Albums Released in 2009: Top 10

Finnish Albums:
1. Stratovarius - Polaris
2. Sonata Arctica - The Days Of Grays
3. Cain's Offering - Gather The Faithful
4. Korpiklaani - Karkelo
5. Leverage - Circus Colossus
6. Eternal Tears Of Sorrow - Children Of The Dark Waters
7. Amorphis - Skyforger
8. Elias Viljanen - Fire-Hearted
9. Sapattivuosi - Ihmisen Merkki
10. Revolution Renaissance - Age Of Aquarius


Non-Finnish Albums:
1. Hans Zimmer - Angels & Demons OST
2. Doro - Fear No Evil
3. KISS - Sonic Boom
4. Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Night Castle
5. W.A.S.P. - Babylon
6. Delain - April Rain
7. Epica - Design Your Universe
8. My Dying Bride - For Lies I Sire
9. Hammerfall - No Sacrifice, No Victory
10. Dream Theater - Black Clouds And Silver Linings

Note: This is just my subjective list of what I think were the best 10 Finnish and non-Finnish albums released in 2009. I obviously didn't listen to all albums that were released the last year, just to those from the bands that I like or some that I was curious about.

Tarja's Christmas Projects

Everything started when Tarja was three years old and sang her first Christmas song in front of an audience, in the church of Kitee. She sang "En etsi valtaa, loistoa" and she was so small that she had to stand on a table, so that the people would also see her, and not just hear her voice. Since then, Tarja took part in a large number of Christmas projects or events, especially in the last years.



Tarja's plan to record a Christmas album existed since 2003, but that was impossible because of the busy schedule with Nightwish, so one year later, a single was released. "Yhden Enkelin Unelma" (English: "One Angel's Dream") contained two songs in Finnish: "En Etsi Valtaa Loistoa" and "Kun Joulu On". After the succesful tour promoting the Nightwish album "Once" ended, Tarja had six classical, Christmas concerts in Finland, Spain, Germany and Romania, combining traditional Finnish Christmas songs, such as "Varpunen Jouluaamuna" or "Kun Joulu On" with other more known songs, like "White Christmas", "When A Child Is Born", "Ave Maria" and even a cover of ABBA's "Happy New Year".



2006 was the year when Tarja's first solo album, "Henkäys Ikuisuudesta" (English: "Breath Of Heaven"), which featured, among songs that had been already played during previous concerts, the song "Kuin Henkäys Ikuisuutta", which was initially a poem written by Sinikka Svärd, and the music was later composed by Tarja together with Esa Nieminen. Other songs included were "Walking In The Air", a song from the soundtrack of "Snowman", composed by Howard Blake, which was, according to Tarja, the song that inspired her to record the Christmas album, and a cover version of Cori Connor's "You Would Have Loved This", dedicated to Tarja's decesed mother. The album reaced gold award status in Finland shortly, and several concerts in Finland and Russia promoted the album. A recording of the concert from Lahti was broadcasted on YLE TV on Christmas with big success; every third television set was on to watch the concert.

The following two years were filled with concerts all around the world promoting Tarja's debut album, "My Winter Storm", but she still participated in events such as the Kummit charity concerts, Marimekko events, and even two classical concerts in Tampere and Helsinki, in the end of 2008.

This year, Tarja recorded three new Christmas songs for an album produced by Olli Ahvenlahti, "Maailman Kauneimmat Joululaulut" (English: "The World's Most Beautiful Christmas Songs"), a charity project for missionary workers in Finland. The album, featuring artists like Jari Sillanpää, Irina, Veeti Kallio, Maria Lund and Mikko Kuustonen, was released in Finland on the 18th of November, and the songs sung by Tarja were "Heinillä Härkien", "Maa On Niin Kaunis" and "Arkihuolesi Kaikki Heitä", a duet with Veeti Kallio. These songs, combined with a choir, managed once again to attract attention on Tarja's amazing voice, and to arouse even more interest in her classical projects. The three songs were also included on a special single, available exclusively through the official webshop. Eight Christmas concerts will also take place in December, one of them in Helsinki, promoting the album.



