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Rating: Here it is, one of the most beautiful voices in the rock field is back, with her second solo CD, and this time in great style and form.
Having set aside the well-known history with Nightwish, Tarja returns with a CD (her second) in my opinion magnificent, elegant, artistic, and fascinating, with multiple facets: from rock/metal to classical, to opera, to ethnic, with essential orchestrations and epic choirs, and with a vaguely dark atmosphere where she shows off a great soprano voice at times and angelic at others.
It starts with "ITE MISSA EST" intro which leads us to the first single "I WALK ALONE", a song built on a base from Mozart's Requiem, with an unusual and slightly "perplexed" opening but with a truly engaging chorus and musical reprise, you shouldn't stop at the first listen. "LOST NORTHERN STAR" is the first song that nods to the Nightwish style, a dark song with heavy guitars. Another intro with "SEEKING FOR THE REIGN" to bring us to the first gem of the CD "THE REIGN": sublime voice from a great soprano with a classic musical backdrop with orchestra, then tribal drums with a solo of great strings, touching. Third intro "THE ESCAPE OF DOLL" to then arrive at "MY LITTLE PHOENIX", again the Nightwish style vaguely hovers, with heavy guitars that pace and chase a splendid string session. "DIE ALIVE", the song "heir" of Nemo? Could be... nice rock rhythm, with an interlude of epic choirs, and a chorus that sticks in your head and doesn't leave you. "BOY AND THE GHOST", starts with an orchestral backdrop and piano then with a great finale with a grand orchestra and epic choirs. "SING FOR ME", another gem of the CD, a slightly sinister chant opens the song but immediately Tarja's voice makes it clear that it is a sweet and enveloping song, with a warm and not redundant orchestra, continues the song's journey to flow into great majestic and epic choirs.... "OASIS", in my opinion the diamond tip of the CD, touching and moving, strings, piano, and Middle Eastern atmospheres, it seems to come out of the "Gladiator" soundtrack or a contemporary classical music composition by Roberto Cacciapaglia. Beautiful and ethereal voice.
"POISON" remake of an Alice Cooper song, revised and corrected à la Tarja. "OUR GREAT DIVIDE", a slow melancholic piece with orchestra, bass, keyboard, drums, and voice... moving, with peaks of voice from a great soprano, it seems like a Puccini romanza in a modern key. "SUNSET", intro of "DAMNED AND DIVINE", slow dark song with orchestra and choirs, in my opinion better the second version, remix, with heavier guitars and fuller music. "CIARAN'S WELL" the most "extreme" song of the CD, excellent, would have been great on the Wishmaster CD: heavy guitars, with dark singing. Another gem, "MINOR HEAVEN", slow, with a great orchestra and vaguely Celtic, with great choirs, a song that would have suited the new Nightwish work well. "CALLING GRACE", acoustic with great pathos with Angra's guitarist displaying a slightly jazzy arpeggio, accompanied by the warm sound of a cello.
Great production, and then, put the CD in your headphones, close your eyes, and from start to finish it will seem like you're in a movie.... magical. Special mention for "I WALK ALONE IN EXTREMO REMIX" with hurdy-gurdy, a medieval rock, like something Ritchie Blackmore might compose with his Blackmore's Night... with a flavor that tastes of Brittany.
Great Tarja.... great comeback... hopefully, we'll see her in 2008 in Italy.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 I Walk Alone (03:53)
Put all your angels on the edge
Keep all the roses, I'm not dead
I left a thorn under your bed
I'm never gone
Go tell the world I'm still around
I didn't fly, I'm coming down
You are the wind, the only sound
Whisper to my heart
When hope is torn apart
And no one can save you
I walk alone
Every step I take
I walk alone
My winter storm
Holding me awake
It's never gone
When I walk alone
Go back to sleep forever more
Far from your fools and lock the door
They're all around and they'll make sure
You don't have to see
What I turned out to be
No one can help you
I walk alone
Every step I take
I walk alone
My winter storm
Holding me awake
It's never gone
When I walk alone
Waiting up in heaven
I was never far from you
Spinning down I felt your every move
(I walk alone)
I walk alone
Every step I take
I walk alone
My winter storm
Holding me awake
It's never gone
When I walk alone
05 The Reign (04:07)
I see the waves of sand
Big free
Another land
Dreams within dreams
You are alive
They gave me their wings
I spread them wide
I'll move on
To another place
From my memories
Unmade
I'll hold on
And my heart will find you there
Love will shine free
Forever
Sun flames
And moons glow
Timeless the tides will flow
What will I face?
