As always there is about a million thoughts rampaging in my brain, and focusing on a single thought can be difficult when you are a paranoid perfectionist. But I believe I have pinpointed the song I need to talk about.
I wanted to do a song a little harder then pervious months. Figured my heavy metal friends might be getting bored with the relatively light atmosphere I have developed in recent months. So heavy was a necessity for this month.
I dislike the idea of being yesterday’s news and though I hardly doubt anyone who actually takes the time to read my monthly music rants cares, that doesn’t mean they should settle for my second best. I want to share music that is not only great on any standard, but also somewhat unknown. So obscurity is important this month.
I keep thinking about a conversation about fantasy literature (which I write for a hobby) where I was unable to describe the exact kind of music that runs through my head while I write. So something mystical, and fantastic was an important element to me in this month’s review.
In the end I knew what band I wanted to talk about, but picking the right song was the challenge.
I want to talk about Nightwish before they become too well known and I end up talking about yesterday’s news. Nightwish is out of Finland, which apparently is the greatest nation in the world for hard, over the top, super emotional, heavy metal. Formerly led by trained opera singer Tarja Turunen (that name is about as Finish as it gets) this heavy metal group has something I personally rather enjoy… an actual singer! Not some ninny yelling stupidly.
For some time I contemplated various tracks by Nightwish I would review. Some songs like “Wishmaster” and “I wish I had an Angel” fit very well with the whole ‘fantasy’ theme I was hoping for. Songs like “Planet Hell” captured the brutality I was describing to Tom Theroux in a conversation about some of the harsher elements to my own story telling.
“Save yourself a penny for the ferryman, Save yourself and let them suffer.”
Cool stuff, anyway you can understand my dilemma. Though unimportant insofar that this is sort of monthly spamming I do; I make a conscious effort to be entertaining and interesting.
In the end I believe I have to side with my little brother Devin who initially introduced Nightwish to me. I believe his favorite track, is “Deep Silent Complete” and while I am on the fence about which Nightwish song is my favorite or which song best captures the mood I was trying to capture this month Deep Silent Complete does capture the overall the style of Nightwish best.
There is a lot of Tarje singing very opera-esc in this song, and though still undoubtedly a metal song there is a clear melody and coherent style through out. It is the best combination of opera metal the band has to offer even better then their cover of “Phantom of the Opera.”
Deep Silent Complete really is an impressive song that does mix two genres rather well. I suppose it speaks well of Nightwish that their songs sound different enough that various tracks racked my brain as to which captured a variety of themes best. Also they appear to be growing in popularity, as I saw a commercial on TV not too long ago for their greatest hits album release in North America. Also I believe one of their songs was featured on “Lord of The Rings,” which I think is a pretty big deal.
Anyway, until next month, keep on rocking in the free world.
- Colin Kelly
No comments:
Post a Comment