3 days until "In The Raw"!From fans to fans, here is the fourth review of the album.The cave opens[ENTER]DEAD PROMISESThis journey starts with a thunderstorm-like drumbeat, which actually symbolises something else (buy the album to find it out! Hehe), followed by enchanting guitar riffs smoothly entwining til the intro explodes and Tarja’s operatic voice staccato sequences give you goosebumps! Then you get understand why she chose this song to be an opener! Yet, there’s a surprise coming at the very beginning of this inner voyage! Tarja has welcomed Björn “Speed” Strid delivering totally another approach production-wise. He combines skilfully his clear vocals with growls embraced by Tarja´s strong, leading voice dressing this metal creation with a new, sophisticated musical ´n emotional attire! This song was “built to kill”, which means warm up your neck muscles ´cos you’ll need them all! Furthermore, this is a darkly beautiful, aggressive masterpiece filled with massive guitars sound, drums so perfectly combined enthroning this vocal duo! Björn´s done a great job, even though the task definitely wasn’t the easy one since Tarja’s voice has never sounded better, more powerful and more diverse. As a proof to her tremendous voice improvement, there is an example: when you hear Tarja singing that chorus, it sounds so energetic and sooo easy to sing, BUT when you try it yourself EVEN AS A CLASSICALLY-TRAINED singer, you get your larynx out of throat! HahahahahaahThe song is an energetic bomb filled up with an incredible synchronisation between Tarja, Björn and the band.GOODBYE STRANGERThis song is a melodious predator lurking out for your head-bangs! The intro wastes no time rushing out with the raw, massive guitars ´n drums accompanied by the aggressive, wild tempo spicing the atmosphere with some “rock´n´roll flavour”. Not long after Tarja welcomes a new passenger to this journey — ladies and gentlemen — TARJA TURUNEN & CHRISTINA SCABBIA!! A-long with first verses your ears get captured by that vocals-embroidery sparkling with clarity and pure energy between these two metal ladies. Their voices coquet with seductive vocal lines that will get stuck in your head after 1st listening. Chorus will blow you away with energetic adrenaline, it`s a blast! Yes, read it again, it´s a blast! The second chorus pays homage to Tarja production-wise, leaving her guests enough space to express themselves, which Christina did indeed. Speaking about Tarja´s vocals, in this song you can definitely hear Tarja playing with her voice taking it yet-unexplored places. Song structure is definitely interesting one, compiling all the pieces throughout the song. The dialogue between guitars and percussion is just amazing! The ly-rics…gosh…the lyrics are one-of-a-kind! Their wings will take you to such places inside your soul-chambers mirroring you exactly as you are, making you face your shadow self stranger. Self-forgiveness and deliverance . Goosebumps! That’s why I adore his woman, she constantly challenges her fans! Working with Tarja, being humble and a wonderful human being, is doubtlessly a dream-come-true. NEVERTHELESS, vocals-wise, to collaborate with Tarja means to take a walk on thin ice for all singers! Therefore, a huge bravissimo for this collaboration, this song just need it!TEARS IN RAINHere comes another energetic delicacy! In very first tacts this song tells you directly in face, “I’m an a**-kicker!”The tempo is fast and Tarja’s vocal lines flow so smoothly before the chorus make you stoned with energy and lyrics! Instrumental is the best what Tarja’s music can offer when it comes to production, drums and guitars are playing together with Tarja’s strong vocals making you jump on the street (which I’m not sure if other passengers would’ve understood hahah) And there comes that supreme, a calm-before-storm bridge..damn, what a highlight! so simple and yet so genius. That bridge with the first staccato-sung lyrics make your heart run faster and brings emotional explosi-on altogether with tears again. “Tears in Rain” brings such a message and such ability to put your-self into song and live those 4 and a half min each single time through. The song is just brilliant!RAILROADSLike the title itself says, this semi-ballad will take you to such an inner journey scattered with the petals of your personal memories and moments along the way through the song. May sound crazy, but the lyrics are so powerful all sudden all wounds come undone, especially the chorus making your tears rush. Yet again, the guitars are present giving the special flavour to the song. Very atmospheric song with dulcet percussions in background. Production-wise all the pieces are so perfectly compiled, just like other songs, crowning this album to the completely new level. Tarja’s voice shines again with all its emotional drive and warmth. She’s a genius in transmitting emotions into voice! For some fans the song may seem weird at first listening, but be ware! Soon you’ll find yourself lost in all its beauty!YOU AND ITarja should make an official statement: “You listen to this song on your own responsibility.” It`s an emotional hara-kiri! Hahaha! This song is a purest extract of emotion called L-O-V-E!! A wonderous, heart-rending, soft, sad ballad coloured with melancholy by Tarja´s voice, a grand piano and decent orchestration. A 4-min. ballad embodies it all loading your heart with most beautiful, yet saddest memories along the memories lane paved with tears… This song belongs to “expect the unexpected” in Tarja´s opus. None of us, her fans, would've expected Tarja to make a 70´s like bal-lad sealing it with her incredible timbre that melts the ice away. Structure-wise, Tarja avoids once again cliché and produces such diversely structured, yet wonderful musical legacy. There are so many singers in this world, but Tarja…she is just incredible. Every breath, every phrase metrically sculptured to perfection and yet so natural. That can be heard especially in the bridges throughout the song. Heart-melting! I am sure none of you will stay calm before the beauty of this song.THE GOLDEN CHAMBERWelcome to the Golden Chamber! A home of alchemy of life praising purest music, deepest emo-tions and Tarja´s voice! A half of the journey is behind us. Since it`s almost instrumental, it could be considered as some kind of interlude while Tarja is leading us deeper into the cave through this journey. This song is a symphonic Goliath! It starts quietly led by piano and stilly orchestra til the Tarja starts vocalising such a wonderful melody. Gradually, Tarja`s voice gets stronger and orchestra louder…and then.. oh, my goodness! The massive, huge orchestra explosion happens delivering Tarja´s massive, strong, soprano voice in all its strength, colour and splendour!! Just like a huge wave delivered by the mighty ocean! There's no adequate words could describe that emoti-onal reaction. Your tears are going simply to rush down! She prepares us with a short fragment sung in Finnish which is absolutely wonderful and makes you regret you weren't born in Finland! The final clash ends with mammoth orchestration and Tarja`s soaring voice that makes heaven tremble and earth shake! I warn you, you