My first encounter with Virginia Woolf's work was in the form excerpts in a university textbook from A Room of One's Own. I decided quite quickly that this woman was worth my time, shelved The Waves as to-read on Goodreads, and became excited to discover that I'd have to read To the Lighthouse for a later class. I figured it would be good; I at least knew the writing would be lovely. But I really didn't know what to expect overall.
To the Lighthouse is a complicated novel. Woolf's stream-of-conscious style takes readers into the heads of several different characters without warning to help us understand their perspectives. Most notably, there is Mrs. Ramsay, a conservative mother deeply attached to her children who everyone seems to admire; her husband, a scholar obsessed over whether or not his work will remain relevant; James, their youngest child who loathes his father; and Lily, a painter who spends time with the family. Lily is so unlike Mrs. Ramsay as she has no plans to marry and struggles to understand Mrs. Ramsay's allure, and all the while, Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay's different parenting styles leave a remarkable impact on their children.
I will admit that I struggled with the stream-of-consciousness at first. It's not that I didn't know which character's head I was in; I thought the most difficult part was trying to figure out who was being thought of. It didn't take me too long to realize that this is part of what made To the Lighthouse special: I don't think Woolf would have been able to do what she set out to accomplish in a different style.
It's easy to feel when reading this book. There are so many moments of tension where no one is saying much but the characters are thinking a lot, and then there are other moments of utter sadness. I felt horrible for the children of this novel as Mr. Ramsay was a poisonous person to be around, and in turn, there were moments I felt horrible for Mr. Ramsay too. Every time I read a novel that deals with family relations, I wonder why it isn't a more common theme in books... It's so powerful.
In addition to perspective, time is a key element in this story, and along with it, the inevitability that nothing and no one will last forever. It can be a difficult concept to grapple with, but I didn't find this theme depressing. A family far from perfect to begin with has to deal with one another, even if full of hatred or mixed emotions, and they have to deal with death. The same goes for their friends. Lily and Carmichael both have revelations sparked by this tumultuous and intriguing family, and I can't quite put my finger on it, but I could relate to Lily's emotional realizations at the end about Mrs. Ramsay. It was one of the moments that ripped at my heart.
But as I said before, To the Lighthouse didn't leave me depressed. Just in a strange sort of awe. I don't think I expected it to be quite so powerful and I don't think I expected to relate to it based on a short description I read of it... It's a really beautiful book. I loved it, and I'm definitely planning on reading some more of Woolf's work.
It's finally here. Nightwish has released their very first studio album with Dutch legend Floor Jansen, Endless Forms Most Beautiful. Nightwish has had quite a variety of singers over the years, but fans have been especially excited for Jansen considering how versatile her voice is and how well she performed with them during their last round of touring when filling in for Anette Olzon. This is also the band's first album to feature Troy Donockley on pipes (or whatever exactly that instrument is) and backing vocals and Kai Hahto on drums. Expectations are high: Endless Forms Most Beautiful must be unique, heavy, and bombastic - Tuomas Holopainen's genius must highlight the skills of new members and create something utterly ambitious.
Like with some of their older albums, I needed to listen to each song a few times before I truly can appreciate it, which is actually something both Jansen and bass guitarist/vocalist Marco Hietala suggested for this album specifically since the tracks are so thick, but there were certainly moments that stuck out right away. This album is just as heavy and beautiful as I expected... But Endless Forms Most Beautiful actually surpassed my high expectations in a few ways... Each song is so full of life, but the final track alone is enough to leave any listener utterly astounded.
"Shudder Before the Beautiful" kicks the album off with a softspoken narration by scientist Richard Dawkins for about seven seconds before all those expectations get thrown in listeners' ears all at once. The orchestration is thick and ambitious, and it's reminiscent of songs like "Dark Chest of Wonders," "The Poet and the Pendulum," and even a little bit of "Stargazers." The chorus is both deep and lighthearted as Floor Jansen essentially sings about the Romantic-era concept of the sublime - specifically the night sky and the universe in general, and how we are all humbled by the sight. The middle eight is filled with an epic choir and heavy riffs, and by the time the end has been reached, I felt rather refreshed as Floor and the band resolve and the orchestra sways. Nightwish makes some killer opening tracks, and "Shudder Before the Beautiful" is certainly one of them.
