It's burning me up inside...

ESTOY CANSADO

2011-12-06T16:47:00.001-05:00

There won't be much of a blog today (like yesterday), I've just been exhausted lately. Hopefully once school is out for holidays I'll be better. I can't promise many quality blogs for the next week and a half.

Thank you for understanding! And my top 25 songs of 2011 will begin Thursday with #25.

See you soon!

I'VE SEEN TIME UNDER A DIFFERENT LIGHT...

2011-12-05T16:13:00.001-05:00

...and aeons passed without a single sound I liked.

WHAT A REBEL

2011-12-03T10:31:00.001-05:00

Today, I decided that I do not want to continue to follow the loose weekly schedule I made for the blog (Music Tuesday, Rant Thursday, etc.) Now, I'll just post whatever's on my mind when it's on my mind.

Anyway, I have to go to a funeral tho afternoon. Fun times. Hopefully I can go Christmas shopping afterwards.

See you tomorrow!

HAHA GOTCHA BITCH

2011-12-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

For rant Thursday, I want to discuss fighting. Today during lunch, a girl walked across the lunchroom and punched another girl in the face, and knocked her three feet backwards. Her rationale? "She was spreading rumors about me! Like oh my god!" Really? You cause bodily harm towards someone over heresy? Are you kidding me? You're, dare I say it, a young adult now. Why not act like one? Sorry, but that's not how you solve problems. You don't have the right to put your hands on anyone for any reason, especially if that reason is heresy. Either politely ask them about it, or just ignore it. Calm down, and remember: "every rumor begins with the truth."

See you tomorrow!

178 DAYS

2011-11-30T14:00:00.001-05:00

...until graduation! I really cannot believe how quickly high school has come and gone. While it seemed like it just dragged on and on for a while, it's definitely now picking up speed. It's just strange to think that this is the last year where I'll be with the kids I've grown up with my entire life. I live in a small town - there's one high school in the county. I know all these kids. And, we will all go our separate ways very soon. While that seems like a good thing, I don't think it will be. Even the kids I can't stand I'll end up missing. The first long chapter of my life is getting ready to end.

See you tomorrow!

HEY IT'S SNOWING

2011-11-29T17:00:00.000-05:00

Well, it started snowing today. I really hate the cold. In other news, I finally finished my plethora of Biology homework (THANK GOD). So, I hope to read more of The Alchemist today.

Normally, I do music blogs on Tuesdays, but I'm not really listening to a ton of music today that I haven't already discussed.

Remember, tomorrow's blog will be delayed to 2:00PM EST.

See you tomorrow!

KINASES

2011-11-28T19:45:00.000-05:00

Today, I'm up to my elbows in Biology homework. So, tomorrow's blog will have to be delayed from the normal midnight release to 5:00PM EST. Wednesday's blog will also be pushed back to 2:00PM EST. Thursday's blog will return to normal midnight release.

Thank you for your patience!

SUNDAY

2011-11-27T14:00:00.000-05:00

Well, I finally got home after a vacation to the Florida Keys over Thanksgiving. 15 and a half hours in a car wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Today, I'm cleaning my room and finishing a bunch of Biology homework. It's cold outside. I hate the cold. The forecast is calling for snow Tuesday.

85 degrees --> 55 degrees = horrible.

See you soon!

'TIS

2011-11-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

For book Friday, I'm going to talk about Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt. I recently read this book in my English class.

The book is a memoir of Frank's life, from birth to age 18/19. While I could have went without the detailed descriptions of Frank's "nightly endeavors", the book was well-written and down to Earth. Lofty language is not a problem with this book at all. While it is hopelessly sad at times, Frank's dry humor is sure to make you laugh.

4.5/5.

HAPPY TURKEY DAY

2011-11-24T08:44:00.001-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Try not to shank your family members you haven't seen since Thanksgiving 2010!

TEACHERS ARE ANNOYING

2011-11-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

For rant Thursday, I want to discuss teachers. Now, don't get me wrong - there are many absolutely wonderful teachers in the world that love and adore their job. I have had the privilege of being a student of many of them. However, there are some that really bother me. Here is a brief list of complaints I have for teachers:

It's a problem to be absent for more days than any of your students.
It's a problem to discuss your problems with students.
It's a problem to sit at your desk all period and not teach anything.
It's a problem to argue with other teachers in front of students.
It's a problem to wonder why your students don't understand anything, when you clearly know why.

Tenure can be venomous for some people - it's a magical thing that makes them not care anymore. As a hopeful teacher, I really hope I don't fall into this trap.

NEW BLOG SCHEDULE

2011-11-23T16:14:00.002-05:00

Monday - No blog on Monday (unless I want to do one).

Tuesday - Music day. (I will discuss music I'm listening to).

Wednesday - Random day. (I'll see).

Thursday - Rant day. (I will discuss something stupid).

Friday - Book day. (I will discuss books I'm reading/have read).

Saturday and Sunday - IDK.

Autumn - "Cold Comfort"

2011-11-23T15:41:00.001-05:00

Today, I want to give my thoughts on the new Autumn album "Cold Comfort". I decided to halt the review for a while, because the album takes time to fully digest and understand. At first I thought the album was weak, but as I listened to it more, I see it now as one of the most mature and beautiful albums I've listened to.