will cry like a baby! Tarja said in one of her interviews this song was easy to create, but don’t take it for granted. She has classical music in her blood and breathes it, to her this form of creation gives a supreme freedom of ultimate expression, which doesn’t mean for other artists. It is incredible how light she reaches those notes with such power and colour!The circle closes Tarja´s voice echoing the chamber.SPIRITS OF THE SEAFirst all all, awe to the songwriting skills, dear Tarja! You created not only a phenomenal song, but immortalised those 44 travellers. This song is an ode to the loss and a hymn of the lost! The story begins with quiet guitar effect and ominous tribal percussions which perfectly fit the song. The melody mesmerises you and pulls you deep to their everlasting haven. Soon the the silence-ripping guitars welcome Tarja`s dark voice bursting into sobs! Incredible! After the chorus Tarja takes you deeper down with her aerial voice weaving slowly with gloominess and dormant melancholia. Pay attention! — none of choruses was sung in the same style! That’s the proof of Tarja´s diversity and the way she records her songs! The bridge is stunningly beautiful but very lurid! Again perfect producing and mixing! It is very calm with Tarja’s voice so effective that’ll make you so strong scenery in your head — a meeting between the living and the spirit. Promise and love! Tarja’s voice pictures it so dramatic with her high register. “I’ll go” will freeze you! It is wonderful what she does with emotions and what kind of emotions she causes by a listener! Very progres-sive song, something she never done before. This is very progressive song having a complex struc-ture. The story comes to an end with the sounds of tragedy-fated brothers resting in sempiternal realm of silence...dark and sad to the bone... Tears of empathy won’t be missed listening this one.THE SILENT MASQUERADE“Fare you well: your suit is cold.' Cold, indeed, and labour lost: Then, farewell, heat and welcome, frost!”This one was definitely hardest one to review, almost impossible to find the words for it. My dea-rest one and lyrics-wise the most personal one to me… This epic piece of art will DEVASTATE you making you sob and fight to catch a breath! This is not an overreaction, it is just like that. The emotional drive has therapeutic effect! CATHARSIS! If I had to describe it in shortest way, I´d do it in poetic manner: “O ye, listener, do brace thyself a sea of tears to spare. For such a woe in this song is to share.”It all starts quite joyful. Shakespeare’s lines and serene melody of grand piano completely inno-cent of anguish and pain that’s to come. However, as the piano goes darker with wonderful pas-sages, your pulse starts to rise and eyes fill with tears. No words good enough to describe it. The piano riff is unreal, melancholic, coloured with such heaviness. Tarja starts to sing caressing the melody with her sad voice going cold at the moments, exactly where it should be done. Riffing piano instrumental announces Tommy Karevik who rashes with his super emotional voice. Such a singer!! The cry in his voice will defragment your soul into pieces witch emotions. Tarja conjoins him confirming her best collaboration ever, ever rushing into chorus. Knife-like chorus vocal lines will carve each single word into your soul, paralyse you with consuming shivers! The bridge is a total twist! Sort of a dance macabre ! Raw guitars, ravening drums, Tarja and Tommy singing to-gether aggressive,, cold and haunting. The hurricane of screaming voices echoing with pain grab you into in emotional vortex of terror, tragedy and loss. Eerie. Heartbreaking. The last chorus va-nishes into silence taking farewell with the same vivid passages and Shakespeare's lines. From all male singers, Tommy`s got the most emotional male ever fitting unrealistically well to Tarja`s. SONG DENIES ANYTHING BUT 100% OF YOUR EMOTIONS! And it will take it from you whether you want it or not.SERENESerene could be named after “Hopebringer”. A perfect track after Silent Masquerade . Already in few seconds the enlightenment can be felt, despite strong guitars and sharp drums. Tarja`s is at charge again playing with her voice. The chorus bursts. The hope-giving lyrics as the vocal melody sways take you to the inner calm fields making your inner child dance to the beautiful harmony! A progressive touch in the song will definitively catch your attention. The golden moment is for sure the bridge…damn, what a power! From the calm guitars Tarja rises and soars with her voice burning all boundaries hitting that last note! Goosebumps haunt anew. This is in a way positive, yet heavy song highlighting the great sound of drums and rawness of guitars. You will definitively fall in love with it!SHADOW PLAYHere is it. Final station. Inner journey. A perfect closer.The play kicks off immediately. Dark choir with magnificent staccato melody and abundant orchestra make you take a peek into her bedroom…a crying, dancing marionette. This track is an energy booster. Tarja gives life to lyrics with her dark, beauteous timbre, phrasing and playing with metrics so brilliant. In a moment your imagination unwinds and as the words flow, you see the shadows playing and catching each other upon the wall. The chorus has a strong melody that crashing onward with stunning lyrics. Deliverance. The middle part is a heavy rock diamond delivering the unbelievable amount of emotions. Bridge is will drown you in all its beauty. Calm, contrasting, a ray hope before the final bang. The lyrics contain one of the strongest lines EVER written in Tarja`s songs — “You are your thoughts. What are we waiting for?” Thinking it couldn't be more touching, the choir and orchestra explode feeding on rushy guitars sound paving a way to final chorus. And then — clash of the titans! Massive, theatrical, dramatical choir ´n orchestra epilogue in full power and the main song theme of this soundtrack to FREEDOM unleash the sound flood of epicness. The choir goes higher, orchestra louder til…BANG! The same thunderstorm-like beat… Journey came to and end.The cave closes[EXIT]SUMMA SUMMARUM: I`ve been Tarja`s fan since my age of 10. Nowadays, after 15 years, for the first time ever I fell in love with complete album at the 1st listening. Love at 1st listening! This al-bum is something most complex, various, mature — heaviest and darkest Tarja has ever done. Re-lieving at the same time. This album shook the ground under my feet and made me ask “is it pos-sible that there's a golden chamber of mine without even knowing for?”, “how is it possible that the music is so strong daring me go to inner places I never dared before..”Being a positive person, I’ve always known very well what’s inside my Pandora´s box…at least I thought so…til I’ve got to listen to this masterpiece. Tears, memories, wounds, loss and pain…everything that ever happened personally..I’ve felt it all. Again. Silent Masquerade touched me like any song before. “In the Raw” was a sort of purification, a journey and can be everyone’s and that’s exactly what Tarja wanted. And that's why I decided to write these reviews honestly, without making any single compromise with my fear or shame. It is nothing bad being a boy and weep to almost each single song. Emotions forbid. Only so I could make my personal journey from darkest to serenest. Dear Tarja, thank You for gifting us this album — a mosaic of your soul — collecting the pieces of both beauty and darkness, tears and love, loss and hope, rise and fall, fear, self-forgiveness and self-discovery along this journey.Written by Boris OrozTarja gave the chance to few fans, members of the Winter Storm fan club, to review each song from "In The Raw".Join at www.winterstormofficial.com