Even though we're only two tracks in, "Weak Fantasy" makes its mark as one of the heaviest songs. Once the strings and choir really get going, the overall sound is eerie. The verses and the beginning of the middle eight are different from other Nightwish material with its twangy acoustic guitar line, but once the full instrumentation comes in during the middle eight we're exposed to an incredibly catchy string line, and the chorus is a punch of adrenaline. I love this one.
Oppositely, the band shows their softer side with "Élan," which prominently features Donockley on his pipes to give it the folky feel Nightwish has always presented so well off and on throughout their discography. Jansen sings very softly in the verses, and as Jansen fans know, that's unusual for her, but she sounds great and her voice grows along with the song. The middle eight really helps the song escalate before the key change.
Along with "Weak Fantasy," "Yours in an Empty Hope" stands out as one of the heaviest tracks from the album. With guitar riffs that recall "Wish I Had An Angel" and dark atmosphere, both Jansen and Marco Hietala have room to show off. It will definitely please all the Floor fans dying to see how her versatility will be taken advantage of: Her vocals in the verses are rougher, and while Marco sings the melody in the chorus, she growls. One of the best parts is the middle eight, where Floor vocally just lets it all hang out - I'm not sure if it qualifies as a scream or a growl, but it's certainly a yell and its staccato rhythm will be a huge crowd pleaser when performed live.
The fifth song, "Our Decades in the Sun," is the only ballad on Endless Forms Most Beautiful. It took the longest song to grow on me, but ultimately I just love the vocal line and the way Floor handles it. As the song continues she generally gets louder and louder, and it's a song that takes its time. Something about it vaguely reminds me of "Meadows of Heaven."
"My Walden" displays Nightwish's fun folky side, kind of like with "I Want My Tears Back." Troy Donockley kicks off the song with his layered vocals quite nicely, and once again, Floor's vocals are really soft in the verses. I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about it at first, but anyone with a soft side for Nightwish's folk songs will be won over after that second chorus; it's like a hobbit explosion of happiness. The title track is also quite the jam session: Like "My Walden," it has more of a carefree feel. It demonstrates a love of life, a prominent theme on this album. And as much as I love the whole thing for its heavy riffs... Let's address the middle eight. The strings start with melody, then the band plays it back, and the they merge, building and building afterwards. Gradually, an epic choir part kicks in... It's awesome altogether.
Even though it isn't a bad song and I like the instrumentation a lot, "Edema Ruh" is my least favorite on the album. The vocal line is a bit corny to me. At first I got a similar mediocre vibe "Alpenglow," but I just had to listen to it a few times before it could grow on me. I like it much better now though it doesn't stand out as much as others; it reminds me quite a bit of Dark Passion Play, and I love that album to death. Both have a pretty instrumentation, with "Edema Ruh" adding delicate synth and "Alpenglow" being the more energetic of the two.
Nearing the end, "The Eyes of Sharbat Gula" is the tenth track and the only instrumental piece on Endless Forms Most Beautiful. Tuomas Holopainen has said it was written about the girl on a1980s National Geographic cover and war in general, and the darkness of the song certainly seems to capture the essence of the subject. It's subtle, like something one would hear in a film score, but it definitely builds and has some of Nightwish's folk influences incorporated. Donockley has backing vocals and the song also features a children's choir, and they make the song more haunting. This song stood out to me right away.
At last, we encounter "The Greatest Show on Earth," a piece that clocks in at about twenty-four minutes long... Bear with me as I try to explain my thoughts coherently, but this is the best Nightwish song ever created - and without a doubt one of the best songs of the current age - no questions asked. It's about evolution and goes through its stages, and overall, it matches up that concept of the sublime as Nightwish described in "Shudder Before the Beautiful" but they truly accomplish it with this song. It's either extremely loud or extremely soft... It's so beautiful it's almost terrifying.
The first part of this monstrous track, "Four Point Six," is led by a resonating piano part interrupted occasionally by orchestral explosions (listen to the song and you'll know what I mean... it's loud and it's wonderful) that help this section build itself up a bit, and because of the tricky rhythm, it comes in when you least expect it. Floor fans will be more than satisfied with this song overall, especially since she has operatic vocals in this first part and they're spot on (of course). Donockley's pipe eventually finds its way into this section as Richard Dawkins narrates, just before the second section, "Life," comes crashing in with the full band. I nearly came out of my seat when I heard the verse vocals - Floor's multi-layered part is scary in the best way possible and the lyrics are just pure genius: "The cosmic law of gravity pulled the newborns around a fire / A careless, cold infinity in every vast direction." She belts her way through the section's chorus, and even though Nightwish has made a ton of fun choruses, none of them make me quite as happy as this one. The powerful middle eight is characterized by an adrenaline-filled choral section. Furthermore, "Life" is just so damn heavy!
