Floor Jansen to join Delain for a guest appearance
Delain’s special show on October 31st will feature two special guests – Nightwish singer/bass player Marco Hietala and back-in-the-headlines Floor Jansen.
Although the show is sold out you can also find plenty of great information about Delain and their stirring metal music at: www.delain.nl
We have been mentioning Delain on Twitter for a while but the links between Twitter and WordPress are still very basic. You can follow Delain via @DelainInt and we think you should!
Metal Rools!
Update on “The Fallen”
To avoid a clash with another group, Carly Smithson and band (which includes some former members of Evanescence) have changed their name to We Are The Fallen.
So while it is not as catchy, the first single – Bury Me Alive – definitely is – especially if you love a style very similar to early Evanescence!
On their website wearethefallen.com the band announced:
Thanks so much for all of the positive feedback we received for “Bury Me Alive”, not to mention the overwhelming response to the free download! There is more great stuff coming soon. If you didn’t register wefor the free download you can still sign up and you’ll be notified of future offers and all of the great things coming soon to wearethefallen.com including the full site launch!
New Lacuna Coil – single Spellbound and album Shallow Life
Lacuna Coil will release their fifth album Shallow Life on April 17 :: the first single from the album, Spellbound, is released today :: with trademark guitar riffs, solid beat and swapping vocals, fans of their sound will not be disappinted :: it has a catchy chorus which we’ll all be singing in no time.
according to superstar singer Cristina Scabbia, the video for the single was filmed in Australia in February with a “shallow and glamorous theme” :: the costume for the video was designed by Dolce & Gabbana and was set in a gold mine
in an interview about the album, Cristina stated, “It’s different, but it’s our style. We haven’t done anything absolutely different from our style, because that wouldn’t be natural, that would be weird – it wouldn’t be us. The songs are definitely more powerful, more complete, more intense, more straight-to-the-point”.
Andrea Ferro added, “We’ve put more attention on the real meaning of the songs, so the vocals are a bit more prominent. We’ve worked a lot on the pronunciation of the words in English, so people really understand the meanings of the words. There are strong choruses, where people can relate and really understand what we mean”.
the single has been posted by Lacuna Coil to their MySpace here – go listen.
After Forever update – sad update – they have quit
Despite some positive comments towards the end of 2008, the members of After Forever have decided to continue their ‘holiday’ of last year and are unlikely to work together again as a band. The message on their website reads:
“As band members, but also as friends, we’ve experienced so very much; highs and lows, good times and bad. We’ll keep supporting each other in all of our various individual projects and continue inspiring one another in making music. Our MySpace page www.myspace.com/afterforever will be used for updates on all of these projects and of course After Forever-related news, as well.”
Click their logo to go to the official announcement:
My thanks to LAST.FM friend André for the update: http://www.last.fm/user/wa_laan
This post updates our previous – hopeful – one about the possibilities of new After Forever music in 2009: here
Symphonies of Sorrow on a roll – big time !!
have been noticing really good work by Symphonies of Sorrow for some time – but just lately the posts have exploded and covered a wide range of great music
click the image for the link:
also worth mentioning this is one of the best reference blogs i’ve seen for a long time
recent bands and albums covered include:
- Lacuna Coil – Karmacode
- Holyhell – Apocalypse
- Iron Maiden – Live @ Fields Of Rock
- L’Ame Immortelle – Namenlos
- Armin van Buuren & Sharon den Adel – In And Out Of Love (single)
- Leaves’ Eyes – Live @ Wacken Open Air
- Epica – The Divine Conspiracy
Epica and Lacuna Coil to play at Graspop in June
Graspop Metal Festival
Epica and and Lacuna Coil are being listed to play at the 14th edition of the Graspop Metal Meeting, set to take place June 26-28 on the festival grounds of the Boeretang in Dessel, Belgium
Epica have been described as “epic, grand and majestic”, which suits their name and also the fantastic vocals of Simone Simons with all the power and clarity of her mezzo-soprano range
in other Epica news, they have announced that Isaac Delahaye will be their new fulltime guitarist to replace Ad :: you can see the new lineup at the Paaspop festival at Schijndel in the Netherlands on April 12th
Lacuna Coil are down in Australia for February, followed by March, April and May in the States :: having seen them recently in the UK, when they were quite awesome, all this extra touring may see an even better band on their return to Europe
Gothic currents in the soundtrack for Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
Rhona Mitra appears in Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
In a funny preview for the Underworld: Rise of the Lycans soundtrack, The Playlist says “it includes remixes from the former Nine Inch Nails member Danny Lohner and tracks from goth rock artists such as Puscifer and Black Light Burns and more well-known rock names like Deftones, The Cure … and other hard and heavy bands you should only be listening to if you’re under sixteen or live in Croatia.”
