SONGS 81-83: Amberian Dawn & Todesbonden
Welcome to Season 3 of My Endless Search, "Symphonic Metal Rocks My World". It's the continuation of the timeline of my links to my favorite songs that I had bookmarked well over 2 years ago now. As I continue to add more, and chronicle more from my list here, I will eventually reach my current bookmarks, at which point I will begin Season 4. My current song count is well over 140 at the moment and I am looking forward to sharing with you song 100, my first milestone, soon.
I will try to post updates 2 times a month in this season, so my story-lines will be much shorter as I just focus on the links I will be sharing. Since Ive been listening to these songs for more than 2 years now, I have quite a fondness for each one, basically a guarantee that each one will be a great one. I hope you will enjoy each update, as I take you along My Endless Search.
One of the best things about getting into any form of music, is the discovery period. Luckily there is so much of the genres I am covering in my blog (Symphonic Metal, Folk Metal, Power Metal, Progressive Metal) that this discovery period really is practically endless... With that in mind, there is always a new band (or an old one) just lurking around the corner, waiting for you to stumble upon. Since alot of my bookmarks are just exactly that- many of my links here represent the times I had first ever heard of some of these bands, which may give the feeling to those whom are quite familiar with these bands a sense of "Duh". I am not trying to impress anyone very familiar with any of these genres, just my first impressions and the songs that still resonate well with me, a few notes on what Ive found significant and whatever relevant info I can pass on. I am hoping though, as Ive found, that I may rekindle interest in those diehard fans that read my blog, in a few of these basically hidden gems. I do write from the perspective that my readers are experiencing this music, here, with me for the first time. But its not the case, (at the moment) I am still trying to catch up to current time.
So here are my first moments of discovery of the bands Amberian Dawn (Finland), and Todesbonden (USA). Please click play on the self-contained video link and then read along...
Amberian Dawn - River of Tuoni (Power/Symphonic Metal Finland, 2008)
The first time I heard Amberian Dawn was this song/video, and right off the bat it reminded me so much of what I consider the New Breed of metal (a lot of which, not surprisingly, comes from Finland). The New Breed represents to me bands with exceptionally skilled musicians, and even more talented vocalists, with the total package coming together in a very dramatic form. The instant the song starts you can feel it, the harmonized guitar intro is in full attack mode and is quickly backed by a furious rhythm. The results are eye-opening. The best part is how the music doesn't completely drop out (like so many do in this genre) in the first verse to allow the (usually female) vocals a quiet moment. Without hesitation, we are met by an instantly memorable melody sung by the lavishly redheaded Heidi Parviainen. Quickly we hear the nods to Nightwish as we get a glimpse of her ridiculous range and the band pulls right back into that monstrous rhythm, which turns out to be the chorus! The melody in the verses is a lot of fun, and a pleasure to sing along with.
All I could think of as I listened on, was "Wow, another band from Finland tearing it up with new material." And tear it up they do! As the song works its way to a inspired pre-solo section, simply more evidence that this band is capable of bending rules in doing just what works, allowing the song to take its own directions, without tinkering it down to genre-specific cliche's.
This being one great moment, I would delve deeper into the bands previous mostly powermetal offering "The Clouds of Northland Thunder" but it was when I discovered the next song my expectations were elevated even more..
Amberian Dawn - Passing Bells (Power/Symphonic Metal Finland, 2008)
Timpanis! Another eye-opening introduction. Grand and lush and full of bravado, the powerful and very symphonic build-up, cued perfectly by the ringing timbre of the timpani drums is an eye-opener because its too logical. It is so obvious as a fantastic idea for an intro, you wonder why it hasn't been done yet by everyone... yet it is this off-the-radar Powermetal band from Finland that did it- and it works amazingly well. This song as a marker, is a calling of tolls, which as any good pall-bearer knows, bells of any size would suffice, but as a band of the New Breed, things are done differently and timpanis play into this theme perfectly. Luckily, this outstanding intro is not wasted on just another song. Again, a quick, instantly memorable melody sung superbly as choirs of 'ahhs' pad the background, providing a full orchestra-hall feeling. Production is not overlooked here nor in the previously mentioned song, in fact, it is an integral point. The powerful rhythm, unmarked by any Powermetal trappings, is a kick-drop feel of double-stops and staccato accents, allowing for Heidi to simply sing well above and smoothly as if on a pocket of clouds.
The building sections are also key, paying close attention to fully voiced guitar chords, piano and all the bells and whistles, a grandiose moment you truly don't want to end, but it does have a break down with echoes of the intro, to fall back in place for the final marvelous exit.
My hopes are still high for this highly talented Power-rooted band from Finland and looking forward to including more music from them.
Todesbonden - Ghost of the Crescent Moon (Symphonic Folk Metal, USA 2008)
My first moments of 'OMG this band is amazing' came actually from my Pandora Player (see previous posting: A Fantastic Four), as I was awash in simply awe of this band (amazingly from USA) as I researched more in depth, in search of more gems, I came across too many to include here but it was this song that capped it for me. Todesbonden is in my opinion, criminally overlooked. It is hard for me to group any other artist that I know of, in with this band for its boundless accessibility. What I mean is I really could play this song to just about anyone- from fans of very heavy metal to people who refuse to listen to anything heavy, and there is just no denying that is simply great music. This song is like an opus that takes you on a journey, narrated by only one of the most well-rounded voices I've ever heard, singing clear precise melodies with passion. The musicianship, through the doors. The piano alone is genius, match it with a moving vocal performance, with strings, long passages of piano and acoustic guitar, and you get moment after moment of elation, which also brings tears to your eyes. It's that beautiful.
Then it just keeps getting better, at 3:58 the full-length piano runs behind her tear-jerking beckoning is perfection. And there is more, alot more of that in their catalog, trust me. There is so much to say of just the piano and her voice but I cannot go without mentioning what the other instruments are doing backing it all up. The heavier sections' song structure is almost de-constructed piece by piece, reminding me of the rhythm break-downs of Megadeth, and almost hang in air, There is a doom influence going on here as the band waits just the right time to emphasize between the lyrics. This is brilliance in every way. The epic opus of course has just as a dramatic and storied ending. Effort this flawless must be applauded.
I poured through their past catalog to find simply moment after moment of just quality and sheer brilliance. I will be including more from this band here in my listings.
Next Update: 3 Classics pf Symphonic Metal
