Hump Day Hot Ticket: Serenity “United”

Photo credit: Manuel Janus Mair

Admittedly, there has been a bit of a pattern here lately, and hopefully this is a precursor of better things to come at this blog; meaning that it will become more commonplace to begin spotlighting more international acts for this feature. (Hey, as much as I love to showcase the independent bands, I also want to draw more traffic here so that many people can learn about those lesser-known artists in the first place!)

As I did last Friday with my review of The Dark Element, I am once again reviewing a new video from another band that I have written about within the last month. Releasing their second single in time for their album release on Friday, Serenity has another new video, this time for the song “United”.

Truth be told, I look forward to any opportunity to write about Serenity, because I absolutely love their music. I regret that the start of this feature last year happened only after the last video for their previous album was released, because I would have gladly reviewed all of them. Over the last 2 years, Serenity has quickly earned a spot among my most favorite bands, which says a lot in regards to how much I love their music. Quite frankly, I think they are one of the best symphonic metal bands out there, and don't feel they get nearly as much attention or recognition as I believe they deserve. Then again, this is why I write music reviews, so that maybe (in some small way) I can help bring attention to all of this great music!

That being said, on to the video! Aesthetically, “United” has the same look and feel as the “Lionheart” video, which suggests that perhaps Lionheart is a sort of concept album, or that there are some connecting threads throughout the songs. The “United” video picks up right where the “Lionheart” video left off, even though on the album, the song order is reversed. 

When the video begins, we see the soldiers in full armor, brandishing sword and shield, prepared to follow King Richard Lionheart to war. The darkened cave also makes a return, only this time it is more of a performance video, and what a show they put on for this rallying war cry of an anthem! The royal standard is proudly unfurled behind them, as great bursts of flame blast in front of them in a remarkable pyrotechnic display. What a great way to give the viewer a feel of what it must be like at a Serenity concert, right? All of this is going on, and we are not but a little more than 30 seconds into the video...then, to make things more interesting, there's a guy swallowing fire and spitting out flame! Come to think of it, there is a lot of fire in this video, but it fits perfectly with the frenetic pace of the song. It is a fiery, passionate song, with a guitar solo that is positively smoking! Needless to say, an abundant display of pyro is an appropriate visual for such a fierce track.

For more information on Serenity, visit their official website.

Thanks to Claudia Steinlechner at Napalm Records.

Hump Day Hot Ticket: Serenity “Lionheart”

Photo credit: Manuel Janus Mair

In music, there are certain lyrical themes that are just tailor-made for a particular genre; the two elements gelling together so perfectly that one is oftentimes unsure whether one depends on the other in order to flourish.

For example, because symphonic metal is so steeped in classical music influences, historical themes within the lyrics are almost a given. Just hearing the orchestra or choirs instantly hearken imagery of the Renaissance, of lords, ladies, and gallant knights. The two are so intertwined that it would be difficult to determine whether the sound influences the lyrics, or the historical themes influences the music! Of course, the fantasy element is also a huge component of symphonic metal's lyrical content, but that is another discussion for another time!

Within the symphonic metal scene, credit is often given to the band Sabaton for being the premier historical experts, and there is no denying that their moniker of “History Channel Metal” is not undeserved. However, if any one band was next in line to the throne at the metal historical society, I would give a strong nod to Austria's Serenity: a band who wrote a concept album about the life of Leonardo da Vinci; whose songs feature titles such as “Legacy of Tudors”, “The Chevalier”, and the latest song I am reviewing today, “Lionheart”. (It should probably be mentioned here that the band's frontman, Georg Neuhauser, is a history teacher, which is one reason the band knows its material so well!)

Based on Richard I, the song's namesake, the video for “Lionheart” tells the story of Richard's oath to take up the cross and lead the Kings' Crusade into Jerusalem. At this point, as I am no history expert, I am merely going to make observations on the video itself, and the history buffs reading this can figure out what the imagery means.