So why am I listening and why do I love it. Overall, there are dark melodies that suggest gothic influences and undercurrents, with a tone that ties the various styles together. Oh, and Rhona Mitra is in the film (gratuitous photo, left). Back to the music, a few observations:
Underneath the Stars by The Cure has the wonderful Robert Smith voice interweaving with delightful female sections sung by the always-surprising Milla Javovich.
Hole in the Earth by Deftones has a similar feel to The Cure or Muse, a bit more chilling with the emphasis on chilly atmosphere – an excellent track.
Stiff Kittens by Blaqk Audio is more neo-new-romantics with deep, thick sound and rich, colourful vocals. This style of rich song is alternated with refreshing variations, and yet the album as a whole keeps a continuity that stands well as a solo project as well as a soundtrack tot he film.
Danny Lohner was very involved in the whole project and there are 8 out of 16 remixes by him (credited as Renholder). The full track list is:
01. Puscifer – Lighten Up Francis (JLE Dub Mix)
02. The Cure (featuring Maynard James Keenan/Puscifer and Milla Jovavich) – Underneath The Stars (Renholder Remix)
03. Perry Farrell – Nasty Little Perv (Renholder Remix)
04. Deftones – Hole In The Earth (Renholder Remix)
05. AFI – Miss Murder (VNV Nation Remix)
06. Alkaline Trio – Over And Out (Renholder Remix)
07. William Control (f/ Matt Skiba) – Deathclub (Wes Borland/Renholder Remix)
08. Genghis Tron – Board Up The House (Renholder Remix)
09. Blaqk Audio – Stiff Kittens (Jnrsnchz Blaqkout Remix)
10. Thrice – Broken Lungs (Legion Of Doom Remix)
11. Combichrist – Today We Are All Demons (Beneath The World Mix)
12. Black Light Burns – I Want You To
13. Drop Dead, Gorgeous – Two Birds, One Stone (Wes Borland/Renholder Remix)
14. King Black Acid – Let’s Burn
15. From First To Last – Tick Tock Tomorrow (Wes Borland/Renholder Remix)
16. Ghosts On The Radio – Steal My Romance
Black Symphony DVD :: Within Temptation :: Feature Review part 2
The introduction to Our Solemn Hour is met with a huge cheer from the audience, and then the song explodes and so does the entire arena. Sharon in her shoulder-feathers leads proceedings and the whole orchestra and choir are in full flight again. Next the rousing The Other Half Of Me and another special guest, the lively George Oosthoek, with all the necessary growls and menace. Another wonderfully theatrical moment, which the audience loved.
Next, for Frozen, the band took centre stage again to rock out a little, followed by the ethereal The Promise that was given extra lift by the whole majesty of the venue. Truly a thrilling version, with Sharon willing the crowd to enjoy. The anthem that is Angels brought both the enormous angels on stage and the audience to full voice. Spectacular, and more tears for the beauty of the song and the overwhelming experience.
The flute and choir lead you in and then suddenly the stage and musicians explode into Mother Earth – another crowd-pleasing anthem performed with gusto. The male choir was, of course, thrilling in the live setting, so another classic performance. The Truth Beneath The Rose followed, again emphasising the majesty and range of WT music and Sharon’s voice, plus the magic of the live performance with the orchestra. Truly a perfect example of the talents of all the musicians and their songwriting, and a fitting climax.
Except for the thunderous encores of Deceiver of Fools with another exquisite costume change for Sharon. Next up is All I Need with ballet backdrop and is a much-appreciated sing-along by the audience. Sharon’s vocals again travel a wide range and leave this listener in awe.
So to the grand final, Ice Queen, with the audience, again, singing as one! Black Symphony is easily one of the best albums of any year as it captures so much power, majesty and sheer excellence in metal music – whether you call it gothic metal or symphonic metal or symphonic rock. WT rules!!