Tarja is probably most known for combining heavy metal with classical music, and in the last years she has managed to attract metalheads not only in opera houses for classical concerts, but also in churches for her Christmas concerts.

Review: Sonata Arctica - The Days Of Grays

"The Days Of Grays" is the sixth full-length studio album by Finnish metal band Sonata Arctica and was released in Finland on the 16th of September 2009. The album also features vocals by Johanna Kurkela and cello arrangements by Perttu Kivilaakso (Apocalyptica). Henrik Klingenberg described the album as "a bit darker and maybe not so complex as 'Unia'. Nevertheless, it's definitely not a back-to-the-roots album with fast power metal. All the trademark Sonata stuff is on there, solos, lots of singing, some slower songs."

The album opens with an instrumental of "Everything Fades to Gray", atmospheric with beautiful keyboard melodies, which flows into "Deathaura", the longest song of the album. This song consists of ten parts out of which the first part is almost entirely sung by Johanna Kurkela, and is very complex, haunting, epic and bombastic. "The Last Amazing Grays" has been previously released on a single, also in an orchestral version. This tracks is very catchy, different from the usual Sonata Arctica, and the "wolf-song" from this record, this version being a bit longer than the single edit, in which the first verse "The mystery of death before us" had been cut. "Flag In The Ground", also released as the video, is a re-make of the song "BlackOut" from the demo "Friends Till the End". The lyrics have been re-written so that the new sound of Sonata Arctica was mixed with older elements that remind of the band's first albums. "Breathing" is the first ballad, which gets slightly heavier towards the end and is followed by "Zeroes", another catchy song, probably the one that reminds of the "Unia" style the most. The following two songs could be the highlights of "The Days Of Grays"; "The Dead Skin" has everything from heavy guitars to piano melodies, dark lyrics and speedy parts, and is reminescent of older albums, especially "Reckoning Night", while "Juliet" could sound like a long, epic story together with "Caleb" and "The End Of This Chapter", it starts with keyboard melodies and sad lyrics such as "These are my final lines/ I've lived all my nine lives" and grows slowly, as the lyrics become full of hate "You double-crossing, filthy whore...". In the end, the first part is sung once again, and then it fades away with the barely hearable "This is... the end... Why...? You're closing my eyes...". "No Dream Can Heal A Broken Heart" is another amazing and touching song, featuring the female vocals by Johanna Kurkela once again right in the middle of the song. The keyboard solo and Tony's soothing vocals make "As If The World Wasn't Ending" one of their greatest ballads. "The Truth Is Out There" is another typical Sonata Arctica songs, with a catchy chorus, nice vocals, and the guitar solo. The album ends with the full version of "Everything Fades To Gray", which gives a feeling of continuity. It begins with the same dark piano melody as the instrumental, combined with once again amazing vocals, then unexpectedly gets heavier as the part that is included in the album opener is over, and ends with a very bombastic and majestic sound that will leave you stunned, the perfect ending of an unbelievable album.

"The Days Of Grays" is undoubtedly one of the albums that many people looked forward to this year. But it was worth the wait, and most fans of symphonic- and power metal will definitely love it. Even though the instruments seem slightly weaker and there are less solos than usual, the vocals are better than ever and the way the music and lyrics were composed so that every single one is a killer-song will make it one of the best albums released in 2009.


Review: 10/10

Tracklist:
1. Everything Fades To Gray
2. Deathaura
3. The Last Amazing Grays
4. Flag In The Ground
5. Breathing
6. Zeroes
7. The Dead Skin
8. Juliet
9. No Dream Can Heal A Broken Heart
10. As If The World Wasn't Ending
11. The Truth Is Out There
12. Everything Fades To Gray (Full Version)

Review: Korpiklaani - Karkelo

The Finnish folk metal band Korpiklaani has recorded a new album every year since 2005 until now. Released in June 2009, "Karkelo" [Finnish for "Party"] is their sixth studio album and it sounds just like their older albums, except that this one comes with a change: only two songs from this album are in English, while the rest have lyrics in their mother tongue, Finnish.