2 days until "In The Raw"!From fans to fans, here is the fifth review of the album.DEAD PROMISESDead Promises, the song that open the album, starts with a heavy melodic riff followed by a catchy operatic chorus and a strong base. The lyrics says; "Dead promises, games you play will kill your dreams" personally for me this is one of the most strong lyrics that Tarja ever wrote. The progression of the guitars along the entire song definitly will make you bang your head when you listening it. On this track we can hear the collaboration bewteen Tarja and the Swedish heavy metal singer Björn Strid (Soilwork) who gives the song a new dinamic and perspective. The duet makes a great addition to the track that is already powerful but with the Björn vocal transition to growl- clean voice, gives Tarja a nice complement to her clean strong but (non less powerful voice) take the composition to the next level. This song have all the elements of her previous albums put on together but with a maturing sound. I really believe that this one is the perfect opening to the shows of the next tour.GOODBYE STRANGERThe second song on the album. Tarja join forces with Lacuna Coil's Italian metal singer Cristina Scabbia. Honestly I found myself very happy and excited about what this powerful womens bring to the table with this collaboration. A slide guitar easily confused with an orchestral arrageament and a “tick tac, tick tac” mark the opening of a heavy guitar riff “Let it go, let it go! Why crave to hold your breath?” Both sings to the unison and their voices merge so perfectly that is like if they were predestined to sing together. Tarja gave Cristina a good space and freedom to interpret and that is remarcable. No orchestra in this song anyway it doesn’t feel neccesary. A heavy dark rocking track with moments of light a refreshing sound and a scaling guitar solo. This is something different compared what the Finnish singer have used to show us before, is magnificent hear how their voices support mutualy without overshadow the other. Good balance.TEARS IN RAINHeavy guitar riff is what you can hear definitely this is something different and refreshing. This one is my favorite so far. Nothing that she have done before can be compared with this song. “We are gone. Nothing of us remains like tears in rain” This song is about rock, all the force came out of the guitars, the band itself, the chorus got stuck in my mind and I couldn't stop listening the song over and over and suddenly, after Tarja sings the chorus one more time: ¡Pure heavy! Seriously the song changes completely and turns agressive and raw, the guitar and drums did an amazing job with the song. You can expect the unexpected. I really like this new style on her sound. Her voice shine as usual but in a different way, a more versatile form whithout losing her mark.RAILROADSThe piano is the instrument that give the beginnig to this song with beautiful molodies, a ballad with a meaningful and deep lyric. "Life without meaning, is no life at all". The orchestra accompanies the delicate melody along almost in a shy way, to the chorus. We can hear the guitars take part discreetly. In the middle of the song we can hear an electronic effecs on the drums to give a song a modern touch along with the orchestra, followed by a powerful violin solo. Tarja sing along with touching clean voice.YOU AND IWith just listening to the sadness and melancholic piano notes was enough to given me chills, vocally this was beautifully interpreted with such a delicates tones, a piece full of feelings, light and bright passagess, you can feel endless emotions with every note. Tarja showing us her most intimite,vunerable and personal side. The simplicity of the music turned this ballad as the gem of the album. The strong presence of the orchestra to give an eighties spirit and a cinematic sound. It’s difficult not imagine this as the soundtrack of a film.THE GOLDEN CHAMBERA seven minutes song that it feels like the continuation of the previous track but with an enormous difference: This one gives a feeling of hope, calmness and peace. I’m pretty sure that the idea of this song came out from what Tarja experience after diving into St. Michael's Cave in Gibraltar. Only a few Finnish words along the entire musical piece. The vocal improvisation and orchestral arrangements will take you into a musical journey. You also can hear a few electronics elements to accompanient and complement the music.SPIRITS OF THE SEAThis a dark song without a doubt. An astmosferic melody came from the guitars and take the led of the song almost completely . Tarja’s voice also have a protagonic rol but in certains moments the heavy groove of the guitars grabs all my attention, the song feels like a clamour of justice, kind of a sad goodbye. “Meet me at the hour of dawn. Think of us after you’re gone” (the incident of the ARA San Juan submarine from Argentina that disappeared leaving uncertainty about the 44 members of the crew inspired this song) in the middle of the track after a little orchestral interlude, Tarja take the reins of the vocal lines with all the power of her operatic voice.SILENT MASQUERADEThe theme starts with the famous phrase “All that glitters is not gold” a piano as main instrument, on this opportunity Tarja chose another talented Swedish singer Tommy Karevik from Kamelot as a special guest. What a gratificating choice. At the begging you can clearly hear a reciting part after that, the guitar makes her stellar appereance with a compact and strong riff. Tarja used her pulled chest voice for this occassion. I have to make an statement: ¡What a song, what a power! what a paradise I feel when I hear Tarja’s voice singing along with Tommy, pure magic. The most heavy guitar sound I ever heard in comparison to their previous albums, I like the teathrical vocals that Tarja used in one specific part. The song finish on the same way that started with a recited part. An epic duet for an epic song.SERENEThis is a heavy one. “Just fly. Over the night and you’ll soon wake up to see. Everything’s serene.” I loved that guitar solo. The lyric is very positive, energetic and all the opposite to the music. Only Tarja can put such a optimistic and warm message into a dark, distortion, dynamic song. I like the harmonies between Tarja and the guitar. The ways she worked the vocal lines is very interesting.SHADOW PLAYA massive, bombastic orchestra. Totally teathrical. One of my favourites lyrics on the entire album the story of a marionette. “From the corner of her bedroom light illuminates crawling shadows, cut out silhouettes with the darkness, a dancing marionette” This is a masterpiece from the beginning to the end. What a way to close an abum, impecable orchestral arrangaments, fabulous choruses, the sensitive of a piano and the delicadate of a violín adding the drama that the song need. Jim Dooley did an outstanding job with this piece. This is pure art, this is the cherry of the cake and when you finished listening the whole album you finally realize what “in the raw” is about because you have found that this album is made with the sophistication, rawness, and glitter of a luxury piece of gold.Written by Giselda HernándezTarja gave the chance to few fans, members of the Winter Storm fan club, to review each song from "In The Raw".Join at www.winterstormofficial.comwww.tarja-intheraw.com
