Sobota 3 Lip 2010, 17:19
It has been a quite more quiet year, this my third year in last.fm. Not so many new bands this year but some new albums were released, although most of them I was pretty disappointed with. One of the more successful new albums was Vuoroveri from Saattue, which obviously dominated the last year's chart. Naturally along with Jäähyvästi. Eventually Saattue took the well-earned 4th place on my overall chart trailing only Kelly Clarkson as well as Kotiteollisuus that finally got past Rammstein even with Rammstein's perhaps even more disappointing than it was long awaited new album (well that's a nice and sensible sentence and of course IMO).
Diablo was still on a rise a year ago and steadily built up plays when I finally got through with Eternium. Like Diablo Scar Symmetry also continued climbing up the rankings and now breaths in the neck of Children of Bodom that had a terrible year ending up outside the year's top 20.
Not a new face but with a whole different look with the new album Isolation Songs, Ghost Brigade was one of the few bands to make a good impression this year. I wouldn't even had given the album a chance without hearing Into the Black Light from the radio completely coincidentally. The third familiar band to release a great album this year was Black Sun Aeon with Routa. The release date unfortunately was pushed too late in the Spring so the album's theme ("Routa" is frost in English) wasn't very on. Nevertheless a great release, especially coupled with Tuomas Saukkonen's main bands EP Decade of Darkness.
Some new names did come up this year, of which Synestesia, In Mourning, Solution .45 and Raaka-Aine got the most attention in the form of scrobbles.
Synestesia was one of my recommendations given by last.fm and the bands description got me interested. The band was sharing their two earlier EPs on their website for free so it was particularly easy to get to know the band. (Edit: see the comments!) Unfortunately as I was writing this entry and trying to post the urls I found out that they were no longer available. So be sure to buy their album Feeniks as I did in the end.
In Mourning was also one of my long time recommendations but I only got to know it after recommending Barren Earth to my brother who passed the ball back recommending In Mourning. I kinda liked them from the start, then liked them a little more, then read few lyrics and absolutely fell in love with them. If someone's interested, the lyrics were from the songs For You to Know and The Smoke, easily found with google.
Scar Symmetry did release a new album with their new vocalists named Dark Matter Dimensions. The album followed the long list of disappointing new releases but the album of Christian Älvestam's new band Solution .45 was a better acquaintance. That man just has some crazy vocals, too bad they don't allow much of touring. Scar Symmetry hit Tampere in the Winter with the new line-up and fortunately they played the older stuff, too. Especially Pitch Black Progress made a great impression live.
Raaka-Aine is one of those "how the hell I'm listening this shit"-type of bands. A friend linked their Miehen Työ music video from YouTube and I got hooked. I also listened to Suru before deciding that I must have their Nimetön EP. Ikuiseen Hämärään ended up being my favourite song from the EP. 3 great songs out of 4 got me really looking forward to their full-length album Kipupisteet. The album was a disappointment but all in all a great new acquaintance.
To summaries this year was kinda like the last one in and outside of last.fm but without so big changes. I guess I can't hide much when apart from Kelly my most played songs kinda represent my state of mind better than I could describe it in my own words. But in case you REALLY want to know more or don't understand what I'm saying you should check the lyrics of the mentioned In Mourning's songs, Fragile, Hollow and Decade of Darkness to mention but a few. And for those understanding Finnish I'd say Hyiseen Veteen, Ikuiseen Hämärään (from Raaka-Aine), Kuolemajärvi and let's say Kadonneet Kolme Sanaa. I've said too much, I've said it all. Guess there won't be another one before the 4th anniversary, so 'til then!