I clearly remember listening to "Hunting Song" many years ago. The first time I listened to this band I felt there was something special with them, but I didn't really pay any real attention to them until in the summer of 2009 when I saw them live at a festival. At least for me, it was a bit hard to listen to them before seing them live, I couldn't really get used to their style; it's not that I didn't like it but it was very different from any other music I usually listen to. But as their concert started and I realized what Korpiklaani is all about: happy drinking songs combined with folk metal and that typical athmosphere of their concerts, so after that I started to really enjoy their albums.

"Karkelo" starts with a characteristic song; "Vodka". This song is perfect as an album opener, as a very catchy chorus can be heard in the first seconds, and will also keep playing in your head for a while: "Vodka, you're feeling stronger/ Vodka, no more feeling bad/ Vodka, your eyes are shining/ Vodka, you're the real man/Vodka, wipes away your tears/ Vodka, removes your fears/ Vodka, everyone is gorgeous/ Vodka, yeah vodka". The other English song from the album, "Bring Us Pints Of Beer" reminds of the band's older more known songs, and this song also has a very representative message: "If you don't drink you can leave". The bouncy "Juodaan Viinaa" is a cover of the Finnish rock/pop singer Hector. In spite of the title, not all songs from the album are drinking anthems, some of them being even melancholic at parts and sometimes (but rarely) the folk elements can't be heard as much as usually. Jonne Järvelä's voice sounds as charming as it always is and can be heard very well because it is not covered by the many instruments.

As most of the lyrics are Finnish, one would think that most of the songs would be boring or not recommended to people who don't speak this language, but instead they are very catchy and entertaining even to someone who doesn't speak one single word of Finnish, so much that you find yourself trying to sing along the lyrics you don't understand. Korpiklaani managed to release an album on which almost every song is in Finnish, and the message is easily sent even to those who don't know the meaning of the lyrics, which makes the album enjoyable to any listener.

Review: 9/10

Tracklist:
1. Vodka
2. Erämaan Ärjyt
3. Isku Pitkästä Ilosta
4. Mettänpeiton Valtiaalle
5. Juodaan Viinaa
6. Uniaika
7. Kultanainen
8. Bring Us Pints Of Beer
9. Huppiaan Aarre
10. Vesaisen Sota
11. Sulasilmä
12. Kohmelo

Interview: Tarja Turunen - Anna, August 2009 (English Translation)

Love carried Tarja Turunen to the other side of the world, in Argentina. In Buenos Aires the singer forgets the work and enjoy's the city's spirit.

Who is she?
Tarja Turunen
Singer Tarja Turunen, 31, became the soloist of the metal band Nightwish (1996-2005). Turunen was born in Kitee and studied classical church music at the Sibelius Academy and classical music at the music university in Karlsruhe, Germany.
Buenos Aires became Turunen's second home in the year 2000, when she fell in love with Marcelo Cabuli, 39, during Nightwish's tour in South America. Buenos Aires became officially her home town, and she started to spend from a couple of weeks to a couple of months there, depending on the time.
She now prepares for the 2010 release of her second album, What Lies Beneath. The first album, My Winter Storm, was released in 2007, and Tarja made frequent visits from Buenos Aires with her husband-manager to their second home in Kuusankoski, and to many other european cities.

Waterworks
Like being in Europe
I like watching everything that is old and beautiful. Buildings must be the story. Argentina's and Buenos Aires' history is long. It would be wonderful to go back in time and see how people lived, for example, in the golden time of tango, in the 1930's and 1940's.
Buenos Aires is really Europe-like. The architecture is beautiful, without feeling like you're walking in Paris. I like the buildings in general. All of the eye sensitizes beauty. Especially the national waterworks are unbelievably wonderful, just amazing. It has a special tone and was built in 1984. They should clean it some day.