Only 1 day until "In The Raw"!From fans to fans, here is the sixth review of the album.DEAD PROMISESThe album starts with Dead Promises, the first single, and oh! what a powerful first opening track. With a Rammstein-esque vibe on the guitar riffs and solo at the beginning, the heavier side of Tarja’s creativity, my favourite side of her, kicks the door and opens a new album. The song is based on a heavy riff that manages to arise in every transition from the verses to the chorus and bridges. During the verses the guitars take a step back to give room to Tarja’s always fabulous voice while the drums keep a simple beat as a means to establish the groove of the song. What quickly caught my attention is that on the bridge Tarja reaches low notes but approaching them with a different technique; almost like if she was speaking, using only her chest voice. It is interesting how on every album she tries to add something new to her vocal style sometimes even completely forgetting her lyrical technique in favour of a more “natural” sounding voice. The chorus comes after the bridge and is quickly one to remember and sing aloud at home, in the car, or whatever you are. Now on the chorus Tarja provides her now established combination of the natural sound of the chest voice and the power of the lyrical voice brilliantly merged.It should be noted that the single version consists only of Tarja as the vocalist while the album version is a duet with Soilwork vocalist Bjorn “Speed” Strid. The duet functions very well in the contrast between the two voices and the harmonization. Bjorn sings using mostly his clean vocals and uses his growls only in a couple of phrases. My only objection to the song would be that Bjorn doesn’t have the sufficient time in front of the vocals as to fully demonstrate his full potential.GOODBYE STRANGERGoodbye Stranger is the long awaited song that conjures up Tarja with the Italian goddess Cristina Scabbia from the mighty Lacuna Coil. If Dead Promises had a small vibe in the beginning similar to Rammstein then the main riff from the beginning of Goodbye Stranger is purely Rammstein. A marching pace combined with a heavy and simple riff start the song until the magic begins and Cristina and Tarja start singing together on the verse. The guitars take a step back during the verses to give place to the vocals but quickly gain strength during the bridge, when Cristina sings alone, and during the chorus where both vocalists share the spotlight. A fairly simple song in structure that is embellished with the addition of a simple guitar solo which consists of one first section of a soulful string bending phrasing and then the second section of a more classical staccato phrasing.TEARS IN RAINTears in Rain arrives as as the third single and displays a structure partially similar to that of Dead Promises in that a recurring riff is used as transition in between verses and choruses, and as an intro and outro riff.. As Dead Promises, guitars take a predominant role in the beginning with a hard rock riff that last not too long only to give place to the verse and the foundational beat of the song. Every part of the song arrives fast, the verses and chorus (no bridge whatsoever) seem to last only a couple of bars sometimes hindering the possibility to grasp the full vibe of each part of the song. Nothing too serious or overly problematic since it the song flows with no difficulty at all. The song transmits an uplifting feeling , not happy, but similar to the feeling of something achieved, a reward to a big effort, a troubled journey coming to an end.RAILROADSRailroads is the second single and moves away from the previous one showing the softer yet more passionate side of Tarja. A fairly simple song that slowly builds up integrating one instrument at a time arriving to the chorus with full force and passion. A piano opens the song followed by the drums and Tarja ‘s vocals starting at the same time while the sound of strings and piano cover the background of the song like a soft curtain decorates a peaceful room. Guitars appear only to enhance the power of the chorus and leave with the chorus to once again give place to the piano and strings. In this case the lyrical style of Tarja takes the lead especially during the chorus , and it brings back memories of My Winter Storm and What Lies Beneath when still her lyrical voice ruled her vocal style.YOU AND IYou and I is an overly romantic yet nostalgic song that sets its foundation only on a piano and the orchestra in the background while Tarja assumes the leadership of the song by means of his always wonderful voice. The stellar work of the three components of the song: piano, strings, and vocals produce a feeling of calmness while yearning for a past that was good but that is no more; a song to close your eyes and experience.THE GOLDEN CHAMBERThe Golden Chamber follows a similar instrumental path than You and I but this time in the form of 7 minute long “suite” with three movements. The first half of the song consists of Tarja’s voice above a set of strings and sounds that evoke a calm landscape like a sunset on the beach watching how the waves caress the shore. An epic film soundtrack vibe is carried out with different modulations in the instruments and in Tarja’s vocals. The rising volume of the background instruments and Tarja’s classical vocals rising in tone and reaching to levels only imagined by us mere listeners. Now the second movement of the suite strikes right in the heart: Tarja singing in his native language in a minor tonality is like manna from heaven. Sadly that doesn’t last long and now comes the final act featuring once again the epicness of the first movement with Tarja reaching the upper levels of her register until the end of the song.SPIRITS OF THE SEAThis is the jewel of the crown, the heaviest song since Ciaran’s Well, this is Spirits of the Sea. An obscure feeling crawls from the starting guitar sounds, a sense of impending doom takes over when you hear the low sound of the palm muted guitar being strummed. And doom is the word because the cadence, the atmosphere, the low tuned riffs, partially resembles the work of Tarja’s fellow amazing countrymen Swallow the sun. The song starts with what later would be recognized as the chorus so right from the start Tarja delivers a performance worthy of recognition by the ancient writers as a cunning siren luring sailors to their death. Passion, strength , sorrow, loss are the feelings that Tarja, the