to this album give Night is the New Day a character quite different from The Great Cold Distance. Yet, if you liked tgcd, this album will please you. Night is the New Day expand's Katatonia's horizons with a modern, minimalistic, and atmospheric tone. The mental image i get while listening to this album are of driving through a city on a rainy night. in a way, that image summarizes Night is the New Day: modern, electronic, dark. I've found the best way to appreciate Night is the New Day is to listen to it as you go to sleep.

Folkearth, "Rulers of the Sea"

Folkearth- Rulers of the Sea. The newest folkearth album.

1.the voices of the dead
much better production than anything from 'fatherland'. singer is good, audio levels are normalized, everything sounds good. the bass is present, the drums don't sound like trash cans, and the guitars don't just emit distortion. if folkearth keeps it up, this will reverse their recent trend of being less than mediocre. the ending is a warm, acoustic segue to the final chorus.

2.rulers of the sea
similar in many ways to the previous track, and in all ways better than 'fatheland'. i'm relieved. there's a guitar solo and it's not great, but it exists.

3.the doomed crusade
bass solo in the intro, bagpipes in the verse. the bagpipes repeat through most of the song, and, instead of being annoying, create a melancholic tone that suits the lyrics.

4.lord of the spear
more lead guitar work that was nowhere to be found in 'fatherland'. there is also some kind of folk stringed instrument but i can't make it out (maybe a mandolin). there is a nice layering of tracks that adds tangible dimension to the song.

5.the price of epirus
i think the drummer is using heel-toe, which is really surprising. the acoustic guitar has a warm, round sound.

6.cosmogenesis
the quality of drumming remains high. it's nice to have guitar leads, but they seem aimless, not only here but in other songs as well.

7.folkearth
the lyrics are folkearth's mission statement? there's a guitar solo in the beginning and in the middle.

8.i am fire
both rhythm and lead guitars are quite good for what's to be expected.

9.apollonian light
the chorus is a little catchy

10.when the gods doth return
a fast tune, and the flutes have a hard time keeping up.

11.byzantine princess
the sole ballad of the album. it ends quietly with a nice guitar outro.

folkearth has improved immeasurably from their previous release. this is their best work since 'by the sword of my father', but its still weaker than it. even so, 'rulers of the sea' is a turnaround i was not expecting. 6 albums in 5 years means you're going to get a lot of garbage. folkearth should have some better quality control over what gets put on an album, and take more time developing them.

Folkearth, "Fatherland"

Folkearth- Fatherland. the earlier of the two albums they've released recently. folkearth (an international folk metal project) started great with their first two albums, but have seen a steady decline ever since 'drakkars in the mist'. the lineup has changed a lot, and i'm not really a fan of the sizable greek influences heard since 'drakkars in the mist'. the greek mythology and history is fine, i just think they're inferior folk musicians as compared to, for example, the english 'forefather' who were heavily involved in 'a nordic poem' and 'by the sword of my father'. their two previous albums before 'fatherland', 'father of victory' and 'songs of yore' were big disappointments. i hope they realized this and are trying to turn things around, but i'm not expecting much.

1.hymn to zeus
a paleolithic sounding tribal hymn, minimalistic and weird

2.braver than heroes vows (battle of plataea)
i'm all for songs about spartans killing persians, but its impossible to make out what they're saying, but it sounds like its in english (maybe?). folkearth isn't known for their mixing capabilities, but i don't mind the demo tape quality. however, even for making these allowances, it's not a great song.. it's alright.

3.guardian of the bridge
it's a decent folk song, but the guitars are inaudible to a painful amount. it just sounds like distortion. but with better guitars this song would be comparable to the quality of their older songs (similar to 'by the sword of my father' and 'drakkars in the mist')

4.freedom or death (kosovo 1389)
the vocals sound like they were recorded in a bathtub the reverb is so bad. the singer himself is also quite bad. other than that, though, its a nondescript song. only an instrumental midsection to note.

5.terror from the sea
i wish these vocalists stuck to growled vocals when they're bad singers. so far i've noticed folkearth now seems to shy away from synths and keyboards and rely more on actual folk instruments such as flutes or fiddles to add the folk dimension. i feel this is to their detriment. having atmospheric backing keys adds a lot to a song and could really help these songs seem less raw and impoverished.

6.fatherland
a ballad. i hear two acoustic guitars, accordion, flute, and bass. a beautiful melody, but they REALLY need better singers.

7.the fall of atlantis
growled vocals save me the pain of hearing whoever does the male clean vocals. again, the only clear folk influence is the presence of flute.

8.the victory rune
an alright song, but you can hear all too well the scratching of the pick from the guitars.

9.in blessed days
another terrible singer, but at least i can hear what he's saying.

10.cataphract legion
the flutes start to become annoying. there are so many more ways to incorporate folk elements than this.

