Archive for April, 2010

(Review from progressiveworld.net)

Twilight were a 70s German rock quartet with progressive tendencies, hailing from Bonn. Their sole album’s cover is graced with a beautiful fantasy-themed artwork.

Aside from the rather progressive title track; the band’s sound is in the same vein with classic Thin Lizzy or Lynyrd Skynyrd. But the climate fluctuates with forays into various musical styles.

The title track begins with atmospherics – strumming guitar and the sound of wind. Keyboards and drums come into the mix, keyboards taking the lead before Kramatz’s guitar comes in. Unlike elsewhere on the album, Kramarz’s playing is clean, soaring. Huder’s keys are light, like falling rain.

“Country Waltz” is a damn catchy 70s southern rock. Following “Leaving In The Morning” evoke a lower register sound, harking Supertramp. “Rock ‘N’ Roll Chillun” starts with a few bars are Zep-like, but the whole grove has a Priest taste mixed in with a dash of Kiss and a sprinkle of Mountain. Not for any extended riffs or anything, like they piecemealed a track together stealing bits and pieces… but the fuzzed guitar tone and chorus. “Stranger In Your Town” begins with some narrative intro that ends with announcing the song, eventually turning up to be a blues-rock song.

Line-up:
- Volkmar Kramatz / guitar, vocals
- Ulrich Hulder / keyboards
- Jurgen Bieler / bass, vocals
- Roland Glasser / drums

Track List:
01. Day And Night – 8:35
02. Country Waltz – 3:48
03. Leaving In The Morning – 6:00
04. Rock ‘N’ Roll Chillun – 4:47
05. Stranger In Your Town – 7:23
06. White Queen Boogie – 4:05
07. Last Night In Verona – 2:39
08. Ships Sailing On Sea – 5:28

Link in comments.

Canamii – Concept (1980) (@256)

26 Apr 2010

(Review from rock.co.za, progarchives.com)

Hailing from South Africa, Canamii was a studio-based project assembled in a manner pretty much inspired by Alan Parsons Project, where a few principal members recorded an entire album utilizing outside musicians as needed. The name Canamii was derived from the star signs of Phil Nel (Cancer) and Claire Whittaker (Gemini).

Whittaker’s heroines were Annie Haslam and Kate Bush at the time; she also had a very strong 70s folk influence in her vocal style. Nel’s forte was in programming synths, he also has grade 8 classical piano; his major musical influence was Emerson, Lake and Palmer among Russian classical composers. Paul Woodley joined in soon after, bringing his jazz/rock influenced guitar playing to the mix.

Due to Phil and Claire’s full time job as studio engineers they were able to use the recording studios of EMI without cost – the label considered this project as good training – and whenever the studio wasn’t booked and the three had spare time simultanously; they used the opportunity to work on this project, spending almost every night and weekend recording. Various musicians were brought in as needed. After many months of hard work, the album was released.

Unfortunately the band never got to perform live, all musicians continued their careers seperately thereafter.

Line-up:
- Philip Nel / keyboards
- Paul Woodley / guitars
- Claire Whittaker / vocals
- Mickey Woitynek / guitars
- Ashley Kelly / bass
- Herman Eugster / drums
- Kendall Kay / drums
- Tony Moore / drums
- Tim Kensella / vocals

Track List:
01. Afrock – 3:19
02. The Phantom Players – 2:54
03. Spiral – 4:05
04. Rain – 3:58
05. Come And Fly – 4:56
06. Toccata – 1:29
07. And The Moon Be As Bright – 3:39
08. Children – 2:47
09. Feelings – 4:06
10. The Jester – 2:21
11. The Duel – 3:11
12. Tri – 3:35

Link in comments.

My Solid Ground – SWF Sessions (1971) + Bonus New Album (2001) (@256)

25 Apr 2010

(Review from longhairmusic.de, allmusic.com)

In June of 1971 My Solid Ground entered the studios of SWF in Baden-Baden for a live radio broadcast. Because of legal issues they could not play any of the pieces from the LP, so they debuted entirely new material.

This archival release features that four new tracks the band produced for SWF only two months after recording their selftitled album with the same line-up. It matches the selftitled album’s in their quality and musical expression.

Inspired by the planned re-release of the SWF sessions, My Solid Ground’s founder Bernhard Rendel recorded another 7 tracks in Autumn 2001. The scope of the new recording reaches from “space rock“ and lyrical elements to flowing psychedelic sounds. Resourceful and innovative: My Solid Ground 2001. These tracks are added as a bonus.

Line-up:
- Karl-Heinrich Dorfler / bass
- Bernhard Rendel / vocals, guitar
- Ingo Werner / organ, piano, Mellotron
- Andreas Wursching / drums

Track List:
01. Hysterical – 2:50
02. BBB – 6:39
03. Superconstellation – 2:35
04. Short Waves – 6:53
05. Drive (Bonus 2001) – 5:26
06. Grand Nightmare (Bonus 2001) – 6:32
07. 1-40 (Bonus 2001) – 9:51
08. The Cruzifixion (Bonus 2001) – 4:10
09. Frogster (Bonus 2001) – 4:16
10. Moonclouds (On Earth) (Bonus 2001) – 4:07
11. Mystery Metal Thing (Bonus 2001) – 11:34

Link in comments.

My Solid Ground

Sapattivuosi – Ihmisen Merkki (2009) (@320)

25 Apr 2010

(Review from sapattivuosi.net, metal-temple.com)

Sapattivuosi (Sabbatical Year) started out as a spare time activity between a few old-time mates, playing Black Sabbath songs. At some point, an idea to translate the original lyrics into Finnish; the band’s signature came into existence with excitement, noise and very little thought.

After two full albums of Ozzy-era Finnish Black Sabbath covers, the singer Hannu Paloniemi moved to another town. Halmkrona, Aunesluoma and Vehmas started to cherish the idea of making an album of Dio-era Sabbath songs. Marco Hietala (of Nightwish and Tarot) joined in as the new singer. After endless timetable hassle, and a long waiting period, the album “Ihmisen Merkki” was finally finished in the early 2009.

The band respectfully follow the original arrangement with minor adjustments to fit the music to Finnish sounding lyrics. The lyrics don’t sound out of place at all which is a pretty amazing accomplishment. This enciting work gains one level-up by Marco Hietala’s passionate performance approaching the originals as a genuine die-hard fan.

Line-up:
- Marco Hietala / vocals
- Janne Halmkrona / guitars
- Antero Aunesluoma / bass
- Simo Vehmas / drums

Track List:
01. Pelon Lait (Neon Knights) – 3:52
02. Maalaistytto (Country Girl) – 3:58
03. Uneen Hukkuneet (Children of the Sea) – 5:39
04. Tuli Ja Maa (Heaven and Hell) – 6:19
05. Laki 666 (Mob Rules) – 3:23
06. Valtaa (Voodoo) – 4:46
07. Yo Saa (Die Young) – 4:34
08. Ihmisen Merkki (Sign of the Southern Cross) – 8:31

Link in comments.

Marco Hietala

My Solid Ground – My Solid Ground (1971) (@256)

24 Apr 2010

(Review from progarchives.com, alexgitlin.com)

Bernhard Rendel founded My Solid Ground at the age of 14, in 1968. In 1970, at the Morfelden Studio in Frankfurt, they recorded a short track (“Flash”) that won second place in an amateur competition hosted by SudWestFunk (SWF) Radio. In February and April of 1971, the band recorded their self-titled album.

The marvelous opening track “Dirty Yellow Mist” is as close as any group has reached into the atmosphere of Pink Floyd’s “Meddle” album. The thirteen-minute track is driven by a monotonous, but very effective guitar riff. The organ passages really remind one of Richard Wright and there are pink pigs on the fold-out cover!

Among shorter tracks, “The Executioner” is a highly original and effective combination of mumbling vocal and heavy guitar and keyboard statements. There are three aggressive, punky rock songs: “Flash Part IV”, “That’s You”, and “Handful of Glass”. “Melanchonie” again recalls Pink Floyd, this time the mellow, peaceful romanticism of “Allan’s Psychedelic Breakfast”. “Devonshire Street Wl” is another highly original song, while the instrumental “X” ends the album.

Despite their nationwide success, some of the band members started to quit and Rendel suddenly found himself with a totally new line-up. Their plans for a second album unfortunately never materialized and in 1974, Rendel himself quit to pursue university studies.

Line-up:
- Karl-Heinrich Dorfler / bass
- Bernhard Rendel / vocals, guitar
- Ingo Werner / organ, piano, Mellotron
- Andreas Wursching / drums

Track List:
01. Dirty Yellow Mist – 13:07
02. Flash Party IV – 2:18
03. That’s You – 2:23
04. The Executioner – 3:34
05. Melancholie – 4:16
06. Handful Of Grass – 2:46
07. Devonshire Street W1 – 3:30
08. ‘X’ – 3:42
09. ‘Y’ (Bonus) – 1:33
10. ‘Z’ (Bonus) – 1:31
11. Flash (Bonus) – 24:41
12. The Executioners (Bonus Alternate Mix) – 3:35
13. Handful Of Grass (Bonus Alternate Mix) – 2:42
14. That’s You (Bonus Alternate Mix) – 2:21
15. Dirty Yellow Mix (Bonus Alternate Vocals) – 7:29

Link in comments.

My Solid Ground

Northern Kings – Rethroned (2008) (@256)

24 Apr 2010

(Review from revelationz.net, wikipedia)

On their debut, the Northern Kings all came together for one song on that debut release, the masterful Tina Turner cover of “We Don’t Need Another Hero” and then split the rest of the covers between individual singers. In “Rethroned” vocal duties are shared more often, with 5 songs sung by all four singers and 2 of them are duetted.

The songs are even more far fetched than their debut, spanning niche pieces such as Depeche Mode’s “Strangelove” to 80s classics like “Wanted Dead or Alive”. Even songs you would not imagine would ever fall to the sword of this genre, like Frank Sinatra’s “My Way”, are thrown to the howling wolves and given the metal makeover. There’s even an instrumental thrown in as an opener from the Rocky IV motion picture.

Line-up:
- Marco Hietala / vocals (2-4, 7, 8, 10, 11)
- Tony Kakko / vocals (3-5, 7, 8, 10)
- Jarkko Ahola / vocals (3, 4, 6-11)
- Juha/Pekka Leppaluoto / vocals (3, 4, 7-10)

Track List:
01. Training Montage (Instrumental Vince DiCola) – 3:32
02. Wanted Dead Or Alive (Bon Jovi) – 3:49
03. Kiss From A Rose (Seal) – 6:02
04. A View To A Kill (Duran Duran) – 5:18
05. Nothing Compares 2 U (Prince/Sinead O’Connor) – 6:39
06. My Way (Frank Sinatra) – 4:21
07. Strangelove (Depeche Mode) – 4:33
08. Take On Me (A-ha) – 3:56
09. I Should Be So Lucky (Kylie Minogue) – 4:42
10. Killer (Adamski/Seal) – 4:31
11. A Rock Legend (Thin Lizzy) – 7:29

Link in comments.