"Life" cuts off somewhat abruptly to make way for ethnic percussion, and then Nightwish manages to do something I least expected: They added animal noises. It sounds like I entered a jungle and I love it. A lion's roar cues the band back in for "The Toolmaker," in which Marco and Floor sing back and forth in the verses. Here, Floor gets to show off her rock/metal style vocals in the verses as she and Marco sing about humanity's impact on Earth: "Gave birth to fantasy / To idolatry / To self-destructive weaponry." In this section's middle eight, Nightwish managed to incorporate different phases of music from around the world to tell humanity's tale, from tribal-sounding drums, to Gregorian choirs, a Victorian harpsichord... Then the band explodes (with Floor's operatic vocals overlapping) when we least expect it (which brought a big grin to my face), and there are traces of a banjo and synths. I didn't even notice it the first few times I listened, but it's a great way of summing up humanity phonetically. Eventually the feel-good chorus of "The Toolmaker" leads us to a hair-raising, gorgeous post-chorus, overlapped with piano. Marco and Floor repeat the profound expression "We were here," and once again, we're left with soft, orchestral instrumentation.
The fourth section, "The Understanding" crescendos as Dawkins comes back to narrate before we get to the final section, "Sea-Worn Driftwood." This last section is so beautiful and subtle. It's mainly a bunch of ocean sounds and light orchestra as Dawkins finishes up the Charles Darwin quote that Endless Forms Most Beautiful got its name from. Sea creatures splash and communicate, and the song fades to its end. "The Greatest Show on Earth" is perfect.
To say I reacted strongly to this song would be an understatement. Instead of feeling the typical rush that follows discovering a new favorite song, I felt exhilarated, as though I just embarked upon some galactic adventure. For the first time, I had to ask myself, "How will I listen to other music after hearing this?" Every time I listen to it I smile like a dumbfounded idiot; it makes me so happy.
One thing I have recently realized is that even though Nightwish is without a doubt one of my favorite musical acts of all time with its intricate songs and beautiful lyrics, I've rarely ever related to their music personally. Endless Forms Most Beautiful changes that a little. Holopainen said in the twelfth album trailer: "Hopefully we can illustrate with this album – that science can even be something profoundly spiritual." I firmly believe in the connection between science and religion, and the concept of science and life appears throughout this album. Hence, I connected to this album very deeply - especially with "Shudder Before the Beautiful" and "The Greatest Show on Earth."
In short, I loved this album very much. Everything we could have wanted is there: Floor uses all of her styles at some point or another (although some complain they still wanted more of her 'big' moments), we get to hear plenty of folk influences, the songwriting is genial as ever, and it's quite heavy. Nightwish has a wonderful catalogue of albums and Endless Forms Most Beautiful stands on a sky-high pedestal with the rest of my favorites.
Of course, Top Ten Tuesday is a fun meme held at The Broke and the Bookish. Today, we're talking about our favorite inspirational quotes from books. For me, what a quote says is only half the reason to love it - it's also about how it's said. It's amazing how beautiful certain clusters of words can sound and what feelings a specific arrangement can evoke. Sometimes it's just the placement of a quote in context of a story. It's really the magic of reading and writing. Without further ado, here are my favorites.
Top Ten Inspiring Quotes from Books
“Neighbors bring food with death and flowers with sickness and little things in between. Boo was our neighbor. He gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good-luck pennies, and our lives. But neighbors give in return. We never put back into the tree what we took out of it: we had given him nothing, and it made me sad.” Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird
“Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong! – I have as much soul as you – and full as much heart!” Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean it is not real?” J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
“Behind this mask there is more than just flesh. Beneath this mask there is an idea… And ideas are bulletproof.” Alan Moore, V for Vendetta
“All right, then, I’ll go to hell.” Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
“You must try to forget all you have learned […] You must begin to dream. From this time on you must shut your ears to the roaring of the voices.” Sherwood Anderson, Winesburg, Ohio
“We accept the love we think we deserve.” Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot
It’s not going to get better. It’s not.” Dr. Seuss, The Lorax
“The sun persists in rising, so I make myself stand.” Suzanne Collins, Catching Fire
“I have never listened to anyone who criticized my taste in space travel, sideshows or gorillas. When this occurs, I pack up my dinosaurs and leave the room.” Ray Bradbury, Zen in the Art of Writing
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Feel free to leave the link to your Top Ten Tuesday - I love reading through quotes!