Rivadavia's Park
Inner peace
I visit Rivadavia's park on my morning runs. If I don't run here, I run to the gym. This is our homepark. I also come here sometimes to read a book.
The park is so big, that it quiets down the noise of the city. Before this was in a bad condition, but now it has been restored. The park around the Cabalito residencial area is warm and popular amongst the common Buenos Aires people. Caballito is home, this is where I al all the time. The regions is among everything, every place has good connections.

City Center
Urban Greenery
In my carrer I have seen a lot of major South-American cities, and Buenos Aires is one of the most beautiful. For me, this is a home where I feel comfortable. In this city there is a lot of charisma, melancholy, combined with human, close-to-the-nature-persons and freedom of mind.
You'll always get a smile and "good day" -wish.
Right at the beginning I noticed how green it is and how many trees there are along the streets. I love the center, the big parks and green spaces.
Our life is more peaceful here than in Finland, because we stay here longer because of the long distances. In Europe there are more work expenses, more travelling because of work, even though life in big city is more hectic.
Understanding the language has opened up a culture in depth. I am happy and proud of Argentina and these people. I get rid of my work pressures in here. Problems are different. Lines are long and taking care of things takes long time. You can't plan your day ahead.

Metro busses
A metro line is passing right near our home. I think that this is the world's oldest functioning metro. It creaks and sounds like "ii-uu, ii-uu" and the doors must be opened by oneself. The wooden wagons are a pleasure to see. they are so old and nice, and they are still working. The metro seems unreal, like in a movie. My first confrontation with it was a good, wonderful shock, to see how the city has been. Many of the stations are painted and decorated in an old style. New metro lines lack originality.

Cabana Las Lilas
Steak and red wine
Las Lilas has been my favorite restaurant in the last 9 years. I always book tables here and come with Marcelo, and we always eat very well. The meat doesnt get better than here. I don't eat a lot, and the little I eat, I eat when I'm in Argentina. I like toasted meat on the grill. And red wine. There are very many high quality wines in Argentina. It is wonderful, how the supermarkets are full with red wine!
Coming to Las Lilas is always special. You can get true barbecue meat, though there is other (food) on the menu too. Self-made bread and appetizers are always served on every table and they are lovely. The wooden tables are stunning.

Shopping center
Sensual clothes world
There are great clothing designers in Argentina. Here you can find all kinds of clothes. The local fashion is sensual, but the tone of colors is strong. In Finland the colors are more restrained.
When I came in this city for the first time, I paid special attention to some lovely underwear. The boutique culture is strong, you can find treasures from them.
Patio Bullrich is a lovely, big shopping center, where you can find international main lable imports and local designers stores. I wear a lot [clothes by] Maria Vazquez, Ricky Sarkany and Claudia Larreta. As a choice, there are many movements and nice cafes.

Palermo soho
Colorful rustification
The real Buenos Aires means for me small, low structures for living. Palermo soho is a region of beautiful, old, and genuine Buenos Aires. I could walk there the whole day!
Palermo Viejo has increased a lot in recent years. Palermo oho has become a bohemian fashion- and design area. The are has become more new.
In Sohos there are many beautiful things. One house is red, the next one is yellow and green. Everything old has been left behind. The houses are low and there no flats.
I often walk around in here for hours, I'll get some fresh air. These boutiques are wonderful, since the frontage is allowed to look like anything. I go shopping together with Marcelo. He is a good shopper and has good taste, and is aware of clothes that fit you.

The River shore
Changing the view
The former storage area of the Puerto Madero was built throughout the period of a few. This area is outside the center, but modern and growing, interesting from the tourisms point of wiew. Daytime visits, like running or jogging, is a good time to admire what was done here. Not long ago, this area was full of mills and storage facilities, but now there are many restaurants and chich places. The development has been really fast.
If I come here with Marcelo during the evening traffic, we often stop to eat sausages or hot dogs on the river beach.





Note: I just translated this interview with Tarja. Credit for the original text goes to the Finnish "Anna" magazine(August issue), for the scans goes to Afrodite, and the [many] translation mistakes were corrected by Orion.

