Within Temptation - The Unforgiving

When some time ago Robert Westerholt said that Within Temptation's new album would be a conceptual record based on a comic book, everybody knew they were up for something big. In fact the band recruited Steven O'connell (BloodRayne, Dark 48) and Romano Molenaar (Witchblade, The Darkness, X-Men) to create a story that would further develop the ideas of The Unforgiving, Within Tempation's fifth studio album, a solid record that features the typical pompous sound of the band and adds some new elements that show that their ideas are far from running out.
The concept is as follows: Mother Maiden is set to fight evil. Despite being and old lady, she has a very powerful skill: she can bring dead people back to life. Then these people will go about hunting criminals down, thus redressing the crimes they themselves committed in their past lives, not because they were bad, but because they made wrong choices. Thus, Mother Maiden brings Sinéad and the Triplets to life. The former killed her father after an argument about her stealing money from him and the latter blew up a hand grenade to kill their father, an alcoholic war veteran who used to beat his sons. Besides the lyrics, the storyline is supported by three short films telling the stories of Mother Maiden, Sinéad and The Triplets, and a monthly comic book. As it can be seen, the record does not limit itself to music, but it also works on the visual aspect.
Concerning the music, the album is solid. There are no fillers and the lengh is perfect, the record not becoming tedious at any moment. The songs feature Within Temptation's trademark sound: powerful chord progressions, string arrangements, catchy choruses, epic choirs and straight-to-the-point lyrics. Faster, Shot In The Dark, In The Middle Of The Night, Iron, among others add to the already long list of hits Within Temptation has. All of them give the listener no pause to distract. Each song is laden with power and yet is easy to digest. However, there are new elements as well. The song Sinéad, for instance, could be a dance-floor hit, featuring an upbeat tempo and lively keyboard arrangements. Its video, in fact, was shot at a nightclub, a sort of taboo place for symphonic metal bands. Perhaps this is a new direction that Within Temptation wants to follow. One should not forget that singer Sharon den Adel collaborated, not long a go, with DJ Armin Van Buuren in the trance song In And Out Of Love. This capacity of being able to incorporate different sounds also shows that Within Temptation's music transcends styles beyond what is "appropriate" within the symphonic metal genre.
A special mention goes to Sharon. Even though she recently gave birth to her third kid, her voice remains flawless. The Unforgiving presents some of the most complex songs ever written in the band's career. Nevertheless she manages to sing through them effortlessly and her voice soars to reach notes that will leave listeners wondering how high a woman's voice can go.
The Unforgiving is solid, is packed with hits, preserves and expands the band's sound, brings no dull moments and its concept and storyline are supported by the comic books and short films. The CD comes with a poster showing on the back the names of all the band's fans who registered on the album's Facebook page, making worth buying the physical copy instead of downloading it. A must-have album due to its contents and the creativity surrounding it.

Rating: 10/10

First single: Faster

Unmissable song: Somewhere (duet with Anneke van Giersbergen)

(Picture taken from Within Temptation's official website).

Bond - Play

After a seven-year hiatus from their last studio album, string quartet Bond is back with a new record that will leave old fans satisfied as well as attract a new tide of new listeners. Tania Davis (now in charge of first violin), Eos Chater (second violin), Gay-Yee Westerhoff (cello) and new member Elspeth Hanson (viola) prove why they are the best-selling crossover string quartet in the planet. They are all outstanding musicians trained in the classical field and they also bring in the music that they like listening to: pop, rock, world, filmscore, folk and many more music styles. This new record comes at a very special moment in Bond's career. Not only it is their comeback after a long pause, but it also marks their 10th anniversary, a fact that shows that they are not a one-hit wonder.
The album features the usual dose of well-known melodies accompanied by drum loops and synthesizers that has become a trademark of the group. The first single, Diablo, is a typical Bond tune, featuring some passages sung by Eos. This song is destined to become a big hit. It's catchy as Victory or Fuego, and yet it adds a new twist to it, with the lyrics and overall melody. Its video is kind of dark, different from the usual lively and colorful videos shot in warm countries that we are used to. In fact, this one was shot at a warehouse in Britain during wintertime and it is all in black and white. Their playing skills are at their best, and Diablo will surely be featured on every setlist from now on.
The covers that we can find on the record are Jai Ho, from the Slumdog Millonaire soundtrack, Pump it (a version of the song Miserlou by Dick Dale and His Del Tones, opening song to the film Pulp Fiction, and also covered by the Black Eyed Peas, hence the name), and Last Time, a version of Bitter Sweet Symphony by The Verve. There is also an accurate upbeat rendition of Vivaldi's Summer and Winter from the Four Seasons which was featured on Peugeot's promotion campaign for their 308CC automobile. The Asian version of the album features a medley of Lady Gaga's hits that will delight everybody's ears.
Nevertheless, not all the tracks are covers. There are some original compositions as well. The girls were deeply involved in the writing of this album. Road to Samarkand, Beetroot and West with the Night are all composed by the band members, who also made the arrangements to Vivaldi's Winter and Summer.
Regarding influences, it can be said that this album is more diverse than their previous efforts. Along with the film tracks, and classical compositions, there is also room for some eastern influences, as it can be heard on Road to Samarkand, Latin American arrangements on Apasionada and a Russian touch on Beetroot. This means that Bond have decided to continue exploring the possibilities that music offers them, blending all kinds of styles with classical. This is how Bond became famous, and it is good to know that they keep expanding their horizons.
There are some deja vus on this record. The band have included a reworked version of their hit Victory, which was featured on their debut album. This is their 10-year anniversary and that song was their breakthrough, so what can be better than bringing it back from the past? Longtime fans will also remember that the song Viva, appearing on the first album as well, is based on Vivaldi's Winter, thus it is a bit strange why they chose to include the same piece by the Italian composer in Play and not another one. Nevertheless, one should not complain, as they deliver a flawless version of the masterpiece and it is always a pleasure to hear these girls show off their playing skills.
As it can be seen, despite the time that went by between their previous album and this one, Bond sound stronger than ever. Their influences have broadened and their sound remains impeccable. Play will not let all-time fans down and it will attract a whole new wave of listeners. Bond have proved that they were no fad but they are here to stay. Viva Bond!