Autumn's best attribute, in my opinion, is their lyrics. The lyrics on this album are as mature and poetic as ever. Every song has amazing lyrics. "Cold Comfort", "Retrospect", "Alloy", "Naeon", and "The Venamoured" are perfect examples. The other songs do not fail to disappoint, however.

Overall, I give this album a 5/5. Yep, a 5/5. This is the first album all year I've given a perfect score to. It's that good, and Autumn deserves it. To the band I say, thank you.

Rating: 5/5.

Check out "The Venamoured" by Autumn on our YT channel!

2011-11-13T10:38:00.001-05:00

In an effort to promote Autumn's new album, Cold Comfort, we have uploaded a lyric video of the song "The Venamoured" to our YouTube channel:

I will give my thoughts on the new album tonight.

Review: Evanescence - Evanescence

2011-10-20T00:00:00.000-04:00

For today's October installment, I'd like to review Evanescence's new self-titled album. I was not intrigued by the first single "What You Want", but since this was my favorite band not so many years ago, I had to purchase it.

The album begins with the lead single. Just skip it - it's easily the weakest track on the album. The record continues with "Made of Stone" and "The Change". While these songs are not exactly magnificent, they're better than the first track. "My Heart is Broken" is the first track I actually liked. While the lyrics are fairly dull, Amy's vocals and the band itself sound spectacular. The next big highlight on the album is "Lost in Paradise". Again, the lyrics are okay, but the music is enchanting. The album continues with several more average tracks, until you reach "Oceans" and "Never Go Back", the latter being my favorite song on the album. These songs have great lyrics, and wonderful music to back it up. The album ends with "Swimming Home" - a kind of strange song. It's a good song, just a little awkward to end the album.

Overall, I give the album a 3/5. One of the things I used to love about Evanescence was their lyrics. However, now I think the lyrics were rushed for this album, and were not given time to mature. I expected more, especially since this album was five years in the making.

September Installment

2011-09-21T00:00:00.000-04:00

Autumn's new album will be released November 8th!

Other than that, I have nothing more to say for this month's installment.

YouTube: burningmeupinside

August Installment

2011-08-18T00:00:00.000-04:00

I started school this month. Fun stuff. But really, school's actually pretty good this year. My Biology and British Literature classes are becoming my favorites.

Stay in school kids! Education is important! No, you won't use cotangents in your daily life, but you still have to learn it.

See you next month!

July

2011-07-04T00:00:00.000-04:00

Happy 4th! Don't kill yourself (or anyone else) with fireworks!

Don't drink and drive!

Swim with a buddy!

If you can't be an athlete, be an athletic supporter!

Dark Adrenaline and Evanescence

2011-06-25T02:19:00.001-04:00

This week, Lacuna Coil and Evanescence announced the titles to their forthcoming albums, both of which will be released in October.

LC went with "Dark Adrenaline". Personally I think that's a really dumb title, but that's probably because their last album Shallow Life was a really dumb album. We'll see how that one turns out, but my hopes are not high.

Evanescence decided to go a little more conventional with a self-titled album. The biggest problem for me is not the title, but the (immediate) fan reaction on EvThreads about the title. One person said something along the lines of "They had a demo EP titled Evanescence. How will I sort this on my iPod? Stupid Ev with their stupid title!" and one like "I'm gonna go cry to my parents now, Ev has lost all creativity and this will be their last album boohoo bitch moan complain." Seriously? Can't you people be happy about something? The only music you listen to is Evanescence and (maybe) a few We Are the Fallen songs anyway, you should be ecstatic!

For the record, I have not listened to Evanescence in a loooong time. The only reason I go to EvThreads is to talk about other bands. But, I feel I should mention them because their music led me to what I listen to today.

See you guys with an update in the next few days.

Andy Sixx is a Fail; Draconian Album Hits Stores in EU Today

2011-06-22T17:48:00.002-04:00

Let me start by saying that I do not like Black Veil Brides at all. They are the epitome of shit music and I would much, MUCH rather listen to Ke$ha or Rebecca Black any day. So, every time I watch this video I laugh just a little bit harder.

My favorite part isn't the fall itself, but the emo 13 year old chick's reactions you can hear. "Oh my goth someone save him! Oh no! My wrists!"

On a better note, A Rose for the Apocalypse by Draconian was released in parts of Europe today. My best wishes to the band for a successful album and hopefully a successful tour!

Thanks!

Review: Sirenia - At Sixes And Sevens

2011-06-17T00:00:00.015-04:00

Today's review is going to be about a 2002 release that has been instrumental in shaping the gothic metal scene over the past decade. This release is none other than At Sixes And Sevens by Sirenia. This is songwriter Morten Veland's first album since his departure from Tristania, so the style of this album is very much in the vein of Beyond the Veil by Tristania. I'll go along with the review now.

