Fall Of The Leafe - Volvere

This is the first part of my planned series of blogs covering, what I believe to be, under-rated albums/bands. In this one I will be looking at the album Volvere by the Finnish sextet, Fall Of The Leafe, who are sadly no more, having split up in 2007. Volvere was released in 2004, and I don’t know of another single person who owns a copy of this album. Why? To be honest, I really don’t know (for some possible reasons, please refer to my previous blog on under-rated music). As I remember, this received some pretty good reviews from the mainstream rock/metal press on it’s release and had a song on at least one magazine's cover-mounted CD, which is probably how I discovered it, but I can’t be 100% sure as I was an employee of HMV at the time, and therefore had access to lots of new music. This marketing tool obviously works, as magazines still give away cover CD’s with almost every issue, so, I don’t know why it didn’t work in this case. Add to that, that it really is an interesting and varied slab of rock/metal with some subtle gothic touches (In the Finnish/Swedish metal sense of the word, so don’t let that put you off), it becomes even more disappointing to me. So, I have decided to try to put this right, and to try to garner a little interest in this album, albeit, 6 years late. If I can inspire even 1 or 2 of you to pick up a copy, then I will be a happy man.

Now, let’s get down to what the album actually sounds like. Well, let me just say that this is definitely an album from those who like their “softer” end of the scale Finnish/Swedish metal, with it’s clean (and occasional gruff) vocals and top notch songwriting...these Finns certainly know how to craft a catchy hook or two to say the least. The guitars are crunchy, the rhythm section is tight and the subtle keyboards add a nice depth of atmosphere and extra melody to each song along the way too. The production is also a real plus point, as it really helps highlights the strengths on display here. I would recommend this album to fans of bands such as: Amorphis, Sethian, Swallow The Sun, Dark The Suns, Before The Dawn, Ghost Brigade, Poisonblack, Sentenced, Katatonia, etc. That is not to say that it really sounds like any of these bands as such, but rather that it is of a similar ilk. If you like any of the aforementioned artists, then I’d say this is certainly worth a little of your time (and money). Occasionally, there is also a melodic metal influence, as is evident in the guitar melody on “Song From The Second Floor”, and in the almost ´folky´ “Hell’s Silence”, which is a little reminiscent of “Reroute To Remain” era In Flames, and is one of the highlights for me. I have realised, while typing this, that it isn’t much of a review if you are not already familiar with this style of music (but hey, I’m no journalist). I would say then, if you want a starting point of reference for this album, then you should check out either “A Waiting Room Snap” or “Hell’s Silence” on itunes, where they are available, along with the rest of the album, for just 79p per track or £7.99 for the complete album.

I will be continuing with this theme of great albums that I feel have been unfairly forgotten about, or which failed to sell a substantial number of copies when they were released. Part 2 will be up very soon, so keep your eyes peeled.

Under-rated Albums/Bands

This is the introduction for a series of blogs that I will be posting about albums that have either been criminally over-looked (in my humble opinion, as always), under-rated or just plain ignored for no justifiable reason that I can think of. In this first part, I will be trying to understand the reasons why albums may have sold badly on release, and I will be listing some of the things that I believe may have contributed to this.

I think one major factor used to be (back in the days when people didn’t file share as much as is commonplace now), that many albums just were not freely available in many local record shops, and would have to be ordered. I myself, have been guilty of looking for a record, and when I can’t find it, I will just buy something else instead. These days, unfortunately, it is almost the opposite problem...Many people just don’t buy music, and instead choose to download. I have no real problem with this, as I am no innocent in this respect, but people should always make sure they see a band on tour and/or buy merchandise to ensure the future of the bands they claim to be fans of. The problem that merely downloading music as files, is that the music becomes devalued and almost disposable. Before this very modern phenomenon (before anyone shouts “tape-trading”, that was very different on so many levels), you would go out and spend time looking in record shops, before deciding on the albums to purchase, you would then go home, put on the CD (tape, or vinyl) and look through the sleeve-notes. Often, said album would be played constantly for weeks, giving the listener time to digest the music (and artwork) fully. This would ensure that the music would become imprinted in your mind, and would often become a part of your life and the memories of that time. These days, however, people will download an album and listen to it once (if that), before moving on to the next album, and so on.