11.exiled
hildr valkyrie (who has been with folkearth since the beginning i believe) composed this song, and it shows. it uses synths, and she can actually sing; that alone makes it miles ahead of most of 'fatherland'.

i hate to be so pessimistic, but folkearth has serious problems that crippling them. problems such as crap singers and poor guitar recordings limit my tolerance of them. they need more involvement from good folk metal bands, rather than whoever is contributing now. folkearth used to get contributions from members of eluveitie, forefather, otyg, etc. without another lineup change which involves better musicians, folkearth doesn't have a future.

Epica, "Design Your Universe"

epica- design your universe. the fourth release from this dutch symphonic metal band. 'the divine conspiracy' was a breakthrough for them, and it will be a feat to match up to.

1.samadhi (prelude)
ahh, it begins in full epic glory. a teasing one minute of orchestral variations that whets your appetite for grandiosity.

2.resign to surrender (a new age dawns - part iv)
a song that is not too heavy on the death metal, and focuses more on the symphonic elements of epica. it follows a medium tempo, and nothing noticeably progressive. still, a good opener that introduces oneself into epica's world. i'm not entirely sure what the lyrics are about-- something about our freedom being limited by our current condition. also, it has latin! nec plus ultra (nothing more beyond) is sung by the choir throughout the verses. simone's voice is as strong as ever, but she hasn't pushed herself yet.

3.unleashed
begins with a heavy orchestral intro and leads into simone in the verse. they lyrics deal with being unable to be oneself (for what reason i don't know). the layering of metal and symphonic elements in the verse alone are amazing. every second is incredibly detailed and structured. the chorus showcases simone, which later leads into a quiet, brooding interlude that escalates to the final two choruses.

4.martyr of the free word
a wonderfully heayy and symphonic opening riff set one off guard for the much more reserved verse that uses clean guitar (for a bit). the melody of the verse is haunting and powerful, and so are the lyrics. the song deals with freedom of speech and being open/tolerant to diverse opinions. a strong song in terms of melody, variation, lyrics (they use latin again!), and heaviness. the solo is the most developed from this album yet heard. this will be a great song to hear live.

5.our destiny
simone gives a taste of her alto soprano voice. the song is about fighting through a decaying relationship. the tempo is not slow, but flows at a comfortable pace. the vocal melody has some really strong sections, but is less powerful in other places.

6.kingdom of heaven (a new age dawns - part v)
opens with a tantric choir chant that sets up nicely with a menacing bell and string intro. next is a simple, heavy riff that is somewhat related to the upcoming verse. divided into five parts, the first is about institutions trying to prevent innovation and scientific advances. the second part is quite similar to the first, with little transition. the music during these first two parts is typical for epica. the transition into the third movement has playful, progressive guitar/orchestral mimicking. an acoustic guitar is next used to slow things down. the acoustic riff is slightly off tempo but comes back to normal time when the vocals resume. next is a spoken dialogue between two actors which leads into the guitar solo. finally, the fifth movement is a reworking of the second.

7.the price of freedom
a brief intermission featuring clips from speeches such as malcom x ("the price of freedom is death"), mlk jr.... and obama.

8.burn to a cinder
the orchestrations provide an eastern atmosphere that is heard faintly in previous songs and is echoed through such terms found in song names and lyrics (samadhi, sahasrara). there is a progressive instrumental break. later, simone sings the chorus with only slight accompaniment. there follows a solo, and then the final choruses.

9.tides of time
a truly beautiful melody on the piano. this ballad is one of their best. the song is about the constancy of love throughout changing seasons, times, etc. miss simmons' soprano voice in the chorus is the best i can recall at the moment. full accompaniment slowly builds through the song and the climax sees the end.

10.deconstruct
a commonplace epica song. the message in the lyrics are extremely cliche and overused (we're ruining ourselves and the planet through greed, cooperation is the only way).

11.semblance of liberty
growled vocals on the verse wrapped inside a catchy riff. the lyrics deal with private self interest harming public virtue (total b.s.), i think.

12.white waters
any song featuring tony kakko is going to be great, and this is no different. the guitarwork is mostly clean, almost in a gothenburg sound (well, not really-- it reminds me of amorphis). an eastern or oriental influence is heard again amidst a stripped down sound compared to the rest of the album. the lyrics deal with a man seeing a vision in the water, presumably his lost or dead lady-friend.

13.design your universe (a new age dawns - part vi)
an epic, using a lot of choirs but also more reserved verses. this song is missing something to make it great. as it is, it sounds uninspired and forced.

14.incentive
the bonus track. i don't have the lyrics for it, so i won't be able to tell you much from that angle. musically, its fast and aggressive, completely without simone's singing.

well, it turns out 'design your universe' doesn't match 'the divine conspiracy'. yes, it is more symphonic than 'the divine conspiracy' (as hard as it is to imagine that possible), but at what cost? it has fewer catchy leads or melodies, less aggressive death metal passages, and less progressive elements. its an epic that was engineered, not created, and so it feels heartless a lot of the time. perhaps we've put too much pressure on them to be more symphonic that they've sacrificed a bit of everything else that made them great. still, it has some great songs...just..not as many great songs as from their previous works.