The album begins with "Meridian", an epic and bombastic rollercoaster. It begins with guitars and violin, that eventually bring in black metal blastbeats as well as Morten's signature growl. "Come with me to seek the sun inside / Meridian." Pure magic. The album continues with "Sister Nightfall" which starts with acoustic guitars that go into an atmospheric diorama of guitars and strings. The record then has the tracks "On The Wane" and "In A Manica". These songs are a little softer than the first two, and are more 'gothic' and 'dark'. "Do you live a lie / Are you lost in life? / On the wane tonight / Like every night." Then you come across the title track, which, in my opinion, is the most 'gothic' track on the album. The song starts out very dark and atmospheric and goes into a sorrowful melody. The record continues with "Lethargica" and "Manic Aeon" both of which are very atmospheric and utilize lots of choral passages. The next track is "A Shadow of Your Own Self". This track I find is very similar to "In a Manica" as far as structure goes, and is a very nice track. The album concludes with "In Sumerian Haze" which is a soft ballad-like anthem. This song is mainly a solo by Fabienne Gondamin, the female vocalist for the album, and she's accompanied by some male whispers in the background. "Thoughts on a line won't recover your mind / You've cut your veins like I've cut mine / Sweetened horizons dance away the pain tonight / Just like you and I."

If you are a fan of gothic metal, you already have this album. If you're looking into the genre, get this CD! It is absolutely beautiful and haunting, which is what gothic metal aims to do. Sirenia have departed from this style unfortunately and have become rather bland over the past two years or so, but this album cannot make me dislike them or Morten.

4.875/5 stars.

Buy At Sixes And Sevens here. (USA customers)

Update 6/16

2011-06-16T18:18:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow, Draconian will be releasing their video for "The Last Hour of Ancient Sunlight" from their upcoming album A Rose for the Apocalypse. So, tomorrow I will be posting my opinion of the video, as well as a review of Draconian's 2005 album Arcane Rain Fell. So check for that tomorrow.

Also, Elis announced their new singer today. I went and listened to some of her stuff from her older bands, and she reminds me more of Sabine than Sandra. So we'll see how Simone pans out with Elis. She's also very pretty if I may add.

A review will be posted at midnight tonight. Be checking for that later.

Thanks!

Review: Tristania - World of Glass

2011-06-16T00:00:00.002-04:00

So today I've decided to give my thoughts on the album World of Glass by Tristania. This is the band's third album and it was released back in 2001, ten years ago. This album is the first album where Morten Veland is not present in the band. Overall, the musical style is similar to Beyond the Veil but there are subtle differences. Anyway, onto the review.

The album begins with a bang with "The Shining Path" which is an exchange between Ronny Thorsen of Trail of Tears and Vibeke Stene. This song is one of my favorites. The album continues with "Wormwood" which is a similar style to the first song, but not as heavy. The third song, "Tender Trip on Earth" is my favorite song on the album, as well as my second-favorite song from Tristania overall. This song is a trio of harsh vocals, clean male vocals by Osten Bergoy, and clean female vocals by Vibeke Stene. This song isn't quite as heavy as what you may hear from Tristania usually, but is a great damn song. The next song "Lost" is more of a fast track that lights up the mood a little bit. The record continues with "Deadlocked" which is quite possibly the most beautiful Tristania track yet. It is a soft and slow Vibeke solo besides some male whispers in one section. The next track "Selling Out" isn't particularly one of my favorites, as this one addresses some electronic elements with it, and it seems a little strange if you will. The next song, "Hatred Grows" is the first song to feature Jan Barkved, a clean male vocal that has collaborated with both Tristania and Sirenia. It is a nice track, but not the most special track of the album. The next song, "World of Glass" is a perfect summation of the album. This track is again a three-tiered vocal like "Tender Trip on Earth" and is one of my favorites. Then, the album ends on "Crushed Dreams". This song also features Jan Barkved, and is a very diverse and haunting track with themes similar to "The Shining Path".

Overall, this is definitely a remarkable album for the Gothic metal genre. Tristania have of course long since departed from this type of music, but they do still tend to play some songs from this album every now and then. So definitely pick up this album when you get a chance - the artwork is beautiful as well.

4.51/5 stars.

Buy World of Glass here. (USA customers)

Small Update + Review Scheduled

2011-06-15T13:39:00.001-04:00

Hello all. I've made one more change: I've decided to rename the blog "music harbor" because I am thinking about doing music reviews and opinions of all genres, not just gothic rock/metal. Of course, considering that it's my favorite music genre, the majority of posts will be about it.

Some quick news:

Draconian's video for "The Last Hour of Ancient Sunlight" will premiere this Friday! I will post my opinion of the song and the video at that time.
ReVamp has had to cancel their Latin American tour due to Floor's health. Draconian, however, will still play in Mexico City on June 18th.

And, a review is scheduled to be posted at midnight tonight, so check back then!

Thanks!

Floor Jansen of ReVamp Suffers a Burnout

2011-06-11T13:46:00.000-04:00

"Dear all,
For a few months now my health has not been good… I suffer from a burn out. It took me a while to accept this fact, it was and is hard to be forced to take it easy and stop doing my work.
The shows booked for ReVamp are and have been for the last month my only activity and even that costs me more energy than I have. This burn out doesn’t mean I do not love my work! It’s a sign of my system that I worked too hard for too long. I now have to be extremely careful with the amount of activities because my condition is poor.
On our tour in Latin America I will only be able to do the shows. I am sorry to say that I cannot attend to any other meetings or signing sessions. Also the social media such as Facebook and Twitter has been a bit quiet and will remain silent for a while until I am fully recovered.
I hope to be back on my feet soon and ask you for your sympathy. Music and the amazing support of you all have always energized me and I am sure this will pull me through this difficult period in my life again!!!

With love,
Floor"

Taken from the ReVamp website.