Interview: Tarja Turunen - "I Didn't Know This Kind Of Love Exists" - Ilona magazine, August 2009 (English translation)

Tarja Turunen used to avoid conflicts to please men. She had the feeling that partners benefit her financially. Only meeting Marcelo revolutionized Tarja's understanding of couple relashionships.

We met for the first time... at a working lunch in Santiago, Chile. Our love was not born at the first sight, not really. I did notice that he was quiet for a South-American. When we got to know eachother, I was impressed that he didn't suck up and always had time to listen.

The most beautiful someone has done for me... when Marcelo followed me to Finland though I told him not to. We hadn't seen eachother for a few weeks, but he could no longer take the seperation. I didn't believe it when Marcelo called me claiming he was standing 50 meters away from my door. The surprise was complete. I had missed him too.

The last thing that irritated me was... when I couldn't get Marcelo away from the computer for even an hour. He sometimes works from 7 in the morning until past midnight. When I complain he says work has to be done. He's right of course. When I see that Marcelo is tired and stressed, I try to make him more relaxed.

A man's role is.... in our family to follow the woman's terms. Wife's stardom requires a lot of patience and a healty self-esteem. Our relashionship wouldn be difficult if Marcelo wouldn't support me and understand my work. Of course I support him. Fortunately, my husband is not a man who needs to be in the heart of the debate.

I laughed a lot... in a radio interview with Marcelo in Panama. I can't remember exactly what happened, but we both started to laugh uncontrollably. We have such similar sense of humour. Eventually I had to go to the bathroom in the middle of the interview. The presenter was left alone in puzzlement on air.

I understood only in time that... I can trust this man. When Marcelo lived for one month at my house in Finland at the beginning of our relashionship, I gave him a hard time. I tested my limits and I didn't even agree to give him the little finger. When the guy lasted for 30 days in my 30 square meter one room appartment, I believed that he could keep up with me in long run.

We fight... believe it or not, not at all. It is impossible to fight with Marcelo because his nerves don't burn easily. Of course, we exchange opinions or we discuss more vehemently, but we never put eachother down.
Some friends of mine didn't believe this at first, but eventually they had to admit they were wrong.

I overcame myself, when... I understood that no one is perfect. I have finally given myself permission to make mistakes. I remember when I was disappointed in the past for singing even just one word wrong. The pressure made my life hard. Making mistakes has now become rather a pleasure. This way others will be able to see exactly who I am.

At home we are fussy about... purity (cleaning). Over the years I learned that if I want Marcelo's socks off the floor, I have to lift them myself. Yes, it is me who does the work in Kuusankoski. But when we got our second home, in Buenos Aires, my husband also got more housework. He also makes delicious food.

Marcelo has changed me... a lot. I have become more straightforward. Marcelo has helped me to get more self-confidence. Next to him, I've blossomed, also artistically.
I sing better now, because of perfirmung starts with emotions. It's wonderful when you have a man who will support you one hundred percent.

I'm afraid.. if something bad happens to one of us. Of course, I read too many news about plane crashes. We usually travel together, so that would probably happen to both of us. We have spoken about death and we know that we are lucky to be able to spend so much time together.

I pamper Marcelo by... arranging surprises for him. I often plot something behind his back with some of our friends. Marcelo doesn't dare to say no even for work, when friends come to us to go to movies or to drive karts. It's more difficult to surprise him now though, because we are almost always together.

I would never agree to.. be like one of those couples, where someone would exploit me. I once experienced that the man benefited from me financially. Furthermore, it felt like he had the opportunity to show off by going out with me. Both have to have their hearts fully in the relationship.

A family... we have talked about this recently. My brother recently had his first child. Yes, a woman at this age thinks about having children. I'm not stressed because pregnancy isn't current right now. My biological clock hasn't started to tick yet. And it might not at all. But I wouldn't want to miss the experience of being a mother.

I regret... only the fact that our life is very busy at the moment that we don't have time to stop. Our workday is so constant going that I have thought about starting joga or meditating. On the other hand, I wouldn't do this work or travel all the time, if I didn't get such a pleasure out of it.