If you ever need to show an example of female-fronted metal with a commanding singer, just show anyone a track from this DVD. They could not fail to be impressed. Mention must be made of the band, of course, and they are so tight throughout that it seemed churlish to single anyone out. The rhythm section held everything, including the orchestra, together: Stephen van Haestregt on drums and Jeroen van Veen on bass guitar. Martijn Spierenburg (keyboards), Ruud Adrianus Jolie (electric and acoustic guitars) and Robert Westerholt (electric guitars) were precise, and all the guitarists supported Sharon den Adel on stage with their energy and visual emphasis.
Details: The concert features the band accompanied by The Metropole Orchestra and the Pa’dam Choir. It was filmed by 14 HD cameras on February 7, 2008 at the Ahoy Arena in Rotterdam.
Black Symphony DVD :: Within Temptation :: Feature Review part 1
The Ahoy Arena is one of the premier concert venues in Europe, with fantastic acoustics and wonderful transport efficiency. It is a pleasure to travel to the venue in a way that is so ‘right’ it is astounding that other venues are so bad. This excellent access puts you in a good mood before a concert starts.
Next, of course, is the performance. The Ahoy has hosted everyone from Tina Turner and Janet Jackson, right through the past 15 pop years, and with many classical triumphs as well. When I heard Within Temptation would be recording there, and with a symphony orchestra – wow!!
For the purposes of this review I have ordered the concert in the same sequence as the superb Black Symphony DVD – which cannot be recommended highly enough.
So the Overture is just amazing – orchestra and massed choir in the perfect acoustic setting. Then the band arrives and the sound is awesome. Have never heard Sharon sound so good on Jillian (I’d Give My Heart) and, of course, looking magnificent. The power and majesty continue on The Howling with the orchestra letting rip – so to speak. If anyone doubts the power of Sharon’s vocals, just listen to her in front of that song.
One of my favourite songs, Stand My Ground, comes next and so the tears come too – of joy and wonder. We’re only three songs in and the concert is already a classic. The drums throb next, providing that rumbling backdrop to The Cross, followed by Sharon’s effortless range across husky to pure.
Next is What Have You Done with special guest Keith Caputo, one of WT’s excellent anthems and the crowd cannot help themselves with singing and cheering. It’s like a choir of 10,000 voices. Then it was back to Sharon’s power on Hand of Sorrow, the clarity and range of her mezzo-soprano so evident on this and the following The Heart of Everything. Here I must just mention, also, the huge video screens behind the stage and the very appropriate imagery for each song.
A costume change and a huge cheer for Forgiven, which was nothing short of beautiful. And Sharon too. The piano and orchestra were in perfect harmony and, again, most of the audience were singing the lyrics the whole way through.
Next is another skillful duet, this with Anneke van Giersbergen on Somewhere and its magical interweaving of the two voices. The Swan Song and Memories return to the more mellow style, with the boys all sitting stage front on their instruments.
Part 2 follows …
Update on Floor Jansen and After Forever – new album soon?
Floor Jansen during an interview
STOP PRESS: See more recent news – sad news – in later post here
Floor Jansen is the lead singer of After Forever who, at female-fronted-fan, is somewhat of a legend. Her fantastic soprano vocals can scale a huge range, adding tremendous depth and passion to the band’s songs.
Floor Jansen during an interview
Floor Jansen, full force
Starting at 16 years old with the band then named Apocalypse, Floor soon joined in the songwriting duties and made full use of her opera training. She also plays guitar, piano and flute and has been a driving force in the changing band, including the renaming to After Forever.
Floor has contributed to work by a number of composers and collaborated on other metal band albums. Late in 2008 was a busy time with Floor guesting on Doro’s single Celebrate and at a concert.
Also of note was Floor’s performance of the song Phantom of the Opera at the Christmas Metal Symphony. Hopes are that a new After Forever album will be in the works during 2009. In the meantime. Floor has been working on other projects as well as running workshops and giving lessons.
The teaching started after Floor’s time of studying at the Rock Academy, a new type of education facility in The Netherlands that can be compared with a traditional music conservatory but for rock and pop musicians.
Sirenia new album – The 13th Floor – 5 star magic
there may be some dispute – there usually is – but i will suggest this is Sirenia’s most cohesive album :: especially if you love power and melody combined in a rich infusion of tone and contrast
there are guest appearances by Jan Kenneth Barkved (who was also on their debut), French violin player Stephanie Valentin and, of course, the Sirenian choir which, as the band say, “has been an important part of our sound since the very beginning”.
