Finland is well known for it's melodic songs, but it's still hard to find a proper Christian melodic metal. Anyway, I'm trying here to unite in an unofficial collection some songs which can be in a good and melodic sequence. The highlight goes to C-Force, a melodic power metal band that is part of the "The Metal Rose Collection".
Christian Melodic Metal From FinlandProducer: CYBER10 Net-LabelYear: 2010Genre: Rock
Style: Melodic Metal, Power MetalTheme: Christianity, Finland
8 tracks in playlist, average track length: 4:22
Playlist length: 35 minutes 1 second
Playlist files:
1. C-Force - Up to Heaven (4:52)
2. Scandinavian Metal Praise - Laulu Suomelle (3:21)
Epic Church is a project made by Emerson Olaf, from São Paulo. It aims to blend topics as Humanity, Faith, Technology, Reason. This is the first album featuring some versions of medieval songs in a modern and electronic style and also original tracks by Epic Church.
Full album on Youtube
10 tracks in playlist, average track length: 3:44 Playlist length: 37 minutes 25 seconds Playlist files: 1. Epic Church - Ceinwyn (4:28) 2. Epic Church - Flow My Tears (5:28) 3. Epic Church - En Vray Amoure (4:30) 4. Epic Church - Bendita Sabedoria No.2 Vas Pretiosum Labia Scientiae (2:24) 5. Epic Church - Dystopia (3:38) 6. Epic Church - Van Eyck's Bravade (1:07) 7. Epic Church - Dreams (4:42) 8. Epic Church - Alle Psallite Cum Luya (4:30) 9. Epic Church - Laudate Omnes Gentes (3:40) 10. Epic Church - O Pastor Moribundo (Alvares de Azevedo) (2:58)
Influences: Depeche Mode, Medieval Music, Apoptygma Berzerk
Cover Art: Battle Abbey, East Sussex, England (Shot taken by EPIC CHURCH, 2009)
Other details: This album is a self production of Emerson Olaf, with support of Diogo Peres to record the voices at StudioUm of Giovanni Machado.
Artist Comments: "This first album sums up a little of my experience in music. I tried to gather elements that I'm personally interested, such as philosophy, faith, technology, sci-fi, elements of post-modernism and dystopia and others. My respect for tradition and my concerns and interest in modernity and technology are put together, which most characterizes the work of Epic Church".
Track 01: Ceinwyn
Composer: Melody: Cosmicman / Lyrics and vocal melody: Emerson Olaf / Arrangement: Emerson Olaf
Style: Gothic Synthpop / Electrogoth
About: This song has a heavenly melody and I made my best to compose lyrics which would fit to it.
Lyrics:
With you, forever
Nothing can't stop us now
All dreams, I've dreamt
Waiting for you
When I go wrong, your voice is like a song
That tells to me the truth I cannot see
Chorus
You are my soul, you are my life
I couldn't live without your smile
So passionately, you run to me
Filling the emptiness I feel
You're by my side, nothing to hide
All lies we leave aside
Forever you, no other way
You say the words that I can't say
My promise, you have that I will never leave
Against the world, it's just you and me
Sei mein Licht egal wo ich bin
mein herz für dich Ich bin nichts ohne dich
Track 02: Flow My Tears
Composer: John Dowland
Style: Medieval Electro
About: This is a version for a medieval song, I always admired the melody and lyrics of that and who likes sci-fi will understand why I gladly chose to work on this song.
Lyrics:
Flow my teares fall from your springs,
Exilde for ever: Let me morne
Where nights black bird hir sad infamy sings, there let me live forlorne.
Downe vaine lights shine you no more,
No nights are dark enough for those
That in dispaire their last fortunes deplore,
Light doth but shame disclose.
Track 03: En Vray Amoure
Composer: King of England Herny VIII
Style: Medieval Electro
About: Again I have my personal reasons to make a version for this medieval song. I was surprised at the end about how powerful this version sounds.
Lyrics: Instrumental
Track 04:Bendita Sabedoria No.2 Vas Pretiosum Labia Scientiae
Composer: Heitor Villa Lobos
Style: Gothic Synthpop
About: Villa Lobos' Bendita Sabedoria (‘Blessed Wisdom’) was dedicated to the New York University, written at the suggestion of Carleton Sprague Smith and the composition set short Latin texts of Biblical wisdom, this number 2 is based on Proverbs 20:15. This version of Epic Church includes a dialogue of Philip K. Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?".
Lyrics: Vas Pretiosum Labia Scientiae
Track 05: Dystopia
Composer: Emerson Olaf
Style: Futurerop / Synthpop
About: As the name suggests, this song is about the search for physical and mainly spiritual freedom in a dystopian society.