Floor has been in this business for over a decade now, with both After Forever (disbanded) and ReVamp. I know from personal experience that if you do something you love for a long time, it begins to be odious. I hope she feels better soon.

Update

2011-06-08T21:21:00.000-04:00

I don't have any new information today, as the gothic rock world is awaiting many new releases this year. So, I wanted to give a quick summation of what we are waiting for:

Draconian - The Last Hour of Ancient Sunlight Video - TBR any day now.
Draconian - A Rose for the Apocalypse - July 5th
Stream of Passion - Darker Days - July 5th.
MaYaN - Quarterpast - July 12th.
Evanescence - New Album - This autumn.
Lacuna Coil - New Album - This autumn.

Also, today I finally purchased Illumination by Tristania, and I'm in love. Expect a review soon.

Thanks!

Review: Sirenia - The Enigma of Life

2011-06-05T17:27:00.001-04:00

Sirenia have returned to us almost exactly two years after their fourth album, The 13th Floor. I'll be honest, back in June 2010 when I first heard that Sirenia was making a new album, I was shocked for a few reasons. 1) The 13th Floor still felt new to me. 2) The songs on the new album would feel rushed because of the short wait. and 3) IT'S WITH THE SAME SINGER!!! HOLY JESUS!!! 2012 is coming!!! Yes, they have the same singer for this album. Anyway, so I was very excited when previews for The Enigma of Life were available. The previews were very good and I really did think this would be the best Sirenia record. Let's just say I was a little off.

The album is, well, just like the last one. The melodies are the same, the lyrics are the same, etc. A summation of the lyrics are as follows: "lost, fading, the end, ending, this is the end, dreams, dreams that fade, pass away, dark lane." That's all you need to know. As far as the music goes, well, again it's recycled. "The Twilight in Your Eyes" is identical to "The Path to Decay", "A Seaside Serenade" is identical to the bridge of "The Seventh Summer", "This Darkness" sounds like "Sundown", the intro to "Fading Star" sounds just like "Farther Away" (oh wait, that's by Evanescence!). And I'm sure there are more that I missed. So, basically this is a softer carbon copy of The 13th Floor.

Who do I recommend this album to? Not many people, just Morten Veland fanboys and gals. If you're looking to sample Sirenia, STAY AWAY! I REPEAT STAY AWAY! If you're into heavier music, try At Sixes and Sevens. If you're into lighter but still gothic music, try Nine Destinies and a Downfall or you could try The 13th Floor if you can stomach some growls.

3.37/5 stars.

Buy The Enigma of Life here. (USA customers)

Review: Visions of Atlantis - Delta

2011-06-03T23:52:00.000-04:00

Visions of Atlantis return to us with their new album Delta. And, like many other bands have done, they have a new female vocalist - her name is Maxi. I'll begin by saying this: Maxi is the best vocalist VoA has ever had. Maxi knocks the past two Tarja Turunen wannabes out of the park - she is not some lame and typical opera singer. When "New Dawn" was released in January I couldn't have been happier. I really hope she stays as VoA's female vox for a long time. Now, onto the actual music.

While I'm very pleased with the new singer, the rest of the album isn't my favorite. Sure, there are very good songs "Memento" and "Twist of Fate" in particular. (the last 2:15 of "Memento" is possibly the most gorgeous and epic music I've ever heard.) These songs are classic VoA and are very nice. "New Dawn" is also a very enjoyable rock song, despite it being 2:58. What I don't understand with this one is why the song order is: Verse/Chorus/Verse/Chorus/Bridge. And that's it - I feel like there should be another chorus part to properly finish the song. My only guess is that they did it so it would be very "radio-friendly". But that's what radio edits are for. Anyway, a few tracks I couldn't get into were "Conquest of Others" and "Reflection". These two just kind of bored me. The rest of the album is pretty good, not stellar, but good enough to suffice your craving for VoA.

Is this my favorite VoA album? No. Nothing can beat Trinity for me. That really is an epic and gorgeous album despite the Tarja wannabe singer.

*Note: if you're looking to sample Visions of Atlantis, try "At the Back of Beyond", "My Dark Side Home" and "Seven Seas" from the album Trinity.

3.7/5 stars.

Buy Delta here. (USA customers)

MaYaN Album Confirmed Release Date

2011-06-02T01:29:00.000-04:00

According to Nuclear Blast USA, our release date for Quarterpast will be on July 12th. However, I just received the single "Drown the Demon" from the album, and I can't say I'm impressed. I will listen to some samples tomorrow and see if they're any better. If not, then I won't do any special promotion for the album. Plus it's already out in the EU anyway (why do labels do this? Both NB and Napalm release their albums a month later here than in the EU. It bugs me.)

Anyway see you tomorrow with TWO reviews!

Elis singer Sandra Schleret has left the Building

2011-05-30T15:20:00.001-04:00

"More than 4 years ago I joined Elis as their new singer. Our journey was very special to me, and I think that we found one another at a time when we really needed it the most. I gave my best to honor Sabine's legacy and nevertheless stay true to myself and open a new chapter together with the band. I am sorry to say that we have reached a point where this chapter now comes to an end. We had an amazing and exciting time and the guys really touched my heart. We made a great album in which I've put all of my heart and which means a lot to me. We sat together and talked long about everything, and we concluded that it is better to go seperate ways from now on. I simply feel the need to devote myself to my own music, my aims and tasks, and the guys can not accompany me on that way because they have their own aims, ideas and expectations. I am sure that it's the right desicion, because it is very important to me to dedicate myself to everything I do with full heart and soul. Now that I can not ensure this anymore I think it's only fair to say it freely. Elis will always have my full support and my friendship will guide them on their way. The guys have found a great new singer and so I am leaving with a good feeling, though I am very sad about the end of our time together.