Marco Hietala, Northern Kings, Tony Kakko

Bambibanda E Melodie – Bambibanda E Melodie (1974) (@256)

22 Apr 2010

(Review from alexgitlin.com)

After the breakup of Garybaldi, Bambi Fossati decided to form a group together with musicians from Genoa, with whom he had jammed in 1974. The group was composed of, besides Fossati, another ex-Garybaldi member Maurizio Cassinelli, bass player Roberto Ricci and Indian percussionist Ramasandiran Somusundaram (also a featured session man with French prog band Magma on several of their singles). At the end of 1974, this quartet recorded an album called “Bambibanda E Melodie” for Fonit Cetra.

The principal instrument here is obviously the guitar, but the great “vibes” happening between the two percussionists are also making a distinction. This album is distinguished by a very rhythmic rock orientation; the lyrics are reduced to a minimum, while the music flows fast and direct due to the overall spontaneity of the concept. Not typical Italian symphonic rock of the era, mainly jazz/fusion oriented.

Bambibanda continued their live activity for several years, however, without producing any more recordings.

Line-up:
- Bambi Fossati / guitar, vocals
- Maurizio Cassinelli / drums
- Ramasandiran Somusundaram / percussion
- Roberto Ricci / bass

Track List:
01. Pian Della Tortilla – 15:14
02. Libera E Felice – 6:48
03. Calabuig! – 6:34
04. Piccolo Gitano – 4:13
05. Mare Delle Terre Medie – 7:17
06. Canto Del Sole – 2:08

Link in comments.

Bambi Fossati, Maurizio Cassinelli

Northern Kings – Reborn (2007) (@256)

22 Apr 2010

(Review from amazon, revelationz.net)

Northern Kings is a Finnish symphonic metal cover supergroup. The Kings are comprised of four vocalists, who are all frontmen of successful Finnish heavy metal bands — Marco Hietala from ‘Nightwish’ and ‘Tarot’, Tony Kakko from ‘Sonata Arctica’, JP Leppaluoto from ‘Charon’ and Jarkko Ahola from ‘Terasbetoni’. Each vocalist has his own trademark sound, including deep, satanic, operatic metal rock vocals. It’s all-consuming and larger than life.

The band masterminded the idea of recording their own metal versions of an electic selection of pop staples. Unlike most bands who try to reproduce the sound and arrangements of the original songs, the Northern Kings have deconstructed the arrangements, by coming up with their own renditions, most of which is backed with metal guitars, a full symphonic orchestral backing, and electronic enhancements.

The general vibe on the album is to give the metal makeover a fully orchestrated backing (string section, the works), with some electronic noodling thrown in . The metal guitars are prevalent, but there is the northern vibe of the band’s renditions. It’s not a gimmick, but it is very dramatic, very lush and grandoise sounding.

The sonic attack of the bands’ take on each song just blows you away. Unlike most artists or bands who record a cover, the version is traditionally inferior and not a patch on the original. It’s quite an accomplishment to take a song like Peter Gabriel’s ‘Sledgehammer’ or Lionel Richie’s ‘Hello’ and give it a new lease of life.

Hearing songs from a variety of genres and decades turned completely on their heads is an awesome way to spend the afternoon, especially when the tracks are tackled with such passion and no thought to consequence in forcing the listener to think outside the box.

You’ve heard these songs before… just never like this.

Line-up:
- Marco Hietala / vocals (1, 2, 6, 10)
- Tony Kakko / vocals (2, 3, 5, 8)
- Jarkko Ahola / vocals (2, 9, 12)
- Juha/Pekka Leppäluoto / vocals (2, 4, 11, 13)

Track List:
01. Don’t Stop Believin’ (Journey) – 5:29
02. We Don’t Need Another Hero (Tina Turner) – 4:48
03. Broken Wings (Mr. Mister) – 5:32
04. Rebel Yell (Billy Idol) – 7:29
05. Ashes To Ashes (David Bowie) – 4:39
06. Fallen On Hard Times (Jethro Tull) – 3:54
07. I Just Died In Your Arms (Cutting Crew) – 5:49
08. Sledgehammer (Peter Gabriel) – 5:08
09. Don’t Bring Me Down (Electric Light Orchestra) – 4:06
10. In The Air Tonight (Phil Collins) – 4:35
11. Creep (Radiohead) – 5:38
12. Hello (Lionel Richie) – 4:31
13. Brothers In Arms (Dire Straits) – 6:59

Link in comments.

Marco Hietala, Northern Kings, Sakalli's Pick, Tony Kakko

Weidorje – Weidorje (1978) (@256)

21 Apr 2010

(Review from progarchives.com)

In 1978, keyboardist Patrick Gauthier and bassist Bernard Paganotti decided to leave Magma and found their own band, Weidorje. Weidorje means “celestial wheel”. This word appears in Magma’s album “Üdü Wüdü” in the form of a short track composed by Paganotti and Blasquiz.

In addition to a guitarist and a drummer, they also recruited a second keyboardist and two horn players to join them in this magnificent project. Their music is quite Zeuhl, featuring throbbing bass, electric piano, and that classic “Zeuhl beat.” However, unlike Magma, the music is not ominous and the vocals are of secondary (perhaps even tertiary) importance.

In Weidorje’s selftitled sole album, Paganotti’s all-powerful bass is by far the dominant instrument. He kicks the distortion one level higher than anyone ever dared to in Magma and puts on one hell of an impressive performance. He drives, pounds, and relentlessly assaults your eardrums. The other musicians are in top form as well, though the drummer seems a bit bland, particularly in comparison to Paganotti’s old rhythm-section partner, Christian Vander.

The compositions themselves are quite good. The music tends to be more upbeat than (post-1001) Magma, and vocals are used only occasionally. The pieces are, as with most music from the French Zeuhl scene, focused on repeated riffs, grooves, and chord progressions with varying melodies. The music is strictly based on what sounds good; there’s no complexity-for-the-sake-of-it to be found here.

In addition to the three tracks from the original LP, this edition features two live bonus tracks of the band performing original compositions which did not make this album. These pieces are actually quite close to the lofty standard set by the songs on the LP. The sound quality is somewhat rough, but the pieces themselves more than make up for it.

Line-up:
- Bernard Paganotti / bass, vocals
- Patrick Gauthier / keyboards
- Michel Ettori / guitar
- Kirt Rust / drums
- Alain Guillard / saxophone
- Yvon Guillard / trumpet, vocals
- Jean-Phillipe Goude / keyboards

Track List:
01. Elohim’s Voyage – 16:33
02. Vilna – 12:20
03. Booldemug – 7:10
04. Rondeau (Bonus Live) – 8:48
05. Kolinda (Bonus Live) – 12:27

Link in comments.

Bernard Paganotti, Patrick Gauthier

Tarja Turunen – My Winter Storm (2007) (@256)

21 Apr 2010

(Review from about.com, allmusic)

Tarja’s first album of original material, My Winter Storm has some similarities to Nightwish’s sound, but she branches out into several different styles.

Some songs are bombastic and symphonic with a heavier guitar sound. Others are very classical in sound and feel with a lot of strings and sparser arrangements. There are a few pop influences as well. Overall, the album is softer and more reflective than her previous work, which tends to be the case when lead singers leave niche bands to pursue solo stardom.

Tarja has a great voice, and belts out her trademark operatic vocals with power and emotion. She also dials it back and sings in a more traditional style at times.

“My Winter Storm” is a mixed bag, hampered by the compromise between her old and new styles.

This edition of the album has a bonus CD of alternate mixes, live recordings and “The Seer” EP.

Line-up:
- Tarja Turunen / vocals
with
- Doug Wimbish / Bass
- Kiko Loureiro / Guitars
- Mike Terrana / Drums
- Maria Ilmoniemi / Keyboards
- Max Lilja / Cello
- Markus Hohti / Cello
- Tony Turunen / Guitars, electronic drums, keyboards

Track List:
CD1
01. Ite Missa Est – 0:27
02. I Walk Alone – 3:53
03. Lost Northern Star – 4:22
04. Seeking For The Reign – 0:58
05. The Reign – 4:07
06. The Escape Of The Doll – 0:32
07. My Little Phoenix – 4:01
08. Boy And The Ghost – 4:36
09. Sing For Me – 4:16
10. Oasis – 5:10
11. Poison – 4:01
12. Our Great Divide – 5:05
13. Sunset – 0:36
14. Damned And Divine – 4:19
15. Die Alive – 4:02
16. The Seer (Bonus Deleted Scene) – 4:20
17. Minor Heaven – 3:53
18. Ciaron’s Well – 3:39
19. Calling Grace – 2:46
CD2 (Bonus)
01. Enough – 5:13
02. The Seer (feat. Doro Pesch) – 4:21
03. Lost Northern Star (Tagtgren Remix) – 4:38
04. Wisdom Of Wind – 6:34
05. The Reign (Score Mix) – 4:47
06. Die Alive (Alternative Version) – 4:10
07. Boy And The Ghost (Izumix) – 4:16
08. Calling Grace (Full Version) – 3:21
09. Lost Northern Star (Ambience Sublow Mix) – 4:58
10. Damned And Divine (Live In Kuusankoski) – 5:48
11. You Would Have Loved This (Live In Kuusankoski) – 4:06
12. Our Great Divine (Live In Kuusankoski) – 5:18
13. Ciaran’s Well (Live In Kuusankoski) – 3:48

Links in comments.

Tarja Turunen

Sloche – Stadacone (1976) (@256)

20 Apr 2010

(Review from progarchives.com)

With a slightly changed line-up (drummer being replaced and an extre percussionist also), Sloche was still headed by the double keyboard attack and having plenty of back-up by their guitarist and the rest of the band. “Stadacone” is relatively close to their debut although more towards Mahavishnu and Gentle Giant, than the debut.

Opening 10-min+ title track is already warning us that this album will be slightly more disjointed, but nothing to be alarmed: the spirit of “J’un Oeuil” is still there — just definitely funkier. “Le Cosmosphile” is the only sung track (another slight change from the debut) which brings us right back into their debut album, while one of the keyboard players plays a rare sax solo, too bad the song ends in a fade-out. “Sauver Barbara” is an organ-drenched syncopated funky jazz-rock.

The second side opens on the “Ad Hoc” highlight and takes you towards a heavenly trip. Yet another short track “La Baloune” is full of great ambiances with Murray again on woodwinds. “Isacaaron” is the splendid closing Gentle Giant-esque track that is giving its all-out effort for the album’s personality.

Most classical proghead fans will prefer their debut album, while the fusionhead will enjoy this album. Both albums are immensely successful and it is a complete shame Sloche will never be able to record a third album.

Line-up:
- Rejean Yacola / keyboards
- Martin Murray / keyboards
- Caroll Bedard / guitars
- Pierre Hebert / bass
- Andre Roberge / drums & percussions
- Gilles Ouellet / celesta, percussions

Track List:
01. Stadacon3 – 10:19
02. Le Cosmophile – 5:42
03. Il Faut Sauver Barbara – 4:18
04. Ad Hoc – 4:30
05. La ‘Baloune’ De Varenkurtel Au Zythogala – 4:57
06. Iscaaron (Ou Le Demon Des Choses Sexuelles) – 11:21

Link in comments.

Sloche

Tarja Turunen – Henkays Ikuisuudesta (2006) (@256)

20 Apr 2010

(Review from amazon, wikipedia)

Released in time for Christmas 2006, ex-Nightwish singer’s solo career kicks off with a special holiday album, “Henkäys Ikuisuudesta” (Breath From Eternity), featuring a wide variety of material and styles.