What will be mine?
Fortune and fate
The other side
I'll move on
To another place
From my memories
Unmade
I'll hold on
And my heart will find you there
Love will shine free
Forever
07 My Little Phoenix (04:02)
Gracefully she's circling higher
She has the wind beneath her wings and looks down on us
She said-
"Robbed of my innocence, had no more time to play
I sure got my feathers burned, but I'm stronger than the flames"
Here she comes, here she comes! I've been waiting for so long
Here she comes rose again from the flames my little phoenix
Eternity is set in her eyes
Throwing sparks back at the world that'll never die
And I think-
"She was robbed of her innocence, had no more time to play
She's only a little girl, but she stronger than the flames"
Here she comes, here she comes! I've been waiting for so long
Here she comes rose again from the flames my little phoenix
Here she comes I've been waiting for my little phoenix
You've got to get close to the flame to see what it's made of...
You've got to get close to the flame to see what you're made of...
Here she comes, here she comes! I've been waiting for so long
Here she comes rose again from the flames my little phoenix
08 Die Alive (04:04)
Open up the night
Led by just a feeling
All around is light
Everything is healing
No more fate and no more mystery
Even as time falls away
I live my days
Every moment and its memory
Not only to survive
To die alive
Overwhelming love
Heaven's just a feeling
Singing in my blood
Keeping me from kneeling
No more fate and no more mystery
Even as time falls away
I live my days
Every moment and its memory
Not only to survive
To die alive
Die alive
No more fate and no more mystery
Even as time falls away
I live my days
Every moment and its memory
Not only to survive
To die alive
Die alive
Die alive
09 Boy and the Ghost (04:36)
The streets are empty.
Inside it's warm.
His hands are shaking.
They locked the door.
A voice is calling,
asking to get in.
All he wanted was a toy.
All he needed was a gentle heart
to lead him through the dark
when his dreams are running wild.
Boy and the ghost,
fire's not burning.
The lights went out,
the lights went out.
Big family dinner,
the untold pain.
Their eyes are sparkling
on his frozen face.
Angel's calling,
asking to get in.
All he wanted was a toy.
All he needed was a gentle heart
to lead him through the dark
when there's nowhere left to fall.
Boy and the ghost.
His eyes are burning.
The lights went out.
The dream is on.
Wake up, wake up:
there's an angel in the snow.
Look up, look up:
it's a frightened dead boy,
with so much hate,
such bad dreams.
He could have seen.
The toy's the key,
but no one saw,
no one saw.
All he wanted was a toy;
all he needed was a beating heart
to lead him through the dark.
Boy and the ghost.
''Despero, solitas, debilis, desolo.
Despero, solitas, debilis, desolo.''
When there's nowhere left to fall, nowhere to hide.
The silence is hurting.
Inside it's cold.
Sleep or die.
Nowhere to go,
nowhere to hide.
His light went out.
10 Sing for Me (04:16)
It's getting hard to breathe
Darkness in my head frightens me
There's a little devil in my mouth
Writing ugly words for you to shout
The virgin soul that lived in me
Is raped by insecurity
I need you to sing
Sing for me my love
Sing the right from wrong
Here inside my mind
Truth is hard to find
It's getting too crowded here
All alone and playing with my fear
I don't want this anymore
I've tied myself down to the floor
I need you to sing
Sing for me my love
Sing the right from wrong
Here inside my mind
Truth is hard to find
(Sono mihi)
Sing for me
Sing for me
Sing for me
Sing for me
Sing for me my love
Sing
Sing for me my love
Sing the right from wrong
Here inside my mind
Truth is hard to find
Sing for me my love
Sing the right from wrong
Here inside my mind
Truth is hard to find
11 Oasis (05:10)
Hyvyyden varjo peittää kyyneleen
Löytäneen luo vie askeleen
Rauha saa, kehto uneen tuudittaa
Toivo jää, tie rakkauteen
Tie syvään vaupauteen
English Translate:
The shadow of goodness covers the tear,
Takes the step to the one found.
Peace may, rock the cradle to sleep.
Hope remains, a way to love.
A way to a deep freedom.
Tradução para o Português:
A sombra da bondade cobre a lágrima,
Dá um passo à descoberta,
A paz permanece, balança o berço para dormir,
A esperança permanece, um caminho ao amor,
Um caminho para uma liberdade profunda.