Of course, the flip-side argument to this is one I happen to strongly agree with. Namely that a lot of smaller bands now have the opportunity to get their music out to a new audience and the consumer (if they can still be called that) has access to many bands they may never have heard of, if it wasn’t for MySpace or various online forums. For this reason, the days of bands selling millions of albums are fast becoming a place in history, but live music has become more prominent, so I can live with that. Anyway, I seem to have gone a bit off-topic there (maybe the download “culture” is worthy of a blog of it’s own).

Ok....a few more possible reasons. Albums often appear to fail due to poor promotion on behalf of the record label, and/or by not obtaining support slots on European tours with bands of a similar style. On saying that, I have seen great opening bands that have disappeared back into obscurity as well as many that went on to be headliners in their own right, so this may not be a huge factor...although I can’t help but think that it is often a definite deciding one. Reputations of bands can be made or broken in the live arena, so a well-timed tour can do wonders for an up-and-coming band with a new album to promote. It is certainly a baffling thing for me, when an album gets great reviews throughout the music press, but then just doesn’t sell at all. But this can often go back to the point above where the record label just fails to promote properly.

Another major factor, if a slightly controversial one, maybe that of common attitudes and behaviour patterns among metalheads...namely those of watching channels such as Scuzz or Kerrang! for new music, only buying albums by the "in" bands or just sticking to bands and albums they know (often just those from their teenage years). This unwillingness or inability to try something new, or to move forward and to grow musically has always baffled me, and I suppose it always will as metal/hard rock continues to evolve, and in my opinion, improve as younger bands often feel they have something to prove and want to improve on what has come before and/or to make their mark in the world, and many existing bands continue to grow and experiment. Now, this is not an attempt by me to claim I am better than other people, or I that I know more...I am merely just stating what I perceive as a fact, from my personal experiences over the years. There have been many occasions where I will mention a band, for example Paradise Lost, to somebody and they will say “are they still going?”. It is a strange phenomenon where people seem to think because the last album they bought by a band was released when they were 16 in 1995, that the band no longer exist, whereas the truth is often that the band are still regularly releasing albums and touring the UK/Europe.

So, as you can see, it isn’t just new bands that suffer from the “over-looked factor”, as many existing bands seem to, rather strangely, be forgotten about from between their “big” album to the follow up. Of course, this can be explained to some degree, by the very nature of the “fair-weather” fan. People will hear a song they like, either on the radio or on a music TV channel, and will then go and buy the album/single, creating the illusion of popularity. I say illusion, as many of these people will never buy anything released by the band, and will perceive the band in their minds as a “one-hit wonder”. The band will, in reality, go back to being where they were before...playing to the (often only slightly) more modest number of fans and selling fewer records. Sometimes this can be frustrating as albums released years after the “big” one can be far better musically and be performed by a much more seasoned and experienced band.

I’m sure there are other factors that I haven’t thought about, and to be honest, my head hurts from thinking so much about this, so please share your thoughts in the comments section...if you have any, that is.

Ok, so, that was just the introduction to my little series of reviews/comments on under-rated bands and/or albums. Sorry if I got a bit side-tracked. The first real part will be up as soon as I have finished it (obviously), and will be a look at the album, “ Volvere” by the Finnish band Fall Of The Leafe.

Metal Hammer's "Top 50 Albums Of The Decade"

I have been looking through Metal Hammer magazine’s list of the top 50 albums of the, er, noughties (I hate that term), and I have to say that I disagree strongly with a lot of the selections. I mean 2 Mastodon albums out of just 50 choices?! I don’t know if it’s just a case of me not "getting” this band, or whether it is another case of them being seriously over-rated by the music media. There were (obviously) thousands of albums released over the last 10 years...are they seriously suggesting that one band has 2 albums worthy of being in such a short list (Opeth and Megadeth also have 2 each)? I have to say, no!

Of course, a list such as this is purely based on opinion. For this reason, it is a simple fact that I will disagree with it. So...of the top 50, which do I disagree with the strongest, and why? Well, obviously, Mastodon make this list as I just don’t “get” them, but what else is wrong with it?