Smooth and relaxing, all of the songs are covers apart from album opener ‘Kuin Henkays Ikuisuutta’. Tarja’s beautiful rendition of ‘Ave Maria’ has to be the highlight of the album, her incredible voice soars over the piano in such an evocative way. Also, her cover of John Lennon’s classic ‘Happy Christmas (war is over)’ is worth checking out, as she shines on this track.

Track List:
01. Kuin Henkays Ikuisuutta – 4:33
02. You Would Have Loved This – 4:00
03. Happy New Year – 4:11
04. En Etsi Valtaa, Loistoa – 3:30
05. Happy Christmas (War Is Over) – 4:36
06. Varpunen Jouluaamuna – 3:28
07. Ave Maria – 6:16
08. The Eyes Of A Child – 4:27
09. Mokit Nukkuu Lumiset – 4:18
10. Jo Joutuu Ilta – 3:11
11. Marian Poika – 3:32
12. Magnificat- Quia Respexit – 3:37
13. Walking In The Air – 4:40
14. Jouluyo, Juhlayo – 3:46

Link in comments.

Tarja Turunen

Sloche – J’un Oeil (1975) (@256)

19 Apr 2010

(Review from progarchives.com, progquebec.com)

This stunning group from mid-Northern Quebec is yet another one of relatively unknown groups that help Quebec’s progressive rock revolution in the 70s. Originally founded in 1971, the founding members changed one by one and soon after none of them were left. The keyboardist Rejean Yacola was the first to arrive of the latest incarnation. The band already incorporated twin-keyboardist arrangements, with compositions such as “Stadacone” in the group’s early repertoire.

Sloche is mainly an instrumental jazz-rock group and classical influence is relatively unique. When actually using their vocal powers (both in scatting and in actual singing), they reached peaks of beauty that makes you regret this quintet did not sing more.

From the first spacey ringings of the 9-min “Pas Fin Du Monde” to the last drop of “Potage Aux Herbes Douteuses”, every single second is pure heaven with opening track setting an incredible standard with its great scat-vocals (reminding a bit Wishbone Ash during the Argus album) and its middle section almost stopping as if the End Of The World had reached us without a proper warning, but it is a false alert and the tracks picks up in a funkier manner. Closing up the first side is the 11-min “Kareme D’Eros” and its lengthy piano intro, where the group shows us that they can be quite impressive in singing (not just scatting) with its text and harmonies. If you can imagine a cross-over of jazz-rock with Yes, you might just be able to have an idea of how the track is closing.

The second side starts on the superb (but much shorter) title track, which is also sung, while the much funkier “Algebrique” (Gentle Giant meeting Mahavishnu Orchestra-sounding) is almost reaching discordance, but this track is almost too technical for its own good. Closing track “Potage Aux Herbes Douteuses” renews with the scatting harmonies as if to bring you back in full circle to the lead-off track. Another strong pleaser, one wishes this second side of the vinyl to be slightly longer to have developed some ideas a bit further.

Line-up:
- Rejean Yacola / piano, vocals
- Martin Murray / organ, synthesizer, saxophone, vocals
- Caroll Berard / guitar, vocals
- Pierre Hebert / bass, vocals
- Gilles Chiasson / drums, vocals

Track List:
01. C’Pas Fin Du Monde – 8:57
02. Le Kareme D’Eros – 10:56
03. J’un Oeil – 4:47
04. Algebrique – 6:34
05. Potage Aux Herbes Douteuses – 7:11

Link in comments.

Sloche

Nightwish – Back in the Day… is Now (2008) (@Video)

19 Apr 2010

(Info from wikipedia)

This is a 37-minute-long mini-documentary (companion to Made in Hong Kong EP) chronicling the adventures of Nightwish during their Dark Passion Play tour from 2007 to 2008.

The majority of the film is narrated by Holopainen, with chapters of the film divided by scenes of the band in their tour bus playing “Drunken Uno” – a game of Uno where the loser (who, more often than not, is bassist Marco Hietala) must consume a cup of Jagermeister.

Quite a few interviews, both serious and funny.

Links in comments.

Marco Hietala, Nightwish, Video

Bodkin – Bodkin (1972) (@256)

18 Apr 2010

(Review from progarchives.com)

Bodkin were a Scottish quintet that released a sole self-titled album in 1972. They made a classic-sounding, rough-edged heavy progressive rock with the emphasis on Doug Rome’s Hammond organ, not to forget the cool wailing of Zeik Hume.

Somewhat more jam-oriented than contemporaries such as Atomic Rooster or Uriah Heep and not quite as hard-hitting, Bodkin nevertheless delivered spirited rock music with energetic interplay between guitar and organ, fine musicianship and distractingly good compositions.

A very palatable blend of dark organ-rock and dirty blues, Bodkin will surely please listeners interested in early heavily organ-based symphonic rock style.

Line-up:
- Doug Rome / organ
- Mick Riddle / guitar
- Bill Anderson / bass
- Dick Sneddon / drums
- Zeik Hume / vocals

Track List:
01. Three Days After Death pt.1 – 9:28
02. Three Days After Death pt.2 – 7:10
03. Aunty Mary`s Trashcan – 10:40
04. AfterYour Lumber – 5:14
05. Plastic Man – 5:59

Link in comments.

Nightwish – Made in Hong Kong (Live 2008) (@256)

18 Apr 2010

(Info from wikipedia)

This live EP consists of eight songs recorded live during their Dark Passion Play tour in 2008, all of them from their latest album.

There are also two tracks previously released as b-sides, and a previously unreleased demo version of “Cadence of Her Last Breath”, predating Anette Olzon’s joining the band and thus sung by bassist Marco Hietala.

Line-up:
- Tuomas Holopainen / keyboards
- Marco Hietala / bass, classic guitar, vocals
- Anette Olzon / vocals
- Emppu Vuorinen / guitar
- Jukka Nevalainen / drums
with
- Troy Donockley / Uilleann pipes (6, 7)

Track List:
01. Bye Bye Beautiful – 4:33
02. Whoever Brings The Night – 4:23
03. Amaranth – 4:16
04. The Poet And The Pendulum – 13:58
05. Sahara – 6:09
06. The Islander – 5:25
07. Last Of The Wilds – 6:30
08. 7 Days To The Wolves – 7:16
09. Escapist (Bonus) – 5:01
10. While Your Lips Are Still Red (Bonus) – 4:23
11. Cadence Of Her Last Breath (Bonus Demo) – 4:13

Link in comments.

Live, Marco Hietala, Nightwish

Orange Peel – Orange Peel (1970) (@256)

17 Apr 2010

(Review from progarchives.com)

Formed in 1968, “Orange Peel” is one of the first heavy progressive german act. They spearheaded the Krautrock movement with Faust and Amon Düül II by adding powerful organ playing to raw psychedelic rock.

Their selftitled album offers crazy frenzied guitar work, heavy organ whisps and tons of nice heavy keys, mind altering music and instrumentation, with great drum and bass interplay.

Orange Peel disbanded immediately after in 1970. Most members pursued their careers with another progressive bands.

Line-up:
- Peter Bischof / Vocals, Percussion
- Curt Cress / Drums, Percussion
- Leslie Link / Guitar
- Heini Mohn / Bass
- Ralph Wiltheiß / Organ

Track List:
01. You Can’t Change Them All – 18:14
02. Faces That I Used to Know – 3:11
03. Tobacco Road – 7:16
04. We Still Try to Change – 10:03

Link in comments.

Curt Cress

Nightwish – Dark Passion Play (2007) (@256)

17 Apr 2010

(Review from wikipedia, amazon, metalstorm.net, amazon, progarchives.com)

In order to find a replacement for Turunen as the female vocalist, the band allowed vocalists interested for the position to send in demo tapes as an audition for the spot, receiving over 2000 demo tapes in the process.

Nightwish’s new vocalist, Annette Olzon is an alto rather than a soprano, uses very little vibrato, and sounds like a rock singer rather than an operatic vocalist. She is a change from the vocals that are very often found in this genre. Her vocals are more a part of the band’s overall sound.

“Dark Passion Play”, the band’s first studio album with her sees them progressing steadily as usual.

As bombastic and grand as Nightwish have ever sounded, the fourteen minute monster of an opening track, “The Poet And The Pendulum” is not just a statement to anyone who may have questioned the future of the band, but is also if you will, the title track with the pendulum on the front cover of the album and is also the epitome of the whole album to come. The band sound as heavy as they have ever been before – full of sound, many layers.

Continued use of harmonized vocals make for a very full and stage-like feel when combined with the instruments and orchestration behind it and some of the songs just get so loud that’s it’s hard not to get overwhelmed by the grandeur.

75 minute long, the album is diverse and adventurous. “Amaranth” sounds very commercial and appealing to the wider audience; “Master Passion Greed” is one of the heaviest and angriest songs this band have ever put on with furious guitaring, double bass drumming and Marco taking to the lead vocal position, and to another far out tangent of the musical spectrum of the album we even have strong folk elements with “The Islander” and “Last Of The Wilds” that seem to work surprisingly well. Elsewhere, “Eva” focuses primarily on the vocal talents of their new frontwoman.

The album includes an unusual amount of personal songs, including “The Poet and the Pendulum” which has been described as Holopainen’s life story, and about being a composer and musician. Another song, “Meadows of Heaven” is a depiction of Holopainen’s childhood and the feeling that it’ll never return. Two songs, “Bye Bye Beautiful” and “Master Passion Greed” are about ex-member Tarja Turunen and her husband Marcelo Cabuli.

Nightwish have taken the symphonic elements of their prior works and infused them with a new voice to create a sound representative of the album title: dark, playful and, most of all, passionate.

This edition of the album has two bonus CDs. The first is a complete instrumental version of the album, which contain instruments that are hard to hear, or are omitted, from the original version of the album. The second contains two alternate, a b-side bonus track.

Line-up:
- Tuomas Holopainen / Keyboards, Piano
- Anette Olzon / Vocals
- Marco Hietala / Acoustic Guitar (10), Bass, Vocals
- Erno “Emppu” Vuorinen / Guitar
- Jukka Nevalainen / Drums, percussions
with
- London Philharmonic Orchestra
- Guy Elliott / Lead Boy Soprano (1)
- Tom Williams / Second Boy Soprano, Voice (1)
- Metro Voices / Choir
- Troy Donockley / Bodhran, Uilleann Pipes, Low and Tin Whistle (10, 11, 13)
- Nollaig Casey / Fiddle (11)
- Senni Eskelinen / Electric Kantele (11)
- Greg Knowles / Cymbalom
- Johanna “Jonsu” Salomaa / Vocals (11)

Track List:
CD1
01. The Poet And The Pendulum – 13:54
02. Bye Bye Beautiful – 4:14
03. Amaranth – 3:51
04. Cadence Of Her Last Breath – 4:14
05. Master Passion Greed – 6:02
06. Eva – 4:25
07. Sahara – 5:47
08. Whoever Brings The Night – 4:17
09. For The Heart I Once Had – 3:55
10. The Islander – 5:05
11. Last Of the Wilds – 5:40
12. 7 Days To The Wolves – 7:03
13. Meadows Of Heaven – 7:12
CD2 (Bonus Instrumental)
01. The Poet And The Pendulum – 13:54
02. Bye Bye Beautiful – 4:14
03. Amaranth – 3:51
04. Cadence Of Her Last Breath – 4:14
05. Master Passion Greed – 6:02
06. Eva – 4:25
07. Sahara – 5:47
08. Whoever Brings The Night – 4:17
09. For The Heart I Once Had – 3:56
10. The Islander – 5:05
11. Last Of the Wilds – 5:40
12. 7 Days To The Wolves – 7:04
13. Meadows Of Heaven – 7:09
CD3 (Bonus)
01. Escapist – 5:00
02. Meadows Of Heaven (Orchestral Version) – 7:13
03. The Poet And The Pendulum (Demo Version) – 13:40

Links in comments.

