Mixing It Up

Gothic Metal, Symphonic Metal, Doom and Jazz?

Songs 89-91

Open blender.
Insert:Gothic Metal, Symphonic Metal, Jazz Fusion Metal, Experimental, Doom, Thrash.
Close blender.
Puree.
Serve chilled because its about to get hot in here.

  One of the greatest aspects about Metal as a whole is how extraordinarily pliable and without boundaries it is. At its very core is a basic foundation, one that is not as rigid as one might think considering the 'heaviness' of the music. As much as some fans try to limit its definitions, it seems metal springs back stronger, more fulfilled, more evolved. The variance that exists within this now extremely wide net we refer to as All of Metal is continually expanding, experimenting and even spawning. Generations and Second and Third waves of different genres now exist and  its all getting rather confusing to classify. Some of the border lines are blurred. That is OK because its up to the artist's creativity, their vision and what they feel inside that we listen to. They, as pioneers dont go by the book. A book of definition seems illogical to be applicable in any way to something that is felt within.
 It is a badge of pride, an insignia we as metal fans wear on our sleeve. Its the truth that those outside of our brethren do not view a percentage of the reality because the majority is so underground. Its the unique handshake we share with each other. Its the fact that we know they don't get it. The fact is simple. We were not supposed to be here. This all was supposed to go away. The music was considered suitable only for a trash bin and more and more people thought it was just a recycled circle that would find its' end quickly. Makes me realize more and more how the originators of Heavy Metal were pioneers in that they felt the trueness of the limitless the music.
  My next set of 3 songs are great examples of artists not conforming to textbook definitions. Heavy Metal has experienced a huge growth period of experimentation. A lot of Hybridization. A lot of it doesnt work for me. I feel its more interesting when the fans themselves dont agree on what they are listening to. Its a different thing than a band that just tries to be Thrash and Industrial at once. How about a band like After Forever? Are they Gothic Metal or Progressive? They certainly are Symphonic.. or The Gathering, well question marks abound. Hopefully you will enjoy the examples below of bands I think mix things up, and do it well.

 
Octavia Sperati - Without Air: After (Norway, 2005 Gothic Metal, Doom)
  I recommend listening to this one and the link below back to back. Octavia Sperati only recorded 2 albums when their sultry-voiced lead singer, Silje took upon the vocal role of the iconic band The Gathering. This is from their first release and its a pleasurable experience of deep, dark brooding doomish metal guitar riffs and plow-driving drumwork, all interlaced with etheral and almost haunting piano lines as Silje, equally hauntingly belts out each line. Mixing up the the lines of what is Gothic Metal and what is Doom Metal and what is acceptable for what was then, an all-female band. Placing the atmosphere always at the forefront allows me to classify them as Gothic Metal. Placing heavy effects on an otherwise pure sounding vocal, allowing for heavy drums to pound away as the piano plays on, are all evident moments of a band fully capable of doing things differently.


Octavia Sperati - Below Zero  (Norway, 2005 Gothic Metal, Doom)
  Each time I find a song I love from O.S., it seems to have the following qualities: A driving beat, a great bass line, tons of atmosphere and great melody. Well here is another one that qualifies. The simple jungle-esque drum intro is no indication of how far the band is willing to go to do things differently. Each verse expands upon different ideas, like a progressive band would. Each phrase seems to have a haunting quality like a Gothic band would. There are soft moments, there is a startling vocal melody.
  Makes you wonder why cant every band do this? Why arent even my favorite bands this creative? The answer is they should be, you just need to be willing to find those that are capable of mixing it up.



To-Mera - Blood (London, Progressive Fusion Metal 2008)
 Did I mention something about mixing it up? From London this unit is a full-on progressive Fusion Metal band. There are only a handful of bands which share this approach. The main reason is its so hard to make this sound metal enough and still blow minds.There is a musical lesson in here about each 20 seconds. Stop and Go syncopation, long count time signatures, time changes, modulating melodies. Its a war with the rules of musicality and what is physically possible. This is so far beyond and away from what people who criticized early forms of metal as being benign and doomed to fade away. At 3:30 the song takes an inter-dimensional trip as keyboard and guitars harmonize a huge long passage, and thats the guitar solo. As we discover, there is so much more going on with each listen. You may miss how beautiful her vocals are - the melodic sections after the choruses are spectacular moments.
  Other songs from this band truly mix jazz elements into the arrangements and breakdowns. Very worth checking out.

As I approach song 100 make sure you see my next update: Shining Proud and Flag Waving.

Unknown, Underrated and Awesome

Unknown, Underrated and Awesome
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!