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Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Within Temptation - Mother Earth



Within Temptation; the Netherlands answer to Nightwish. Both bands formed in 1996, so I am unsure if one band influenced the other significantly or if this is an example of parallel thinking. Like most, possibly all, fans, of European metal music, I love Nightwish, and I often credit them for popularizing the combination of metal and opera as their original lead singer Tarja Turunen was a trained opera singer and their popularity was international. However, this entire time Within Temptation have been doing something very similar with their lead singer Sharon den Adel who insanely, somehow, is self taught, but could fool a layman like me into thinking she too is an soprano singer.

If we are to continue our comparison of Within Temptation to Nightwish for one more paragraph, I would suggest that Within Temptation has more of a woman’s touch. This at first may sound like an unusual suggestion since both bands are fronted by powerful female vocalist, but there is something in the lyrics and the themes of Within Temptation’s music that is impressionably more feminine. I am confident this has everything to do with Sharon den Adel’s influence, as she is the primary writer of Within Temptation’s lyrics, while the unconquerable Tuomas Holopainen has written effectively all of Nightwish’s music, words and all.

In 1997 Within Temptation released their debut album “Enter,” and they have consistently released new material every three to four years thereafter; it is impressive how workmen like and consistent they have been about this. Their last album “Hydra” came out in 2014, so we are due for a new Within Temptation album this year, also den Adel has been working on a solo project “My Indigo” so we have that to look forward to as well.

It has been a very steady and successful career Within Temptation have had, all of their albums have been well received, and I have listened to all them multiple times, a praise I should be able to, but rarely can give the bands I talk about on this blog. Naturally I have a favorite, and that is Within Temptation’s second album, released in the year 2000, “Mother Earth.” Actually, I can be more specific than that, I really like the beginning of the album “Mother Earth.” The first three songs, “Mother Earth,” “Ice Queen” and “Our Farewell,” are probably my three favorite songs by the Dutch band, and they play in the listed order at the beginning of the album, so yes, no wonder “Mother Earth” is my favorite album of theirs.

I have always found the title track “Mother Earth” to be very interesting. I have always taken the lyrics to be form the perspective of the avatar of the planet or a druid like sage explaining the motivations and whims of the world in which we live. Maybe it is my Gaelic blood, but a song the “Mother Earth” commanding our lives and demanding our respect fits in nicely with concept of Gaia and old Irish folk lore about the cyclical nature of life.

A great added element to the song “Mother Earth” is one of foreboding danger. Within Temptation and den Adel never explicitly in any way make the song about environmentalism, though it could easily be interpreted that way, there is specific lines remarking how the earth is not ours to control, and humans are regarded as rather powerless in comparison. The earth is spinning and moving through the vastness of space led by it’s dance partner the sun, and nothing any living thing on it can alter that.

The opening verse makes it quite clear where the power lies in the relationship of man and earth:

“Birds and butterflies,
Rivers and mountains she creates.
But you'll never know,
The next move she'll make.
You can try,
But it is useless to ask why,
Cannot control her.”


More so in the chorus:

“She rules until the end of time.
She gives and she takes.
She rules until the end of time.
She goes her way.”


We are but passengers on the world’s journey.

Then we get to “Ice Queen.” This song can very easily be imagined to be about a literal “Ice Queen” a sorceress, like Hans Christian Andersen’s Snow Queen, or just as winter itself. Much the way popular fiction and mythologies, like the Celts, saw the earth and moon as feminine, I believe Within Temptation has done the same with the winter season, and describes her as the “Ice Queen.” Like I said earlier, Within Temptation has noticeable woman’s touch in their songs.

Ice Queen


Like the first song on the album “Mother Earth,” “Ice Queen” also possess an dark element of danger. The “Ice Queen” takes life away, and once again it sounds like humanity is powerless to stop her from doing so. Another literal force of nature that human kind has no control over.

Immediately a threatening tone is taken in the opening verse:

“When leaves have fallen,
And skies turned to grey,
The night keeps on closing in on the day,
A nightingale sings his song of farewell,
You better hide for her freezing hell.”


Once again everything is said to us in the chorus:

“Whenever she is raging,
She takes a life away,
Haven't you seen?
Haven't you seen?
The ruins on our world.”


Which brings us to the final song in this trilogy “Our Farewell.”

Our Farewell

I always thought “Our Farewell” should have been the final track on the album, after all it is song saying goodbye, well not really, it is kind of the opposite. Unlike the previous two songs there is no foreboding danger, no looming threat, no sense of powerlessness in “Our Farewell,” instead there is pronounce of love and sorrow.

“In my hands like a sea of memories,
I can hear you say my name,
I can almost see your smile,
Feel the warmth of your embrace.
But there is nothing but silence now,
Around the one I loved,
Is this our farewell?”


All three songs have really good opening verses.

Interestingly there is a sense of motherly love, again that woman’s touch shinning through, which makes us think that the one that is loved is the child of the female narrator, perhaps literally, perhaps cosmically so.

“Sweet darling you worry too much, my child,
See the sadness in your eyes,
You are not alone in life,
Although you might think that you are.”


That sorrow is beautifully washed away in the final verse:

“So sorry your world is tumbling down,
I will watch you through these nights.
Rest your head and go to sleep,
Because my child, this not our farewell.
This is not our farewell.”


I have always found “Our Farewell” to be very touching, perhaps because I am alone in life, and my world is tumbling down, at least I think it is. Forget amount me, and we can see a really uplifting message of remembering and holding fast to all that is good. Friends and other loved ones who slip away, that is not necessarily farewell.