Marco Hietala, Nightwish

Mike Pinder – Promise (1976) (@256)

16 Apr 2010

6 comments

Thanks to Bragi Taliesin for the contribution.

(Review from amazon, allmusic rateyourmusic.com)

During his years with the Moody Blues, Pinder was known for the lush, dense sounds he generated from his Mellotrons, which he modified so extensively by the beginning of the 1970s, that they became known unofficially as “Pinder-trons”; and for his compositions, which were frequently steeped in a brand of mysticism that recalled the English Romantic poets.

During the group’s mid-’70s hiatus, Pinder recorded a solo album, The Promise, which grafted elements of what would later be called new age music onto his established romantic sound.

It seems Pinder used his famed Mellotron mostly for ‘ornamental’ effects, and actually went with an Arp synth for the ‘string’ sounds on “You’ll Make It Through”. There’s very much of a jazz flavor to the flute-laden “Someone To Believe In”, as well as a heavy gospel vibe on “You’ll Make It Through” and on the coda of “Free As A Dove”. His vocals are generally mellow and typically earnest.

The material is sort of funny in a happy, unintentional sort of way. There’s even a short, light ‘n’ airy, sunny 70s instrumental on side two. Pinder pulls out the old Moodies poetry-recital trick on “The Seed”, which along with “Message” forms a mini-suite of sorts.

There are two bonus tracks in this edition of the album, first one is a remake of ‘One Step Into the Light’ originally from the Moody Blues’ Octave album. The other, ‘Island to Island’ is an unreleased track from the 80s.

Track List:
01. Free As A Dove – 4:11
02. You’ll Make It Through – 3:51
03. Only Want To Love You – 3:25
04. Someone To Believe In – 3:17
05. Carry On – 4:16
06. Air (Instrumental) – 2:19
07. Message – 2:45
08. The Seed – 1:24
09. The Promise – 6:04
10. One Step Into The Light (Bonus) – 5:44
11. Island To Island (Bonus) – 3:14

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Mike Pinder

Nightwish – End of an Era (Live 2005) (@256 + Video)

15 Apr 2010

(Review from amazon, allmusic)

This is the live performance at the Hartwall Arena in Helsinki on October 21, 2005, the final concert of a long worldwide tour for their album “Once”.

With high energy all around, the intensity level stays up throughout the entire show, everyone in the arena seems to be fully engaged in the event, the band’s performance is great, the audio is the best yet, and the video work is generally solid too. Realistically, its just about as much as one could hope for as far as capping things off in a positive and energetic way.

There are 18 songs with a concert length of 103 minutes. Despite reputedly having the flu that day, both Marco Hietala and Tarja Turunen sound fantastic – at the top of their form. Hietala adds a lot of onstage chemistry compared to Sami Vanska, as expected.

The biggest strength of “End of an Era” is its ability to re-create the concert experience; the band is at the forefront, but the cheering, clapping, and chanting of the crowd are included as an integral element of the music, not a separate entity. There’s nothing more authentic on a live recording than capturing the requisite concertgoer whose duty it is to break the mood by shouting at inappropriate times.

The opening number, “Dark Chest of Wonders” brings it all together — the song itself, dark, theatrical and operatic, with Turunen’s rich voice floating over power chords, a charging rhythm section, an orchestral backing track, and the enthusiastic crowd at her feet. The vibe continues on “Planet Hell”, the first of several songs to showcase a Turunen/Hietala duet and solos by keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen and guitarist Emppu Vuorinen.

Powerful performances and dark, romantic themes continue to dominate throughout the album. Each song plays to the band’s strength and uses the crowd’s energy and enthusiasm to drive forward and craft memorable moments. A notable cover of Pink Floyd’s High Hopes features Marco Hietala’s vocals as Tarja Turunen takes a break.

As in the beginning of the concert, the final songs are rousing, passionate, and dramatic. “Creek Mary’s Blood”, a lament inspired by Dee Brown’s novel of the same name, benefits from the talent of Native American musician John Two Hawks, who also appeared on the studio version of the song. After an extended flute solo named “Stone People”, Two Hawks sings and plays in a striking duet with Turunen, whose operatic tremolo stands in contrast to her partner’s straighter tone.

The sound takes an abrupt turn immediately afterward as Nightwish launch into a rollicking cover of Gary Moore’s “Over the Hills and Far Away” transformed into a power metal epic as Holopainen and Vuorinen trade riffs between verses and choruses. The album comes to a close with the sprawling, gothic “Wish I Had an Angel”, a looser and more straightforward rock song that sees Turunen and Hietala alternating their vocal duties for what would be the last time.

The aptly titled “End of an Era” is the final Nightwish production to feature Tarja Turunen on vocals. She and the rest of the band parted mere hours after this concert.

Track List:
CD1
01. Dark Chest Of Wonders – 5:08
02. Planet Hell – 4:44
03. Ever Dream – 5:27
04. The Kinslayer – 4:08
05. Phantom Of The Opera – 5:11
06. The Siren – 4:52
07. Sleeping Sun – 4:55
08. High Hopes – 6:54
09. Bless The Child – 6:24
10. Wishmaster – 4:43
CD2
01. Slaying The Dreamer – 5:04
02. Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan – 4:13
03. Nemo – 4:46
04. Ghost Love Score – 10:29
05. Stone People – 4:08
06. Creek Mary’s Blood – 8:39
07. Over The Hills And Far Away – 5:26
08. Wish I Had An Angel – 7:52

Links in comments.

Live, Marco Hietala, Nightwish, Tarja Turunen, Video

Moody Blues – December (2003) (@256)

15 Apr 2010

(Review from allmusic)

With Ray Thomas deciding to retire after the latest tour, the band is trimmed to a trio with additional musicians.

“December” is an album about the spirit of Christmas but with its lack of carols, it sounds more like another chapter in the Moody Blues’ legend.

Like many Moody Blues records since the 1980s, the original songs are nostalgic, pointing listeners back to memories of an idyllic past when things were simpler, and toward the hope that social and spiritual renewal are just around the corner.

The set features a number of Hayward and Lodge originals, obscure and traditional Anglo folk songs, a transposed piece by Bach, and a cover of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” — alas, if only that were true.
There is no new age drivel here; its topics and themes are indeed Christian, but weigh on the side of those that are universally held: brotherhood, compassion, hope, goodwill, and generosity.

It’s beautifully orchestrated and produced. Its sound is pristine, and Hayward and Lodge with their trademark elegance sound as if they mean every word they write and sing. It most certainly is sentimental and lush, and has nothing whatsoever to do with rock & roll.

Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / vocals, guitar
- John Lodge / vocals, bass
- Graeme Edge / drums
with
- Danilo Madonia / keyboards, sequencing
- Norda Mullen / flute

Track List:
01. Don’t Need A Reindeer – 3:59
02. December Snow – 5:11
03. In The Quiet Of Christmas Morning – 2:51
04. On This Christmas Day – 3:40
05. Happy Xmas (War Is Over) – 2:37
06. A Winter’s Tale – 4:28
07. The Spirit Of Christmas – 4:52
08. Yes I Believe – 4:21
09. When A Child Is Born – 3:34
10. White Christmas – 3:08
11. In The Bleak Midwinter – 3:21

Link in comments.

Graeme Edge, John Lodge, Justin Hayward, Moody Blues

Nightwish – Once (2004) (@256)

14 Apr 2010

(Review from amazon, wikipedia, seaoftranquality.org)

It was bound to happen – Nightwish’s recording budget increased, and the Finnish quintet added an entire orchestra to their new album, thus forging their second breakthrough album. Like giving a child everything he has ever wanted, the band have let loose their boundless creativity. The album is very similar to their previous release, “Century Child”, but with strings, horns and woodwinds in absolutely every nook. It is absolutely over-the-top, but in a band such as this, it is fitting and magnificent.

The opening song, “Dark Chest of Wonders” begins with a pounding metal riff unlike anything else on the album – very reminiscent of “Slaying the Dreamer”. However, it doesn’t last. Soon afterwards, trademark Nightwish power-riffs kick in, infectious and energizing, bringing along with them a parading symphony that does not go unheard. The last chorus is absolutely beyond belief, with the band almost *dueling* with the symphony in a musical power struggle.

The chart-topping single “Nemo” is a monster, building slowly from a simple piano line and molten guitar riff into an over-the-top, orchestral breakdown. Thanks to Turunen’s vocals, the song also possesses a haunted quality.

“Wish I Had an Angel” features bassist Marco Hietala’s gruff vocals on the chorus and believe it or not the song manages to marry dance music with heavy metal! “Planet Hell” is accessible and tremendously melodic; showcasing the symphonic textures in a very isolated, gothic atmosphere.

Both “Dead Gardens” and “Romanticide” are rough-and-tumble, even too much for some ears, a violent kiss-off that ends with bassist / back-up singer Hietala scowling “Spit on me, let go, get rid of me / And try to survive your stupidity” over one of the most headbanging riffs of recent years.

The eight minute “Creek Mary’s Blood” depicts the plight of Native American Indians, the song features John Two-Hawks, a Lakota musician on flute, chants and vocals. It is a brooding and evil sounding song with a folk feel behind it’s malevolence. Woeful, slow and touching, building up to becoming a horn-driven hard rocker.

“Ghost Love Score” is a near 10-minute concoction of tremendous melodic fireworks. Everything from the chorus to the symphonic bombast to the choirs is absolutely hypnotic and energetic. The song makes any other song seem pale, ordinary and thoughtless. The choirs that aid in the choral delivery are mostly female, and absolutely majestic. The song is theatrical and truly unrivaled.

The album was a huge success, it allowed them to perform the “Once World Tour”, taking Nightwish to play in many countries they had never visited before.

Line-up:
- Tuomas Holopainen / Keyboards and Piano
- Tarja Turunen / Vocals
- Marco Hietala / Bass guitar, male vocals
- Erno “Emppu” Vuorinen / Lead guitars
- Jukka Nevalainen / Drums
with
- Marc Brueland / Spoken part (11)
- Jouni Hynynen / Growling (7)
- John Two-Hawks / Vocals, Native American flute
- London Philharmonic Orchestra – Orchestra
- The Metro Voices – Choir

Track List:
01. Dark Chest of Wonders – 4:28
02. Wish I Had An Angel – 4:06
03. Nemo – 4:36
04. Planet Hell – 4:38
05. Creek Mary’s Blood – 8:29
06. The Siren – 4:45
07. Dead Gardens – 4:28
08. Romanticide – 4:58
09. Ghost Love Score – 10:02
10. Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan – 3:58
11. Higher Than Hope – 5:38
12. White Night Fantasy (Bonus) – 4:04
13. Live To Tell The Tale (Bonus) – 4:58

Link in comments.

