Songs 58-60... Octavia Sperati and Silentium return
The last of my first group of songs I have my play-lists stop here at songs 58, 59 & 60. Don't think I simply stumbled across 60 only-awesome songs. I've eliminated a portion of songs in my lists from the aspect that they simply weren't as special as the others. So therefore songs 58-60 are actually quite special to me. This was during a time-frame I was convinced that Symphonic Metal was my New Thing, but I was running into less and less of it that I liked and more and more of the darker, gloomier, more death-metal or Gothic Metal influenced sounds. Its just that I was becoming quite picky and there seemed to be more quality from the other genres excluding symphonic metal, and these are 3 more of those that stand out for me.
I had just begun tinkering around with my Pandora Player during this timeframe and most of my links from songs 60 to somewhere around 90 are directly related from my pandora player. But not these last 3. Both bands have made their appearances very early in my listings and its the the 3rd separate update for each of these 2 bands, who I consider to be criminally unknown. I feel they are both very exceptional bands with worlds of talent, and the world should know about them.
So lets get to these last 3 for my first season of My Endless Search. Next update I begin my links from Pandora, which will mark season 2. Once I get past the majority of those, I will begin into the releases of 2010-2011 and hopefully catch up to current time. That's when I start Season 3.
Hope you will stick through it all with me... as I continue My Endless Search.
Octavia Sperati - Lifelines and Depths original version
Revised w male drummer
Octavia Sperati- Lifelines and Depths (Norway Gothic/Doom Metal, 2005)
Simplicity at times, in actuality, can be rather complex. Perhaps simple on the surface, but when you pull back further away, you see (in this case hear) interwoven layers, bits and pieces which stand on their own, segmentation and transition, all which I consider as dynamics. And in this song all the dynamics of Silje's melodic vocals show through it all, almost outshines in fact. But the music is as beautiful, the variance in the drum parts and how the guitars go quickly over the slower, longer counted drums are a great contrast to the smooth long notes held by the vocals. The quiet breakdown allows to focus on her voice before the return of the pounding rhythm. In the original video this section is in its entirety. If you listen closely, you may even hear some influence that Anneke (The Gathering see previous posting: Falling In Love with An Angelic Voice) had on Silje, who was picked as the new singer for The Gathering, in case you didnt know by now...
And as of recent, The band has become a little more known since the fanbase for The Gathering is so huge, and their fans are beginning to discover them, but its after the fact, since it appears there wont be anymore Octavia Sperati. Which is depressing because they have provided some truly awesome moments like the next song...
Octavia Sperati- Going North (Norway Gothic/Doom Metal, 2007)
I think this song and my favorite from OS, which is Moonlit (See previous posting: The First Batch) both won me over very early, like before the song even made it halfway through. Here the bassline grabs the attention as the band simply plows in afterwards. Have I forgot to mention the band is all female? (male drummer did replace the original Female drummer) well I don't care but it really has a great heavy feel to it and even with the band putting out so much power, Silje still finds room to have her moments. At times the song feels like its falling down and raising back over hills which just give it more and more energy, like a roller-coaster, all the while Silje sings just above like in the clouds overhead. The best part though hits at 2:11. The lone bass intros the middle doom-heavy section which is very inspired and should make your eyebrows raise up, then a haunting melody is sung over this slow punching chromatic passage and your hairs on your neck should raise. Then you have no choice but to follow along with the pummeling until the last chord. Makes you want to do it all over again, doesn't it?
Silentium- Hangman's Lullabye (Finland, Gothic Metal 2005)
Silentium is one of those bands which seemed to take a few releases to fully find themselves, and after a few changes at vocals, find themselves a true songstress within Riina Rinkenen. As Ive mentioned, I have posted songs from Silentium earlier in my blog (see previous postings: Pretty Voices, and Return To Finland I). I cannot emphasis enough what I love about her tone and delivery, and it's a perfect match for the music that the band writes. The overall mood is Eerie and atmospheric, with droning guitars and lightly flighting keyboard parts intertwining with violin and more recently, cello. The drum style stands out a bit more than the a-typical from this genre, allowing for more room, more pacing without overpowering or leaning too heavy.
After the first few directions in this song change, it is clear that the band is carving out its own niche. Without sounding too happy or too depressive, Riina delivers a sweet melody which lingers just long enough after the pauses to give the song its edge. The best parts are the loudest, at times it feels like Silientium is making a statement whereas their songs feel of huge scope and depth, such as how this song, one that feels of a dark slow ballad, actually picks up steam for a nice solo section at 4:20, then a quick break which Riina gets to shine before the band goes back in at full force.
One thing that marks this song is a common theme Ive come to realize is my favoritism of songs that have a lot and I mean a lot going on. The last passage feels like a puzzle coming together, all the pieces of the layers, simple in thier own way, form into a multi-textural, complex thing of beauty.
Now as I move into Season 2, songs 60-90 the next question is, will these 2 bands make another return? Considering how much Ive come to love what Ive shared so far, would'nt you say the chances are pretty good?
Next Blog Update: More unknown, underrated, and awesome music - no surprise there... The beginning of Season 2: Thanks to Pandora!