The main issue I have is, what I see as the lack of honesty and depth. I think that what the writers of MH have done, is stuck to the safe and easy options. Making sure that all bands mentioned are well-known to the readership (especially those under 25), which is a big mistake and a massive disservice to some brilliant albums. There are albums not on the list, that were highly rated in MH on release, and that continue to be regarded as landmark releases in their genre, but these have been completely ignored, and have been replaced by the “usual suspects”. This is a shame, as this list should be one we can look at and be proud of what a strong and diverse decade this was for heavy music. Instead, I will look at it, as a mild diversion for a few minutes as opposed to a guide for filling in any gaps in my record (Mp3?) collection...not that there are many...haha.

Albums included that I would definitely omit, for either not being all so great, or in place of far better albums (by the same artist), would be:

Deftones - “White Pony” to be replaced by “Deftones”.

Down - “II” to be replaced by “Over The Under”.

In Flames - “Come Clarity” replaced by “Reroute To Remain”.

Devildriver – “The Last Kind Words” replaced by “Pray For Villains”.

Killswitch Engage - “The End Of Heartache” replaced by “Alive Or Just Breathing”.

Of course there are so many albums on the list that I would remove completely (more than half). I mean Lacuna Coil – “Comalies” one of the best albums of the last 10 years? Even as a fan of Lacuna, there is no way this album is anywhere near worthy of this accolade.

Besides those I would remove, where are the likes of Amorphis, Katatonia, Cradle Of Filth, Candlemass, Enslaved, Paradise Lost, Satyricon, Sigh, Therapy?, amongst others who have all released great albums within their genres in this past decade? Bands/albums that are definitely deserving of a place as much as or more than bands such as Disturbed, Anthrax, Airbourne, Slayer and Metallica for albums released in the last 10 years.

Of course, what this all comes down to is the opinion of one person (me) versus that of a group of people (the MH writers), so it depends very much on your own personal take on what has defined “heavy” music over the last decade, and I personally believe that Metal Hammer has fallen very wide of the mark.

Please feel free to share your own thoughts on this, or to tell me that I’m talking rubbish if you want to. I haven’t included the full top 50, but check out the march issue of Metal Hammer for more information.

Finntroll - Nifelvind

This is my first attempt at anything even approaching a review, so please bear with me. I welcome any (constructive) comments on my style or how I can improve my writing (without doing a journalism degree). So...onto the review:

Nifelvind is the latest album by folk metal masters, Finntroll, released in February 2010. It is an ambitious and brave project, seemlessly blending black metal, film soundtrack, carnival music, traditional Scandinavian music and Grieg's Peer Gynt, with stunning ease.

There is obviously a huge leap forward here, in terms of the musical experimentation that the band have always teased at, with the use of new instruments such as the kazoo and even the xylophone(!), along with plenty of seemingly insane time-changes. The heavier parts are heavier, and the folk parts are, well, folkier than on previous records (with the obvious exception of the acoustic album "Visor Om Slutet"). This all makes for a far more positive and upbeat affair than "Ur Jordens Djup", which many fans found lacklustre and lacking in the usual atmosphere (and fun) of a Finntroll release. In fact, I would go as far as to say that this album has more of the feel you would expect from a fantasy film soundtrack or from a Broadway musical, and it flows accordingly. It almost seems as this is telling a story, with crazy moments of exciting, bombastic music being followed instantly, by slower, almost ballad-esque songs....before you are once again thrown headlong, back into the travelling circus, without being given a chance to fully digest what is happening. It is definitely pulse-raising and smile inducing-stuff. This is easily the most accessible, and dare I say, "commercial" Finntroll album, but don't let that put you off, as it is also their most complete work to date, with absolutely no filler tracks. Kudos must be given to the mastermind (ring-master?) of this band of musical lunatics, Trollhorn, for his vision and for having the passion to fully explore what this band are capable of, and then pulling it off in such convincing style. Simply put, this is absolutely guaranteed a place in the top 5 of my end-of.year album list.