Traduccion al Español:
La sombra de la bondad cubre la lagrima
Toma el camino a lo encontrado
La paz puede mecer la cuna hasta dormir
La esperanza permanece como un camino al Amor
un camino a la libertad profunda
12 Poison (04:01)
Your cruel device your blood, like ice
One look could kill my pain, your thrill
I wanna love you but I better not touch (don't touch)
I wanna hold you but my senses tell me to stop
I wanna kiss you but I want it too much (too much)
I wanna taste you but your lips are venomous poison
You're poison running through my veins
You're poison I don't wanna break these chains
Your mouth, so hot- your web, I'm caught
Your skin, so wet; black lace on sweat
I hear you calling and it's needles and pins (and pins)
I wanna hurt you just to hear you screaming my name
Don't want to touch you but you're under my skin (deep in)
I wanna kiss you but your lips are venomous poison
You're poison running through my veins
You're poison I don't wanna break these chains
One look could kill, my pain, your thrill
I wanna love you but I better not touch (don't touch)
I wanna hold you but my senses tell me to stop
I wanna kiss you but I want it too much (too much)
I wanna taste you but your lips are venomous poison
You're poison running through my veins
You're poison I don't wanna break these chains
I wanna love you but I better not touch
I wanna hold you but my senses tell me to stop
I wanna kiss you but I want it too much
I wanna taste you but your lips are venomous poison
You're poison running through my veins
You're poison I don't wanna break these chains
13 Our Great Divide (05:05)
Dark blue sea, calling me.
Songs of waves, keep me safe.
Sky's so deep, there's no end.
The moon still asleep,
the bed of stars for me.
How can I see through your eyes my destiny?
I fall apart. You bleed for me.
How can I see through your eyes our worlds collide?
Open your heart to close our great divide.
Distant prayers, carved in stone.
The silent words they will still be heard.
How can I see through your eyes my destiny?
I fall apart. You bleed for me.
How can I see through your eyes our worlds collide?
Open your heart to close our great divide.
How can I see through your eyes my destiny?
I fall apart. You bleed for me.
So I just float with the tide through the night I pass you by.
Open my heart, to close our great divide.
15 Damned and Divine (04:29)
It won't help if you wait for me,
I'm a slave to the dark.
I know I'm not saint, you see.
The dawn is when it starts.
Feel the shadow of my oblivion,
Hoping mercy would show her face.
On the road to your own perdition
In the coal-blackened rain.
Frozen in time;
Yearning forbidden wishes.
Damned and divine;
Scars of my broken kisses.
What will follow if tomorrow's blind?
My eternal night.
As the wind takes me away from you,
Before the morning light.
My sins are fading into view.
I'm so weary deep inside.
Feel the shadow of my oblivion,
Hoping mercy would show her face.
On the road to your own perdition
I may see you again.
Frozen in time;
Yearning forbidden wishes.
Damned and divine;
Scars of my broken kisses.
What will follow if tomorrow's blind?
My eternal night.
Frozen in time;
Yearning forbidden wishes.
Damned and divine;
Scars of my broken kisses.
What will follow if tomorrow's blind?
My eternal night.
17 Minor Heaven (04:00)
Take my longings and believe them
Light a candle if you know
I breathe love, don't want to be there
These are things I got to know
The magic seems so far
Don't know who they are
Let me go minor heaven
'Cause my blood to run
Leave this place, unforgiven
Heal me with your sun
How can I come undone?
Let me know minor heaven
Light a way for me to walk on
From the ashes to the sky
Burn the thorns so I can hold on
Trust in me, I know I'm right
I know it's gone too far
Leave them where they are
Let me go minor heaven
Cause my blood to run
Leave this place, unforgiven
Heal me with your sun
How can I come undone?
Let me know minor heaven
Even if nothing I'll become
Something I've been for all too long
Let me go minor heaven, heaven, heaven...
Let me go minor meaven
Cause my blood to run
Leave this place, unforgiven
Heal me with your sun
How can I come undone?
Let me know minor heaven
18 Calling Grace (03:06)
In the dark
Captured in his frozen heart
Colours fade into grey
She tried so hard
Every word was torn apart
Shot her down with poisoned darts
Her tears made her swim beneath the sea
She's free
Calling grace
She'll never fall again
Love remains in her
Softly, her inner voice has learned to speak
Following her dreams
Her tears made her swim beneath the sea
She's free
Calling grace
She'll never fall again
Love remains in her
Calling grace
She will rise again
Sacrifice the saints
Still love remains...
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