Condensed vlog version: http://youtu.be/EJiqeiImcfU
Life
throws you some pretty amazing curveballs. You can prepare yourself as
best you can, study and research, buy in bulk, and even build up a
tolerance to the pain you know is coming. Yet, every so often, mostly
when you're not looking, some things come through and slap you sideways
so hard you forget which way is up. And you realize that sometimes fear
makes you defend yourself from even the good things.
I've often
said life is neither black nor white, nor even gray. It's TV snow. It's
black, white and gray and is constantly in motion. You can take the
remote in your hand, you can change the channels, but it's up to you to
either fill your mind with junk or learn something. It's a balance you
have to learn to deal with.
My life, which I am almost certain
resembles a psychotic yo-yo with bi-polar disorder, had started 2012 on
such a low note that I thought surely there is no way but up. Silly me. I
will spare you the details, but I will say that you're never at your
highest high, or lowest low while walking in this world. I now know I
will always have one more level to climb, one more layer to discover,
and I'm learning there's more to it than just up and down.
The
morning of March 9th, before I knew what I was in for, I was witness to
the strangest sunrise/moonset I've ever seen. The sun hadn't yet made
his grand entrance, but the previews were on, so to speak. As I looked
outside, bleary from lack of sleep, there was the full moon in all her
glory, huge and glowing like the spotlight left on all night for the
spirits of stage actors. It was so oddly bright, as though filled with
the palest champagne. I imagine she was toasting a good night's
performance, and for her, it probably was. She was waiting on one side
of the horizon, while the sun was arriving on his side. It seems to me
that opposite forces equally wanted my attention that day.
And with this, as I am struck by words like balance and duality,
I struggle as I always must when it comes to these guys, for the proper
words to describe the music of Poets of the Fall, and their 5th and
latest album, Temple of Thought. I have been given a tremendous honor by
receiving a copy from the band's management to preview, and I certainly
hope to be able to portray my thoughts accurately. It is impossible to
do this album justice by painting a review with a two-hair brush.
Balance and duality barely tickle the surface. I could add heartache and
heartbreak, happy and sad, good and evil, darkness and light. It's all
there. By the way, whoever leaked the album early: YOU. SUCK.
For
those of you who don't know, Poets of the Fall is an independent
alternative rock band formed in 2003 and hails from Finland. As an
American, I discovered them in 2004 by playing the game Max Payne II,
The Fall of Max Payne. Avid gamers know the power music holds for a
game, so I can only feel sorry for those who have yet to learn that
magic, which meets and often exceeds the power music holds in
filmmaking.
The Poets have come a long way since Max Payne II,
but let me first say that the magic I experienced has never left. Their
albums have always gone gold and platinum and have won numerous awards.
They have earned every single one.
The only reason I have to call
their music alternative rock is because I honestly don't know what else
to call it. It's rock 'n roll with hints of pop and other genres, but
it's wildly beautiful with a deliberate sense of melodrama. They have
fashioned themselves a far more fitting title: cinematic rock. They're
right. I can't just listen to their music. I can only experience it.
It's almost a celestial event unto itself, like a once in a lifetime
alignment or a rare eclipse.
With Temple of Thought, you can't
prepare yourself. If I were Dorothy, I'd be still stuck in the house
suffering from vertigo. Their music took hold of me and whipped me
around until I was both upside down and inside out. Suffice to say that
after I heard all of the songs, I was an emotional train wreck. I had
run through a gauntlet of emotions. Thank God there are still musicians
out there who can do that to me. It doesn't happen as often anymore.
I
was laughing as I wrote this, after crying, because to be unpredictable
and unexpected are actually two staples the Poets have. Their music is
all about a sort of harmonious contrast. That may sound like a
contradiction, but let me explain. If you expect a song to be slow, it's
fast and upbeat. If you call one of their melodies cheerful, the lyrics
are likely going to be scorching and dark. And just when you think
front man Marko Saaresto's vocal range can't get any more insane…he will
prove you wrong. When you think you know their style, they change it
all over again. And yet, you know a Poet's song when you hear it.
Somehow it all makes perfect sense. I don't know why it works, but I
don't have to. It just does.
I call Temple of Thought a master
class of presenting a Love story. It's about the many guises of Love,
and the beautiful agony of desire and pain that inevitably come with it.