I just wanted to note that this blog turns five today... FIVE. That's like 50 in blog years. Even Dumbledore's throwing a party:
I guess nerdy middle school fun can last a while! (I promise I'm not still in middle school though!) Granted this whole "let's review stuff" thing turned into more of a "let's fangirl" thing, but it's plenty of fun, and that's what counts. For five years I've been fangirling over and critiquing the interesting books and music I've come across, from contemporary to science fiction, Lady Gaga to Epica, and the legions in between. Did I ever estimate how long this would last? Nope. Could have been a month, could have been ten years. It was all about what made me happy, and talking about all this great media is bound to make anybody happy.
When I look back at my older posts, I remember what it was like to read that book/hear that album for the first time and I can't help but smile. Each book, film, and album is a special experience that molds itself into my life, and I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have a place to share it.
Thanks for sticking around to read my content.
...Much nerdiness is yet to come. Prepare yourselves.
I've made it pretty obvious that the Dutch symphonic metal band Within Temptation is one of my all-time favorites. For nearly 20 years they've been releasing gorgeous music, and they've done something different with each and every album. To compile a list of their best must-listens would be very time consuming and stressful since there are so many. So, as I often do for my music lists, I limited the potentially selections strictly to singles. Even though I oftentimes consider the non-singles to be the best of artists - especially in this genre - Within Temptation has accumulated a wonderful set of them. They provide glimpses into the band's wider scope, and some are undoubtedly among the ranks of their best songs.
To celebrate such a fantastic band, I'm going to briefly count down their most essential singles. 15
"And We Run" ft. Xzibit
Kicking off the countdown is Within Temptation's only song to feature rap. Some fans really weren't into this track, and neither was I for the first fifteen-ish listens... But it's so powerful and uplifting. The simple piano line says so much, and the song crescendos beautifully. Xzibit and Within Temptation's vocalist Sharon den Adel couldn't sound more different, but the collaboration works. It just takes an open mind and a little extra time to fully appreciate it.
14
"Forgiven"
"Forgiven" is the tear-jerking ballad from The Heart of Everything used to promote the acclaimed Black Symphony CD/DVD release. It's incredibly emotional and highlights Sharon's beautiful high voice, accompanied by only piano and strings all the way through. Hearts are bound to clench at the last lines of the middle eight: "Everything turned out so wrong / Why did you leave me in silence?"
*I recommend hearing the full version rather than this radio edit. It flows much better.
13
"Sinéad" The Unforgiving got some flack from metal elitists for its 'fun' side, and "Sinéad" was the most fun of all. There are even noticeable synths used throughout. The things is... It's amazing. Try to listen to it and not start dancing - TRY. Failure is inevitable. The strings are catchy as hell and even epic during the breakdown of the middle eight. Like "And We Run," "Sinéad" is one of those songs that proves Within Temptation can do whatever they want - it'll sound great regardless.
12
"All I Need"
Another ballad from The Heart of Everything, although "All I Need" is a power ballad. Weirdly enough, I didn't like this song very much the first thirty-ish times... But then one day I was watching the official music video and just started bawling like crazy. It took a while for the incident to occur, but it hit me all at once. Not only is it beautiful, but it rips the heart to shreds. The string line is quite prominent, especially right before the final chorus kicks in... That cello line gets me every time...
*I recommend hearing the full version rather than this radio edit. It flows much better because it keeps the entire bridge, which is where the emotional rollercoaster really begins.
11
"Running Up That Hill" [Kate Bush Cover]
Within Temptation has now covered enough songs to make an entire album from the Q-Music sessions, but for a while, "Running Up That Hill" was their only cover song. A fabulous transition between the Mother Earth era to the Silent Force era, this song highlights the more shrill aspect of den Adel's voice. It's very upbeat; that chorus is a pure jam session, and the orchestra is still very prominent. Even though it's heavy, there's a lightheartedness to it that makes it stand out in their discography.