I dearly want to thank all the Elis fans, who gave me such a warm welcome! I hope we will see eachother again!

With all my best wishes,
Sandra"

More details here

Tristania to tour Asia + Review Redo

2011-05-30T15:09:00.000-04:00

Tristania have announced that they will tour Asia for the first time! They will have shows in China and Taiwan. More details here.

Also, I posted some time ago my review for Rubicon by Tristania. I have now decided that the review was far too harsh and I now have begun to enjoy the album. I will be taking down the initial review and putting a new one up soon.

In the meantime, be sure to follow us on Twitter! The link is available on the sidebar. Remember: @burnmeupinside

Thanks!

MaYaN Album Release Date + Stream of Passion Album Page

2011-05-29T16:16:00.000-04:00

Well, as far as I know, the USA doesn't have a release date for the new MaYaN album anytime soon. So, I'm going to hold off promotion for it until we get a release date.

I am working on the page for the new Stream of Passion album Darker Days right now. Check back for it tonight!

See you soon!

Quick Update

2011-05-25T13:59:00.000-04:00

Hello all. Sorry for the lack of updates this week, I've been busy with finals and all of that business. But vacation starts Saturday, so I will be much more active then. I just wanted to tell you all that Napalm Records has released their "Napalm Classics" sampler for FREE on their Facebook page, and thanks to people like you and I, it is mainly comprised of top-class gothic and symphonic metal. Tracks like "Midwintertears" by Tristania, "Sister Nightfall" by Sirenia, and "Death, Come Near Me" by Draconian are available on the sampler for FREE!

See you soon!

Update

2011-05-19T17:45:00.000-04:00

Hello all. I've posted my review of Meredead by Leaves' Eyes. I also posted information regarding the new Stream of Passion and MaYaN albums. I will be getting individual pages for these albums this weekend, and maybe promo videos for each. In the meantime, I finally purchased Delta by Visions of Atlantis this week. Expect a review for that soon.

And now, here is the new song by Stream of Passion, "Collide"

Stream of Passion Album, MaYaN Album, and Official Album Scores

2011-05-17T02:00:00.003-04:00

Stream of Passion - Darker Days

01 Lost (5:27)
02 Reborn (3:37)
03 Collide (5:20)
04 The Scarlet Mark (3:41)
05 Spark (2:36)
06 Our Cause (4:43)
07 Darker Days (4:32)
08 Broken (4:47)
09 This Moment (3:55)
10 Closer (4:37)
11 The Mirror (3:34)
12 Nadie Lo ve (3:04)
13 The World Is Ours (3:49)

The digipack version will contain the exclusive bonus track "The Hunt".

Release dates:
June 22, 2011 - ESP/FIN/SWE
June 24, 2011 - G/A/S, Benelux & ITA
June 27, 2011 - Rest of Europe
July 5, 2011 - USA/Canada

New song "Collide" is available for free download on the Napalm Records Facebook page as part of the "Nothing Burns Like Napalm" sampler.

MaYaN - Quarterpast

01. Symphony Of Aggression
02. Mainstay Of Society
03. Quarterpast
04. Course Of Life
05. The Savage Massacre
06. Essenza Di Te
07. Bite The Bullet
08. Drown The Demon
09. Celibate Aphrodite
10. War On Terror
11. Tithe
12. Sinner’s Last Retreat (Bonus Track)

Release date EU: 5/19/2011

Release date USA: TBA

Exclusive pages for these albums will be made soon as well as promo videos.

Now, I have taken a few Gothic Rock/Metal albums (not all of the ones I have, just some of them) and gave them a rating. I rate each song on a scale of 1-5, and then take the lowest song score and count it twice; you're only as good as your weakest link applies here. Here are the ones I did:

Sirenia - The Enigma of Life (full review coming soon) - 3.37/5

Sirenia - Nine Destinies and a Downfall - 4.8/5*

Tristania - Widow's Weeds - 4.94/5*

Epica - The Divine Conspiracy - 4.54/5*

Nightwish - Dark Passion Play - 3.89/5

Evanescence - Fallen - 4.1/5

Evanescence - The Open Door - 4.2/5

Within Temptation - Enter - 4.83/5*

Within Temptation - Mother Earth - 3.9/5

Within Temptation - The Silent Force - 3.6/5

Within Temptation - The Heart of Everything - 4.54/5*

Within Temptation - The Unforgiving - 4.2/5

Autumn - Altitude - 4.62/5*

Draconian - Arcane Rain Fell - 4.82/5*

*= will enter the BurningMeUpInside hall of fame.

