Nightwish: Once

Band: Nightwish
Album: Once
Label: Nuclear Blast/Spinfarm Records
Genre: Finnish Symphonic Metal


Track #1: Dark Chest Of Wonders

My personal favorite off the album, Dark Chest of Wonders is a remembrance of a dream. A dream where the person learns to fly after seeing a child with a clock striking twelve and seeing the child's heart for what it is. The person takes a step outside, longing to follow the moonlight without the restraints of life. The rope of doubt gets cut after a lot of faith (in what, I'm not sure...). And in this dream the person can fly, and they fly across the sea to find a chest. Only one of pure heart can open the chest, and when opened, dark wonders are seen from within. The world stole something known as The Big Blue, and on the night of the dream he returns to the person he was stolen from. All and all this is a pretty good song if you don't mind the old Gothic view of things.


Track #2: Wish I Had An Angel

"I wish I had an angel for one moment of love, I wish I had your angel tonight.." Right off the bat we can hear this is a love song in it's own right. Most would disagree with me, but that's okay, because this is a review from a fan. Much like DCOW, this song drags you in and doesn't let go. I would not recommend this to people of very strong Christian or Mormon faith, again, unless you're not bothered by this kind of stuff.


Track #3: Nemo

One of the slower songs by the band, Tarja's voice is brought out in a beautiful way. Not a whole lot of high notes, Nemo is more of a lower ranged but very beautiful song. "Oh how I wish for soothing rain, all I wish is to dream again.." Something tells me that she's lost a love in her life and has been brought down by the pain and only the rain can sooth away her pain. Hey! I'm a poet and didn't even know it! Anyway, Nemo, beautiful in its own way and is in no way meant to be taken out of context. I would recommend taking a listen to this song if your in the mood for something beautiful. Nemo most diffidently delivers.


Track #4: Planet Hell

Actually the first song I ever heard by NW was Planet Hell and I wasn't even looking for anything close to it! Starting out with a good buildup to the actual song with good symphonic vocalizing and then Marco Hietala's rough voice come booming in. A song about death, the chorus mentions the Ferryman, a being that transports people from the realm of the living to the realm of the dead, only if you have a coin for him. Again, if your not bothered by this stuff, its a good listen. But if you are, please don't, and if you do, please don't come complaining to me because all I'll say is I warned you.


Track #5: Creek Mary's Blood

Starting out with a Native American feel to it, Creek Mary's Blood tells a tale of of a warrior who's spirit will never leave the land he loves and he will forever remain with his people in spirit. It also tells the tale of how white man came and saw how prosperous the land was and wanted it for themselves(jeez, aren't we nice?), killing any and all who got in they're way. The Indians tell us how they stayed in the land since they can remember, most thinking it was theirs since the beginning of time itself. The last half of the song tells of how one Indian remembers the time before white man came to take the land, and how he was like the caribou and white man the wolves that hunt them and make them stronger. At the end we hear that the Indian speaks to the white man saying: "We never owed you anything, Our only debt is one life to our Mother(referring to the earth). It was a good day to chant this song to her."


Track #6: The Siren

Starting out with violins and going into guitars with other symphonic instruments and finally Tarja singing about The Sirens, the old Norse legend of creatures that sang a mesmerizing song that captured sailors and caused them to wreck they're ships and sink to a watery grave. The song breaks out into a vocalizing and guitar solo for the next few minutes, but over all the song has a mystic feel to it, a good listen in my opinion.


Track #7: Dead Gardens

Starting out slow and dark, Dead Gardens has the dead feel from the very beginning, and when Tarja chimes in it adds to it. To me it sounds like everything the person wanted to do has been done and they have nothing left to do but care for the dead gardens of the realm of the dead. A good listen, with a cold dead sound.


Track #8: Romanticide

Starting out hard and heavy, Romanticide brings a hard Gothic feel that is rarely felt by most bands of the genre. From what I can tell, Romanticide is about a love that had died and now the person feels as if they are being told how to live, and all they want now is for the old lover to leave them alone and die in the "Romanticide" of lost love.


Track #9: Ghost Love Score

Ten minutes in length, this is Nightwish's second longest song to date, the longest being The Poet And The Pendulum from they're 2007 album Dark Passion Play. Not really sure what to say about this song, other then it's a beautifully written and performed song and I would recommend this to anyone looking for something that's beautiful in the since of the Gothic.