10
"Ice Queen"
The classic. The one single you know for sure you'll hear at a Within Temptation concert. "Ice Queen" has a signature light-hearted feel and wonderful lyrics, making it easy for listeners to bob their heads and sing along. It certainly highlights Sharon's glorious upper range and there's something about the orchestration that induces chills.
The video: It seems like everyone on the face of the Internet hates it... but I love it. I'm surprised that it doesn't get more love. It was made about 10-15 years ago - of course the backgrounds are fake as hell. But it's all kind of pretty... Every band member has a different element.
9
"Stand My Ground"
Everyone loves a song about standing up for themselves, but Within Temptation managed to make it more epic. The verses hint at adventure while the chorus - the best part of the song - is filled with determination and even a sense of resolution, but it just grows and grows so that by the time we get to the final chorus the instrumentation kicks in full force. It's not overly ambitious, but it still does one hell of a job of catching attention.
8
"Angels"
"Angels" has long been a fan favorite: Sharon owns the high notes like nobody's business, the lyrics are relatable as they're about deception and betrayal, and that post-chorus and middle eight are so intense and beautiful. It's definitely a song that builds, and even though it isn't particularly bombastic, it's still cinematic, and with a moment like this, it's hard to deny that it's fantastic: "This world may have failed you / It doesn't give you reason why / You could have chosen a different path in life."
7
"The Howling"
This single provides a glimpse of Within Temptation's horror side. It's heavy while being intensely catchy - even the backing vocals! It's definitely a bit of a departure from den Adel's head voice-driven repertoire in The Silent Force (although that aspect of her voice will never disappear) and shows off what she can do with a rougher chest foice Unfortunately the radio edit takes away from some of the symphonic elements, but it's truly a great combination of guitars and strings and virtually impossible to sit still while it plays.
6
"What Have You Done" ft. Keith Caputo
Before Within Temptation decided to include several duets on their latest album Hydra, "What Have You Done" was the only recorded one they had. The chorus is full of long notes and raw emotion, and the melody is unforgettable. Caputo's voice works quite well here, and in the extended version, Sharon puts her operatic vocals to fantastic use and makes the song absolutely epic. Within Temptation makes a lot of great songs about various topics, but this has to be their ultimate break up song.
*I recommend listening to the extended version since it includes a couple of its best parts.
5
"Memories"
Within Temptation has written a number of beautiful ballads throughout their career, but none quite like "Memories." Sharon's voice is so light and heavenly, just like the remarkable string arrangement. But it's really the ending that has the power to blow people away, when the electric instruments come in. Suddenly, the song has a new sense of desperation in that moment, and it lingers until the end when the violin cuts the band off. The music video is perfect.
4
"Restless"
Within Temptation's very first single, taken from their debut, Enter. Enter is the most different from all of Within Temptation's albums, and even though "Restless" doesn't include the growls that characterize much of the album, it certainly sets itself apart from other singles in terms of both structure and feel. This piano-led single is eerie, repetitive, and utterly beautiful - it certainly demonstrates the atmosphere of its unique album.
3
"Paradise (What About Us?)" ft. Tarja
The symphonic metal corner of the Internet exploded when this collaboration - this mind-blowing, bound-to-shake-the-Earth collaboration - was announced a little over a year ago. Within Temptation and ex-Nightwish singer Tarja Turunen certainly proved to be the powerhouse everyone expected. It's a catchy, adrenaline-filled masterclass with its urgent string line and amazing combination of vocalists. This single also produced what is arguably Within Temptation's best music video to date.
2
"Jillian (I’d Give My Heart)"
So... "Jillian (I'd Give My Heart)" is sort of a single; it was used for the promotion of The Silent Force Tour DVD, so I'm counting it. This song is undoubtedly one of their best pieces: It's so bombastic! The verses are very mellow with its string-led instrumentation and Sharon singing peacefully, but that chorus is a symphonic explosion: "I'd give my heart / Give my soul / I turn it back, it's my fault." By the time the key changes (creating perhaps the most effective key change ever fathomed) and Sharon is calling Jillian's name in the middle eight, chills are just inevitable. To this day it blows my mind.