bass, the guitar, and the drums channel through a heavy, mean, evil combination of their sounds and performance. However, this song is not about evil but it is about doom. In 2017, An Argentinian submarine , the ARA San Juan, disappeared beneath the waves of the southern seas taking with it the lives of 44 crew members. The submarine had oxygen for only seven days of submersion. It was found a year later after its disappearing at a depth of 907 meters (2967ft) at 500 km (310 miles) away from the mainland. A heartbreaking homage from Tarja to the crew members and their families.SILENT MASQUERADESilent Masquerade is the last song in a row of three 7 minute songs and is the last one to feature a duet with another singer. Tommy Karevik is the chosen one and wisely chosen. Their voices match perfectly and both of them can shine when singing separately specially Tommy whose vocal talent can be truly appreciated like when he sings for his band Seventh Wonder. Relatively calm, the song starts with a spoken male voice above a piano resembling to those famous spoken passages in the songs of the melodic power metal heroes Sonata Arctica. Now come the instruments to proper introduce the pace and tone of the song; however, surprisingly the song builds up from the end of the first chorus to introduction the second and final chorus to a heavier middle section that varies from a chugging metal riff to a more fast paced version of the same riff while adding Tarja’s ghoulish witch moans to cause a sense of chaos and confusion right before the second chorus. The song now moves to its final stage with the repetition of the chorus three times but doubling the pace of the drums and adding layers of backing vocals performed by Tarja and Tommy. The song ends as it started: a spoken male voice above a piano that plays ad infinitum until it fades out.SERENESerene brings a tribal rhythm at the beginning that last during the short intro and through the verses. The beat changes to a regular one for the choruses and the middle section of the song. Tarja starts singing very high up in her register with a sweet calmness but descends into almost her lowest notes for the second part of the verses proving again her vocal gymnastics without being too fancy, flashy or loud. The tribal influence is clearly demonstrated after the second chorus where a section of tribal drums supporting the guitar solo bring up memories of one of the best songs in power metal, The Shaman by brazilian legends Angra. Tarja makes use of her powerful technique for the short section after the solo and before the last round of the chorus in a mesmerising display of vocal prowess. The beginning riff appears one more time to give end to another great song from a great albumSHADOW PLAYAnd now it’s time to finish the album and intrigue begins to arise when the audio player shows that it is another 7 minute song. Will Tarja end the album in an epic manner with a bombastic track? The answer is yes. As you, the reader, have seen, I see similarities everywhere and that's hardly ever a bad thing. Now the similarity comes from the side of the dutch metal icons Epica and the use of the symphonic elements in their first albums. Shadow Play stands on the shoulders of the orchestra and choir elements without losing the focus of the metal/rock elements as the riffs, drumming and solos. The verse invites you to close your eyes while the drumbeat and Tarja’s voice paint a story in front of your mind and the chorus adds more depth by Tarja adding power to her performance. As usual, after the second chorus comes a mid section of heavy headbanging riffs that end abruptly to give room to the piano and the orchestra to prepare the way for Tarja to enter. Once again the chorus is introduced and Tarja sings her last powerful and majestic notes of the album. The orchestra keeps playing to the end building up to an epic ending of silence. A loud thud marks the end as it marked the beginning of the album.There are several high points that stand out after hearing the album one and 20 times:-The use of the symphonic elements whether it’s violins, piano or the entire orchestra adds the necessary dose of epicness and depth without ever taking the spotlight.- The guest vocalists. Tarja must have heard me asking for years for her to invite vocalists from the european metal scene and what better choices than Bjorn, Cristina, and Tommy.- The heavy, raw element of the riffs. I was surprised to hear some really dark chords and progressions played in a saturated low tuned guitar- The quality of the songs. Vocal prowess, fancy guest vocalists, a 300 member orchestra, doesn’t mean nothing if the composition is not clever enough to let every element shine when the moment is due but still giving room to spontaneity, and to the natural flow of the song. It should be mentioned that it is a 57 minutes long album with ten songs and four of them lasting 7 minutes average that never bores. One way or another, the crafting of the song always proposes a flow that is entertaining enough or compelling enough for the listener not to feel tired or overblown by the development of the track.- Last but not least, Tarja. She sounds more comfortable than ever, always challenging herself to try new techniques or variations of the old techniques. I may not always agree with what she tries but sure I agree with her trying new things.Her best album since What Lies Beneath and a real contender for Album Of The Year in my list. To many more years of Tarja’s talent gracing these mortal souls, her fans.Written by Guille RiosTarja gave the chance to few fans, members of the Winter Storm fan club, to review each song from "In The Raw".Join at www.winterstormofficial.comwww.tarja-intheraw.com
Few voices have been as inspirational in symphonic metal as Tarja Turunen’s. Her classically inspired three-octave range helped rocket Nightwish – the group she started with Tuomas Holopainen and Emppu Vuorinen in 1996 – into the heavy music stratosphere, eventually becoming one of the biggest bands of their kind. Since parting ways in 2005, she’s been keeping busy as an artist in her own right, with her seventh solo album In The Raw arriving to great acclaim today. Here she talks us through the new music, its star guests and – after being reunited on stage with old bandmate Marco Hietala in December 2017 – what the future might hold…What made you choose In The Raw as the title for your seventh solo album?“I would say this is the most personal album to me, it’s the one I wouldn’t have been able to write until this moment in my life. I guess I feel like I had to just get it out of my system… it was a painful process, in many ways, which is why I kept it raw.”What exactly was painful about it?