Within Temptation - The Heart of Everything - Album Review

So I have revised my simple 'song review' to a whole album review. Getting this blog started as well as everything else going on this week has somewhat set me back from the schedule I want to maintain once I have everything up and running. I think this week I am starting with a Dark, Powerful, Female theme although I don't know why. I do however want the book, album, and movie I review each week to fit into a similar category. For future reference, I want it to be Sunday Book, Monday Movie, and Tuesday Tunes - all reviews and discussion and then a follow up video discussion all three in even more detail which I am hoping to post on Fridays or Saturdays. This week I have decided to review and discuss the album The Heart of Everything by Within Temptation.

Release Date: March 12, 2007

GUN Records

Genre: Gothic/ Alternative/ Symphonic Metal

The lead singer, Sharon, has a beautiful, feminine, and strong voice that is also haunting and really captures your attention within seconds of hitting play. Each piece evokes a lot of emotion, from the amazing rise and fall of the guitar and drums and the dramatic lulls in music that are brought back up so intensely - it really is art to my ears.

1. "The Howling"  
There are so many interpretations I can think of when I hear the lyrics, but the main thing I hear is that there is a battle being fought. That can be interpreted as a physical battle between two sides or an internal battle between two sides of a person. I have this visual of someone suffering from his or her own hubris and through the mistakes they have made they are dragging other people into the struggle and through it all he or she just wants it to end.

2. "What Have You Done" (featuring Mina Caputo)
This is definitely a song about two people who love each other but circumstances beyond their control are causing them to do things that pull them apart. Despite everything, there is a kind of hope that maybe they can get through it together.

3. "Frozen"
So this song is about someone who had to give up someone they loved or do something that hurt both of them but was ultimately better for the person they are singing about. At least that is the hope or whatever it was, the pain it caused would have been pointless. I think the "frozen" part is because the person singing had to be cold to the other in order to 'sacrifice' to save the other person.

4. "Our Solemn Hour"
This song right off sounds a lot (to me) of that song that Lord Frolo sang in Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame. The chanting of "Sanctus Espiritus" throughout the whole song and basically asking for deliverance - to me it sounds like a prayer to God asking for guidance for humanity to show us a better way and lead us out of the dark place where we have put ourselves (supposedly).

5. "The Heart of Everything"
To me, this song is about freeing ourselves from the oppression from what society thinks we 'should' be and holding on to who we are. I think there is also a darker side to the song where someone who feels that they can't be who they are decides to just let it go. The most important thing is making sure you always hang on to who you are because without that you are lost.


6. "Hand of Sorrow"
This song reminds me of those Bard songs from Skyrim - it definitely tells the story of a man who is, as the lyrics say, "torn between his honor and the true love of his life" - now that could mean anything, but in my imagination he has to choose between the woman he loves and the oath he took to serve his king - and if I want to elaborate, maybe he isn't allowed to have a wife, or maybe has been ordered to kill her - intrigue. Anyway, in the end I think he decides to obey his "honor" but he still watches over his true love in secret.

7. "The Cross"
Okay, I really think that if this isn't a song comparing a relationship to Jesus, it is a song about Jesus talking to any person who hasn't converted to that faith. I mean, the chorus says, "Why have you waited to embrace me my dear/Cold is your silence, denying what is real/I'm still wondering why I'm still calling your name/and I wonder, oh I wonder ...    /In my heart I still hope you will open the door/You can purify it all, answer my call" - Christians say that 'giving your heart to Jesus and taking him as your saviour will cleanse your sins.' I think that is kind of what I feel it is about. And the song is called 'The Cross' - come on.

8. "Final Destination"
I really feel like this song is inspired by the movie of the same title. If I remember, it is about the main character finding out that Death is coming for him and he or she keeps trying to escape it, but you can't escape fate or death. Eventually they will both find you.

9. "All I Need"
Simply put, I think this song is about falling in love. Someone who has trust issues finally finds someone they want to open themselves up to and all they can say is 'don't tear me down for all I need'  Don't hurt me because I need you to love me like you say you do, and I am trusting you.

10. "The Truth Beneath the Rose"
Oh now this one is interesting, I never realized before reviewing this album more in depth but Within Temptation seems to make a lot of religious references in their music. Here I believe they are referencing the Knights Templar and anyone who has read the DaVinci Code by Dan Brown (or seen the movie) should know the reference to the Rose Line - which at the end of the book lead to the final resting place of the Holy Grail. The lyrics are pretty deep but I believe it is about seperating what is actually holy and what is just a greedy conquest of men for power.

11. "Forgiven"
It sounds a lot like someone singing to a loved one who has passed away. Such a beautiful, but sad melody - kind of reminds me of My Immortal by Evanescence. My advice is to not listen to this if you are already sad - this will make it worse.


Review:

The above song interpretations are just what I think they are about, I didn't do any research to see what the band said or what other people thought, I just listened to the lyrics and this is what I came up with. I think music is like any kind of art that has different meanings for different people.