1
"Mother Earth"
Is it surprising? Probably not. "Mother Earth" isn't just one of Within Temptation's greatest songs: It is symphonic metal classic. The riffs are intense even though the song is so free-flowing and easy to move to, the orchestration is beautiful, and Sharon's voice soars. This has to be the greatest salute to nature ever created with those perfect lyrics: "She rules until the end of time / She gives and she takes / She rules until the end of time / She goes her way." It's a simple life fact: "Mother Earth" is a masterpiece.
The video: While this music video has some seriously awkward shots of Sharon flinging her arms in front of lightning, it has a few perfect moments - particularly the end, because even though the band is jamming outdoors, there are strobe lights, eyes are glowing red, and the lightning is synchronized. Can't get much more metal than that, eh?
The German symphonic metal band Xandria has been part of the music scene for a while now, and even though I've always heard of them, I've been hearing more and more unabashed praise ever since they released their 2012 album Neverworld's End. Praise continues to stream with their latest release, Sacrificium, which is the first of their albums to include Dutch singer Dianne van Giersbergen (who is also a member of Ex Libris). This operatic soprano has one of the most beautiful-sounding voices in today's world. While Xandria definitely has the right ingredients to make wonderful music, Sacrificium doesn't exactly leave a lasting impression overall.
The title track is the true masterpiece from this album. "Sacrificium" is a ten minute piece that opens with an epic orchestral section that just builds and builds. It includes a short narration before the choir cues the band in. There are definitely quite a few heavy riffs to be found in this song, but Giersbergen makes the entire piece quite graceful. Her vocals come to an operatic climax in the chorus: "Hold my hand wherever you are / My end now is just a new life for you all / This is my promise, my sacrifice." All the while, the choir is singing something a bit different at the same time and the vocals intertwine wonderfully. The orchestra and choir blend with the guitars to create cinematic intensity throughout, but this blend really shines in an especially bombastic way during the middle eight between guitar solos. Giersbergen is left with a piano and violin at the end singing goodbye softly as the song ends, a perfect way to end it. The only issue I had whatsoever with this track is some of the mixing: There are times when the guitars sound a little too fuzzy, particularly when the guitars first start to really get going and when the section repeats in the chorus. I wish it sounded clearer and less two-dimensional... I suppose after hearing the production on Epica's The Quantum Enigma, we're a little spoiled and have higher standards.
"Stardust" also shines as one of Sacrificium's best with its amazing riffs. When van Giersbergen's vocals start in the middle eight, the guitars nearly take the place of the classical strings stylistically - if Vivaldi was making music in this century, that section would be one of his pieces. The breakdown towards the end of the middle eight is heavy and epic, and the song as a whole is ear-catching. I have no complaints to file.
Aside from these two tracks, there aren't a lot of full songs that really stand out. "Dreamkeeper" is a mid-tempo track that's sort of reminiscent of Nightwish, and it has potential, but the chorus ultimately does not do anything exciting. Sometimes the duller songs have great moments in the midst, like the intense middle eight of "Until the End" or the chorus of "Temple of Hate," and there are plenty of moments where van Giersbergen steals the show with her amazing high notes. The only ballad from the album, "Sweet Atonement," breaks the heavy pattern right at the end as it is led by piano and violin. It's a nice song; van Giersbergen's vocals are gorgeous as usual... I really don't have anything to complain about, but nothing draws me to the song. It sort of reminds me of high school solo and ensemble selections, and I don't know how I feel about that.
The lead single, "Nightfall," certainly brings a level of intensity with its fast-paced, bombastic chorus led by van Giersbergen and the choir even though it isn't necessarily a favorite of mine, and "The Undiscovered Land" isn't bad with its folk influences. "The Undiscovered Land" is a song that builds throughout, but unfortunately the only parts I really loved were the middle eight and the soft outro.
In short, Xandria seems to be one of those bands that has all the tools - the heavy guitars, van Giersbergen's voice, the epic orchestra and choir - but they just aren't utilized that creatively much of the time. I wasn't crazy about Sacrificium. This album seems to suffer from its concept - while albums that revolve around a specific concept can be completely perfect (i.e. Epica's albums, Within Temptation's albums, and Nightwish's albums), they can also ruin themselves by concentrating more on having a theme and less on the music. This results in a lot of songs sounding the same or just not being very unique in general. Regardless, I'm sure Xandria's sound will appeal to many even outside of regular symphonic metal fans because the guitars and orchestra get equal face time, which means that there are guitar solos galore in addition to bombastic orchestral moments. Blandness is the only enemy they have to conquer.
