Jenny-fa

This entry is about two months overdue, but I finally managed to get it all done in preparation for my next rotation of indie spotlights, which, above all, will feature beautiful, beautiful symphonic music from one, not-often-heard-from country… and whose discovery had me in an excited spasm all this afternoon. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Musically starved? Sit down, relax, follow the links, and let this rundown of the best and the brightest non-mainstream music be your guide.

And once again, my time should've been better spent by studying for a test that I am guaranteed to fail. Anyway.

Six band reviews today. Enjoy!

Aural Vampire

Hometown: Tokyo, Japan
Genre: Darkwave, synthpop, electropop, industrial
Language (used in lyrics): Japanese
Years active: 2004–present
Links: Myspace - Official site (Japanese) - Wikipedia

This fun, one-of-a-kind gem of the Japanese goth scene, Aural Vampire, consists of two members — Exo-Chika, a self-proclaimed vampiress, and her trusty masked servant, Raveman. Despite appearances (though I love the concept of this duo), the two produce catchy and pop-ish electronic beats with a gothic and spacey flair. Exo-Chika's vocals are especially light and beguiling, sounding much more like an innocent Japanese pop singer than the fangs and multiple tongue piercings might suggest. In all, a promising group. Definitely check them out if you're looking for something a bit lighter than the typical metal offerings on this page.

Recommended tracks (via Myspace): "Darkwave Surfer," "Hot Blood Workout"
Music videos: "Freeeeze!!" (I dig Raveman's glowing eyes)
Rating: 6/10

ChthoniC

Hometown: Taipei, Taiwan
Genre: Melodic black metal, symphonic black metal, oriental metal
Language (used in lyrics): Classical Chinese
Years active: 1995–present
Links: Myspace - Official site (English) - Official site (繁體中文) - Wikipedia

Ah, the quintessential, counterculture image of metal lore: black-and-white painted faces, demonic growls, and a heavy, pulsing guitar ripping through the lining of your spleen. Add the traditional Chinese instrument, the erhu, and an indigenous sentimentality to the mix, and you have ChthoniC (pronounced THON-nick), Taiwan's one and only premier metal band. Despite their gorgeous, gorgeous music (which, with the erhu and the new addition of female vocals, courtesy of pop singer Sandee Chan, belies their too-extreme, grunt-heavy reputation), the members of ChthoniC also happen to be strident political activists. Freddy, the frontman of the group, has especially been vocal in the Taiwanese independence movement, and the bulk of ChthoniC's lyrics relate to folklore of the indigenous tribes of Taiwan as well as their unjust persecution (the music video of "Quasi Putrefaction" illustrates this perfectly). The members themselves are fascinating, especially the female bassist, a beautiful and enigmatic woman in every respect. In short: ChthoniC deserves a spot in every self-respecting metalhead's collection, and if you can't appreciate this outstanding group, you should go chuck yourself off a cliff straightaway. Seriously.

Also read here for some interesting articles by the International Herald Tribune and Hartford Advocate.

Recommended tracks (via Myspace): "Quasi Putrefaction," "Grab the Soul to Hell"
Music videos: "Breath of Ocean" (featuring great live footage), "Quasi Putrefaction"
Rating: 8/10

Dargaard

Hometown: Mistelbach, Austria
Genre: Neo-classical darkwave
Language (used in lyrics): English, occasional German and Latin
Years active: 1997–present
Links: Myspace - Official site (English) - Wikipedia

Beautiful, dark, and brooding ambient music from the mastermind Tharen, a keyboard player for several black metal bands, and Elisabeth Toriser, an operatic vocalist. Critically acclaimed for their innovative darkwave music, as well as another non-metal alternative for those that are skittish around distorted guitars. I myself appreciate Dargaard for their classical nuances, being a fan of gothic opera and the like. Highly recommended.