Marco Hietala, Nightwish, Sakalli's Pick, Tarja Turunen

Moody Blues – Strange Times (1999) (@256)

14 Apr 2010

(Review from wikipedia)

After a lengthy (8 year) break, Moody Blues release a very airy and generally more minimal-sounding album, with a slower pace. The sound features acoustic guitar, slightly processed electric guitar, light organ, flute, and string arrangements.

The exception may be the opening track “English Sunset,” which is arguably one of the fastest, most emotionally-charged, and synthesiser-laden Moody Blues’ songs ever recorded.

Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / guitars, vocals
- John Lodge / bass, vocals
- Ray Thomas / flutes, harmonicas, vocals
- Graeme Edge / drums
with
- Danilo Madonia / programming, keyboards, orchestrations

Track List:
01. English Sunset – 5:05
02. Haunted – 4:31
03. Sooner Or Later (Walkin’ On Air) – 3:50
04. Wherever You Are – 3:35
05. Foolish Love – 3:56
06. Love Don’t Come Easy – 4:33
07. All That Is Real Is You – 3:33
08. Strange Times – 4:29
09. Words You Say – 5:31
10. My Little Lovely – 1:45
11. Forever Now – 4:37
12. The One – 3:39
13. The Swallow – 4:58
14. Nothing Changes – 3:32

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Graeme Edge, John Lodge, Justin Hayward, Moody Blues

Justin Hayward – Live In San Juan Capistrano (1998) (@256)

13 Apr 2010

(Review from cd.ciao.co.uk)

One night in April 1998, Justin Hayward and his band performed a concert before a packed house at The CoachHouse Theatre in San Juan Capistrano, California.

The concert opens with an announcer greeting Hayward onto the stage. He is on his own for the first seven of his songs, accompanying himself on acoustic guitar and stands illuminated by a single spotlight. He looks ‘good for his age’ and appeared very relaxed, wearing a shirt with a mandarin collar.

He is joined by members of his own band as the concert proceeds, firstly by Mickey Feat on bass guitar for “Troubadour” and then Paul Bliss on keyboards and Gordon Marshal on drums for the remainder of the songs. Feat and Bliss had backed him on his latest solo album. Indeed seven of the twenty two songs presented in this concert come from this album.

Naturally a solo voice and a lone guitar cannot match the sound from the various studio albums. However, Justin is in fine voice and is able to show his expressive vocal range. He never forces his voice and the overall sound is not overpowering. His diction as usual is excellent and the words of the songs are easily understood. With his backing players he gains a much fuller sound and this does then give an excellent approximation of the Moodies in full swing. They do not attempt to cover up any deficiencies merely by turning up the volume on the amplifiers.

He quickly develops an easy rapport with his rapt audience. The songs are interspersed with light banter and anecdotes of his career.

Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / Guitar, Vocals
with
- Mickey Feat / Bass, Vocals
- Paul Bliss / Keyboards
- Gordon Marshall / Drums, Percussion, Keyboards, Flute

Track List:
01. Your Wildest Dreams – 4:07
02. Lost And Found – 2:58
03. Land Of Make Believe – 2:24
04. Blue Guitar – 2:28
05. Children Of Paradise – 3:14
06. Troubadour – 4:03
07. The Way Of The World – 4:55
08. Forever Autumn – 4:19
09. The Actor – 4:58
10. Watching And Waiting – 4:29
11. Something To Believe In – 4:10
12. Broken Dream – 6:29
13. The Story In Your Eyes – 5:25
14. Billy – 6:08
15. It’s Not Too Late – 4:53
16. Tuesday Afternoon – 4:23
17. Nights In White Satin – 5:23
18. Raised On Love – 4:19

Link in comments.

Justin Hayward

Nightwish – End of Innocence (2003) (@Video)

12 Apr 2010

(Review from metal-archives.com)

With this two plus hour documentary, End Of Innocence offers an in depth and insightful interview with founding member, keyboard player, and chief song writer Tuomas Holopainen. Joined by drummer Jukka Nevalinen and current Finntroll vocalist Tapio Wilska, Tuomas tells the story of the band the way only he can. From their humble beginnings in the small town of Kitee to the widely successful world tours of late, this video scrapbook showcases and array of candid memories in a genuine behind the scenes setting that is enthralling on multiple levels.

End Of Innocence is an unprecedented and revealing glimpse into the personalities of each of the five Nightwish collective, but more than anything else, it is a personal journey into Tuomas’ being. The video biography exposes the pressures of living under the microscope and the hardships of trying to live up to the expectations that come with being a rock star. Though he has accomplished so much in such a short time, Tuomas seems to have trouble accepting that his hard work has somehow paid off. Though every Nightwish record reaching platinum status in most countries throughout Europe and other parts of the world, he is a passionate perfectionist that is never truly satisfied with his art.

Spoken mostly in the band’s native tongue, for many people “End Of Innocence” plays much like a Japanese anime with english subtitles across the bottom of the screen. At times this makes things a bit confusing and hard to follow along during key moments. This is a prime example of why God created patience and, of course, the reverse button. Surfacing every few minutes or so between the discussions are priceless clips of back stage pranks and high energy performances from all over the globe. These tidbits show how the Nightwish crew interacts as a band, and more importantly, as a family. Every person closely linked to them, whether it be a manager, producer, or roadie, all share a special bond that keeps them going day after day.

Once, when Nightwish was just starting out, an unwise critic took it upon himself to declare the band as having ‘no future or commercial potential’. End Of Innocence depicts perfectly how wrong he was and charts where the band has been, where they are, and where they are heading.

Video: Xvid, 544×432, 25 fps
Audio: AC3, 192 kbit/s, Finnish
Subtitles: English
Total Runtime: 134 min

Links in comments.

Nightwish, Video

Justin Hayward – View From The Hill (1996) (@256)

12 Apr 2010

(Review from amazon)

Justin Hayward carries on the legend of the Moody Blues with his latest solo effort. As in most Moody Blues recordings the beginning starts with an eerie spiritual instrumental before launching into the upbeat “I Heard It”. All the songs are also mixed and faded into each other, another common element.

Stand-out cuts include, “Broken Dream” a melancholy look at days gone by and a coming of age; “The Promised Land” focuses on immigrants with a strong beat, clever, fast paced piano and uplifting lyrics and “Troubador”, an upbeat rock/folk number speaks about love and hopeful futures.

Two songs seem more stringently like storytelling. “Something To Believe In” speaks in a positive way about a family on the edge and “Billy” is one of the saddest, lonliest songs ever written by Hayward. Even with it’s bleak outcome, the song never reaches the depths of depression, but one of hope – a common theme in most of his songs.

Track List:
01. I Heard It – 5:37
02. Broken Dream – 5:51
03. The Promised Land – 7:25
04. It’s Not Too Late – 5:02
05. Something To Believe In – 4:21
06. The Way Of The World – 5:07
07. Sometimes Less Is More – 4:07
08. Troubadour – 6:34
09. Shame – 4:35
10. Billy – 6:59
11. Children Of Paradise – 3:15

Link in comments.

Justin Hayward

Nightwish – Live at Summer Breeze 2002 (@256)

11 Apr 2010

(Info from wikipedia)

Included as a bonus to the documentary “End of Innocence”, this live album shows Nightwish performing eight songs in the Summer Breeze Festival in Germany, 2002.

Line-up:
- Tuomas Holopainen / keyboards
- Tarja Turunen / lead vocals
- Marco Hietala / bass, vocals
- Jukka Nevalainen / drums
- Emppu Vuorinen / guitars

Track List:
01. End of All Hope – 4:15
02. Dead to the World – 4:42
03. 10th Man Down – 5:29
04. Slaying the Dreamer – 4:53
05. Over the Hills And Far Away – 6:02
06. Sleeping Sun – 4:29
07. The Kinslayer – 4:10
08. Come Cover Me – 5:08

Link in comments.

Live, Marco Hietala, Nightwish, Tarja Turunen

Justin Hayward – Classic Blue (1994) (@256)

11 Apr 2010

(Review from amazon)

This is a beautiful collection and selection of songs by the voice of the Moody Blues who delivers interpretations in his own signature style with the London Philarmonic Orchestra. His plaintive vocals are crystal clear and immaculate throughout, with many a number sending a shiver up the spine as only an emotional Justin Hayward vocal can.

The album includes renditions of many hit songs, such as The Beatles’ “Blackbird”, and Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven.” It also includes a re-recorded version of “Forever Autumn,” a song from Jeff Wayne’s musical version of The War of the Worlds, in which Hayward originally sang lead vocals.

Other notable covers include Simon & Garfunkel’s “Scarborough Fair”, Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale”, Fleetwood Mac’s (Peter Green era) “Man of the World” and the infamous “MacArthur Park”.

Track List:
01. Tracks of My Tears – 3:23
02. MacArthur Park – 7:16
03. Blackbird – 2:31
04. Vincent – 4:53
05. God Only Knows – 3:34
06. Bright Eyes – 3:53
07. Whiter Shade of Pale – 4:28
08. Scarborough Fair – 4:18
09. Railway Hotel – 3:23
10. Man of the World – 3:29
11. Forever Autumn – 5:15
12. As Long as the Moon Can Shine – 4:20
13. Stairway to Heaven – 7:42

Link in comments.

Justin Hayward

Nightwish – Century Child (2002) (@256)

10 Apr 2010

(Review from wikipedia, seaoftranquility.org, progarchives.com)

After a week of hiking in Lappland, Holopainen got the band back to its feet. The band switched managers and Marco Hietala replaced bassist Sami Vanska. Hietala also started to perform male vocals; allowing Holopainen to take advantage of Hietala’s distinctive raucous voice to add a new dimension to the band.

The fourth full studio album of Nightwish, 2002′s “Century Child” is a notable departure from previous Nightwish releases, musically and lyrics-wise. It contains real orchestral backing, an ethereal production, a much more streamlined vocal work from Tarja Turunen and the lyrics depict a strong concept album undercurrent. Hietala’s male vocals make the band’s sound heavier and angrier.

Beginning with “Bless The Child” you are quickly drawn into the sound of the band by Tarja’s warm vocals and a very eerie haunting melody. When the “End Of All Hope” kicks in you find that the group can be heavy as they find the need. This number is full of incredible double drumming by Jukka and great guitar wizardry of Emmpu. For those who enjoy a hearty chorus the track “Dead To The World” might be most impressive.

“Ever Dream”, the album’s first single, is one of Nightwish’s heavier ballads, with a piano and strings complementing the guitars very well and producing a gorgeous melody. Tarja sounds heavenly, and the last minute or so of the song is chilling in how gorgeous it sounds.

In many ways, the album is constantly building towards its wonderful climactic conclusion. That conclusion starts with the penultimate track, a magical reworking of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Phantom of the Opera”. Those who know the music of Nightwish will appreciate just how appropriate this track is for the band, and will be able to create a mental vision of the track even before hearing it. It is slightly speeded up from the stage show version, but otherwise faithful, including a fine male/female vocal duet.

