Symphonic Metal - Dutch (2 Viewers)

[Aaron Silverman]

Ooh, Epica is playing Ft. Lauderdale in December. I should check them out. Think they'll let a 5-year-old in?

 

[Don Giro]

Aaron: If you're not kidding about the five-year-old...does the venue have any seating (the general admission venue I saw Epica in back in January did (although most of the attendees were packed on to the floor, leaving PLENTY of open seating at a sold-out show)?

It's be great if you could take him. It'll give him a "thing" for gorgeous, blue-eyed redheads later in life /img/vbsmilies/htf/laugh.gif (if you have a SON, that is)!

I've heard a lot of Floor Jansen's forthcoming album by her new band ReVamp. It comes out in July in the US. I like what I've heard so far, but just as Tarja's solo career doesn't sound much like Nightwish, ReVamp don't sound much like After Forever. I'm just glad she's back in the "public eye." I've got a "thing" for Floor as well. She's not particularly "hot," but I just get a great "vibe' off her. And she's six feet tall and "built," so...

I sent the YouTube link of Floor performing "Follow in the Cry" with Epica to a friend of mine who knows my love for All Things Simone, Sharon, Tarja, and Floor, and she wrote back "Floor is the most badass woman I have ever seen in a band."

I'd heard a few tracks by a new Spanish band called Diabulus in Musica on MySpace that I liked. I bought the album, but haven't had time to hear it yet. And I picked up the debut CD by Echoterra (it's been out for a while), which I like a lot...

 

[Ron-P]

Finally, just got Holyhell, and I like it....a lot.

 

[Don Giro]

Still digging ReVamp's debut. It's SO great hearing Floor do new material...
 
I also picked up a CD by HDK (haven't listened to it yet), which I THINK is a "one-off project" between Sander from After Forever and Amanda Somerville (American born singer who most famously filled in for Simone when she had to sit out the entire North American "Divine Conspiracy" tour due to a vicious staph infection that almost killed her). Big, blonde, personable, GREAT voice. Many fans thought she should have permanently replaced Simone. I disagree, of course, but you can search for her stint in Epica on YouTube.
 
I also got a "A Way Away" by Indica, an all-girl Finnish pop quintet with STRONG ties to Nightwish. Tuomas from NW has written lyrics for them, and I THINK he was involved with the lead singer/violinist (that's right, I said violinist). They've opened for NW in Europe MANY times, and I think they're a lot of fun. They're VERY poppy, but don't hold it against them. They DO play their instruments, although you wouldn't think so from their videos.
 
I may have posted a link to it a while back, but Jonsu (Indica's singer/violinist) took it upon herself to take the Nightwish "Last of the Wilds" instrumental and laid her own violin track over it, along with layers of her vocals to lyrics she wrote for it. I love it!
 

 

[Ron-P]

Tarja's new CD "What Lies Beneath" hits the street on the 14th, but if you have iTunes they already have it up for purchase.
 
 

 

[Ron-P]

Really great CD, but, it's very different from her first release. Some of the songs are very unique and different. The second CD features only 3 songs, two that are ballads of sorts and the third is a version of White Snakes "Still of the Night", which frankly, is horrible. A song that she should not have done. But overall, a very impressive second CD.

 

[James Lee]

Been a while since I've browsed this thread...
 
I'm afraid I hated Tarja's first solo CD and from the clips I've heard of the new one, I don't think I'll be picking it up. She's kind of heading down the path to Sarah Brightman.
 
Anyone get the new Kamelot CD yet? I have it and in general I like it, although it's going to take several listenings to really form a definitive opinion.

 

[Ron-P]

I did give a listen to the new Kamlot CD and do not like it, but then, I am not a big fan of their music anyway.
 
But, I will agree with you James, Tarja is heading away from the symphonic metal style which is a shame. It's too bad she's not continuing down the same path as what was Nightwish.