“It was a time of great personal turmoil. Through the music, I’m telling stories about things that have happened to me or people close to me, like my family. This music is the place I’ve been living for the last few years… it’s all there. I try to keep my lyrics open so people can find themselves in there or put their own stories to them, I want the songs to be something special for them. In terms of the personal side of it, the last year has been very tough on me, both physically and mentally. I was exhausted from all the touring. At the end of the year, I arrived home just two days before Christmas and felt completely burned out. I said to myself, ‘There’s no way you will finish your new album in the next month and a half’ which was the deadline I was working to. The music was there and everything felt good, but I hadn’t started with lyrics. It felt very surreal and difficult.”So a lot of it came down to creative frustrations?“That was some of the pain, yes, because I felt exhausted and incapable of delivering. I’ve always been a perfectionist in everything I do. And I’ve had to learn how to avoid that perfection-ism. The Silent Masquerade was especially difficult to write as it was tied to one of my family tragedies. I always knew it was going to be hard for me to sing live. When I heard it all finished, I wept like a baby! Ever since I turned 40, which feels like a good and magical number, I’ve felt like doing things for myself more than before. I’ve feel better than ever in ways, but that sense of exhaustion inside of me had to come out.”It must have felt good when it finally did…“Writing these feelings into the lyrics helped me feel free. It was liberating, to the point of me feeling I couldn’t write any more songs after this… and actually, I haven’t been near my piano since (laughs). The time will come for that. This album means the world to me. I went deep within myself like never before. Much like the song The Golden Chamber: Awaken / Loputon Yö / Alchemy, I’d say this whole album is a journey. For the promo shots, you see pictures of me in a cave… it was symbolic of being in a place deep down, under the earth, to find your paradise or whatever you are looking for.”You’re one of the biggest selling Finnish artists of all-time. Does that make it harder to feel as if you’re still such searching for that paradise?“I know! I am loved, I can love, I am healthy… those are all the things that matter. Through this album, I learned not to take things for granted. I have to enjoy moments of everyday life. I see my child, she’s now six years old, and know I’ve done at least some good in life. But that’s the basis of it all… I am very fortunate and grateful to have been able to express myself for so many years. I have enjoyed the respect of my colleagues and fans in both metal and classical music, but it hasn’t come for free. It’s been a lot of work. My biggest blessing, my voice, has also at times been a curse.”You must see metal and classical music as two art forms with a lot more in common than appearances might suggest…“Both styles have so much in common. I feel music is just emotion, it can connect people from whatever background. It’s a very personal experience, we all have things we like and don’t like, but ultimately music is just emotion. Metal and classical music are both very emotional genres.”Which do you think are the heaviest classical composers for rock fans to check out?“You could pick any of the Wagner operas for example or Russian composers like Tchaikovsky and you will find a lot of heavy metal ideas in there. Or take something like Sibelius’ Finlandia, when it gets to the paddle part in the middle of the piece… add some guitar to that and it will blow you up! It’s never been a battle for me to be involved in classical and heavy metal at the same time. There’s been no struggle there except for the amount of time and work it’s taken. People have seen me working hardly purely in classical music, being well prepared, and I’ve enjoyed their respect. I’ve been doing this for so long that now when I do classical performances a lot of heavy metal kids come and enjoy it too. I’ve had people telling me how it’s inspired them to book opera tickets and embark on new discoveries. It’s good to break boundaries. Or the other way round, I love the idea of a classical music lover at a big rock show. I’ve never been afraid of mixing the styles. If I was afraid, I never would have sung on that first Nightwish demo.”Björn ‘Speed’ Strid of Soilwork and Tommy Karevik from Kamelot make an appearance on the tracks Dead Promises and Silent Masquerade, respectively…“I’ve been a huge fan of Björn’s voice for many years. He sings with lots of emotion and charisma, plus he’s very open-minded. He has this ability of growling really harsh vocals, which I could never do, as well as all this beautifully clean stuff. He was so nice to work with and really knows how to colour the music he sings over. I actually wrote all of these songs for my voice, so it can be hard sometimes trying to get the male range to fit where the female range tends to be. I think Bjorn and Tommy both might have initially struggled with what I sent over, but it all worked out fantastically.”You team up with Lacuna Coil’s Cristina Scabbia on the track Goodbye Stranger. How did that come about?“I think we first met in London many, many years ago at some event. I remember taking a picture with her, the first of many. We stayed in touch, sometimes calling each other and always finding each other at festivals. It’s always been bubbling away, the idea of working together. Once I had the right song, I decided to reach out to her and ask for a favour. She’s a super-cool woman and incredibly charismatic.”And that same sense goodwill has even been extended to those who ended up singing in Nightwish after you…“Of course. I’ve shared the stage with Floor [Jansen] and have been inviting her to my shows. I care for her and love her, and only wish her the best. There is no competition between singers like us. We are all living in a man’s world, sort of. So each of us being out there, doing our own thing, can only be a good thing. It’s a sisterhood that is beautiful.”On December 14, 2017, you reunited with Nightwish member Marco Hietala on stage for the first time in 12 years. Was it nerve-wracking on the night?“Naturally I was nervous. I hadn’t seen Marco in 12 years, we hadn’t been in touch. So it would be silly to say I wasn’t nervous, but more than anything I was curious about he was doing. I just wanted to see him. On the day of the show, he came to knock on my [dressing room] door, as he’d been unable to make rehearsals. It was just like, ‘Hey!’ with a massive, long hug after 12 years apart. Just a few things were said like, ‘Great to see you’ and ‘See you soon on stag.e. Then we sang those songs, the last of which was Ave Maria, just the two of us with acoustic guitars. It was very intimate, yet in front of a huge crowd with thousands and thousands of people in front of us. That was a moment neither of us will ever forget. We were very emotional, the whole place exploded with emotion. It was beautiful.”Could that mean there’s potential to re-join Nightwish for one song or one tour, who knows, maybe even an album?“I know a lot of fans would love to see something happen, but it’s a very long distance away… Personally, I don’t see anything happening with me and them, to be perfectly honest. Marco came a little later into the band, he wasn’t there since the beginning, he was always a guy I was close to. Me and [Nightwish keyboardist/leader] Tuomas Holopainen, however, haven’t seen each other in a long time… but we have been in touch. It’s not bad. The past is what it is, we can’t change that. We can only change the future.”