Ok, I feel that I must also make a point of addressing Vreth's vocals, which have improved dramatically since the previous album, and are now far more "trollish" and easily sit up there with the best work of previous singers, Katla or Wilska.

So, now for the songs:

The first track, "Blodmarsch", is an instrumental intro, which does a lot to set the tone for the chaos to follow, with it's creepy atmosphere, which to my ears, is reminiscent of the darker parts of the Lord Of The Rings soundtracks. This then segues into the first real song, "Solsagan", which is in many ways a typical Finntroll track (if there is such a thing), with it's thrashing guitars, pounding drums, humppa rhythms, harsh vocals and yoik-style group vocals.

"Den Frusna Munnen" is up next, opening with some interesting percussion (including what sounds like steel drums), similar to that which was previously heard on "En Mäktig Här" from the "Ur Jordens Djup" album, before the guitars come in and we are back in familiar "Nattfödd" territory. I can't sress enough, however, that this album cannot really be compared to anything the band have released previously, as this would be unfair to the depth of detail (and madness) that is apparent here.

After this we have the traditional Swedish folk intro for "Ett Norrskensdåd", which continues throughout the song as the backing for some heavy riffing and growling vocals. Superbly catchy, yet heavy enough to pull it off at the same time. Following this is the, almost thrashing, death/black metal of "I Trädens Sång", with it's subtle Grieg style keyboards. I would say that this is the heaviest song on the album, for those who want to know. This, in turn, is followed by some dark, eerie, chanting vocals, and then some more nice growling from Vreth for the slower, stomp of "Tiden Utan Tid", once again with some nice classical and epic fantasy film soundtrack keyboards.

The ´softer´ moment of the album is up next with "Galgasång", with it's ´clean´ vocals and slower-paced folk instrumentation, sounding to me, like something you might find on a Glittertind CD. This is certainly not a criticism, however, as this is something different for Finntroll, and fits in nicely with the flow of the album as a whole. This will be a real "lighters in the air" moment if they play it live in the future.

Of course, this slow pace doesn't last, and is instantly followed by "Mot Skuggornas Värld" with it's heavy guitars, some more of the Grieg keyboards (and xylophone), along with some huge classical flourishes that would be more at home on a Sigh album. This is sure to get your head nodding or your toes tapping.

The highlight of the album for me, however, is up next. "Under Bergets Rot" has everything you could possibly want from a Finntroll song...a wonderful, uplifting folk melody, harsh singing, trollish "gang" vocals, a prevailing humppa stomp, kazoo, and some ´spooky´Scooby-Do keyboards. Dare I say, Genius?! This is followed by the (almost) equally brilliant "Fornfamnad" with more of the same, but with even more kazoo!

The album ends with the dark, foreboding "Dråp", which takes us all the way back to "Midnattens Widunder". This is definitely one for the long-time fans , who are craving some of the old Finntroll darkness, with it's sinister keyboards, thrashing guitars and hollering vocal style.

So, after all my words, what is the verdict? Well, if you are an existing Finntroll fan, I find it totally implausable that you could be disappointed by this, and if you are a Finntroll virgin, thinking of checking them out....this is the album to start with. This is a ´must buy´ for all fans of folk metal, those with a taste for experimentation, or just is you are looking for a fun, uplifting, metal ´party´ album. So, overall 9.5/10

An introduction

OK, so I have decided (or been convinced?) to join the millions of others online who think their opinions are so important that other people want to read them....That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, I am now a “blogger”.

So, what will my blog be about, I hear you ask (in my ego)? Well, obviously, if you know me, it will be about the thing that has always been closest to my life, and has defined (and continues to define) who I am....MUSIC!

There will be album and gig reviews as well as, possibly, my thoughts on the news stories of the day. I will be sharing my thoughts on which are the best albums of the month, year, decade or whatever, and may even decide to give the reasons for my choices (if I feel like it).

So, yeah, there you have my first blog, and the start of what I hope will become a big part of my life. Please let me know what you think, but obviously, only if you have a positive comment to make (haha). Well, I will leave this with you, and I will go and continue drinking my coffee, listening to Around The Fur, and working on what will be my first review for the blog (in Swedish and English)...Finntroll – Nifelvind.

Hails