What is Gothic Metal?
My Pandora Player picks Excellent Examples of Real Gothic Metal
This will be the last installment - for now - of Season 2 for my blog, "Thanks to Pandora". These songs, like the others from Season 2, are featured directly from my "thumbs-up" list, songs of which I did not know of, before my Pandora Player introduced them to me. It's been an interesting run, from the proto-typical selections of the leaders in Symphonic Metal, to outstanding entries of Progressive Metal, and songs from obscure and little-known bands. This update I focus on 3 Dark Entries (that's the title to my favorite Bauhaus song) in which my Pandora Player proved to me, yet again, it knows what it's doing. Here are 3 songs that really touch on the stylings of yet another sub-genre I focus on, Gothic Metal. As much as I would prefer to not use that label, I believe there is a niche in which a few artists totally fit into - and "get" what people like myself at times feel is really ignored by the metal community, a dark melancholic mix of atmosphere, haunting subject matter and a healthy bite of metal.
In a weird parallel, my very first entry to this blog (Beginning Point: Finland) was 3 true-to-form Gothic Metal songs. Since then I've only focused only one other entry (see previous posting: The Others I, Gothic Metal) as this search through my earliest bookmarks took me into a path of more symphonic list, falling in love with Epica and After Forever, discovering many others along the way. Now it comes again, full circle to complete Season 2. There has been some eliminations, as I weed out any song I find less than stellar, it appears my expectations for each and every song I list in this blog to be of the highest standards, its taken me 6 weeks to finally choose this last group.
My main objective is to ignore the elitist attitudes that so many music bloggers carry, to simply only choose songs which I truly enjoy. Ive found that 80% of the music-review based sites/blogs are from a very narrow, or heavily biased and opinionated view point. Too much are negative, being rant-filled and name-calling. I completely disagree with that style. I am extremely happy to know I don't live in that world, one which everything sucks, one which seems to only revolve around what can be torn down and mocked. I am thrilled to know that because of this thing called Symphonic Metal, I have found once again, a positive outlook, a heart filled again with passion, a mind in awe of the possibilities, a clear awareness of what is to be open-minded and more importantly, a true love and desire to share these spectacular moments with you, my readers, my friends and my peers.
So now, let me tell you, how wrong you are (insert devious chuckle) - all joking aside I believe most people have the label Gothic Metal as a general umbrella for anything that doesn't quite sound like other genres. For me, I feel a band needs to qualify to be labeled Gothic Metal, not the other way around. When you can carry a fondness for the darkness (Thank you Black Sabbath), I feel that these 3 songs will translate well to you. Atmosphere, Desperation, Desolation, Anguish, Melancholy, Fear and Intrigue. Its all there. And its Beautiful...
Aesma Daeva- The Loon (USA Operatic/Atmospheric Gothic Metal, 2007)
My second entry from this very talented group. You can't go wrong when you have one of the most talented female voices from Therion (see previous posting: Getting Into-Mega Therion) Lori Lewis at the helm. Her clear precise delivery is as frail as needed but yet as beautiful as they get. The Loon is one of my favorite songs for a period of time it set my mood for my research. As I searched everywhere for Dark Entries, it is another reminder that Pandora gets it right. When the first few haunting moments came on my player, I scurried and was pleased to see Aesma Daeva's name on the player. The vocals on this release (the first with Lori, who replaced Melissa Frank, now Visions of Atlantis singer) have been described as haunting and ethereal. I find I like this song more the louder I have it playing. It truly has a hugeness to it and it sounds as if the band is recording in a giant hall but still allows for the quietest of moments to be clear.
Beseech - Illusionate (Sweden Gothic Metal, 2002)
Insert random Rocky Horror Picture Show sound clip. It's benign because the strange journey is actually the intro to a greatly overlooked release by Beseech, "Souls Highway". Dark and brooding, this song has all the feel of a shady character in the corner waiting to pounce, yet still it delivers a complicated, multi-layered melodic chorus. The mix of male and female vocals works to a great degree here and fits some of the trappings of the other moniker for this genre "Gothenburg Metal" A little bit of H.I.M., a little bit of Type-O and a little bit things that go bump in the night.
Vocalist Lotta Hoglin and Erik Molarin match well together and sing most of the songs as one. Her parts aren't as strongly focused on as you might expect, opting to allow the more sinister growl of Erik to set the tone. One word of warning - this is some catchy stuff. Not as upbeat or too pop-orientated as others associated in the genre, which is my point exactly. This is how to do THIS form of GothicMetal.
Mortal Love - Forever Will Be Gone (NL, Gothic Metal, 2006)
I researched the heck out of this band when I first heard my Pandora player bring up some of their more well-known songs. In the world of Gothic Metal, only Virgin Black really go for a darker and more depressive sound than Mortal Love. What I learned from my rummaging was this was one depressive band. Just the song titles alone are enough to give you an indication of where they take their music to.
As bleak this title is, its a world of difference to see something so well constructed and thought out. Its obvious not only that they know what they are doing, but they have the skill to execute (ahem) it. Another great lush, extravagant chorus filled with beautiful things and it all comes crashing down as the song veers off into very heavy passages.
Male and female duet vocals (common theme in this genre) are played out very well, when he beckons, she winces, when she (known simply as Cat) gleams bright, he lashes out. The first melody on strings backed by a heavy riff ends quick as he whispers the first verse over piano lines. Cat then comes in and sings well above the building crescendo. Subtle hints that there is something coming, and it comes at you like a evil force in the night, a chasing rhythm as all the pieces wind together, almost overhead as you try to escape..
Its a pleasure to grasp and amongst the dire feel, it reminds me actually of one of my favorite bands, Stream Of Passion (progressive metal see previous posting:The Others III - violins) which would mean this band has a progressive mentality, giving them certainly a leg up on just about every band in the Goth-Metal world. So where does this song really go? You have to wait, till the very end past the existing lone piano to find out.
Like little Kirsten Dunst said in Interview With a Vampire, after her first taste of blood... "I want more."
Next Update: Season 3 the continuing saga known as Symphonic Metal Saved My Life
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