The final track, “Beauty of the Beast” is where it all comes together. The song is a 10 minute masterpiece in three parts. Those three parts fit together seamlessly to form a complete piece. The extra space offered by the track allows Emppu Vuorinen to slip in some fine guitar work. There still plenty of orchestration, and dramatic vocalisations, which cumulate in the fading refrain.

Nightwish seems to be unafraid to experiment and evolve.

Line-up:
- Tuomas Holopainen / piano, keyboards
- Tarja Turunen / lead vocals
- Marco Hietala / bass, vocals
- Jukka Nevalainen / drums
- Emppu Vuorinen / guitars

Track List:
01. Bless The Child – 6:12
02. End Of All Hope – 3:55
03. Dead To The World – 4:19
04. Ever Dream – 4:43
05. Slaying The Dreamer – 4:31
06. Forever Yours – 3:50
07. Ocean Soul – 4:14
08. Feel For You – 3:55
09. The Phantom Of The Opera – 4:10
10. The Beauty Of The Beast10:23
11. Lagoon (Bonus) – 3:47
12. Wayfarer (Bonus) – 3:24
13. Bless The Child (Bonus Edit) – 4:09
14. End Of All Hope (Bonus Live) – 4:12
15. Dead To The World (Bonus Live) – 4:45

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Marco Hietala, Nightwish, Tarja Turunen

Moody Blues – A Night At Red Rocks (Live 1993) (@256)

10 Apr 2010

(Review from progarchives.com, wikipedia)

Performing on tour with a series of regional orchestras, they brought the majesty of their old studio sound onto the stage for the first time and audiences responded by turning them into one of the top concert draws of the decade.

Red Rocks is a natural amphitheatre near Denver in the USA, into which an outdoor concert arena has been built. A number of artists have released live albums recorded there, presumably due to the favourable acoustics. Moody Blues was there with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra.

The songs included in the concert are largely predictable, their live repertoire showing relatively minor variations over the years. There is no criticism in this, the tracks selected are among their best, and cover a good cross section of their albums.

The performance here is very good, and the songs are recreated pretty faithfully throughout. The addition of an orchestra does enhance the overall sound, but they are kept firmly in check in terms of the mix, with the band very much to the fore. There are some notable exceptions, such as the wonderful orchestral break on “Isn’t life strange”, which helps to give this majestic song an impressive new dimension.

Line-up:
- Graeme Edge / drums
- Justin Hayward / guitars, vocals
- John Lodge / bass, acoustic guitar, vocals
- Ray Thomas / flutes, vocals
with
- Spencer Allen / keyboards
- Paul Bliss / keyboards
- Bias Boschell / keyboards
- June Boyce / backing vocals
- Matt McShane / guitar
- Sue Shattock / backing vocals
- Allan Terry / drums

Track List:
01. Overture – 2:58
02. Late Lament – 1:35
03. Tuesday Afternoon (Forever Afternoon) – 4:42
04. For My Lady – 4:11
05. Lean On Me (Tonight) – 4:39
06. Lovely To See You – 4:04
07. I Know You’re Out There Somewhere – 5:22
08. The Voice – 5:28
09. Your Wildest Dreams – 4:57
10. Isn’t Life Strange – 6:44
11. The Other Side Of Life – 7:05
12. I’m Just A Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band) – 6:55
13. Nights In White Satin – 6:33
14. Question – 6:22
15. Ride My See-Saw – 5:26

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Graeme Edge, John Lodge, Justin Hayward, Live, Moody Blues, Ray Thomas

Nightwish – Over The Hills And Far Away (EP 2001) (@256)

09 Apr 2010

(Review from wikipedia)

“Over the Hills and Far Away” comprises of 4 brand-new tracks – a cover, a remake and two original songs written specially for this EP.

The beautiful rendition of the Gary Moore classic “Over the Hills and Far Away” elevates the song to entirely new proportions, complete with the blaring guitars, keyboard riffs and soaring operatic vocals. The mesmerizing “10th Man Down”, a song written about the gruesome reality of war. It is a midtempo song with some really great guitar riffs. “Away” is the ballad of the EP, the chorus to it is simply unforgettable. The EP closes with a remake of “Astral Romance” from the band’s debut album, featuring the vocals of Sonata Arctica’s Tony Kakko, quite an improvement over the original vocals of Holopainen.

During the tour of “Over the Hills and Far Away”, tension was building up among members, centering on Sami Vanska’s missing appointments and not taking the gigs as seriously as the others. By the end of the tour, the band unofficially broke up.

Line-up:
- Tuomas Holopainen / Keyboards
- Tarja Turunen / Vocals
- Erno “Emppu” Vuorinen / Guitars
- Sami Vanska / Bass
- Jukka Nevalainen / Drums
with
- Tapio Wilska / Vocals (1, 2)
- Tony Kakko / Vocals (1, 4)

Track List:
01. Over The Hills And Far Away – 5:03
02. 10th Man Down – 5:24
03. Away – 4:33
04. Astral Romance (2001) – 5:22

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Nightwish, Tarja Turunen, Tony Kakko

Moody Blues – Keys of the Kingdom (1991) (@256)

09 Apr 2010

(Review from wikipedia, progarchives.com, blogcritics.org)

Keyboardist Patrick Moraz left the band after completing only a few tracks for this album. Drummer Graeme Edge does not play on any tracks, the live drums being supplied by Andy Duncan. Flautist Ray Thomas is back and he plays more of a substantial role on this record, with his first ambient flute piece in eight years. Although drum machines are still used heavily, this album sees the band beginning to return to a more airy rock oriented sound (similar to The Present).

“Bless the Wings That Bring You Back” is a powerful mid-paced track, which affords Patrick Moraz slightly more than the usual exposure he enjoys with the band. The keyboards have a very modern, almost synthetic sound, more akin to a melodic rock band.

“Celtic Sonnet”, which Ray Thomas composed and takes lead vocals on, is a traditional sounding air, with a simple but infectious chorus. His clear baritone rising above the harmonies and his flute weaving its intricate sounds in and out of the other instruments was a look back to the classic days of the group.

“Never Blame the Rainbows for the Rain” is a Ray Thomas/Justin Hayward song strikes a chord, both in terms of the quality of the song, and its performance, it is quite beautiful. It is a poetic and melodic look at aging and is one of the album’s stronger compositions.

Since the album didn’t prodce any major hit singles (where its two predecessors did), it would mark the beginning of the Moodies’ decline in popularity with mainstream audiences.

Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / vocals, guitar
- John Lodge / vocals, bass guitar
- Ray Thomas / vocals, flute
- Patrick Moraz / keyboards
with
- Andy Duncan / drums

Track List:
01. Say It With Love – 3:57
02. Bless the Wings (That Bring You Back) – 5:10
03. Is This Heaven – 4:04
04. Say What You Mean (Parts I & II) – 5:38
05. Lean on Me (Tonight) – 4:58
06. Hope and Pray – 5:03
07. Shadows on the Wall – 5:07
08. Once is Enough – 4:03
09. Celtic Sonant – 5:02
10. Magic – 5:11
11. Never Blame the Rainbows for the Rain – 4:57

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John Lodge, Justin Hayward, Moody Blues, Patrick Moraz, Ray Thomas

Moody Blues – Sur La Mer (1988) (@256)

08 Apr 2010

(Review from progarchives.com)

“Sur la Mer” is the first album not to feature member Ray Thomas at all, in that while he did make some backing-vocal contributions to the album’s sessions, these vocal tracks were never mixed in. On previous albums his vocal harmonies, lead vocal on at least one track and occasional flute gave them a completeness which is perhaps missing here.

This is very much a Hayward and Lodge album. Patrick Moraz is still present, but his contribution is to the overall sound, with virtually nothing up front at all from him. The album bears more rock and acoustic influences than its predecessor.

The lead track, “I know You’re Out There Somewhere” mirrors the gently rocking opening tracks to most of their albums, and stands as a classic Moody Blues song. “No More Lies” is probably the highlight, being a slower song in the style of “Melancholy Man”.

Among other notable tracks, “Vintage Wine” is a catchy, if slight, look back at the ’60s. “Deep” is as overtly sexual as any piece in the Moody Blues songbook. “Breaking Point” is much darker than most material in the group’s catalog, as it looks at someone who is seemingly at the brink of losing sanity.

Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / guitars, keyboards, vocals, drum sequencing
- John Lodge / bass, keyboards, vocals, drum sequencing
- Graeme Edge / acoustic drums
- Patrick Moraz / keyboards

Track List:
01. I Know You’re Out There Somewhere – 6:37
02. Want To Be With You – 4:48
03. River Of Endless Love – 4:45
04. No More Lies – 5:15
05. Here Comes The Weekend – 4:16
06. Vintage Wine – 3:38
07. Breaking Point – 4:55
08. Miracle – 4:57
09. Love Is On The Run – 5:02
10. Deep – 6:50

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Graeme Edge, John Lodge, Justin Hayward, Moody Blues, Patrick Moraz

Nightwish – From Wishes To Eternity (Live 2001) (@256 + Video)

07 Apr 2010

(Review from wikipedia, progarchives.com, metaleater.com)

The band’s first live album was recorded in Tampere, Finland on the 29th of December 2000, during the Wishmaster tour. Nightwish was becoming a international smash, but they were still with that novice’s passion and eager to show the world their power.

The songs sound fantastic and are almost studio quality. Aside from the bassist who stands in one place, the band members are energetic and get due attention from the camera, though Tarja remains the focus. Jukka Nevalainen likes to twirl his drumsticks, which adds an entertaining flare to his tight playing.

The performance is bolstered by a tasteful use of lighting and pyro. Often you see the silhouettes of crowd members clapping along to the songs, which is a nice touch. While there’s not much by way of stage banter, at least the dialogue is in English and Tarja’s accent rules: “I vant you to sing vith me”.

The atmosphere at the concert is superb and every time the camera cuts randomly to a section of the audience, there is a sea of outstretched arms and pointing index fingers of fans who are singing along word for word.

In addition to a show of Nightwish material, the band also performes a medley, “Crimson Tide, Deep Blue Sea”, which borrows melodies from many sources, including Hans Zimmer’s music in the 1995 movie Crimson Tide.

Line-up:
- Tuomas Holopainen / synthesizers
- Jukka Nevalainen / drums
- Tarja Turunen / lead vocals
- Sami Vanska / bass
- Emppu Vuorinen / guitar
with
- Tapio Wilska / male vocals (4)
- Tony Kakko / male vocals (14)

Track List:
01. The Kinslayer – 4:12
02. She Is My Sin – 4:49
03. Deep Silent Complete – 4:24
04. The Pharaoh Sails to Orion – 6:39
05. Come Cover Me – 4:44
06. Wanderlust – 4:34
07. Instrumental (Crimson Tide / Deep Blue Sea) – 3:29
08. Swanheart – 3:55
09. Elvenpath – 4:51
10. FantasMic Part 3 – 3:24
11. Dead Boy’s Poem – 6:52
12. Sacrament of Wilderness – 5:06
13. Walking in The Air – 5:10
14. Beauty & The Beast – 6:40
15. Wishmaster – 5:03

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Live, Nightwish, Sakalli's Pick, Tarja Turunen, Tony Kakko, Video

Moody Blues – Other Side of Life (1986) (@256)

07 Apr 2010

(Review from amazon, wikipedia, progarchives.com)

“The Other Side Of Life” is easily the most polished, radio-friendly offering in the band’s whole catalog. The music on this album marked the beginning of dominant synthesizer, sequencer, and drum machine use by the band, to the point that it could be classified as a “synthpop” record; a surprising stylistic change for a band that had pioneered symphonic rock.