 

[James Lee]

Yeah, I don't know if she just does not care for that style anymore or if someone in her management (i.e. her husband) is steering her away. Either way, it's not a good thing for her solo career.
 
Speaking of solo stuff, Liv Kristine of Leaves' Eyes has a new solo CD. It's very...hmm, well it reminds of stuff one would hear at a Lilith Fair concert. As much as I like her, I'll be passing on that.

 

[Ron-P]

I'll have to check out Liv's CD. The one thing I like about Tarja is her voice, no matter the style of music I just love listening to her voice, a big reason why I have to own her stuff, symphonic metal or not.

 

[Don Giro]

I wish Tarja's "people" would stop her from covering 80s hair metal songs. I thought her rendition of Alice Cooper's "Poison" was too weird for my liking, but her cover of "Still of the Night" is just AWFUL!

I haven't listened to a lot of newer stuff lately, but one I like a lot is "Awakening" by Winter in Eden. While not an out-and-out symphonic band, Vicky has a nice, often sultry voice. I listen to the song "Broken Fairytale" a lot.

I'm bummed that Kamelot canceled their tour. I was looking forward to seeing Leaves' Eyes. I get to see Epica again next Friday night in NYC, second time this year. If they play near you this time around, make sure you go. They're great live, and you won't take your eyes off Simone the whole time...

With the year almost over, it looks like Magion will take the top spot on my Album of the Year list (although I haven't heard the new Amberian Dawn yet).

 

[Ron-P]

I agree Don, her 80's cover songs are horrible. Pretty much the worst stuff she's done. But I will say What Lies Beneath is a far better album then My Winters Storm.

I'm a bit hooked on Tristania right now. I am really digging their style and latest offering "Rubicon". It's different, but I like it. Here's a video to their title track called Year of the Rat.




If Epica ever makes it to my side of town again, no matter how far, I will see them. I am still bummed to this day I didn't make the trek to LA but the HoB where they chose to play is a disaster of a place, extremely poor acoustics and just a nightmare to get to.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

I saw http://www.cmdistro.com/Item/Century_Media_-_I_Heart_Atmospheric_Euro_Metal_-TS-/PKG000572

 

[Ron-P]

That's awesome Aaron!

 

[Don Giro]

I may have to get that!

Happy New Year, everyone! Any upcoming CDs you're looking forward to? New Nightwish this year. New Sirenia, too!

 

[Aaron Silverman]

I recently picked up this utterly ludicrous all-star Euro Metal disc called Expedition Delta. It has both male and female vocals and features some of the most over-the-top music ever. You guys would LOVE it.

 

[Ron-P]

I am very excited for some new Nightwish this year. While I really miss Tarja, I am really enjoying Anette. I recently DL'd their album "The Sound of Nightwish Reborn". The first tract Escapist is fantastic!

 

[Don Giro]

You need to check out the song "Mourning Purple" by a Russian(!) band called Narwhal Tusk. You will NOT be disappointed:

http://www.myspace.com/narwhaltuskband

There is a copy of the CD available on eBay, but I don't do the whole "bidding" thing. I want this CD BAD. I contacted the band through Facebook, and they're desperately trying to get more copies of the CD distributed in the US...

Anyone heard the new Within Temptation song "Faster" yet? It's really, REALLY commercial, and the title is repeated ad nauseum throughout, but I still really like it.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

That Narwhal Tusk is pretty good. And the singer's name is Yastremskaya, which reminds me of Yastrzemski, so that's cool too.

The WT track is OK, but nothing particularly special.

 

[Ron-P]

Nice Find Don! I like it and I do the ebay thing so I put in a bid. Of course it's 6 days out, but hey, why not I'll keep an eye on it and see how much it climbs too. If you do hear anything from the band on more CD's Don let us know, as I don't do the whole FaceBook thing. :>}

As for Within Temptation, that's pretty average stuff, nothing really great about it, at least, not enough to buy.