Track #10: Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan
English Translation: Death Makes an Artist

In case you where wondering, the song is sung in the bands spoken language, Finnish. All that I can really say about this song is that it is also beautifully made and performed. I've read the English translation of the song, and here's what it says: "Only once I got to see my dream
I didn't feel the smallness under the stars
Once I got bars to my cradle
From there I'm writing a letter as a prisoner
My God, to you let me (be)come what my child takes me for*
In you, the beauty of the world
From which the death made me an artist
My God, to you let me (be)come what my child takes me for
Created my own heaven here
Let me get away..."
As I said before, a beautifully written song and diffidently one their best songs.


Track #11: Higher Than Hope

From what I can tell about this song, is that someone is trapped inside some kind of mental trap and they see no way of getting out, and when they're mother holds them all they can feel is the joy of her heart. I'm guess that the person has died and now the memory lives on though a friend...I don't really know what this song is about, so instead of typing pointless nonsense that looks like I do, I'll end it with a good song that is also beautifully done.


Song Rating:
Musical Structure: 10
Lyrical Structure: 9.5
Style: 9
Vocals: 8.5

Overall Rating: 9.5

Why did I rate vocals with the lowest? Because even though Tarja's voice is beautiful, a lot of the time she's hard to understand unless you have the lyrics in front of you.

From: http://lyricstranslate.com

Sletchvalk: A Forlorn Throne

Band: Sletchvalk
Album: A Forlorn Throne
Label: Whirlwind Records
Genre: Unblack/Extreme



Track #1: Tamers Of The Seas

Right off the bat I can tell this album could be another one of those "viking journey" album, with the harsh, raspy vocals of Shamgar and Ohtar screaming into my ears with that blistering but joyous pain.The last album I listen to by Slechtvalk was...well, this will be the first one that I've listen to all the way through, with the only song that I know by these guys being Thunder of War off the album At The Dawn of War. "Tamers of The Seas" is indeed about a group of sailors (weather they are vikings or not, I can only assume..) who take control of the sea and use it to they're advantage. Confident in themselves they fear nothing. Any and all who get in between these guys and they're goal are going to find that this is just not a good idea, and death is now inevitable.


Track #2: Forsaken

Looking at these lyrics to make sure I know what they're saying, it sounds to me like this guy is a bit lost. He fled the battlefield at the first sign of defeat, leaving his comrades to face the army and ultimately, die. Even though death on the battlefield was considered the only honorable death, for whatever reason, this guy chickened out and left. Now he roams the lands with this burden on his heart and mind, and now he feels guilty for leaving his fellow warriors behind to die. Along with leaving his comrades, he in turn leaves his homeland and now is in wonder if he will ever see his home again. "I wonder if I will ever find my way back home? Will I live to see my children become better men?" This alone tells us of the sorrow he feels and the regret he had for leaving the battlefield. I know that I would rather die in the battlefield then leave everything behind with the chance of never seeing it again.


Track #3: Desolate

Okay, so maybe I was a bit off when I said "viking journey". What I should have said was "viking depression" because now we're going deeper into this guys madness and sorrow. Now he's saying that his heart feels desolate and he's "trapped in a maze of horror, forsaken by God, I cannot escape...This time I don't see a way out, except for Death." This is basically a sad song with an Unblack style to it. So this is what someone felt like when all hell was happening all around them...Interesting. Let's dive in deeper into this adventure and see if the proverbial "light at the end of the tunnel" appears.


Track #4: Divided By Malice

Well, that's kinda nice. Having a little violin opening as well as good vocalizing from Shamgar and the rest of Slechtvalk. Now we're getting more into the pain and seeing the darkness of this pain that our warrior friend holds in his heart, as well as burning hate. He feels like he has no reason left to live and that he's been "left for dead". He is also determined now to take back what is his and seek his vengeance against "The Beast" as he says. So to me "Divided By Malice" is a duel-meaning song: pain and vengeance.


Track #5: Allegiance

Interesting....Reading these lyrics it seems that our warrior has found a new troop to control and he is forcing them to swear they're allegiance to him and he promises them that he will bring them victory in battle. It appears to me that he has found his enemy and is now seeking to extract his horrible vengeance on him and is "rallying the troops" so to say. He's even asking them if they want to be slaves to the power he's fighting, wondering just who will swear to fight along side him, a test of wits. Now he's having the weary and broken come to him saying that they will find rest in "my golden halls". Interesting...Now he's making himself out to be a powerful warrior...A little too much if you ask me...Looks like the tide is turning from "Viking Depression" to "Viking Vengeance". This is one interesting and bloodthirsty adventure.