Review - Leaves' Eyes: "Meredead"

2011-05-16T22:20:00.002-04:00

Well, I'm going to be honest - this is the first full-length Leaves' Eyes album I have. In 2008, I purchased the Legend Land EP and fell in love and had intentions of buying an album, but never did. In 2009, I purchased the My Destiny EP and liked it also, and had intentions of buying an album. Again, it never happened. But I have bought the newest release from LE, Meredead. I read a few reviews beforehand and they made comparisons to Epica - do NOT believe them. The writers had to have been intoxicated or something. There is only one song that is remotely close in comparison. This album is very...Norwegian. It's very folk-esque and less polished. From the LE material I was familiar with before, I'm assuming this is their least heavy album. There is only one song with Alexander Krull's death grunts. Anyway, I'll go ahead with a song-by-song review:

"Spirits' Masquerade" - very cool and bombastic intro. Catches you right from the start.

"Etain" - I really like this song. It's quite catchy.

"Velvet Heart" - the "Sinead" of this album (if you like Within Temptation you'll understand). Very catchy and fun.

"Krakevisa" - completely Norwegian and borderline strange. My least favorite.

"To France" - the first single. The song may seem boring at first, but it grows on you. The bridge rocks.

"Meredead" - the title track. Again in Norwegian, the musical arrangements are very good on this track.

"Sigrlinn" - the Epica track. This is the longest and only song with grunts, and is very cool.

"Mine Taror er ei Grimme" - interlude (I think).

"Empty Horizon" - one of my favorites. Lovely exchange between the two vocalists.

"Veritas" - interlude.

"Nystev" - in Norwegian, but a very nice track nonetheless.

"Tell-Tale Eyes" - nice ballad closer.

"Sorhleod" (bonus) - possibly my favorite. The guitar work makes me very nostalgic for some reason.

4.39/5

Buy Meredead here. (USA customers)

Large Update Tomorrow

2011-05-15T23:55:00.000-04:00

Man, 2011 is definitely the year for Symphonic and Gothic Metal. I'm going to be broke once this is all over. Tomorrow I'll be posting information for:

Stream of Passion - Darker Days
MaYaN - Quarterpast

I also will be posting some album scores tomorrow. I hope to get my Meredead review done by tomorrow as well.

In the meantime, check out our promo video for A Rose for the Apocalypse on our designated page.

See you tomorrow!

A Rose for the Apocalypse Promo Video

2011-05-15T11:00:00.000-04:00

New Computer = updates yet again

2011-05-13T17:17:00.000-04:00

I now have a computer! My old one died so i decided to upgrade, that was why I couldn't hardly update. Anyway, here are some things to expect this weekend:

Review of Meredead by Leaves' Eyes
Promo video for A Rose for the Apocalypse by Draconian
First entries to Gothic Hall of Fame

See you later!

Napalm Records Seeking Fan Feedback On Compilation - in Metal News ( Metal Underground.com )

2011-05-08T15:26:00.000-04:00

Napalm Records Seeking Fan Feedback On Compilation - in Metal News ( Metal Underground.com )
Be sure to vote your favorite Gothic metal tracks!

Draconian -A Rose for the Apocalypse Tracklist

2011-05-07T09:36:00.002-04:00

01. The Drowning Age 7:18
02. The Last Hour of Ancient Sunlight 5:26
03. End Of The Rope 6:34
04. Elysian Night 7:52
05. Deadlight 6:32
06. Dead World Assembly 5:52
07. A Phantom Dissonance 5:39
08. The Quiet Storm 6:37
09. The Death Of Hours 7:48
10. Wall Of Sighs 5:14

Sorry for the lack of updates - I haven't had a computer, just my iPhone. I am getting one soon though. Expect a promo video for A Rose for the Apocalypse soon and I WILL have albumsby bands with first letters A-D rated TONIGHT for the Gothic Hall of Fame.

Draconian - A Rose for the Apocalypse New Song + Artwork

2011-04-26T20:14:00.001-04:00

And we now have the artwork! Also, Napalm Records has posted a new draconian song titled "The Last Hour of Ancient Sunlight" that is available for FREE as part of a promotional compilation on their facebook page. Alternatively, here is a YouTube of the new track:

See you again soon with updates regarding the Gothic Hall of Fame.

Quick Update

2011-04-24T15:17:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone! I've been busy writing review after review lately, so check later for more of those! During writing the reviews, I have thought up an idea: a Gothic Hall of Fame! This way we can showcase the best of the best of the genre.

For an album to qualify:
-The average rating must be at least 4.50001
-No songs can have a rating less than 2.75

I calculate the average for album reviews by giving each song a rating out of five (x/5) and averaging them in the end to produce a rating.

Anyways check back for more reviews and the first entry to the Gothic Hall of Fame later tonight!

Album Review: Within Temptation - The Unforgiving

2011-04-24T14:04:00.001-04:00

Within Temptation return four years after their last effort, The Heart of Everything. Not to say they've left us in the cold for four years, as they produced two stellar live albums and a single during this time. Despite the releases, it still didn't make up for a new album. Finally in March 2011, The Unforgiving was released. This album is different from all of WT's other efforts; it is a concept album, and WT have experimented with many musical styles for this album. For example, the orchestra has been downsized (about damn time) and it is no longer Within Temptation + the 100 piece orchestra; it is Within Temptation and Within Temptation only - the way it should be. I'll go ahead with a song-by-song review:

1. Why Not Me: a 34 second intro of Mother Maiden, one of the characters in the concept, speaking about her role and fighting evil in all of its forms. Her soliloquy is accompanied by some errie-ass strings that set the tone for the album.
2. Shot In the Dark: a soft-beginning track that eventually explodes into a classic WT anthem. The vocals and instruments are top-notch, and it is definitely a favorite. 4/5
3. In the Middle of the Night: Holy hell. Possibly WT's heaviest song in ten years, In the Middle of the Night is an Edgar Allen Poe-esque firestorm that is my favorite from the album, and my favorite WT song yet. 5/5.
4. Faster: the lead single from the album. Definitely not my favorite song, but it's still pretty cool. You can feel the '80s influence very well here; I personally hear some Heart influences. 3.5/5.
5. Fire and Ice: WT's best ballad yet, anyone? This one starts out soft and innocent, but eventually evolves into a power track not vulnerable in the least. 5/5.
6. Iron: another firestorm, but I couldn't really get into this one. From what I've read, it's a fan-favorite, but I have to disagree. 3/5.
7. Where Is the Edge: at first I thought this song was boring and uninspired, but it has grown on me a lot. It's really the only mid-tempo track that isn't a ballad (excluding the bonus track Empty Eyes) and is a nice change of pace. 3.5/5.
8. Sinead: man I love this song! It's catchy as hell, and I always seem to find myself bopping my head to the beat. if there's ever a WT dance track, it's this one. 5/5.
9. Lost: the second ballad from the album. The lyrics in this song are absolutely beautiful and I get chills every time. 4/5.
10. Murder: hello crazy vocals. Sharon does some really cool vocal tricks with this one, surely to hunt you down. 4/5.
11. A Demon's Fate: Phantom of the Opera tribute? This is one of the most epic WT tracks yet, and is just all around brilliant. The guitars and other instruments will lull you into what seems like a battlefield. 5/5.
12. Stairway to the Skies: and Sinead goes to heaven! A classic outro song, it is more orchestral than the others but still keeps a rock feel to it. Also a favorite. 5/5.

In conclusion, this is what seems to be like the end of an evolution. Think of The Silent Force as a shy, quiet and vulnerable character, that evolves into a more hardened and angry character, but still cannot deny its soft and vulnerable spots in The Heart of everything. In The Unforgiving, there is no soft and vulnerable anymore. Let's face it: The Unforgiving is a ruthless and unforgiving bitch ready to shoot you in the middle of the night faster and faster and faster.

"I don't care if I'm playing with fire, I'm aware that I'm frozen inside..." 4.2/5 stars.

Roy Khan Leaves Kamelot

2011-04-22T12:39:00.001-04:00

From the official Kamelot website:

"With a heavy heart we can now announce that Roy Khan has chosen to leave the band. We wanted to give him ample time for this kind of decision, due to his recent burnout and also the amount of amazing times we have shared with him in Kamelot. We respectfully accept his resignation from the band and wish him the best in his future endeavors. The timing is actually good since we feel the uncertainty the fans have had can now be laid to rest and the band can move on to finding a new singer. “The tour is going great so far and the fans have been amazing throughout this entire process” – adds keyboardist Oliver Palotai. With the new tour already in progress, Kamelot has already begun the search for a new vocalist. “I have a few guys in mind”,“And as you can imagine, it is a very important decision. There are some amazing singers that have already contacted us on this but we will take our time to find the right person”. Due to the overwhelming success of the recent shows in South America, we are pleased to announce new shows in November/December for Europe (stay tuned). said band founder Thomas Youngblood.

* The band headlines the Print de Temps Festival tonight and will play a Amsterdam (nearing sold-out) concert tomorrow followed by a full headliner tour with special guests Evergrey, Amaranthe and Sons of Seasons. (* Guest vocalists Fabio Lione and Tommy Karevik). Thank you for your support and see you on tour!!
Thomas, Casey, Oliver and Sean"

I know Kamelot doesn't really fit the 'gothic' genre, but they are still one of the best symphonic power metal acts today. Roy will definitely be missed.

Theatre of Tragedy DVD + Leaves' Eyes New Song

2011-04-20T17:52:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone! Sorry for the absence the past few days - I've been busy.

Anyway, here's the official promo video for Last Curtain Call DVD by Theatre of Tragedy.

And I WAS going to put up a new track by Leaves' Eyes but it was taken down. Hmph.

Anyway chech back later for some album reviews!

Leaves' Eyes Promo Video + Within Temptation Video

2011-04-17T14:55:00.000-04:00

Here is the official Napalm Records promo video for Meredead by Leaves' Eyes:

And here is the official music video for "Sinéad" by Within Temptation:

I have changed the cosmetics of the blog slightly...we now have a banner at the top! And be sure to add us on Twitter and YouTube.

Thanks!

Find me on Twitter!

2011-04-16T00:11:00.001-04:00

I have made my twitter account again. Here is a link. I will post updates there as much as I can. I posted information about Within Temptation's new single earlier, so check that out.

Anyways, see you tomorrow!

Within Temptation's New Single

2011-04-15T17:35:00.001-04:00

"Great news! We can now officially announce the next single of our album “The Unforgiving”.
It’s going to be……..(drumroll)………… Sinéad!
We will be updating you soon about the single, but we didn’t want to hold back the single cover as we are very enthusiastic about it!
Here you go, have a great weekend!"