Lyrics:
Having the future in our hands
we disagree to a world that runs to the end
control of mind, down on your knees
like 1984, i want to set us free
Tecnology, war, but "peace" they will say
Preparing their bombs to use anyway
we are in front of a wall, no choice for now
the rain started to fall
Chorus
how could we ever find our way
at this artificial reality
Feeling the darkness and dispair
I'm dying
Searching for answers everyday
we finally find the Creator
face the secret or step behind
we should decide
Track 06: Van Eyck's Bravade
Composer: Jacob Van Eyck (1644)
Style: Medieval Electro
About: This song sound mysterious and even melancholic, so I though that a version for it would be great.
Lyrics: Instrumental
Track 07: Dreams
Composer: Emerson Olaf
Style: Futurepop / Synthpop
About: Dreams are the goals you dare to have and this song's lyrics are exactly about that, in a very positive and upbeat synthpop melody.
Lyrics:
Dreams seem to be so distant
No strength to tries, impossible to live
The sky is blue, you feel the wind
the perfect landscape but you're alone in paradise. All the castles, all the the magic, the light and that special feeling
at night
The last kiss, the last embrace
everything had it's end
then nothing can stand, becoming loneliness
Chorus
Forever dreams will live, in the place you can still reach
Always being true, forever
Through the pain and loneliness, having strength out of sadness
The dreams survive forever
Track 08: Alle Psallite Cum Luya
Composer: Anonymous
Style: Medieval Electro
About: This is a Christian medieval song, that means something like "all sing praises with me"
Lyrics: Instrumental
Track 09: Laudate Omnes Gentes
Composer: Anonymous
Style: Medieval Electro
About: This songs vocals are from Taizé and an instrumental electronic was made in a dream-trance /italo style.
Lyrics: Ladate Omnes Gentes, Laudate Domino
Track 10: O Pastor Moribundo
Composer: Melody: King of England Henry VIII / Lyrics: Álvares de Azevedo / Arrangements: Emerson Olaf
Style: Medieval Electro
About: This song takes the melody of En Vray Amoure and has as lyrics the poem "O Pastor Moribundo" of the most famous Paulista ultra-romantic and gothic writer Álvares de Azevedo.
Producer: CYBER10 Net-Label Year: 2010 Genre: Electronic, Rock Style: Synthpop, Electropop, Theme: 80's 12 tracks in playlist, average track length: 4:10 Playlist length: 50 minutes 8 seconds
Playlist files:
1. Paris By Air - Mercy 🇺🇸 2. Harry and The Addicts - Lycanthropia 🇧🇷 3. Andreas Dorau Und Die Marinas - Fred Vom Jupiter 🇩🇪 4. Vaaleaverikkö - A1 - Haluun Olla Rakkaas 🇫🇮 5. Kliche - Sökandets Magi 🇸🇪 6. Joy Machine - Separate Ways 🇺🇸 7. Snowy Red - Euroshima 🇧🇪 8. Pesäharava - A3 - Futupää 🇫🇮 9. The Stupid Set - Hello, I Love You 🇮🇹 10. Gleitzeit - Ich Komme Aus Der DDR 🇩🇪 11. Azul 29 - TXK 239 🇧🇷 12. Acrope - I döda vänners lag 🇸🇪
Christian Gothic bands from Brazil....rare, very rare, almost impossible to find. Anyway, I've found, at least, some track which we can consider "gothic", same if the band is not exactly included in this genre. In this collection you will hear influences of extreme metal, melodic metal, some instrumental tracks and some having the Gothic as main genre. Anyway, all tracks has something "gothic" inside (whereas the term Gothic has a very wide meaning and a very wide scope).
Producer: CYBER10 Net-Label Year: 2010 Genre: Rock, Metal Style: Darkwave, Gothic Theme: Life, Faith, Christianity
10 tracks in playlist, average track length: 4:26
Playlist length: 44 minutes 20 seconds
Playlist files:
1. Aava - Chamas do Destino (5:06)
2. Anjos de Salém - Visões de Estevão (2:18)
3. Bloodforge - Morning Star (5:32)
4. Escarlate - Symphonic Suplica (3:05)
5. Seven Angels - The Wisdom Of His Majesty (5:59)
6. Amos - Lost Essence (4:14)
7. Holy Cross - Medieval Heart (demo) (3:55)
8. Death Poems - Preludium: The First Sunrise (2:46)
This is for sure a very very specific (unofficial) mix tape. It's not enough to be only christian metal, not enough to be only christian MELODIC metal but here you find "Christian Melodic Metal From Brazil". For the ones who like Stratovarius, Sonata Arctica, Helloween (and etc) this mix tape will be good sound for your ears. (this compilation inspired me to produced officially CYBER10 METAL STORM - KEEPERS OF THE CROSS later on in 2011)
ESP Christian Melodic Metal From Brazil (2010) Producer: CYBER10 Net-Label Year: 2010 Style: Melodic Metal Theme: Christianity 9 tracks in playlist, average track length: 4:31
Playlist files: 1. Dynasty - The Time Is Over 2. Adiastasia - The Fellowship 3. Seven Angels - Here I Am 4. Anjos de Salém - Jericó 5. Clean Heart - Time to War 6. Templo de Fogo - Honra e Poder 7. Eterna - Resurrection 8. Holy Cross - King of Eternity (demo) 9. Miracle - Soldiers of Light
Those were my choices based on different criteria now in 2010. I didn't considered Hard Rock bands and New Metal/Melodic Death bands. You can freely disagree with the list. They are not in order of importance, so the first song in the list is not exactly the best song of the list.