I'm sort of tired, so I won't be as effusive as I normally am. T__T

Recommended tracks (via Myspace): "Demon Eyes," "The Bearer of the Flame"
Rating: 7/10

Epica

Hometown: (Somewhere in the) Netherlands
Genre: Symphonic metal
Language (used in lyrics): English, frequent Latin
Years active: 2002–present
Links: Myspace - Official site (English) - Wikipedia

I nearly choked when I realized that this internationally renowned group (often ranked among the likes of Nightwish and Within Temptation) was still "indie" (or at least indicated as such on their Myspace page). If I may be permitted to say, no one can fully live until they hear Epica. Granted, their songwriting has become less imaginative (and more repetitive) of late, and I am slightly tiffed at their vocalist, Simone Simons, who is classically trained but apparently has backed off on utilizing the full extent of her operatic capabilities, beginning with their sophomore album Consign to Oblivion and most markedly in their latest release, The Divine Conspiracy. I mean, why? Why clean vocals? I want classical singing! I want opera, goddammit!

At any rate, Epica's symphonic metal will be one of the most masterful, evocative, and cinematic you will ever hear, of which substantial credit goes to their fabulous orchestra and Latin choir. Their latest album The Divine Conspiracy is heavier than their previous work, but simultaneously made more "accessible" with clean vocals, as demonstrated by their radio-friendly number "Never Enough." Again, Simone Simons disappoints (personally) in the operatic department, but the band definitely should not.

Recommended tracks (via Myspace): "Chasing the Dragon" (sample), "Façade of Reality" (sample), "The Obsessive Devotion" (sample)
Recommended tracks (via IMEEM): "Cry for the Moon" (highly recommended), "Chasing the Dragon" (album version), "The Last Crusade"
Music videos: "Never Enough" (the video's clichéd, but the song is awesome)
Rating: 9/10

Xandria

Hometown: Bielefeld, Germany
Genre: Symphonic/gothic metal, "pop metal"
Language (used in lyrics): English
Years active: 1997–present
Links: Myspace - Official site (German) - Official site (English) - Wikipedia

Although I am featuring Xandria among the latest and greatest in indie music (and right after Epica, no less), I personally detest the band. Like, I hate their guts. Why? Their work is a downright abomination. It's not metal. It's pop metal. Disgusting, formulaic pop music in the guise of metal. So why I am giving them a mention here? First, I know my audience is predominantly inclined towards that odious genre (although I am sure you are all wonderful people, of course), and second, their debut album, Kill the Sun, actually qualifies as good music. In a way. At any rate, the quality of that album quickly vanishes in the subsequent Ravenheart, devolving to pop garbage inundated with way too many electronic effects. They do have a certain following, but if you want to give them a go, try Kill the Sun. If you want to go further, maybe India. But I can't recommend the rest.

Recommended tracks (via Myspace): "Ravenheart," "Eversleeping"
Recommended tracks (via IMEEM): "Mermaids" (one of my top-played tracks in iTunes, actually), "She's Nirvana," "Now & Forever"
Music videos: "Ravenheart"
Rating: 5/10

Xe-NONE

Hometown: Kirov (Vyatka), Russia
Genre: Industrial metal, eurodance, "dance metal"
Language (used in lyrics): English
Years active: 2004–present
Links: Myspace - Official site (Russian)

I've always had a certain fondness for eurodance/eurobeat (the European variety of dance music), so imagine my delight in discovering Xe-NONE, a group specializing in "dance metal," a combination of heavy guitar riffs, the obligatory death vocals, and overlaying it all, addicting eurodance beats! The sound may seem strange at first, but Xe-NONE makes it unstoppable, even when adding operatic vocals to the mix (another mind-blowing talent of the versatile EvilAnn, who mainly sings in a pop-ish, eurodance voice). The male vocals and death growls of Lexy Dance, the group's leader, is also surprisingly adaptable and stylish. Lastly, Xe-NONE is the only metal band I know of that offers their work for free — THAT'S RIGHT, FREE — with links on their Myspace and official site to compressed archives of the albums. Their first full studio album Dance Metal [Rave]olution is available for download, brimming with ten tracks of intense dance metal goodness. "Start the dance of mass destruction," indeed!

Recommended tracks (via Myspace): "[Play]station," "Anesthesia"
Music videos: "Digital Fucker A.D."
Rating: 8/10

In summary

Countries represented: Austria, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Russia, Taiwan
Highest rated: Epica
Must-hear shortlist: ChthoniC, Epica, Xe-NONE

Also see my previous round of spotlights.

I'm going to bed now.