Track #6: Enthroned

It appears that our warrior friend here has found a long lost temple with a long forgotten throne in it. He makes his way though the overgrow of bushes and thorns. Black marble veins surround the throne, but this doesn't stop this warrior from sitting down in it. As soon as he does, however, he feels the cold of the marble swallow him whole and he is seemingly transported back to a time when the temple was alive and full of people, the courts full of dancers and jesters and all sorts of peoples yearning for his impression. The legend of the forlorn throne is made clear to him as he is overcome with passion, joy, peace and desire. After being crowned and worshiped by the ghost of the past, he cannot turn away. But when he does, he is taken back to his time and he realizes that he his chained to the throne, the old king appearing and looking at him like he's dinner. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to sit in the old throne after all.


Track #7: Bewailed

Now it seems that theirs a love connection here as we find out the a woman has been captured and she hopes that the "love of her youth" will come to save her, but after several years he never shows up and she is now hopeless and accepts death as her fate. A dream then comes to her at night and she sees him standing their, but for whatever reason she holds out her hand to stop him from rescuing her. Then she hears the horns of war and she become fearful of having the same fate as her captor that she's grown to know and worry for. Fearing the judgment of her old love, she doesn't want to see him. Now she walks over to the window and thinks about jumping so she would never have to explain to him what happened. She continues to think that he's abandoned her and wants nothing to do with her. But soon, she hears a familiar falcon call and she knows that her old lover has at last come to save her, and she runs to him while he opens his arms and they're love continues.


Track #8: Towards The Dawn

Now it appears that the battle is about to begin, with the opposing force assembling an army. But our hero won't stand for it, and he sees the army going to war with false hope and they're fate of death being brought upon them. Waiting for this day to come, the warrior vows that his enemy will be dead before the day is over and victory will be his. Saying everything that he's dealt with and showing no fear of whats to come, his speech is meant to bring his army into high spirits and ready for war. Now he starts smack-talking his opponent saying that he's not the man he should be, his disgrace is eternal and he has a thumbless fist. Ouch. Now the battle begins...Lets see who come out on top!


Track# 9: Vengeance Of A Scorned King

So now we find our hero at the battlefield awaiting the arrival of his enemy, giving his army the last little bit of verbal strength. With swords drawn and shields at the ready, they wait until the army comes into view. Waiting amongst the trees the opposing army passes through them until our hero calls for a false retreat, making the enemy army think they've got the upper hand. They resort back to the trees and wait for the army to fall for it, only to have they're retreat blocked by our boys. The reform a battle line as the opposing enemy comes towards them, crashing against they're shields multiple times but never breaking the formation. After our hero fights his enemy the first time, he manages to get away but our hero slaughters his ranks until he finds him again, finally killing his enemy and bringing an end to the misery




Song Rating:
Musical Structure: 9
Lyrical Structure: 9
Style: 8.5
Performance: 9
Vocals: 8.5

Overall Rating: 9.5

Alice Cooper: Along Came A Spider

This was requested by a friend of mine. Noods, this is for you buddy!

Artist: Alice Cooper
Album: Along Came A Spider
Label: Steamhammer/SPV(German) Records
Genre: Shock Rock


The Master of Shock Rock himself, Mr. Vincent Furnier, AKA Alice Cooper.

Originally planned to be a band name, Alice Cooper turned out to be the designer of what is known now simply as Shock Rock, with other artist being labeled as such with names like Marylin Manson (don't get me started), Dir En Grey, Mushroomhead, Twisted Sister and so on. The song I heard from Cooper is the same as many, all thanks to Guitar Hero 1, School's Out. Later, once I was introduced to metal, my friend DarkFireDragoon got me hooked on his album Welcome To My Nightmare, and from that point on I began looking more into him. My favorite album thus far is pictured above, Along Came A Spider. "But why this one?" some may ask. "Why not Trash? Or Billion Dollar Babies? What about Welcome to My Nightmare, the one that got you hooked in the first place?"