It's the raw duality of Human Nature when it comes to the Joy of Love,
the excitement of being in love, of desiring a love that perhaps isn't
meant to be yours, the tragedy of losing love, finding the love was a
lie, or worse, discovering love too late.
The melodies in Temple
of Thought are at once familiar and yet unique again. Marko's lyrics are
raw, and heartbreakingly, painfully beautiful, even more so than in
previous albums. This time around there is a new, brutal honesty that I
didn't even realize was missing in older songs. They must be deeply
personal, as they always are, but in this album, many, though not all,
layers have been stripped. It's as if he's finally baring his soul to
the world, saying, "Take it, or leave it. It is what it is."
Now, onto the songs themselves:
Track 1, which is aptly named Running Out of Time,
starts us off and running, all right. Marko begins the song panting as
though racing right up to me. In my mind's eye I could almost see the
whole band beckoning, saying, "Come on; let's go! Give us your hand!"
wanting me to join them on a crazy journey. I found myself gulping,
saying, "Okay!"
And then, I held my breath…and jumped. The song
literally starts with a confession, as if Marko is saying, "I have
something to tell you. I'm terrified, and it's going to hurt like hell,
but I'm going to do it anyway."
It's as fast and exciting as a
carnival ride, with an ending that is deliberately abrupt. Time runs
out…I might've known. It makes sense, but it still drove me nuts,
because it was like they suddenly pulled the emergency brake on a
runaway train that I was enjoying. I felt a bit like Wile E. Coyote
smacking into a wall he doesn't see coming.
Track 2 is the title track Temple of Thought,
and it left me gasping for air with its majestic vision, both in the
song and lyrics. Some of the best lyrics in the whole album are here.
Marko is speaking of a love so deep it borders on worship. The
protagonist will do anything for his love, to the point of taking on all
his lover's fears and anxieties. He knows it's very possible the love
may be doomed, but is willing to suffer through it anyway. The design is
unique but is destined to be a classic Poet ballad.
Well, it's
built like a rock ballad, with lead guitarist Olli playing loud and
clear. However, thanks to keyboard artist and mixer Captain's addition
of strings in the background, I could easily hear an entire symphony
orchestra play this piece, and it would still work. And oh…I really like
the ending. Several Markos singing all at once…heaven.
I will only touch upon Track 3, Cradled in Love
since it was their first single and is already out there in the
universe, paired with a video that is deceptively simple yet has layers
many of us watchers are trying to decipher. I'd prefer that you watch it
and come to your own conclusions. Suffice to say that it matches its
title and is built like a lullaby, serene if melancholic. You could
replace the beginning notes with a harp instead of a guitar, and it
would still make sense.
Some people wonder why Marko sings this
one almost entirely in falsetto. I don't know. I expect that's one of
the many mysteries of song-making. Is that just where the melody goes,
and you can't help but follow? Or is that where you pulled the song to?
We may never know.
So when I got to Kamikaze Love, #4,
their first single to debut in Germany, I expected something much
harsher. Wrong again. While it is fast and up-tempo, it is surprisingly
gentle. Instead of being carpet-bombed, I was soaring up and down again.
Then I understood the meaning might be about the part of you that is
sacrificed for love, and sadly, often in vain.
I can't say I'm
disappointed by the nature of the song, but what I am disappointed by is
the booklet that holds the lyrics. Guys, I'm sorry, but I'm a bit of a
Grammar Nazi. It's angels! Angels, not Angles! Twice!!
However, I was informed in advance that future copies will have some
corrections. That had better be one of them, or they will hear from me!
All right, I'm moving along to Track 5, The Lie Eternal. I'll skip over the spelling mishaps (some of which are possibly deliberate) and just go straight in to
the song. Ooh, another stinging slap to the ears, but I mean that in a
good way. The song is built with a bit of a growl at the start, but
Marko croons in this one. Ah, so tempting…that is, until he almost
screams during the refrain. This song is a showcase of this talented
man's aforementioned insane vocal range. When I heard Marko speak for
the first time, I couldn't believe it. The voice coming from what I
thought was a powerful tenor was this warm, soothing and melodic
baritone. As for the lyrics, it seems to be about obsessive love, and is
built as an almost call and response. At least that's what I perceive.
There is one voice who is begging to be loved, even demanding to take
over the other, and the other recognizes the lie, responding to the
temptation anyway. I'm sure there are many relationships based on
someone wanting to "fix" the other's problems. It's painful, but a
lesson we must learn.