From fans to fans, here is the seventh review of "In The Raw".Listen to the album here: www.tarja.lnk.to/InTheRawDEAD PROMISESDead Promises is epic, bombastic and strong. The song is embedded in heavy yet playful guitar riffs, which seem to urge the listener to pay close attention. Once the vocals start, one is hooked to the catching mixture of teasing and pleading lines that are conveyed in the lyrics as well as in Tarja’s voice. Björn’s voice lends the song power, his screams make it more aggressive and urgent. Meanwhile, the background voices remind one of a Greek chorus, following the events in anxious anticipation. Dead promises evokes the image of hunting a guilty, yet loved one, sometimes in softer almost tender, sometimes in more distanced or aggressive variations. A desperate but firm trial to lead someone back to the light with a perfect balance of heavy instrumentals, Tarja’s darker and deeper as well as softer and lighter tones of voice, supplemented by Björn’s intense screams.GOODBYE STRANGERHeavy guitars set in, weaving an unbreakable cage for the vocals that seem to bounce of the heavy riffs – this creates a heavy, dense and intense atmosphere. The pressure is building but is suppressed until it breaks out with full force in the chorus. This outbreak, this cry, feels freeing and painful at the same time – bittersweet. Trifold voices of Tarja and Christina trigger the impression of inner chaos or struggle, the self being drawn into different directions, interwoven into one braid that coincides into the relief in the chorus.TEARS IN RAINTears in rain starts with trembling anticipation and quickly builds up an intense atmosphere – a rush to succeed, driven forwards, to turn the stakes and still find a way to change what is already set in stone. At the climax of the song, the hysteric, speedy guitars make you feel like you’re running a race against time, yourself or another, without reaching a clear goal. What follows is a crystal clear breakdown, reflected in Tarja’s whispers . But power and self-confidence is built up again with the realization that one has overcome oneself. From the ashes rises, shining and hopeful, a phoenix flying upwards into a new sun.RAILROADSRailroads feels like walking on the beach while the sun is low, your eyes are closed and you see the colorful spots behind your eyelids, a soft breeze playing in your hair. The melody triggers a feeling of longing so intense that while listening to the chorus, your heart swells in your chest and tears at the boundaries set by yourself and the world. This is one of the rare songs that makes you feel that life is amazing and that you are loved and every struggle is worth it. Tarja’s voice is so tender and carries so much emotion, while the instruments frame the song smoothly and carry it on its way to be the next masterpiece and an all-time favorite.YOU AND IWhen You and I starts with soft piano notes, it feels almost like a lullaby or a ballad. But while you want it to be soothing, you can’t help but feel the pain settling in. The hurt is felt both in the fragility of Tarja’s voice as much as in the selective and careful orchestration. This song feels incredibly intimate, very immediate. The dripping pain, like sitting in an empty room in the cold break of dawn, holding your bleeding heart in your hands, still loving, still hopeful.THE GOLDEN CHAMBERA soft piano melody takes you into a melancholy dreamscape. The sound is spherical, you feel like floating, particles of light around you, borderless space. Tarja’s voice sets in, yearning and longing, piercing the heart. It’s a soulscape where shapes get clearer, orchestration more graspable. Then there’s a short break, like a meeting out of time, an illusion or wish in the endless night. The orchestra breaks through, the space shakes as the music suggests movement, drawing you towards an ever growing light, accompanied by Tarja’s voice that sounds like a mermaid’s heart breaking. Arguably the most intense, profound song that leaves a deep impression, not least because of Tarja’s incredible vocals.SPIRITS OF THE SEAWith the first part of the song, the music takes you into the darkness below the ocean’s surface, greeted by distant whales, until the guitar theme meets you at the bottom of the sea, a melody for the mysterious. Tarja’s voice is strong and decisive, seems to be seeking her “brothers of the blue”. Perhaps to pay tribute, one sinks deeper into the blue abyss, her voice breathing upwards from a surreal realm that waits below, a tribute to the unknown and that which we cannot grasp. Certainly one of the most complex songs with a surprising structure that makes it particularly intriguing.SILENT MASQUERADEThe song is introduced by a meaningful Shakespearean quote, making it feel like the start into an adventure. There is a short piano line that repeats throughout the song which sinks into your mind like a mantra, like fate. It is soon joined by emphasizing guitars. As soon as the contrasting voices of Tarja and Tommy start their duet – or should one say duel – you find yourself in the middle of a brewing storm, waves crashing, a battle of the elements topped by artful screams that seem to escape the earth’s very core. You then sail on into calmer waters and the song adequately closes with another Shakespeare quote, followed by an epilogue with the memorable piano mantra.SERENETarja’s high-pitched voice, framed by decisive guitars, leads you through what might be the everyday struggle of life, sometimes a bleak chaos. With her voice rising, you take heart, climb upwards and break through the thick cover of clouds: a moment of perfect tranquility and serenity, timeless. Back you fall where crushing guitars embrace you in your daily fight until the song culminates in an impressive guitar/voice climax.SHADOW PLAYShadow Play starts with an epic string orchestra and a dramatic choir, as if introducing a monumental battle. It might be the story of the never ceasing struggle with the darkness in ourselves, seducing us, burdening our lives. Tarja’s pleading voice breaks out of this, met by the unwavering choir, the battle continues, overwhelms, until you find yourself in the eye of the storm. In this quiet peacefulness, accompanied by a soothing melody, you find yourself again and realize what matters. As the storm rages on, Tarja sings against it with evermore vehemence until the peak is reached: total silence. The end?Written by Jenny SeibickeTarja gave the chance to few fans, members of the Winter Storm fan club, to review each song from "In The Raw".Join at www.winterstormofficial.com
