The Shadow Theory

Now that I've had two weeks and have listened to the album in its entirety a good 10 times (at least), these are the tracks from Kamelot's new album, The Shadow Theory, that I consider to be my 5 favorites.

1. Vespertine (My Crimson Bride) [track 11]. An almost instant favorite, this song is so classic Kamelot that I almost expect Roy Khan to be singing it. It stands out among the rest of the album, and although I love the heavier, darker sound they have now, I appreciate this throwback to when they were a bit more upbeat and power metal. Despite becoming my favorite so quickly, and despite listening to it many times (on repeat on a few occasions), I show no signs of getting tired of it.

2. Burns to Embrace [track 5]. There's something chillingly beautiful about a choir of children singing, "We are the last to walk the Earth." It was a great choice to end the song that way, basically saying, "If things don't improve, there is no future and this generation will be the last." I appreciate the apocalyptic imagery and sound of the outro, especially after the majority of the instruments cut out to focus more attention on the children's voices. And the chorus in general is pretty great, whether it's sung by Tommy or the apocalyptic children's choir.

3. In Twilight Hours [track 6]. While I'm normally not the biggest fan of female vocals and adding them unnecessarily into every male-fronted album, I really like the duet on this song. Especially after I learned it well enough to sing it. Ballads are always fun if they're well-done, and I really like this one. The male and female duet works really well with the lyrics here, and doesn't feel like it was done for the sole purpose of having a female guest singer.

4. Kevlar Skin [track 7]. This one's lyrics remind me of Darth Vader, so as a Vader fangirl, that's a plus. ("Underneath this kevlar skin, I'm waiting for you to uncover me. And in this armored prison cell, I'm hiding my scars - come discover me." And overall, it's just a good metal song. The speed and heaviness of it hearkens back to my favorite song from the previous album (Revolution) and I like that sound a lot.

5. Amnesiac [track 4]. "Say my name, no beautifying filters. I'm craving that honest pain." I love this line about craving something honest and raw in a sometimes overly-airbrushed, social media-dominated world. Another great chorus on this song.

Overall, I like the album a lot more than I was expecting to. I don't know why I thought I'd be disappointed, but I definitely wasn't, and the more I listen to the album, the more I like it. Really cool lyrical themes and amazing vocal performances throughout the whole album. The drums are fantastic, as well, even if it isn't Casey Grillo doing the drumming. It's basically impossible to listen to this album without drumming on something. I guess I should have expected nothing less from Kamelot, but I still try to go into things with the realization that the artists aren't perfect and there will be letdowns once in awhile. This isn't one of them, however.

Top Ten Favorite + Most Underrated Falconer Songs

My internet was temporarily down yesterday, so I was unable to get my Friday blog post up on time. I also tend to miss my Tuesday posts lately, as it's been a busy couple of weeks leading up to my trip. We'll see if I can get back on track after I get home. If not, posts may be limited to once a week from now on, which is still an improvement over the neglect this blog has seen in the past.

Anyway, it is now the month of September. Yesterday marked one week until I get to see Falconer play their final live show at ProgPower USA. It is now only six days, thanks to my internet going AWOL last night. Five days until my flight. Four days until a lot of people get to begin celebrating ProgPower with Midweek Mayhem, though I personally will not be there until Friday's show.

I am now preparing for my trip in ways that make it seem very real. Official packing is happening as we speak (except for while I'm typing this). I colored my hair with indigo yesterday so it will look good with my outfit for Corset Night. Today I made it to a third-party DMV location to replace my expired out-of-state ID with one the TSA will be less likely to reject when I get on my flight. I just have one last shopping trip, a few more errands to do, and to finish packing, and I will be good to go!

With only one week left to go, this will be the final installment of my once-a-week, pre-concert Falconer posts. It was hard to narrow down which Falconer songs to post to celebrate the milestone. So I've decided not to post any. Instead, I am sharing a list of my Top Ten Favorite Falconer Songs. I encourage you to listen to all of these songs, if you aren't familiar with them already. For those of you who are already Falconites, I thought you might find it interesting which songs I enjoy most. Feel free to share your own Top Tens, as well.

These are not necessarily in perfect order, and are subject to change at any time.

1. Herr Peder och Hans Syster
One of Falconer's heavier songs, and the hard-hitting riffs made it an instant favorite.

2. Dreams and Pyres
This was actually the first song I heard by Falconer. This song made me a fan, and made me fall in love with Mathias Blad's voice. Incredibly well-composed and great performances by all involved.

3. En Kungens Man
In my opinion, one of the most beautiful songs ever recorded. Tragic lyrics + beautiful acoustic guitar + Mathias' voice = amazing.

4. Child of the Wild, 2006 remake
A fantastic song from the moment it was originally released, but with the addition of Blad's vocals, it became twice the song it used to be. The instrumental bridge and the beautiful vocalizations near the end are some of my favorite moments in music.

5. Himmel Så Trind
I love the melancholy sound of the guitar. It reminds me of the cold depression of winter, but I can listen to it from the comfortable warmth of Arizona. I feel like this one is a bit underrated as far as Falconer songs go.

6. Vårvindar Friska
Another one of the most beautiful songs ever done by a metal band. No metal instruments in this one at all, but the piano and vocals make it. Since hearing this version, I've also listened to several other versions by other artists, and have yet to find one that came remotely close to being as beautiful.

7. Substitutional World
This is a totally badass metal track, but also includes a very musical-theatre moment with "The higher your lucky star rises..." I consider this the best of both worlds!

8. Carnival of Disgust
A great song all-around. And obviously the band knows it, since they made quite the epic music video for this track.

9. Upon the Grave of Guilt
I'm pretty sure everybody loves this song, and for good reason. It was the first track on their first album, and set the tone for their career. The music, lyrics and vocals were all a great look into the awesomeness that was to come.

10. The Clarion Call
Duh.

And now for my list of five most underrated Falconer songs. I rarely, or never, hear these songs getting credit for being the awesome songs they actually are.

1. Viddernas Man
I believe Stefan Weinerhall himself has said this song isn't very good, but I think it's lovely! Particularly the piano during the first verse, and the low notes in the chorus.

2. The Past Still Lives On
I think the lyrics to this song are really cool.

3. Stand in Veneration
The a capella intro is amazing! It used to be my ringtone. The lyrics are pretty well-written too.

4. Ridom, Ridom
Maybe it's just because it was on a bonus disc, but I never hear anyone talk about it. This song is AWESOME. If my top 10 were a top 15 instead, this one would have been on it.

5. Dark Ages
Again, it's probably only because it was a bonus track, only appearing on the Japanese edition of the album. Still, it gets less recognition than I would expect for a song of its quality.