Maria Callas - ombra leggera (Il Perdono Di Ploermel; Giacomo Meyerbeer)
Mediæval Bæbes - e volentieri (Undrentide)
Djelem - codru (Gypsy Caravan)
Cathedral - blue light (The Carnival Bizarre)
Megadeth - take no prisoners (Rust In Peace)
Primal Fear - into the future (Jaws Of Death)
Naked Lunch - lost it all (Songs For The Exhausted)
Deftones - change [in the house of flies] (White Pony)
Doloris & The Ronelles - the lounge medley (Sister Act Original Soundtrack)
Die Apokalyptischen Reiter - the almighty (Soft & Stronger)
Enforsaken - cloaked in need (The Forever Endeavor)
Vintersorg - a dialog with the stars (Cosmic Genesis)
Beto Vazquez Infinity - through times part I (Infinity)
Dead Can Dance - song of the dispossessed (Spiritchaser)


Very famous is today's start, 'ombra leggera' from Meyerbeer's "Le Pardon de Ploërmel", or here, the Italian version. I'm unsure which is the "original", since the aria is famous in Italian, but the Opera title seems to be written in French in most cases. Ahimè, you want to say, what does it matter. This aria sung by La Callas is a piece of heaven, and that should be enough to ask for on a Sunday afternoon. "Undrentide" is not the strongest album of this English all-female ensemble, but undoubtedly, this sound and mood can only be the Bæbes. They feel very unique and granted, this does not suit every moment of the day or sometimes not even any week of the month. But when it does, this group is one of the few ones that take me back in time and do it almost kitsch-less. Naturalism, spiritualism, eroticism, romanticism.

A track from the great "Gypsy Caravan" compilation then continues the journey. This is nice, laid-back, with a touch of something that can be melancholy as well as contentment, and those two can - in a strange way - sometimes go hand in hand. "The Carnival Bizarre" is an album that I haven't really listened to so far. 'blue light' sounds very seventies, I like the Bass in this one, not so much Lee Dorian's vocals. Although Cathedral were very good in each of their different phases, I do think that I prefer the early doom albums over the rockier ones. But one has to say that their creativity, shown not only in album art but also in the lyrics and song titles, is breathtaking. Megadeth's "Rust In Peace" was their last Thrash Metal album, they entered their "middle phase" after this like so many other Thrash bands have as well. 'take no prisoners', as the whole album, doesn't totally work for me. I can't get used to the odd sound and especially this song is undeniable craftsmanship, not uncool, but not gripping.

Metal reigns again with Primal Fear and their second album. I enjoyed this song and the impellent beat. Nice slightly disconnected chorus, that's an interesting Heavy Metal track - typical, yet still steering around the obvious clichés. Klagenfurt's Naked Lunch then try to trip us up with a stumbling beat. This is without a doubt a sad album, maybe hopelessly sad. This does not totally fail its purpose on a grey Sunday, but didn't emblaze a new fire - I felt it to be too normal sounding to do that. The Deftones definitely deserve my attention, I own "White Pony", but didn't listen to it yet. They sound very modern (of course), very powerful but too troubled and despaired to use the power to pull themselves together and make something of the day. This is an approach I appreciate and can relate to, and I felt close to this song without getting to know it better.

Enough with the hanging heads then with one of those movies that aren't really what you'd call "good", but you've seen them twenty times and they make you happy. This is from the beginning of the film, where Doloris is performing Soul classics with her two background singers. Nice medley, well done and great songs to interpret. Very funny the speed-up at 'i will follow him' - sounds like Nicko McBrain is playing drums and putting his co-musicians in real trouble as they have to keep up with him :-) The following Reiter-album is their first, and altough I know nothing of the band's music (but I should) even I know that this was more straight edge Death Metal than their praised later albums. Was nice to listen to, the piano parts enhance the atmosphere. The Chicago based Melodic Deathers Enforsaken then play a Scandinavian sounding song with good melodies and the typical Melodic Death vocals that I can't really relate to (yet). Certainly not a bad effort, enjoyable and nice to listen to.

'a dialogue with the stars' is better than I remembered it to be, there are hints of absentmindedness in the songwriting, but in this case they make the song quite interesting. Vintersorg is not on my long list of favourite artists, but this song is a small hit, great chorus. Then along trolls a piping interlude from Beto Vazquez (I'm in the woods), before Dead Can Dance lead us to a strange place where sad people listen to toned-down flamenco beats. Incedible approach, and it works very well. Impressive.


--MightySapnish--