The video starts with Georg (presumably in the title role) climbing up a craggy, rocky hill, armed with sword and shield, bearing the royal standard. The band plays inside a cave (again, presumably inside the rocky mountainside shown in the video), faces and arms coated with dirt and dust, as if they have been unearthed after years in the mountain. Georg (as himself) sings the lyrics as a large cross looms behind him, emphasizing the religious angle to this tale of old.

The camera alternates between scenes with Georg as Richard the Lionheart, and shots of the band playing in the dark cave. As “Richard” enters the darkened corridor, he kneels before a woman dressed in white, wearing a crown of thorns (spiritual symbolism, perhaps?), moving before him as he looks on in awe. Before long, she is seen wearing almost nothing (more symbolism?), as Lionheart makes his way to the summit, the royal standard waving proudly in the wind.

For more information on Serenity, or to pre-order their new album Lionheart (out on October 27th), visit their official website.

Thanks to Claudia Steinlechner at Napalm Records.

Album review: Exit Eden—Rhapsodies in Black (2017)

Album: Rhapsodies in Black

Artist: Exit Eden

Genre: Symphonic metal

Label: Napalm Records

Tracks: 11

*Review originally posted at the Female-fronted Power Facebook page.

Photo credit: Christian Barz-Klein

What do you get when you combine the talents of 4 respected voices on the symphonic metal scene, and put them together to record an album full of covers that are anything but symphonic or metal? You get Exit Eden, the collaborative effort of Amanda Somerville (who has sung with everyone from Kamelot to Epica), Clémentine Delauney (best known for her work with Serenity, and as the frontwoman for Visions of Atlantis), Marina LaTorraca (who has sung with Avantasia), and Anna Brunner (who has been in rock bands ever since she was a teen). Four distinct voices, personalities, and musical backgrounds, with one goal: to show how diverse metal can be by taking songs from any genre and putting their twist on them.

The concept isn't entirely new: Within Temptation did something similar on their 2013 album The Q-Music Sessions, but that was a project spearheaded by a radio station and had never been intended to become an album. The songs were also chosen for them, and the band was given a week-long deadline to transform the tunes into their own. Because of this, not all the songs ended up on the finished album, due to not getting copyright permission (such as their cover of “Skyfall”, which did end up on the Exit Eden album). Whereas with Exit Eden, these are all songs of their own choosing, and they had time to not only get the necessary copyrights, but also to hone and craft these songs any way they liked.

Photo credit: Christian Barz-Klein

From the opening track, I am hooked; but anyone who can do a good job on a Depeche Mode cover is going to win my heart. Depeche Mode is my favorite non-metal band of all time, and Exit Eden takes their Black Celebration classic “A Question of Time” and gives it a bombastic symphonic metal remake. Right away they have won me over, even if I do not recognize another song on this compilation.

However, there are other songs here that I am familiar with; such as their cover of Madonna's late-’90s hit “Frozen”. This song seems to be a favorite in the symphonic metal genre when covering songs, and I haven't heard a rendition this good since Lindsay Schoolcraft covered this track a couple of years ago (coming from me, this is a huge compliment, as I am a big fan of Lindsay's music). Exit Eden also does a fantastic job on the Bryan Adams tune “Heaven”, which just kickstarted my ’80s nostalgia feels.

Photo credit: Christian Barz-Klein

Another tune that is just tailor-made for this genre is the ’80s mega-hit “Total Eclipse of the Heart”, a song I have always felt needed a symphonic metal makeover. It has been my long-held opinion that Jim Steinman is one of the forefathers of symphonic rock—whether their descendants recognize it or not—and have often wondered why his material is not covered more within the scene. But finally, after 35 years, someone has done it the way I wished it would sound. Much as I love the original, Bonnie Tyler's voice always grated on my nerves, and I felt the song was better suited for a more operatic vocalist. If the Depeche Mode cover hadn't already won me over, this would have made me a believer.