Patrick Moraz is slightly more noticeable at times than on other albums, he even co-wrote the pop rock track “The spirit” with Graeme Edge. Ray Thomas on the other hand appears to have spent the writing sessions in a different room..

“Your Wildest Dreams” is a typical opener, an up tempo number with classy harmonies and an infectious melody. A direct descendant of “The Voice” from “Long Distance Voyager”, the single became a major hit in the US.

The title track is a blues inspired and deliberately slow paced, almost plodding, yet strangely swinging, number in which repetition of motifs only serves to enhance the effect. Hayward sings with dignity and plays a short but blazing lead solo. The most impressive aspect is that it really doesn’t sound like anything they have done before.

The album, thanks to the video and the single, was good enough to tour off of, and help pull in the group’s most enthusiastic audiences in a half-decade.

Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / guitars, vocals
- John Lodge / bass, vocals
- Ray Thomas / flutes, harmonicas, vocals
- Graeme Edge / drums
- Patrick Moraz / keyboards
with
- Barry Radman / additional programming & sampling

Track List:
01. Your Wildest Dreams – 4:51
02. Talkin’ Talkin’ – 3:55
03. Rock ‘n’ Roll Over You – 4:50
04. I Just Don’t Care – 3:28
05. Running Out of Love – 4:24
06. The Other Side of Life – 6:52
07. The Spirit – 4:19
08. Slings and Arrows – 4:29
09. It May Be a Fire – 4:54

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Graeme Edge, John Lodge, Justin Hayward, Moody Blues, Patrick Moraz, Ray Thomas

Nightwish – Wishmaster (2000) (@256)

06 Apr 2010

(Review from amazon, wikipedia, metal-archives.com)

While in the studio in early 2000 working on their third album, Nightwish was accepted in the Finnish Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Sleepwalker”. Despite winning the public vote, Nightwish eventually finished in second place.

In their third album, released in May 2000, Nightwish walks that fine line between heavy-rock bravado and classical pageantry without tipping too much in either direction; the balance of aggressive guitars and flowing keyboards is just right, and the multitracked female vocals and guitar harmonies are glorious.

“Wishmaster” is more guitar driven than its predecessor, a bit less grandiose, and not quite as bold or dramatic. Its also noticeably more polished; there aren’t really any clunky elements in the music and sound quality is much better. It has a very balanced sound; no single element dominates, you get a strong impression of cohesion and synergy – everyone pulling together.

The faster songs combine Tuomas’ keyboard ideas and Emppu’s riffs outshine Stratovarius in many instances. “Crownless” and “Wanderlust” are two highlights, combining solid guitar and keyboard ideas with some interesting vocal and atmospheric tricks, the former almost sounding like a high speed techno track. “The Kinslayer” is definitely the darkest sounding of the bunch, be it the neurotic sounding narrations or the agitated keyboard lines. “She is my Sin” and “Deep, Silent, Complete” feature impressive vocal performances, while “Bare Grace Misery” mostly relies on simplicity and hooks to keep the listener focused.

“Dead Boy’s Poem/FantasMic”, along with using elements from the rest of the album, mixes in new elements – spoken word, poetic passages read by a child; some great flute work; and mindblowingly effective use of a couple of tolls of an oriental-sounding gong, placed perfectly into the overall flow of the music.

The lyrical content has enjoyed an evolution similar to the musical one they have made since their quasi-folk inspired debut “Angels fall first”. Tuomas Holopainen balances a sense of passion and a sense of curiosity with the occasional poetic comment on the nature of life. Be it his own take on the mind of a pair of killers in “The Kinslayer” or a personal quasi-autobiography in “Dead Boy’s Poem”, he is both witty yet sincere in his word usage, complementing the game of notes that he plays with.

Line-up:
- Tuomas Holopainen / synthesizers
- Tarja Turunen / vocals
- Jukka Nevalainen / drums & percussion
- Emppu Vuorinen / guitars
- Sami Vanska / bass
with
- Esa Lehtinen / Flute
- Sam Hardwick / Dead Boy’s voice
- Ike Vil / Kinslayer voice
choir
- Ville Laaksonen / Tenor
- Matias Kaila / Tenor
- Kimmo Kallio / Baritone
- Riku Salminen / Bass (Voice)
- Anssi Honkanen / Bass (Voice)

Track List:
01. She Is My Sin – 4:46
02. The Kinslayer – 3:58
03. Come Cover Me – 4:34
04. Wanderlust – 4:50
05. Two for Tragedy – 3:50
06. Wishmaster – 4:24
07. Bare Grace Misery – 3:41
08. Crownless – 4:28
09. Deep Silent Complete – 3:57
10. Dead Boy’s Poem – 6:47
11. FantasMic – 8:22
12. Sleepwalker (Bonus Original) – 2:57
13. Wanderlust (Bonus Live) – 4:32
14. Deep Silent Complete (Bonus Live) – 4:20

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Nightwish, Tarja Turunen

Justin Hayward – Moving Mountains (1985) (@256)

06 Apr 2010

(Review from amazon)

Originally released in 1985, just before Moody Blues’ “The Other Side Of Life” and then again in 1989, this one of Hayward’s better albums. “Moving Mountains” seems to be a collection of Hayward’s favorite songs from the side.

There are a few gems in this collection. Most notably, “Lost And Found” is without doubt the highlight on the set. It is simply a romantically magic and perfectly written song. “One Again” seems like it was written for the “The Other Side Of Life” sessions. The title song, “Moving Mountains” contains a clever, infectious mood and original lyrics, forming yet, another strong point in this collection.

The entire album is pulled together by a strong emphasis on strings and melancholy keyboards. It almost seems like a flashback to “Blue Jays”.

Track List:
01. Take Your Chances – 3:51
02. Is It Just A Game – 4:45
03. One Again – 4:44
04. Moving Mountains – 4:47
05. Silverbird – 7:40
06. Lost And Found – 4:19
07. Goodbye – 3:51
08. Who Knows – 3:43
09. The Best Is Yet To Come – 3:57
10. The Lights Are Low – 4:40

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Justin Hayward

Nightwish – Oceanborn (1998) (@256)

05 Apr 2010

5 comments

(Review from progarchives.com, wikipedia)

Nightwish then returned to the studio in August 1998 as a five-piece with the addition of a bassist Sami Vanska, to record their follow up album for Spinefarm records.

“Oceanborn”, the band’s second album, grabs your full attention immediately. An orchestral burst is rapidly followed by the first taste of female vocalist Tarja’s distinctive operatic vocals. She comes across like a Kate Bush on steroids. There’s loads of sweeping keyboards, soaring metal guitars, and walls of sound. If the opening track “Stargazers” doesn’t make you sit up and listen, move along quickly, there’s nothing for you here. The track sums up perfectly what’s on offer on the album.

“Gethsemane” has a wonderful guitar vs flute section, which abruptly gives way to a symphonic orchestral break, before the band bursts back in with a driving yet stunningly melodic climax of power metal.

There are occasional harsh male vocals on tracks such as “Devil and Deep Dark Ocean”, but these are kept well in check and actually offer a very effective counterpoint with the operatics of Tarja.

Just when the album seems to be settling down into a pattern, “Passion and the Opera” catches your breath with a delightful operatic vocalisation which then builds and weaves to a wonderful fading conclusion. The haunting ballad “Swanheart” follows, with a tear-jerking solo violin. The track is devoid of the pounding double beat of most of the songs. The Finnish origins of the band are more apparent here in the pronunciations, but this make the track all the more endearing. A magnificent vocal backed guitar solo on a powerful base make the track a real highlight.

The folk influence from Angels Fall First can still be heard on some parts, especially in the instrumental “Moondance”. A brief piano intro gives way to the pomposity of the full blast of the orchestra.

The close is a pretty faithful rendition of “Walking in the Air”. The track highlights the beauty of the song, with only a heavier than traditional drum beat and slight lifting of the pace giving away the band’s metallic roots.

In 1999, the band published the melancholy “Sleeping Sun” single, dedicated to the solar eclipse that arose on the European sky. The chorus of this track is truly haunting, Tarja sounds as if she’s making her last dying wish before the angels carry her off in an ethereal chorus, quite wonderful.

Line-up:
- Tuomas Holopainen / synthesizers
- Tarja Turunen / vocals
- Emppu Vuorinen / guitars
- Sami Vanska / bass
- Jukka Nevalainen / drums & percussion
with
- Esa Lehtinen / flute
- Plamen Dimov / violin
- Kaisli J. Kaivola / violin
- Markku Palola / viola
- Erkki Hirvikangas / cello
- Tapo Wilska / male vocals (3, 7, 9)

Track List:
01. Stargazers – 4:28
02. Gethsemane – 5:22
03. Devil & The Deep Dark Ocean – 4:46
04. Sacrament Of Wilderness – 4:12
05. Passion And The Opera – 4:50
06. Swanheart – 4:44
07. Moondance – 3:31
08. The Riddler – 5:15
09. The Pharaoh Sails To Orion – 6:26
10. Walking In The Air – 5:30
11. Sleeping Sun (Bonus) – 4:09
12. Nightquest (Bonus) – 4:17
13. Sleeping Sun (Bonus Live) – 4:32
14. Swanheart (Bonus Live) – 3:55
15. The Pharaoh Sails To Orion (Bonus Live) – 6:44

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Nightwish, Tarja Turunen

Moody Blues – Present (1983) (@256)

05 Apr 2010

(Review from progarchives.com)

This 1983 offering has many of the qualities and hallmarks we have come to expect from the band over the years.

“Blue world” is a typical Moody Blues opener, with a strong rhythm and a catchy melody. It is slightly slower and softer than tracks such as “I know you’re out there somewhere” and “The voice” but very much in that mould. Unusually, we actually have three successive tracks of this type to start the album, “Meet me half way” and “Sitting at the wheel” being a simple case of more of the same. John Lodge sings lead vocal on the latter, which is even more upbeat.

It is only when we get to Graham Edge’s “Going nowhere” that things relax slightly. The criminally underused Ray Thomas provides lead vocal on the verses here, his strong quivering voice setting the song apart. There is no question that Justin Hayward is a superb singer, but it would have been wonderful to hear Thomas singing on the band’s albums a lot more than he was allowed to.

The second side of the album opens with a brief instrumental “Hole in the world” which builds through a marching drum beat, spacey guitar and synth sounds to provide an extended introduction to “Under my feet”, another rather prosaic John Lodge led song. Justin Hayward returns to centre stage for a brace of his typical romantic ballads, “It’s cold outside of your heart” and “Running water”. The latter is a particularly melodic song which is pretty much a solo rendition.

In another unusual twist, the album closes with a couple of Ray Thomas songs. The brief “I am” harks back to the band’s earliest days, while “Sorry” would have fitted in well on either of Thomas’s excellent solo albums. The track builds from a gentle start to an upbeat rock song, Moraz keyboards and Thomas’s flute adding fine colours to the song. Throughout the album, Patrick Moraz contributions are very much designed to create a big overall sound, any solos being simplistic and brief. The production is clean and uncluttered.