From fans to fans, here is the eighth review of "In The Raw"Listen to the album here: www.tarja.lnk.to/InTheRawDEAD PROMISESWhat an intro! It's not the first time that Tarja goes for the heavier sound, but it is not what I got used to from her in general, and after more than a decade of listening to her music, it still came a bit as a surprise. At first I didn't know how this sound will work with her vocals (I used to be a fan especially of the orchestra-dominated songs), but after a minute and a half I was convinced that this can be an awesome combination too! Strong instrumentals. Awesome vocal melody. An equally awesome chorus. Awesome song!The song works well as a duet, it has a richer sound this way. The clean male vocals are not exactly doing it for me, but the growls suit the song very well!This song created a solid and pretty high basis for my expectations regarding the album.GOODBYE STRANGERThis is a very enjoyable song, more light-hearted, with a dynamic and engaging melody and a vigorous chorus, heavier than Tears In Rain. I was looking forward a lot to this collaboration, yet I had no idea what to expect from it, Tarja's and Cristina Scabbia's voices being very different. But this song makes them meet in the middle and the combination is a kick-ass rock song!Apparently I am more into the dramatic stuff, the rest of the album must have overshadowed it at first, because this is the only new song from the album which needed more than one listen (to be fair, two...) for me to be able to get into it. But no worries, when I gave it more attention I realized that it is not below the songs I instantly praised at all, it's just different. And it's cool!RAILROADSRailroads was the love at first listen type of song for me. It flows so nicely and the vocals are flawless. At the beginning I thought it will be a ballad, but it turns out it's more than that. It's both the traveler sitting still and comfortable in the train and the always-changing, blurred scenery outside the window - it's like different dimensions harmonically colliding. (I think I get it where Aleph as an inspiration came in the picture!)It is a very representative song of Tarja's music and in the same time fresh and surprising. I totally love it!TEARS IN RAINIt starts heavy, turns out to be an upbeat song with a happier tone, the chorus is catchy, uplifting, and it will keep playing in your head after a single listen. Briefly, a very good song for a single!A downside could be found in the nuances of it. While in Railroads the different tempos compliment each other very well, here the rather cheerful melody with the soft vocals is clashing a bit with the darker, more melancholic lyrics (very good lyrics, by the way!). But it deserves the bonus points for being the invigorating kind of song. We need more of those. Eventually, I wouldn't want to renounce to either side of it.So nevertheless, Tears In Rain may very well be the new Until My Last Breath! It's very enjoyable and it would work amazingly well for a closing song at concerts. I'm already looking forward to experience it live!YOU AND IThis is the simpler kind of song, with soft and tender vocals from Tarja. At first I thought this song will not live up to the potential her vocals have, but I was pleasantly mistaken, because it leads to a beautiful chorus which highlights her talent. Then again it would be hypocritical to praise the album for showing so many sides of her voice and getting hung up on the few moments (this one, partially, and Tears In Rain) where she wants to be simple. It is still full of emotion. The kind of song which will make you teary eyed. At least. I liked it more with each listen.THE GOLDEN CHAMBERI love it how Tarja doesn't shy away from putting a song like this one in the middle of a heavy album. She did it from day one. And this song feels like the 'Oasis' of this album. It is a quiet, relaxing, yet still extremely powerful piece. No riffs, very few words, instead just the orchestra and Tarja's soaring vocals. I don't have the musical knowledge to be able to accurately describe them, what I can say as a listener is that they are enchanting and they will give you goosebumps! Very impressive! It truly allows her to shine.This song would make a perfect ending for a film score.SPIRITS OF THE SEAThis is the song which came as the biggest surprise for me. We might have encountered hints of this sound before, but as a whole it is different than what Tarja has done so far. It blooms into a dark, eerie and heavy song. It is creepy and captivating, along with some very impressive and unusual vocals (we don't often hear distorted vocals from Tarja!), accompanied by rich instrumentals. It is tempestuous. And having read where the inspiration for this song came from, that sound at the end which resembles a radio losing signal gives the song even more weight. It is a song which maybe is more difficult to digest, because it is many things all at once. But it is very elaborated and artistic.SILENT MASQUERADEA beautiful piano dominated intro which quickly becomes heavier leading to a powerful symphonic metal song. I love the smoky vocals from Tarja at the beginning. And then there comes Tommy Karevik! I had high expectations from this duet, I believed that their voices will blend well, and... oh yes, they do! This is everything I wanted from this duet. I like a lot also the instrumental part of this song. The bridge is also interesting. It's a really good song in every aspect of it.SERENEThis song follows the turbulent style of Spirits Of The Sea, but with a different mood. It was a surprise as well!. (Based on what I read about this song, I thought it will be something entirely different.) It sounded chaotic and unpredictable, in a really engaging way. The instrumental part of it is once again fuller than usually and the chorus is catchy, but not in the easy or predictable way! I've been hoping to hear a song with these kind of dynamics from Tarja for a long time! It's one of my favourites too.SHADOW PLAYWow, there's immediately a really powerful, film music inspired intro with orchestra and choir, followed by the well known deeper, velvety and mysterious vocals from Tarja. I missed these kind of vocals on her rock albums in the past couple of years! I am very happy they are back! The melody is captivating and the recurring choral part makes the song very powerful. This is the typical symphonic metal from which she seemed to drift away lately. I am both surprised and glad that a song like this made an appearance on the tracklist! It's a great one.This album combines everything Tarja's music has been about while introducing something new too. It also manages to show the versatility of her voice accompanied by a richer and more elaborated instrumental part than before. So for the first time none of her sides as an artist suffers because of the lack of representation. It is the most varied and most cohesive album Tarja has come up with so far. I was waiting for this. I love it!There was a time when I used to be a bit disappointed that she was drifting away from the bombastic symphonic metal sound and classical singing, but if she can come up with something like this album, Tarja, you definitely don't have to limit yourself to a single genre! (Not that you ever did it.) This album doesn't try to be anything else than what it is just to appeal to a certain audience or another. It is able to take any shape, and still remains itself and naturally valuable. In The Raw couldn't have had a more fitting theme. It is gold.Written by Kinga KovácsTarja gave the chance to few fans, members of the Winter Storm fan club, to review each song from "In The Raw".Join at www.winterstormofficial.comwww.tarja-intheraw.com