All three songs have a common theme, and that is the passage of time. As time passes “Mother Earth” will continue to go her own way, and there is a bleakness to human exists in the wake of the planet’s comparable immortality. As time passes all things die, winter comes in the form of the “Ice Queen” where she unescapably takes life away. Lastly, loved ones slip away from us, sometimes temporarily, sometimes permanently, but the treasured memories are with us forever, the wounds heal and there is a joy in remember what we lost. It is easy to be thankful for the things we have, it takes a mature perspective to be thankful for things we have lost, and I think that is the final message of this trilogy of songs. Acceptance of the world, death, and loss. Acceptance of the passing of time.

I do not know if this specific analysis is what den Adel meant for the listener to take away but that is how I have always felt about these three songs. While I love all three songs individually, when I think of them as a trio, they become this voyage of grief and healing guiding the listener through life.

- King of Braves

Friday, January 12, 2018

Beast In Black - Born Again



Nuclear Blast Records is my number one go to site and youtube channel to discover new music. Probably every few weeks I discover a new song or band I like, and every few months I find a band I really like. So, I stumble onto Beast in Black “Born Again” on youtube, I have no idea who this band is or what to expect, other than metal, and I tune in.

The video of “Born Again” is just the singer of the band getting pumped and then getting way into the song while he sings. My initial thought was, ‘this could be really lame, this guy is really getting into his own song,’ but my first thought once I was finished the song was ‘holy hell, that guy can sing, I am so glad he got so pumped up.’ This singer is Yannis Papadopoulos, and even though I have just been introduced to this Greek metal singer I am confident I will be a life long fan.

I was instantly reminded of Battle Beast. The sound was similar, and the name of the band was very similar, so I immediately began to wonder if there was a connection, and there was, Beast in Black’s primary song writer and lead guitarist is none other than Anton Kabanen, the former lead guitarist and song writer of Battle Beast.

In many ways Beast in Black is an extension of the three previous Battle Beast albums. The driving force of Kabanen is everything behind all of these beast albums, and it raises the question, why start a new band?

I have been reading every interview I can find with Kabanen and he is remaining respectfully quiet on the matter, but he has quietly revealed that a combination of the band name Battle Beast never being trade marked and some falling out with the rest of the band has cause Kabanen to move on. What is a man to do when he is driven out of the band he created? Start a better band I guess, because that is what he did. I really liked Battle Beast. I am so impressed.

It blows me away how great Beast in Black is. The band is great, and the album “Berserker” is one of the best debut albums I have heard in a long time, likely my favorite album of 2017.

Return to the song “Born Again,” this is a great song, but what is it about? It is a very intense love song, one of my favorite dramatic lines is:

“Love is a killer that never dies,
Murdering its victim with delight.”


Powerful stuff, but is there more? I think so.

You cannot name your band Beast in Black, and name your debut album “Berserker” without giving away the concept of your concept album. “Berserker” is a “Berserk” concept album, the band name “Beast in Black” is a nickname for the protagonist Guts. This is another extension of Battle Beast’s themes, as the “Unholy Savior” album had two very Berserk songs in “The Black Swordsman” and “Kingdom.”

I love the manga “Berserk.” I would go so far as to say that “Berserk” is one of the top five greatest fantasy stories ever told, right up there with “Lord of the Rings” and “A Song of Ice and Fire.” So similar to other bands, like Blind Guardian, who win me over hard by writing songs about my favorite stories, Beast in Black has got me on board for a Berserk concept album in a very big way.

The first track, named after the band “Beast in Black” is an epic power metal song describing the vengeful fury of Guts the titular character of the manga and anime “Berserk.” It is the most epic thing, possibly ever.

Beast In Black

That is obviously Guts' silhouette in the official lyric video of "Beast In Black."

I really love the song “Beast in Black” and the other obvious Berserk songs “Zodd the Immortal” and “The Fifth Angel,” but not all the songs are about Berserk, apparently. So, I wonder, is that first love song that brought me in “Born Again” is it about Berserk?

“I lie awake at night,
And dream of your return,
Behind closed eyes I see you,
Just the way you were.”


Oh god, this song is about Guts and Casca isn’t it?

SPOILERS

Casca and Guts
There is a good reason why “Berserk” is called “Berserk,” and the protagonist Guts has good reason to destroy, murder and retaliate. The briefest explanation I can give is this; there is very little magic in “Berserk” up to the point where Guts’ best friend Griffith betrays the Band of the Hawk. The betrayal is demons show up brutally kill everyone and then eat them, except Guts and Casca, where upon the reborn Hawk demon god version of Griffith rapes Casca in a pool of her dead friends’ blood, and desperate to save her, Guts gruesomely hacks his own arm to free himself from the jaws of a monstrous demon only to have one of his eyes gouged out. Casca, understandably completely loses her mind and has been an invalid in the series since.

So yeah… that’s what the berserking is all about.

It is very heart breaking seeing Casca cower from Guts gruesome visage terrified of her one true loyal protector in a world now overrun with demons.

"Will we ever be the same again?"
“The diamond shatters and now I know,
How much pain it causes,
When you're gone.
All I can wish now's a miracle,
Miracle to reawake our love.

Do you remember the night we met?
Will we ever be the same again?
Inside the fire with my regrets,
Wish I could be born again tonight.”




Suddenly “Born Again’s” intensity is not just suitable but necessary. There is a desperate and devastated affection between Guts and Casca that may never be repaired, and the adventure of blood and fury is underlain with this tragic love, almost obtainable, so close, yet so out of reach. “Berserk” may be a Japanese comic, but it is of the highest quality story telling, and bold Anton Kabanen has written this deep powerful rock song that captures the complexity of all that story telling and all those emotions in what is probably best song of the entire year of 2017.

What I am trying to say is, I really like Beast in Black’s debut album “Berserker.” If you like metal and/or manga, it is a must listen.

- King of Braves