Embassy of Silence - Antler Velvet
CD Info
2012
Ravenheart Music
10 Tracks
English Lyrics
Antler Velvet is the follow-up to the band’s initial release, Euphorialight which was solid in so many ways and included one of the finest single tracks I’ve ever heard over a VERY long listening life, entitled I Ride Alone. This release continues the strong musical composition and lyrical excellence of the last one, but with some new direction, purposefully I am told. I spent some time interacting with several member of the band including vocalist Ines Lukkanen and Matti Remes, who one-upped me after I complained that I couldn’t speak Finnish but hit him with some Spanish, which he replied to in equally fluent Spanish. Damn multilingual Europeans. Oh, well, I bet he can’t speak SAS. . . or American redneck or jive yo. Anyway, Ines suggested this release was aimed a bit more towards the live act. She said they wanted to include more "groove" since the first one was a bit slower in pace. This one aims to up the tempo, to provide a more "playful" character to the music. Nothing wrong with that. But, in my humble opinion, there are other descriptors of the music, and the lyrics, that better define the work. Ines writes the lyrics, in general, and she is nothing if not an accomplished lyricist. It was one of the best things about the last release, and this one is no less interesting. However, Ines can be a little "abstract" in her lyrical development, on purpose, of course. So, when I asked her about some of the themes she commented to an extent, but, as usual, there’s room for interpretation. In her words, "I just don't want to get into too much detail with what the lyrics mean, it gets too ‘pre-chewed’ otherwise." And, according to Matti, much the same can be said for the music, which flirts around in different directions with a focus here on the guitars, there on the symphonics, and other times on a limited piano keyboard sound, sometimes all in one track. There’s also a wealth of "guest" musicians on the CD, they add significantly to the sound, especially when they are attached to Ines to provide a heavier layered, choral approach to the sound. But, it’s somewhat complex music in some respects, beyond the obvious lyrical work and you’re not going to get bored with any track on the work. Matti suggested, "A good album has to be listened for many times, and still new things open up every time you listen to it". I think that’s the case here, as you get deeper and deeper into both the lyrics and the music that supports them.
The CD’s not coming out until June so not a lot of people have heard it or commented on it as of yet. Expect that to change, the last one was well received, I expect no less from this one. It’s a relatively even production, solid material although I didn’t hear anything to really compare with I Ride Alone, but I haven’t heard anything from anyone else to compare to that one either. This one uses some more interesting production techniques to move things along on occasion. For instance, the first track, Trickster Queen starts out like a poorly performing record with a speaker missing, nice technique to make sure you’re listening. But it quickly "fixes" the machine and the metal begins to crank. Ines doesn’t have a "classically" oriented vox, but she sure has an interesting one. And, if anything, she sounds better on this production than she did on the last one. Of course, there was that effort to make some different sounds so maybe that was intentional, or maybe Ines, like other vocalist, gets better over time. Either way, the vocals on this track make sure you realize this production is a bit different than the last one.
One of the things I liked most about I Ride Alone was the "outlaw" sound Ines produced for that track. We get just a bit of that on the second track Unconverted. That outlaw approach on IRA was one of the finest metal sounds I ever heard, I wish there was a little more of it on this release, maybe on the next, no one else can compare to her with that musical approach. However, on Unconverted, we get some of it, right at the beginning:
There's a war waging for the rule over me / Inside my skull they scratch and they bite
Which could the lesser evil be - / The disease or the parasite?
The tyrant I know and the alien fruit / Somewhere in the chaos is the memory of I
Like a childhood friend that learned how to lie about each misdemeanor
We are all more or less fucked in the head, are we not?
We are all more or less immoral and discontented
And the lyrics clearly support that Outlaw direction; Ines is clearly not beyond using some colorful language to get the point across.
One of the tracks that interested me the most is one of the least typical EoS tracks ever recorded, but one of the best things on the CD. It’s called Harbour of Naryon, and the vocals are mainly supplied by a male guest vocalist, Ilpo Paasela from The Chant. This one is a dark one, Ines says "Harbour of Naryon is a piece of music made into a sort of a play - it's carrying no message, just a story about an unfortunate ship and its unfortunate captain who wants to go home to his wife. The ocean God, Barinthus, however, disagrees, bringing about a storm to claim his namesake ship." Beyond the male vocal there are a number of vocals, including a great choral component done by Ines and Helena Haaparanta of Crimfall. A male growler is heard at the end, it’s done by Jone Seraste. But, the highlight is a screeching sound from the depths that effin stopped me in my tracks. It’s the sound of the Witch, it’s Blackthorn done at a higher octave and it provides one of the more chilling sounds this approach to music has ever produced, classic. I asked Matti who the hell that was, thinking it just might be Ines. His response, "Yeah, it is her allright." Why am I not surprised. That one sound alone is worth the price of purchase, you’ll listen to that one a LOT of times.
Through Unknown Gateways makes sure you understand completely that EoS can do metal. This may be the best musical selection on the CD, it provides some of the best variety, I told Ines her vocal was almost unrecognizable at times. There’s some nice production here, and, at the end, we get some nice harmony again with Ines and Helena Haaparanta. Again, Ines provided some thoughts on the lyrics and the sound: "I wanted to write a song that's actually got a pep-up message in it. The verses have a sort of an Irish folk vibe to them, and I guess what I wanted to say is you don't need heaps of money to be happy or pursue what you want in life." The chorus reinforces Ines’ ability to do the beautiful, while still making a point:
So let's outrun life and our threshold of pain / Run where the landscape meets the skies|
Wading through trenches, crossing fell and plain / Somewhere true meaning underlies
Prodigal Son keeps us going with the up-tempo metal. Some crushing guitars lead us into this one, which then moves to the ethereal. And, who else starts a song with a spoken "Well. . . . .?"
Well ...he never could see the err in his ways / It's all black or white without any grays
When his mountains fell his finger would point at anyone, anywhere
What could I do but disappoint him?
Again, there’s a lot of ways to interpret these lyrics, just like Ines wants. Her comments provided some understanding, but left room for doubt "Originally Prodigal son was the ‘hey dad I spent ya money is that okay?’ -guy in the Bible. This one - no names - is someone who is so blinded by their own delusions of excellence he sees nothing but flaws in others, and wastes his time idly pointing fingers with a bottle in his hand." Hmmm. . . . I guess we can all substitute someone we think less than highly of into that one.
Well, it’s nothing if not interesting music, lyrically and musically. Lots of twists and turns, lots of great harmonic work, outstanding melodic metal. Probably deserving of a 10. But, the beauty of being a reviewer is that we can bitch when we want to. So, I’ll make a point here, I want another I Ride Alone on the next release. It’s one of my favorites of all time and only Ines is capable of doing a song like that, it will always be the EoS musical statement for me. So PLEASE. . .
Until that time, a 9.5 / 10 will have to do.
One other point to make, Matti advises me there will be streams available 6/13, check them out here:
http://www.inferno.fi/
http://www.hr-productions.fi/