I can't really describe why I like this album more the others. Trash is by far one of his best in my opinion, Nightmare is an amazing story and I can't wait for Nightmare II, but this album just speaks to the inner psychopath the most. The title track is one of my favorites off the album, but the second track, Vengeance is Mine, is my personal favorite.

The man is just the essence of creepy. The first time I saw this guy it scared the tar out of me. He has perfected the super-villain look and everything that is tied into it. Moreover, Alice Cooper is a completely different person from Vincent. Once Vince get's on stage, he becomes the sick and sadistic Alice Cooper.

And Vince is a Christian! I love that! Most people think that Christian's are good people that don't do anything creepy. And for the most part, that is true, but what a lot of people don't know is that most Christian's come from a bad background. I love what Vince does with Cooper: "I try to keep him out of my personal life. He can't imagine having a family, and the thought makes him sick to his stomach. But once I go onstage, that's when Alice has his time to shine." Paraphrased of course.

All around, Cooper sticks to his guns. He knows what he's good at and works with it, which is something that a lot of new bands coming out don't know yet. Which is fine, their new, they don't know what works for them yet. But for bands that aren't so new and know what doesn't work for them but instead do whatever they like and it sounds horrible, those are the one's I don't really care much for.

Cooper gets a 9 for this album. There are some things I don't like, as there is every album, but overall the whole thing is pretty good, expect when he switches gears from insane killer to a love song, which doesn't bother me that much, I would just like to see a better transition then just all of a sudden.


As always, I'm your host Wattako. Stay Shockey.

Divinefire: Into A New Dimension

First off, I want to say that this is my first time EVER attempting a blog, so please be considerate when commenting...

Allow me to tell you how I will rate my reviews:
Over all musical structure
Lyrical structure
Style
Performance
Vocals (big thing for me. If I can't understand the singer, they're going to lose points)

All reviews are given a rating scale of one to ten, ten being best.

Alright, onto the review!

Band: Divinefire
Album: Into A New Dimension
Label: Rivel Records
Genre: Extreme Symphonic Power Metal


DivineFire...What can I say about DivineFire, other then the fact that they are my favorite band of the genre. I list to A LOT of power metal, but these guys have everything I look for in a band: good, clean vocals, awesome riffs and music that I cannot help but to head-bang, I don't head-bang much! Most of what I do is more like a head-bob then a head-bang. That's what happens when you throw your neck out by head-banging as hard as you can to bands like Tourniquet, Amon Amarth and the like.

I was first introduced to this band by my good friend ShadowFrostJavelin while we where still going through the hellhole that is high school...So glad to be in college now...

At first, I wasn't really all that much into metal when I heard these guys. Before I listened to a lot of Mortification, Tourniquet, Evanescence, Drowning Pool and so on and so forth.

A little side note! Before I was even introduced to metal(and I mean real metal), I used to think that Drowning Pool was the heaviest thing on the planet. Bodies used to be one of my favorite songs, and was my theme for a while. Now, I barely listen to them and when people tell me their the best thing ever, I can't help but chuckle.

After hearing the title track for the album, I was hooked right away. And thus began my search into metal and the lifestyle that followed it. Someone had this to say about metal: "Metal isn't just music, it's a lifestyle, and one that will stick with you until you die." Now I can't remember who it was that said that, but they are spot on. Ever since I became a metalhead, it has become my life. Music is a huge part of it. Without it, I would go crazy. But God is first and foremost, because He made music \m/.

I remember the first two metal songs I was ever introduced to by my other good friend, DarkFireDragoon. He let me listen to Mortification's Terminate Damnation, and Tourniquet's A Dog's Breakfast. Both helped me into the world of metal, and ever since then DFD and I have been showing each other bands that we like, a few of our favs being Judas Priest, Stryper, Tourniquet, Mortification and so on.


Divinefire all around is an amazing band, and when they disbanded because the lead singer, Christian Liljegren, was with too many bands at the time, it made me a little sad. But now I hear that they're reforming the band, and their new album "The Eye of The Storm" is set to come out sometime in 2011




Overall, the band is amazing. Not perfect, but amazing. I would have to give these guys an overall rating of 9.5, because there are some things I don't like about the band. For example, some of the instrumental pieces of the symphonists bore me after a few seconds, which is why the opening track, Vision of A New Dawn, just bores me. Some of the stuff in the songs bug me, like structure and how things come across. 


Other then that, they get a 9.5.


I'm your host, Wattako. Stay Shockey.