Estas foram minhas escolhas baseadas em vários critérios agora em 2010. Eu desconsiderei bandas de Hard Rock e New Metal/Melodic Death. Você pode livremente não concordar com a lista. Elas não estão em ordem de importância, então a primeira música da lista não é necessariamente a melhor música.
Producer: CYBER10 Net-Label Year: 2010 Genre: Rock Style: Darkwave, Post Punk, Gothic 11 tracks in playlist, average track length: 3:04 Playlist length: 33 minutes 54 seconds Playlist files:
1. Cabine C - Tão Perto (2:35) 2. A Gota Suspensa - Lotus (2:52) 3. Cabine C - Neste Deserto (3:50) 4. Varsóvia - Warsaw (2:41) 5. Cabine C - Fósforos De Oxford (2:10) 6. Voluntários da Pátria - Nazi Uber Alles (3:32) 7. Cabine C - A Queda Do Solar De Usher (2:41) 8. Varsóvia - Viagens '97 (3:24) 9. Cabine C - Opus2 (3:04) 10. Varsóvia - Razoes (3:14) 11. Voluntários da Pátria - Terra Devastada (3:51)
Ainda no período que eu estava na Inglaterra, eu tive a oportunidade de ir para a Finlândia pela primeira vez. Consegui ir justamente no período que um dos maiores festivais de música acontecem lá, o "Maata Näkyvissä". Saímos de carro de Hämeenlinna e fomos à Turku, onde estava acontecendo o festival. Fomos no último dia, 15 de Novembro daquele ano.
Ao chegarmos, estava o G-Powered no palco com sua dance music porém com guitarras na versão ao vivo. Conversamos com algumas pessoas, comprei alguns CDs demos de bandas locais e finalmente entramos na área do palco. Aí veio a banda Bass'n Helen com um rock finlandês mais típico.
Mas o que eu esperava finalmente chegou. A banda HB começou a tocar e sua versão ao vivo estava bem fiel ao seu rock/metal melódico (com um tom gótico por ter um vocal feminino) das suas músicas de estúdio. Ao que me pareceu, o público estava também ansioso e animado, mas sem a emoção exacerbada que é típica dos brasileiros.
Depois do show as bandas caminham normalmente e falam com as pessoas, coisas que só vemos em países nórdicos. Saímos do show, que terminou cedo, e fomos comer algo. Também neste dia fomos conhecer o castelo de Turku.
Enquanto eu morava em Ashburnham Place, praticamente na cidade de Battle, Inglaterra, eu estava sempre preocupado em saber da programação local, uma vez que a importância e nome da cidade vinham justamente da batalha ocorrida entre Normandos e Anglo-Saxões em 1066, batalha esta que moldou o que seria a Inglaterra nos próximos séculos.
Um desses eventos que eu consegui visitar foi o "Annual Battle of Hastings Re-enactment" (Reencenação Anual da Batalha de Hastings) em 14 de Outubro de 2009. Não pude ficar no local por todo o dia, pois eu precisava trabalhar, mas consegui convencer meus amigos a irem comigo no nosso período de folga.
Dentre outras atrações, quero destacar aqui a música do duo Hautbois que assistimos. Os dois músicos Rick Heavisides e Nellie Heavisides deixaram bem claro sua preocupação com uma performance o mais fiél possível à da época de 1066, tanto no sentido de vestimentas como também em explorar os instrumentos como eram no período. Vale dizer aqui que muitas fotos deste dia e desta época foram aproveitados como arte (e inspiração) no primeiro lançamento do meu projeto de gothic/synthpop/medieval Epic Church.
Algumas das nossas fotos neste dia, a maioria delas tiradas por Sandfrosh(Alemanha)