Track 6, Skin, is easily the most
intimate and painful song of the album. I almost feel like an intruder
listening to a love letter of farewell meant for someone else. I know
pain, but I don't think I will ever know this sort of pain. I've had to
say farewell to someone I deeply love, someone I imagined spending the
rest of my life with. I fell in love with someone I discovered I
couldn't have. I regret it didn't work, but I do not regret the love.
How can I? It taught me far too much, and I must always respect a good
teacher. It ends with a literal sigh, and one, I expect, full of regret.
By
the way, I was not expecting the group shot I found in the booklet,
even though the work of art has been parodied a million times over. I
admit as a Christian, it made me raise my eyebrows before laughing.
Subtle, guys…real subtle. Oh, and Captain, it looks like you took your role seriously. I'll say no more.
Track 7, The Distance,
sounds like a recovery from a tumultuous love that ended some time ago.
The echoes that remain still hurt, however. Speaking of echoes, fans
will hear an echo of an earlier well-known Poets song. The song design
is an amalgamation of past tunes and futuristic electro-pop overtones.
It starts with a screechy guitar but a soothing synth choir joins in
almost immediately after, with heavy drums that reminded me of songs I
heard in the 80's. I want to say it's almost like glam rock, but it's
far too modern. Marko speaks of water, and you can actually hear it
especially at the end, like a rolling tide.
Track 8, Show Me This Life,
is another energetic, fast-paced song that speaks of a need for
intimacy, both physical and otherwise, even if the reason behind it is a
shallow one. Marko almost whispers, "Take me home tonight." Aside from
the Grammar Nazi rearing her ugly head (it's ecstasy, dammit!!)
it's a great description of a love that resembles a terrible and
frightening addiction. As for the melody…ah, Olli. At last, Olli is
finally free and we get to hear what he does best.
#9, Morning Tide,
feels like the end of the story, but of course, the journey never
really ends, as there is always another beginning. This song echoes an
earlier song by the Poets, Dawn, and while the tune starts out very
sweetly, it swells; much like the tide does, with a powerful air of
anticipation. It's as if the Poets are asking, "What happens next?"
Marko seems to sing that everything is all right; the night is over, the
day is here. Let's go. I'm very pleased to hear Marko's lower tones in
this one, although this song also showcases his impossible range.
Personally, I wish he would use lower notes more often, but again, is it
because that's where he wants it, or is that just where the song goes? I
also love the piano here. Bring your box of tissues for this one, trust
me.
After being thoroughly wrung out by Morning Tide, I didn't know quite what to expect with Track 10, The Ballad of Jeremiah Peacekeeper.
The tune is melancholic and almost eerie, with a low synth choir
reminiscent of the old Spaghetti Westerns and drums that sound like a
death march. Parts of it reminded me of the song Hotel California,
another fatalistic story. After listening to lyrics that felt so
personal, it was more than a little jarring to hear Marko sing in 3rd
person. The story is a sad one, seemingly about a warrior, weary,
weaponless and battle-scarred, but who remains steadfast, so long as he
receives your love. It will make you ask, "Who is this person? Who
fights so hard for you, in a place where 'the desert wails a curse of rage and jealousy'?" It certainly makes you think, which I believe is the whole point.
Some may think the very last track, The Happy Song,
is just tacked on as an extra bit of fun. While it was created for the
game by Remedy called Alan Wake: American Nightmare, it can still fit in
with the theme as a love so wrong it can never be right. The Happy Song
is the theme for Mr. Scratch, who is Alan Wake's dark and very
dangerous reflection.
After watching the clips, I can only
conclude Mr. Scratch is nothing short of pure ID, which is base desire.
He is not only evil, he revels in his wickedness and enjoys every second
of it. The words are few, the tune is heavy, so feel free to start
headbanging! You will enjoy it. After so many emotionally heavy songs, I
was actually relieved to hear something crazy and lighthearted. Marko
somehow makes his voice mutate into a good imitation of Johnathan Davis,
lead singer of Korn. It's a romp, and I know you will love it.
And
that's the end of this story and my review. Temple of Thought is a wild
ride, a masterpiece that will enthrall you like no other. All you can
do is hold your breath and hang on. I did, and I know you will, too. Go to: www.poetsofthefall.com, or iTunes or Amazon. Tell the guys I sent you! ;)