Leaves' Eyes Release + Evanescence Interview

2011-04-13T22:33:00.002-04:00

LEAVES’ EYES – “Meredead”

1. Spirits’ Masquerade
2. Étaín
3. Velvet Heart
4. Kråkevisa
5. To France
6. Meredead
7. Sigrlinn
8. Mine Tåror er ei Grimme
9. Empty Horizon
10. Veritas
11. Nystev
12. Tell-Tale Eyes
13. Sorhleod (Bonus Track)

Produced by Alexander Krull at Mastersound Studio

"Meredead" will be out 22nd April 2011!

The tracklist and cover for the new Leaves' Eyes album Meredead, to be released on May 3rd in the United States. Pre-order here.

And some Evanescence news...

"The key word for goth-pop outfit Evanescence's long-awaited comeback album, due this fall, is a bit unexpected. It's not "angsty" or "ominous" or "heavy."

The record is fun — and that's a totally new thing for us," singer Amy Lee, 29, tells SPIN. "When I listen to our old music I see that's where I was in my life at that time. This has been a long trip and parts have been hard. But it's about not taking everything so seriously this time..."
Full Article Here

Still no Draconian news - hopefully in the coming weeks.

And a video to top off your night.

No News Again + Draconian Video

2011-04-12T22:09:00.004-04:00

And yet again, no news for today. Tomorrow I will be posting information for the new Leaves' Eyes release Meredead, so check for that. I also put links to my profiles on the official Tristania forum and the official Draconian forum. I don't post often at these places, but I do check them often and you can reach me there.

Here's a video to top off your night.

See you tomorrow!

No News Today + Quick Update

2011-04-11T20:50:00.001-04:00

The album artwork for the new Draconian album has not surfaced yet, so I am unable to make the promo video at the moment. I am hoping it along with the tracklist will surface soon as I really want to make the video :)

Anyway see you tomorrow with hopefully more information!

New Pages

2011-04-10T23:38:00.000-04:00

Good evening. I have added two new pages accessible at the top of the page beneath the subheader. The first page is titled "A Rose for the Apocalypse." This page will contain information regarding the new Draconian album of the same name. Once more information comes out, I will make a promo video and post it to the YouTube account. The other page is a page specially for people who are not familiar with gothic rock/metal. It contains a playlist of accessible songs as well as a link to where you can purchase the playlist in the iTunes store for ~$19.00.

See you tomorrow with another update!

New Draconian Album + Within Temptation's "The Unforgiving" charts in USA

2011-04-10T13:43:00.000-04:00

From the official Draconian website:

The new album is called A Rose for the Apocalypse and deals with a vast dilemma we’re all facing as one species; the horrors and contradictions we’ve created in our ‘nature-divorced’ system. The title refers to the collapse of this structure, built by mindless human opinion. It also refers to the necessity of its demise. We are trying to capture the gloom of its realization. I don’t know if we’d want to call this a conceptual album, but most songs certainly deal with the same topic in one way or the other. I’ve reached a point in my life when my eyes remain open.

To most of you A Rose for the Apocalypse might appear a darker, more threatening album compared to the previous Turning Season Within. And yes, it is different in several ways, but Draconian remains the same. I have often said that our new work resembles a mix between the old and the new Draconian and will unite fans of both preferences. While listening to this album I feel a lot of history comes together in one place, at least sound-wise.

Our old friend Olof Göthlin contributes with some of his excellent violin skills on the album. Cover and layout is created by the amazing Seth Siron Anton (Paradise Lost, Kamelot, Rotting Christ, Moonspell etc). We sincerely hope we’ve created an album that will make impact on our beloved fans. Thank you for keeping up, sticking by us and maintained your faith in Draconian.

Anders,
DRACONIAN

A Rose for the Apocalypse will be released through Napalm Records at June 23rd. A limited beautiful digi-pack version with one bonus song will be available.

We will be bringing you coverage on the release of the album and any follow-up news. You can follow Draconian on facebook, Twitter and mySpace.

Charts for Within Temptation's The Unforgiving this week:

Billboard Top 200: #50
Billboard Rock Albums: #14

Congratulations to Within Temptation for their spectacular debut in the USA!

See you next time!

Gothic Rock and Gothic Metal News

2011-04-10T13:32:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I've decided to make this blog something i've always wanted: a gothic rock/metal newsplace. I will be posting news about bands from now on. If you're not familiar with the genre, check out these bands:

Within Temptation (definitely start here)
Sirenia (newer material esp. if you're new to the genre)
Tristania (same principle with sirenia)

See you soon with more updates!

Quick update

2011-04-10T12:44:00.000-04:00

I'll have a larger update later today, so check back then.

I will be changing the dynamic of the blog; I'll leave it at that for now.

See you soon!

Saturday...

2011-04-09T13:49:00.001-04:00

Well I slept till maybe 12:30 today. Oh well, it is spring break. Which for me is just a tease until summertime. Anyway I'm putting a new layout up today - hope you like it.

Here's a song I'm really digging now:

I put a place on the side of other places that I go on the internet. I'll add the rest later.

Anyway I might post later today so see you then!

First post!

2011-04-08T10:51:00.000-04:00

Hey guys! First post on my new blog. Cool, eh? Well anyway I'll probably updating this daily, so be sure to come back! I'll mainly post stuff about what's up in my life and things of the like.

Thanks! :D