The ordering of the tracks on the album is rather odd, with songs of a similar type being put sequentially together. With the song writers by and large retaining full control of their own songs this tends to give the album a rather piecemeal flavour.

Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / guitars, vocals
- John Lodge / bass, vocals
- Ray Thomas / flutes, harmonicas, vocals
- Graeme Edge / drums
- Patrick Moraz / keyboards

Track List:
01. Blue World – 5:20
02. Meet Me Halfway – 4:08
03. Sitting At The Wheel – 5:40
04. Going Nowhere – 5:33
05. Hole In The World – 1:54
06. Under My Feet – 4:51
07. It’s Cold Outside Of Your Heart – 4:27
08. Running Water – 3:23
09. I Am – 1:40
10. Sorry – 5:02

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Graeme Edge, John Lodge, Justin Hayward, Moody Blues, Patrick Moraz, Ray Thomas

Nightwish – Angels Fall First (1997) (@256)

04 Apr 2010

(Review from wikipedia, progarchives.com)

After playing keyboards in several heavy metal bands in the 1990s, Tuomas Holopainen decided to create his own project while sitting around a campfire with friends in 1996: experimental acoustic music he wrote himself, similar to the music usually played around campfires, but with a distinct sound and atmosphere, played on his keyboards.

He soon invited friend and schoolmate Erno “Emppu” Vuorinen to play acoustic guitars, and the classical vocalist Tarja Turunen, who shared the same music teacher. The three musicians recorded their self-titled acoustic demo in the winter of 1996. The name “Nightwish” was derived from the first song the band recorded together.

After recording the Nightwish demo, Holopainen realized that Turunen’s operatic voice was too powerful for an acoustic band, and decided to add in heavy metal elements, including electric guitars and drums. Jukka Nevalainen joined the band, and acoustic guitar was replaced with electric guitar. The addition of heavy metal elements to the band’s existing experimental style formed the unique core of the Nightwish sound.

At the time of the band’s debut album in 1997, the band members were still metaphorically in short trousers, with two of them in the army and lead singer Tarja Turunen completing her University course.

The acoustic roots of the band is most evident in “Lappi”, nominally a nine minute concept track about that area of Scandinavia, sung in both Finnish and English. The track starts with stereo acoustic guitars backing a soft female vocal, the four parts building though ambient instrumentals, and power choruses before the atmospheric, Renaissance like ending.

Tracks such as “Beauty and the Beast” (almost seven minutes) “Astral Romance”, and “Nymphomaniac Fantasia” show the band’s progressive credentials well with time changes, strong guitar riffs, orchestral interludes, great lead guitar solos, flute pieces, operatic vocals and fantasy lyrics a plenty. “Carpenter”, a quasi-religious piece which became an early single, is more in the power ballad mode, with some excellent flute.

The male vocals heard on “Beauty and the Beast”, “The Carpenter”, “Astral Romance” and “Once Upon a Troubadour” are sung by Tuomas Holopainen, as well as the whispers in the beginning of the demo version of “Etiainen”. Holopainen has never sung on an album again (just rarely providing background sounds), because he thinks that he isn’t good enough. Since the band also didn’t have a bassist, the bass playing duties were handled by guitarist Emppu Vuorinen.

This modest 500-unit pressing gives only passing glimpses of what was to come on future albums. That said, “Angels Fall First” arguably remains the band’s most eclectic (or unfocused) album. It may well appeal to those put off by their later symphonic progressive metal albums.

Line-up:
- Tuomas Holopainen / synthesizers, vocals
- Tarja Turunen / vocals
- Emppu Vuorinen / guitars, bass
- Jukka Nevalainen / drums & percussion

Track List:
01. Elvenpath – 4:40
02. Beauty And The Beast – 6:24
03. The Carpenter – 5:57
04. Astral Romance – 5:12
05. Angels Fall First – 5:34
06. Tutankhamen – 5:31
07. Nymphomaniac Fantasia – 4:47
08. Know Why The Nightingale Sings – 4:14
09. Lappi (Lapland) – I. Eramaajarvi – 2:15
10. Lappi (Lapland) – II. Witchdrums – 1:18
11. Lappi (Lapland) – III. This Moment Is Eternity – 3:12
12. Lappi (Lapland) – IV. Etiainen – 2:40
13. A Return To The Sea (Bonus) – 5:47
14. Nightwish (Bonus Demo) – 5:51
15. The Forever Moments (Bonus Demo) – 5:37
16. Etiainen (Bonus Demo) – 2:59

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Nightwish, Tarja Turunen

Moody Blues – Long Distance Voyager (1981) (@256)

04 Apr 2010

(Review from progarchives.com, wikipedia)

By 1980 the band was ready to record again. Patrick Moraz was retained as the band’s permanent keyboardist, though Mike Pinder had originally understood that he would continue to record even if not touring with the band. Pinder attempted legal measures to prevent the new Moody Blues album from reaching the public without his contributions, but he was not successful, and ultimately, he never returned to the fold.

With Moraz ensconced on keyboards, the Moody Blues came up with a really strong, diverse offering. There’s more power to many of the tracks here than on previous (and subsequent) albums, and this combined with some first class song writing makes for a most enjoyable collection. Even slower tracks such as the excellent “Talking out of turn” have much more substance to them, mainly as a result of the combination Moraz keyboards plus orchestra providing the backing. As is the norm with Moraz appearances on Moody Blues albums, he never really takes the limelight, preferring to provide layers on which the rest can build.

The album opens with a typical up tempo number, “The voice” but the album has a better mix than usual of faster numbers and melodic ballads. Tracks such as “Gemini Dream” “Meanwhile” and “Veteran Cosmic Rocker” all find the Moodies pushing the pace along, while “In my world” is another fine example of the there ability to produce harmonious and melodic softer numbers.

A really fine album for those who enjoy this lighter style of music.

Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / guitars, vocals
- John Lodge / bass, vocals
- Ray Thomas / flutes, harmonicas, vocals
- Graeme Edge / drums
- Patrick Moraz / keyboards
with
- The New World Philharmonic
- Pip Williams / string arrangements

Track List:
01. The Voice – 5:18
02. Talking Out Of Turn – 7:19
03. Gemini Dream – 4:09
04. In My World – 7:19
05. Meanwhile – 4:09
06. 22,000 Days – 5:26
07. Nervous – 5:46
08. Painted Smile – 3:18
09. Reflective Smile0:37
10. Veteran Cosmic Rocker – 3:12

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Graeme Edge, John Lodge, Justin Hayward, Moody Blues, Patrick Moraz, Ray Thomas

Justin Hayward – Night Flight (1980) (@256)

03 Apr 2010

(Review from amazon)

In 1978, Jeff Wayne recruited Justin Hayward to sing and perform on the highly acclaimed “War Of The Worlds” album. Wayne went on to produce the album, including Hayward’s single “Forever Autumn”, which became a worldwide hit. As a way of saying “thank you” for Hayward’s contribution, two years later Wayne returns the favor by producing Hayward’s 1980 album “Night Flight”.

The title track and “I’m Sorry” (the latter featuring some unusually jagged guitar) are also the hardest-rocking records on which Hayward had appeared since “Question” by the Moody Blues, a decade earlier.

Wayne’s production gives Hayward’s music a leaner sound than had been evident on his prior recordings, with more use of pulsing synth pop-type accompaniments of the era (“Crazy Lovers,” etc.) and a thinner guitar sound (“Penumbra Moon”), while other songs, such as “Nearer to You”, were much more dance-oriented than anything Hayward had previous released, and all of the songs are more romantic than his previous solo work.

Only “Suitcase” and “It’s Not On” really sounded like his earlier work, and even they had more of a stripped-down band sound at their core.

The album had everything going for it except timing, appearing as it did after the Moody Blues’ reunion, while also sounding too different from the Moodies’ work to appeal to more than a relatively small fraction of their fans.

Track List:
01. Night Flight – 5:23
02. Maybe It’s Just Love – 4:48
03. Crazy Lovers – 5:31
04. Penumbra Moon – 4:12
05. Nearer To You – 3:42
06. A Face In The Crowd – 4:01
07. Suitcase – 3:36
08. I’m Sorry – 3:10
09. It’s Not On – 4:10
10. Bedtime Stories – 5:45

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Justin Hayward

Moody Blues – Octave (1978) (@256)

02 Apr 2010

(Review from blogcritics.org, amazon, progarchives.com)

Moody Blues returned after a five year hiatus with a very different sounding album. The punk and disco era were now in full flower and such groups as Styx, Journey, and REO Speedwagon were dominating the rock charts. Octave would abandon the cosmic and symphonic sound of the group’s past, and move toward one more in tune with the era.

This album is strongly influenced by the member’s solo projects without a unifying concept or theme. Each song matches the individual personality of its composer. The band’s trademark multi-voice harmonising begins to take a back seat: there is less of it, and subtle changes in the mix push principal singers to the fore on most songs, a trend that would continue in future years. The mellotron is missing from much of the album, mostly replaced by more modern synths, with real strings on a couple of tracks.

The John Lodge composition, “Steppin’ In A Slide Zone”, is typical of the new sound. It is an energetic Lodge rocker but the musical center is the keyboard-guitar interplay which was in vogue at the time. It is catchy and was a commercially successful single.

Justin Hayward is in ballad mode for this release, his music is still very listenable because of the innate beauty of the songs. “Had To Fall In Love” and “Top Rank Suite” are both very mellow. “Driftwood” is the best of the bunch, as it is a gentle love ballad which was a Hayward trademark by this time. His closer “The Day We Meet Again” point toward the future as a new keyboardist was on the way and the grand classical sounds were being left behind.

Ray Thomas shines with “Under Moonshine”, a strong lead vocal by him plus some classic harmonies by the other members of the group.

“One Step Into The Light” is a final spiritual statement by Mike Pinder and his only composition on the album. The music is more progressive rock than the grandiose sound of his past as he would bring his Moody Blues career to a conclusion.

“Octave” is different, more modern, and ultimately a transitional work.

During this period, Yes had asked their keyboard player, Patrick Moraz, to leave. Moraz’s management had some contacts with the Moodies, and after a successful audition with the band, he was hired as keyboard player for the “Octave World Tour”.

Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / vocals, guitar, keyboards
- John Lodge / vocals, bass, keyboards
- Ray Thomas / vocals, flute, harmonica, tambourine
- Graeme Edge / drums, percussion, vocals
- Mike Pinder / vocals, organ, synthesizer

Track List:
01. Steppin’ In A Slide Zone – 5:34
02. Under Moonshine – 4:59
03. Had To Fall In Love – 3:40
04. I’ll Be Level With You – 3:49
05. Driftwood – 5:01
06. Top Rank Suite – 3:43
07. I’m Your Man – 4:20
08. Survival – 4:09
09. One Step Into The Light – 4:28
10. The Day We Meet Again – 6:24

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Graeme Edge, John Lodge, Justin Hayward, Moody Blues, Ray Thomas

Ray Thomas – Hopes Wishes & Dreams (1976) (@256)

01 Apr 2010