The 13th Floor will be released on January 23 via Nuclear Blast Records :: the album was tracked at Sound Suite Studios in France and Stargoth Studios in Norway, with mixing and mastering sessions at the Antfarm Studios in Denmark with Tue Madsen :: the tracks are:
Sirenia :: The13th Floor
01. The Path To Decay
02. Lost In Life
03. The Mind Maelstrom
04. The Seventh Summer
05. Beyond Life’s Scenery
06. The Lucid Door
07. Led Astray
08. Winterborn 77
09. Sirens Of The Seven Seas
we already have some favourites, especially The Lucid Door and Winterborn but, as already noted, this is an album you can listen through time and time again :: both the album and single have bonus mixes of various songs
and surely there is a track or two as great new contenders for the alternate Twilight soundtrack (see full story)
Best Gothic Metal Band / Best Symphonic Metal Band
Sharon den Adel of Within Temptation
in January 2006, Within Temptation won the Dutch Pop Prize and the Dutch Export Prize (for the best-selling Dutch artist outside the Netherlands) :: this was the third time in a row they had won the Export prize
just notice the ‘Pop’ label :: although they have successfully toured throughout Europe, none of their singles or albums were given wide releases in America :: it’s not until 2008 that all their albums had full release in the US :: the power of the internet music sites, nonetheless, makes Within Temptation appear on just about every list of best gothic/symphonic metal, even in the States
Anette Olzon of Nightwish
Nightwish, on the other hand, promoted themselves through singles and videos in the States, and were rewarded with MTV airplay :: also, again in large part due to the web, the replacement of Tarja Turunen with Anette Olzon added significantly to their public awareness
the 2007 Nightwish album Dark Passion Play went to No 1 in four countries, and Top 10 in eight ::t he recent album release from Within Temptation, Black Symphony, will probably be their most successful, especially as it is the first one with major label support :: Nightwish, on the other hand, had support from both their strong niche labels – Century Media and Nuclear Blast
it may be too early to decide which of these is the best gothic/symphonic metal band, so let’s make them first equal – for now, at least :: your comments are welcome
Gothic Lolita Surprise
Emilie Autumn
one of the big attractions of music services like Last.FM and Pandora is the power of the genome approach :: the way songs can be classified and tagged to reflect tone and style, etc :: and even though not perfect and occasionally presenting a song which seems incorrect, most times there is a great result
one radio station on Last.FM that has started to surprise with a wide variety of high quality music is based on the Gothic Lolita tag :: along with obvious examples like Emilie Autumn, Jack Off Jill and Cocteau Twins, have been enjoying Moi dix Mois, AmaiDeath, Schwarz Stein and Kerli.
there are, of course, often Japanese bands included, which as well as providing a contrast of musical style, also leads to some great information and gothic lolita websites :: and one surprise was the increasing number of gothic metal songs, especially from many new cross-over bands like Moi dix Mois
Being a sex symbol is also about strength
Cristina Scabbia is a powerful frontwoman in gothic metal, but not a 6ft 2in scandinavian athlete :: speaking about her image and that power, she explains “I didn’t choose the thing of the sex symbol or the ‘hot woman’ and stuff. I always tried to give the message of, ‘be sexy however you are, even if you’re a supermodel or you’re a little ugly girl that still has to double up her inner beauty’.”
as part of the Bullet For My Valentine series of gigs around Europe, along with Bleeding Through and Black Tide, Lacuna Coil were very able to whip the crowd into a music frenzy
altho Cristina has a tremendous range, some of the venues are less than perfect for good acoustics :: nonetheless the band have concentrated on getting the sound right, making sure the strength and power of Cristina’s vocals are clear and crisp :: in fact, for their next album (due in the Spring) they want to use the live sound as a starting point
Cristina’s strength of character is evident in the way she controls the stage and delivers the emotion and passion of their songs :: her co-lead singer Andrea Ferro is no slouch, and delivers his vocal lines to great effect, even if his magnetic appeal is less than Cristina’s :: she says “No matter what, be strong, because the message that people will get is from your strength. There is not just one kind of beauty in this world.”
: Bronwen
slightly celeb look - sorry
altho born in Australia we believe the family is of Norse descent :: some say Bronwen means ‘white breast’ and i am certainly a natural blond and fair-skinned :: altho i burn easily i still like a little tan so i don’t look like Rocky Horror all of the time.