Rating: 8/10

First single: Diablo

Unmissable song: Victory (with André Rieu)

(Pictures taken from Bond's Official Website)

Lady Gaga - Born This Way

Before the pop diva's new album came out, an unusual expectation had arisen. What kind of innovative material could she come up with when she's got us used to constant look changes from crazy-colored-and-shaped wigs and hats to meat dresses? Will she be able to confirm she is the big star all the media and event organizers promote or will she be just another shooting star in the music business which brings idols down as easily as it launches them to stardom? Will this album be at the same level as her very good first LP and succeeding EP? All these questions and uncertainties were wiped off with the first listen. Born This Way is not only the best record Gaga has delivered so far; it is undoubtedly the best pop album of the year, an album that is destined to become a classic of pop music.
To tell the truth, restricting this record to just pop would be a mistake too big, because electropop, house, new wave, rock, opera, heavy metal, disco, Gregorian chant, country and mariachi coexist peacefully weaving a musical net that, although heterogeneous, becomes a uniform body as songs go by. Gaga made sure she incorporated the perfect dose of each of these styles so that her songs do not lose their essence and style, but, at the same time, so that they can transcend musical barriers and, why not, reach a wider audience. As she herself stated: "And I realized I wanted to create a hybrid album, an avant-garde techno-rock record that is really really heavy and industrial on one end and really joyful and pop on the other."(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Born_This_Way).
Musically, the whole album is influenced by the 80s. The first single "Born This Way" automatically evokes Madonna's "Express Yourself", the sax that can be heard on "Hair" and on "The Edge Of Glory", reminds of Bruce Springsteen (a thought acquiring an even larger dimension if one considers that the musician playing that instrument on those songs is not other but Clarence Clemons, member of Springsteen's E Street Band who unfortunately passed away shortly after the album came out), Gaga says she things of Whitney Houston when she hears "Marry The Night", and the song "Hair" contains melodies inspired by Kiss and Iron Maiden, according to its author. One of the tracks that stands out for being different in style to what we are used to is "You and I", offering a strong rock and country component reminiscent of Shania Twain. "Surprisingly" this song was produced by Robert "Mutt" Lange, Shania's former husband. There is also a mariachi touch on "Americano", sung both in English and Spanish, house on "Scheiße", sung in an inexistent language sounding similar to German, hardrock on the riffs to "Electric Chapel" and "Highway Unicorn" and, in case this were not enough, there is even Gregorian Chant on "Government Hooker".

Another important element of the record are the references that the lyrics contain. In general, the message of freedom pervades all the songs. Gaga has always said that the two things she cares for the most are freedom and music. After listening to this record, we know this is true. "Hair", for instance, is about the restrictions parents impose on their children, which end up undermining their freedom and their identity. As concerns identity, this is another main subject of this piece of work. The clearest example can be found on "Born This Way", the lyrics of which say it does not matter the sexual inclination or race, we all should be sure and content with who we are, despite what others think. No wonder this is the reason why Gaga's followers around the world increase by the day. The singer is not afraid of saying what she things and she acts in the same way. Moreover, defending relegated groups in the United States (and in the world) has been one of her banners she raises high with her music. Concerning minority groups, the song "Americano" was written due to the passing of a new immigration law in Arizona, which proved controversial in the States at the moment it was passed.
The references to Christianity play an important role in the record. "Judas" is about falling in love with the wrong person. On the video, Gaga plays Magdalene. She leaves Jesus because she falls for Judas, even though she knows he will betray Jesus. "Bloody Mary" is a ballad sung from Mary Magdalene's point of view. According to Lady Gaga, Mary Magdalene is divine and human at the same time: divine because she had to be strong when Jesus died crucified in order to save humanity and human because she must have felt angry because she let him go to fulfill his destiny. On 27 May, 2011, Gaga wrote on Twitter that the song had been inspired by her car and by Mary Magdalene the "ultimate rockstar". One of the bonus tracks featured on the extended version of the album, "Black Jesus" is about seeing reality from another point of view. It is a reference to the times when Lady Gaga moved to New York city to pursue her musical career and when she met new people, having other perspectives, conceptions, ideas and so on. (There is a kind of pledge of allegiance to New York City on the song "Marry The Night", perhaps against Hollywood's glamor, specially when the lyrics say "New York is not just a tan that you'll never lose".)
Lady Gaga, true to her controversial, provoking and innovative style, brings us an album that surpasses all the expectations that arose before it came out. Of course, many will say that everything was already said and done, that Gaga is simply copying others. That these musical influences were already heard in the 80s. That the religious references and a black Jesus were on Madonna's Like A Prayer. But just so, in the world of pop, where everything seems to repeat over and over, breathing new air into old elements so that they sound new is a gift. Not only does Gaga have this gift, but it looks like she has enough ideas to lead the pop music avant-garde for a long time.

Rating: 10/10

First single: Born This Way

Unmissable song: The Edge Of Glory (featuring Clarence Clemons).

Sources: Wikipedia and Gagapedia.