The best thing about our relashionship is... the deep trust. I can be sure that Marcelo will not betray me. Even though we are together all the time, we aren't dependent on eachother. You have to keep your independence in doing art. I don't want a man who is under my boot. Marcelo always has a word to say.

My biggest illusion of love was... that I didn't believe in true love anymore. I avoided the thought that someone could sweep me off my feet. Before I tried to avoid conflicts and please the men. I didn't know that such love exists. In this relashionship I get to be myself. I don't need to be more than I am.

Tarja's and Marcelo's story
2000 - The couple met in Chile, when Marcelo was organising Nightwish's tour in South America.
2001 - The relashionship started to stabilize. Marcelo followed Tarja in Finland, and lived for a month in her appartment.
2002 - The couple got married in the end of the year and organized the wedding for the following summer.
2003- Marcelo started to tour with Nightwish. The fresh married couple bought two homes in Buenos Aires and Kuusankoski.
2004 - The couple participated at castle celebrations. Tarja's dress charmed the viewers and was voted "the night's queen".
2005 - Nightwish dismissed Tarja through a public letter. The letter wasn't only attacking Tarja, but also Marcelo.
2006 - Tarja and Marcelo sold the home in Kuusankoski and bought a new house, that was renovated from the floor to the ceiling.
2007 - Tarja's album, My Winter Storm, was released in the end of the year in the whole world.
2008 - Tarja moved permanently to Argentina. The house in Kuusankoski became the couple's vacation house.






Note: I just translated this interview with Tarja. Credit for the original text goes to the Finnish "Ilona" magazine (August issue), for the scans goes to Afrodite, and since my Finnish is not that good, the [many] mistakes were corrected by Afrodite and Orion.

Review: Cain's Offering - Gather The Faithful

After parting ways with Sonata Arctica in 2007, Jani Liimatainen started a new band with vocalist Timo Kotipelto (Stratovarius, Kotipelto), keyboard player Mikko Harkin (Mehida, ex-Sonata Arctica, ex-Wingdom, ex-Kenziner), bassist Jukka Koskinen (Norther, Wintersun) and drummer Jani "Hurtsi" Hurula (Paul Di'Anno). Cain's Offering released their first album, "Gather The Faithful" in July 2009, and all the music and lyrics were composed by Jani.

Considered by some better than "Unia" and "Polaris", only one thing is certain: "Gather The Faithful" is definitely one of the best albums released in 2009. The melodic instrumental parts and catchy choruses awaken memories of Sonata Arctica songs such as "The Cage", "Weballergy", or "Victoria's Secret", and Kotipelto's voice sounds just as great as on older Stratovarius albums. The first two tracks, "My Queen Of Winter" and "More Than Friends" are a perfect example for that. Songs like "Oceans of Regret" and "Thorn In My Side" start with unusual trance melodies, followed by typical, bombastic power metal parts. The title track is an instrumental and includes orchestral arrangements joined together with heavy sounds. "Dawn Of Solace" is one of the fastest songs from the album, while "Morpheus In A Masquerade" and "Stolen Waters" have certain progressive resonances. The two ballads from this album are probably the highlights, "Into The Blue", a typical power metal ballad with a very catchy chorus, and "Elegantly Broken", the last song from the album is the perfect ending, beautiful but unfortunately very short.

You can't help but have high expectacions when you find out that former and current members of two of the most influential Finnish power metal bands joined forces on a new album. Somehow, these guys have managed to combine the best parts from Sonata Arctica and Stratovarius, and to add new elements at the same time, in a way that the album is reminiscent of both bands without copying any of them. Most bands rarely succeed in releasing great debut albums. But "Gather The Faithful" is, without any doubt, a masterpiece.

Review: 10/10

Tracklist:
1. My Queen Of Winter
2. More Than Friends
3. Oceans Of Regret
4. Gather The Faithful
5. Into The Blue
6. Dawn Of Solace
7. Thorn In My Side
8. Morpheus In A Masquerade
9. Stolen Waters
10. Elegantly Broken