Unisonic - No One Ever Sees Me

Michael Kiske is a powerhouse metal singer hailing from the great nation of Deutschland (Germany). At age seventeen Kiske was part of a band called Ill Prophecy, but he became famous when he joined the epic band Helloween. He would remain as lead singer of Helloween between 1986 through 1993. After leaving Helloween Kiske had a successful solo career and also appeared as a guest singer for many bands including, Gamma Ray, Stratovarius, Aina’s metal opera “Days of Rising Doom,” Thalion, Edguy, Indigio Dying, Revolution Resistance, Trick or Treat, Tomorrow’s Outlook, and Timo Tolkki’s metal opera “Avalon.” In 2009 Kiske released a duet album with Amanda Somerville under the name Kiske/Somerville. Between 2005 through 2013 Kiske was the lead singer of Place Vendome. Also Kiske is a primary voice in the greatest super group ever Avantasia. Kiske is now the lead singer of Unisonic.

Kai Hansen is a powerhouse guitarist hailing from the great nation of Deutschland (again Germany) nad is one of the founder members of Helloween; after four albums as one of the leaders of Helloween Hansen would leave the band in 1989. Between 1990 through 2012 Kiske was the lead guitarist of Gamma Ray, he would also function as lead guitarist for the band Iron Savior on three of their albums. Hansen has appeared as a guest guitarist for many bands including, Rampage, Blind Guardian, Angra, Primal Fear, HammerFall, Heavenly, Stormwarrior, Headhunter, Heavenwood, and the greatest super group ever Avantasia. Hansen is now the lead guitarist of Unisonic.

Basically Kiske and Hansen have been in ever band ever.

As stated at the end of both introductory paragraphs, after journeying throughout the global metal scene both men have come together to form Unisonic, a modern German metal band. Kiske and Hansen met when they were both part of Helloween so Unisonic in many ways is a reunion for the two biggest stars of that band. Also in not so many ways Unisonic is Helloween version 2.0.

Unisonic had their debut album and world tour in 2012 much to the acclaim of European and South American critics and metal fans, all the while being largely ignored by the North American market. I mean I bought a copy of “Unisonic” but as near I as I know I am the only Canadian who did, and as a consequence this debut album becomes yet another hidden treasure from the popular knowledge of people, which is a real shame since “Unisonic” I think is the best work either Kiske or Hansen has done since the Keeper’s albums while in Helloween.

Unisonic the music video by Unisonic from the album Unisonic

The doubly self titled track “Unisonic” was the only single of the album and the only song to receive music video treatment. I suppose “Unisonic” off of the album “Unisonic” by Unisonic does seem the obvious choice for a first single especially considering the lyrical content is mostly Kiske introducing Unisonic to the world. The song “Unisonic” is a really good song but it far from the only good track on the album. I also really enjoyed “King For A Day” and “Never Too Late,” but if I had to pick a favourite track it would have to be “No One Ever Sees Me.”

Maybe I am just a sucker for a power ballad, or maybe it is because I am not so secretly a miserable person, or maybe it is because I think Kiske sings like a rock god on this song, but I really like “No One Ever Sees Me.”

The casual interpretation of a chorus like:

“No one ever sees me.
No one ever hears me.
No one knows me.
No one feels my pain.
I fade away.”

Could be a great many things. I instantly identified with the whole, no one knows me and no one feels my pain attitude. Like so many unusual prototypes before me I have felt far too many times misunderstood, outcast, and alone. But as I read over the lyrics, that I have been singing along too for just over a year now, it finally occurs to me that “No One Ever Sees Me” appears to be about an arranged marriage.

The opening two verses told from the girl’s point of view as her father pressures her, and guilt her into this arrangement.

“Anna hurts herself to cover up,
The deeper pain inside.
And if you ask she's alright,
But in the night she cries.

Her father says: You better get your head right.
Cause if you don't, you'll lose the fight of life.
You'll find a man that will give you guidance,
Who you can tell what you never shared with us,
Do you ever think about us?”

The second two verses appear to come from the point of the view of the man in this arrange marriage and the dark expectations and intentions he feels entitled too in this unjust situation.

“Sati's dad is honoring,
What always was tradition.
He will choose who'll marry her,
There must be no confusion.

And if she starts to babble about love,
I will forget what I am made of,
I will end her life with my own hands,
Do what it takes and what honor still demands,
It ends right here.”

All of a sudden this song is a great white ribbon song. Who in the world pays much or any attention to the suffering of women trapped within arranged marriages? Did you even notice Iran lowering the legal age of marriage for girls to nine, they did this because Saudi Arabia’s legal age of raping young girls (they call it marriage for some reason) to ten, you know because that’s what the Quran said. When you stop for even a shortest of moments you realize arranged marriages is a very real modern problem for far too many woemn, and it is something fantastic that someone actually bothered to write a song about it. The more I think about it “No One Ever Sees” me is kind of perfect in its delivery of this message, because Kiske is right, we turn a very blind eye to suffering of women across the globe, especially the silent suffering of women forced and conditioned to function as brood mares for their family or faith.

I really liked “No One Ever Sees” me but after some casual analysis I love the song even more. Also I really liked Unisonic’s debut album, and I strongly encourage metal fans to pick up a copy. The birth of Unisonic is a historical moment for metal Kiska and Hansen are together again and they are awesome together.

Keep on rocking in the free world.

- Colin Kelly, King of Braves