Anneke Van Giersbergen "The Darkest Skies Are The Brightest (Mexico, InsideOut Music, IOMLTDCD-577)"

The Darkest Skies Are the Brightest is the third solo studio album by Anneke van Giersbergen, released on 26 February 2021 by Inside Out Music. It was written entirely by van Giersbergen and produced by Gijs Coolen.

After releasing the first VUUR album in 2017 and going on tour, Anneke van Giersbergen and the band started plans of recording a second album for the project in 2018. This first effort, although, had been financially demanding, and recording a second album and going on a second tour would imply more financial risks. At the same time, the singer's marriage went through difficulties and she and her husband envisioned a divorce. As a way of recovering and think about her future life decisions, van Giersbergen retreated alone to a small house near the woods outside Eindhoven. She then started writing songs by herself there, with just an acoustic guitar and basic musical gear, without the intention of transforming them into a full album. In 2020, delving back to that songs, the singer invited her friend and producer Gijs Coolen to help her polish the songs. Eleven of them ended up becoming a full album, and so van Giersbergen decided to release them. The release was announced on 16 November 2020, along with the cover artwork and the tracklist. The title, The Darkest Skies Are the Brightest, reflects the album main themes and refers to the idea that people are forced to find answers regarding big life questions when facing personal challenges.

The first single from the album, "My Promise", was released on 4 December. The lyrics came from van Giersbergen reflecting on how her life after a divorce would be and revolves around her determination to fight for love. According to the singer, "for the new album [she] wrote a lot of songs filled with messages of love and heartache, but [she] also went on a more propulsive journey, with darker storytelling", which is clear in the second single released, "Hurricane". Musically, the album follows a more melancholic and modest landscape, opposite to the singer latest progressive metal ventures. It features mainly acoustic guitars, strings, horns and percussion, along with van Giersbergen's vocals.

Track listing

All music and lyrics composed by Anneke van Giersbergen and produced by Gijs Coolen.

1. "Agape" 4:09
2. "Hurricane" 3:57
3. "My Promise" 4:27
4. "I Saw a Car" 3:39
5. "The Soul Knows" 3:52
6. "The End" 4:19
7. "Keep It Simple" 3:56
8. "Lo and Behold" 2:50
9. "Losing You" 3:41
10. "Survive" 3:46
11. "Love You Like I Love You" 3:12

Total length: 41:48

Recording information:

Pieter Hoekstra (Pie Design) - artwork, layout

Snir Gedasi Design - design (heart)

Robbin Gielen - management (assisted by)

Rob Snijders - management

Darius van Helfteren - mastering

Guido Aalbers - mixing

Lida van Straaten - other (hair & makeup)

Dylan van Duijne - other (styling)

Mark Uyl - photography

Erik Spanjers - recording (string arrangements)

Amorphis "Queen Of Time (Japan, Chaos Reigns, GQCS-90570)"

Queen of Time is the thirteenth studio album by Finnish heavy metal band Amorphis, released worldwide on 18 May 2018 through Nuclear Blast. This is the first album since 1999's Tuonela to feature original bassist Olli-Pekka Laine who rejoined the band in 2017, making this the first time since 1994's Tales from the Thousand Lakes that all four original band members played together on an album. The album was produced by Jens Bogren, who was described as "a true brother in spirit."

Queen of Time received positive reviews upon release.

Blabbermouth praised the use of a variety of instruments such as flutes, saxophone, reeds, or xylophones, calling the compositions "long, layered and resonant".

Louder wrote: "Amorphis are incredible songwriters; everything from stirring opener The Bee through to lavish, dramatic closer Pyres On The Coast boasts at least one life-affirming hook, and vocalist Tomi Joutsen has never sounded more commanding."

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Pekka Kainulainen

1. "The Bee" Santeri Kallio 5:30
2. "Message in the Amber" Esa Holopainen 6:44
3. "Daughter of Hate" Holopainen 6:20
4. "The Golden Elk" Kallio 6:22
5. "Wrong Direction" Holopainen 5:09
6. "Heart of the Giant" Kallio 6:32
7. "We Accursed" Kallio 4:59
8. "Grain of Sand" Holopainen 4:44
9. "Amongst Stars" (featuring Anneke van Giersbergen) Kallio 4:50
10. "Pyres on the Coast" Holopainen 6:19
11. "Honeyflow"  5:15   

Time:  01:02:44  

Recording information:

Produced, recorded and mixed at Fascination Street Studios during Winter 2017/18.

Mastered at Fascination Street Studios, Örebro, Sweden.

Grand piano and hammond organ recorded at Finnvox Studios, Helsinki, Finland.

Church organ recorded at Church of Paavali.

Choirs recorded at Bardo Studios.

Additional percussion, fretless bass, vocal doublings and narration recorded at Moon Unit Studios.

Amorphis "Queen Of Time (Digipak, EU, Nuclear Blast, NB 4126-0/27361 41260)"

Queen of Time is the thirteenth studio album by Finnish heavy metal band Amorphis, released worldwide on 18 May 2018 through Nuclear Blast. This is the first album since 1999's Tuonela to feature original bassist Olli-Pekka Laine who rejoined the band in 2017, making this the first time since 1994's Tales from the Thousand Lakes that all four original band members played together on an album. The album was produced by Jens Bogren, who was described as "a true brother in spirit."

Queen of Time received positive reviews upon release.

Blabbermouth praised the use of a variety of instruments such as flutes, saxophone, reeds, or xylophones, calling the compositions "long, layered and resonant".

Louder wrote: "Amorphis are incredible songwriters; everything from stirring opener The Bee through to lavish, dramatic closer Pyres On The Coast boasts at least one life-affirming hook, and vocalist Tomi Joutsen has never sounded more commanding."

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Pekka Kainulainen

1. "The Bee" Santeri Kallio 5:30
2. "Message in the Amber" Esa Holopainen 6:44
3. "Daughter of Hate" Holopainen 6:20
4. "The Golden Elk" Kallio 6:22
5. "Wrong Direction" Holopainen 5:09
6. "Heart of the Giant" Kallio 6:32
7. "We Accursed" Kallio 4:59
8. "Grain of Sand" Holopainen 4:44
9. "Amongst Stars" (featuring Anneke van Giersbergen) Kallio 4:50
10. "Pyres on the Coast" Holopainen 6:19

Total length: 57:29

Bonus tracks

1. "As Mountains Crumble" Olli-Pekka Laine 6:17
2. "Brother and Sister" Kallio 6:03

Total length: 69:49

Recording information:

Produced, recorded and mixed at Fascination Street Studios during Winter 2017/18.

Mastered at Fascination Street Studios, Örebro, Sweden.

Grand piano and hammond organ recorded at Finnvox Studios, Helsinki, Finland.

Church organ recorded at Church of Paavali.

Choirs recorded at Bardo Studios.

Additional percussion, fretless bass, vocal doublings and narration recorded at Moon Unit Studios.