That being said, the selling point of this album, for me, is not so much how they tackle the songs I know and love, but what they can do with material I don't know, or songs I downright hate, such as Katy Perry's “Firework”. If I never hear that song again it would be too soon, and I almost dreaded the thought of having to hear it again for this review, even if it is a cover. Their version is not bad; I don't think I will ever be a fan of the song, but maybe I wouldn't have found the original half as annoying if it had sounded more like this!

Band photo

The rest of the album features pop covers of everyone from Backstreet Boys to Rihanna, and since I am pressed for time on this review, I did not have the time to listen to the originals and compare them. To my ear, they are pleasant-sounding songs, and I might just give the originals a listen sometime. Their take on the song “Impossible” reminded me a little of “The Show Must Go On” by Queen. Lady Gaga is one of the few pop artists out there that I really like, and Exit Eden’s version of her song “Paparazzi” is an energetic hard rocker that is a nod to Gaga's love of metal.

To wrap this up, I highly recommend this album as a “starter” if you are new to symphonic metal or are trying to bring a new fan into this type of music. These are well-known songs done in a particular style, so if you like these, you might like the overall genre of music too. If you are a fan of any of these ladies, it is a given you will enjoy this album too. Whether you love this genre of music or just have an inclination to hear some interesting covers of pop hits and ’80s classics, then Rhapsodies in Black just might be what you are looking for.

Photo credit: Christian Barz-Klein

Special thanks to Henk van Nieuwenhoven at Female Fronted Power.

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Hump Day Hot Ticket: Secret Rule “The Savior”

Secret Rule band photo

While searching the world over for new music to share with you each and every week, I came across a little gem from Italy called Secret Rule, who might just have gotten their name because they are the best-kept secret, and they rule! (Yes, that was my lame attempt at a joke.)

All kidding aside, this female-fronted power/symphonic-metal band has got quite the guest roster for their upcoming album! With musicians such as Sonata Arctica's Henrik Klingenberg and ex-Delain bandmember Sander Zoen performing on the album, and guest musicians from Serenity's Fabio D'Amore, Delain's Timo Somers, and Within Temptation's Stefan Helleblad; Secret Rule boasts a musical guest list that is the envy of many a band on the scene.

The first single from the band's album Machination is a track titled “The Savior”, and it's a musical mix of all these different influences: the upbeat, pop-laced melodies of bands like Delain and Amaranthe; crossed with the powerful, gothic-influenced majesty of bands like Within Temptation; and topped with the dark heaviness of bands like Sirenia. Vocalist Angela Di Vincenzo is more of a straight-up power metal vocalist than she is operatic or classically-trained. Her voice may not have the bombastic strength of a typical power metal vocalist, but the vocal harmonies are much more reminiscent of a power metal style, and she pulls them off with finesse in her sweet, slightly-accented tone.

The concept of the video is also rather straightforward: the band plays in a dark warehouse-type area, along with clips of a storyline involving a mysterious hooded figure searching through the woods for his lost love (whom we see only in gray, shadowy flasbacks). So as to not ruin the ending with spoilers, I will just politely suggest that you watch the video to find out whether the character in the story ever found it.

Secret Rule's album, Machination, is available June 24th via Scarlet Records.

Hump Day Hot Ticket: Serenity “My Final Chapter”

Serenity band photo

My second week of this feature, and this installment is a good one! (Well, I would like to think all of my picks are good ones, but I am particularly pleased with this one.)

I only discovered the Austrian symphonic metal band Serenity about a year ago, but I instantly adored their music and they have quickly become a regular staple on my playlist. Their new album, Codex Atlanticus, is a concept album chronicling the life of Leonardo da Vinci (which goes perfectly with symphonic metal, right?). The band has released a lyric video and two conceptual videos to promote the album already, and last week the band premiered their latest video, “My Final Chapter”. It's a beautiful ballad set to black-and-white footage of the band in a wooded area.

And a huge thanks to Georg Neuhauser, Serenity's vocalist, who was kind enough to allow me to share it with all of you.

So without further ado, here is this week's Hot Ticket. Enjoy!