Overall I give this album 8.5/10 Stars. I think they have a really good command of the genre and that their music is really what I need it to be while I am in the mood for it - edgy but almost with a spiritual element to it - maybe that's not the right word, but it is different. I like the different. Plus I have this part of me that really would like to have a great rock star moment on stage one day. I mean, all out with the awesome outfit, lights, smoke, the crowd going insane and me belting out a super bad ass song - These songs could make that happen. Sadly, as much as I enjoy heavy metal, I don't think I could pull off the vocals found in more mainstream Heavy Metal or Rock.

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy it and if you want to check out the band a little more, here is their website:
http://www.within-temptation.com/

Got any suggestions for Artists/Albums I should review in the future? Let me know!

~Oriona

PS

As I try to catch up and get on track, there wont be any posts this week, although I will try to upload the follow up video to go with this and my previous two posts. Next time I am looking to go into a completely new direction of genre so stay tuned!


Picture Credits:

http://wallpaper.metalship.org/en/wallpaper/The_Heart_of_Everything-34.html

http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/within-temptation/images/15412488/title/wt-wallpaper

Hunger Games - Movie Review

Details:

The Hunger Games

Based on the book by Suzanne Collins

Release Date: March 12, 2012

Lionsgate Films

Directed by Gary Ross

Movie Synopsis: 

Living in poverty stricken District 12, in the outskirts of the country of Panem, young Katniss Everdeen has a hard life. In this dystopian future, the people of Panem's districts live everyday on the edge of starvation, and every year they are forced to watch in horror as one boy and girl between the ages of 12 and 18 are taken from each of the 12 districts to fight to the death on a televised event called the Hunger Games.

Discussion:

So I was "hmming" and "hawwing" about which movie to review first because there is just so many that I want to talk about, but those will all come in good time. I wanted to pick something that would also fit in the same 'feel' as Sabriel. You know, strong female protagonist and also a bit dark so I thought this was fitting. Also if I am being 100% honest, I wanted to pick something a bit more popular so more people could relate to it.

I am happy to say that I read the Hunger Games book before the movie came out and I was fairly impressed by the way it turned out. It seems to be happening a lot these days where they take an awesome book series and decide it needs to become a movie series. For a lot of us book lovers, the picture to the side rings absolutely true when Hollywood takes a beloved book or series and tries to summarize it in a two hour feature film. For some, we wish they would take one book and make it as long as the Lord of the Rings extended edition. It also had better be perfectly cast and follow the plot to a T and not miss a single detail.

That all being said, I think that after realizing through the Twilight series what a huge profit they could make by taking a popular book series and making it into a movie franchise - they also realized that they need to keep the fans happy. To that purpose I think they are doing their best to stay true to the spirit of a book if not to the plot. I think that is what they managed to do with the Hunger Games.

The way the movie was filmed was definitely different and interesting and reminded me somewhat of an independent film at the beginning. It was very artistic and gritty. They did an awesome casting job as well, Jenifer Lawrence was definitely a great pick for the role of Katniss. I don't want to give too much away, although I don't think there are too many people who don't know how this movie goes anymore. I will say this though, I am really happy to see more media where the lead female protagonist is not just the arm candy for the male hero. I think it is important for girls to have such a strong role model. I also really admire Jenifer Lawrence for being a good role model off screen as well.

Review:

I really don't have many complaints about this movie that aren't because I read the book - and I am not going to get into a big book vs. movie discussion. The only thing I will talk about in that respect is the first 3 finger salute when Katniss volunteers. In the book, it read as a much more profound moment than I felt came across in the movie. I mean really, that was the first major turning point in the story. I don't know if people really realize but that three finger salute, first of all, is a symbol of admiration and respect for the people of that district. On top of that, doing that was the first sign of open protest towards the capitol and it was a huge deal for the people of District 12 to be brave enough to do that. I really think that for such a major aspect of the story - although subtle, they really didn't give it the proper explanation or profound feeling that I think they should have. That all being said, I think that for a first installment of a series, they did a really good job. Hollywood can never really know how a series is going to go over with the fans. I am really happy that they invested a bit of money into making sure that the special effects were good too, I mean I am glad that Katniss didn't end up running like this. But then again, she would just run normally being that she doesn't have powers, but I just wanted to include that. (hehe) Movies like Beautiful Creatures shows us that not every book series would be good as a movie but I am fairly confident that Hollywood found a winner with this series. (Totally not because the sequels are already out)

I give the Hunger Games 8 out of 10 stars (still working on the points system and I know I used 5 stars last time but I forgot that stars aren't limited to groups of 5 and I will probably go back and change these) - I recommend it to anyone.

Hope you enjoy it :)

Picture credits:

http://ifunny.co/fun/1yHKodsA1

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_hunger_games/

Sabriel - Book Review and Discussion

Sabriel by Garth Nix

Published in 1995 by HarperCollins Publishers

Warning: some small spoilers.

Book Synopsis:

18 year old Sabriel has lived a sheltered life at a boarding school for girls in the country of Ancelstierre. After receiving a mysterious gift and message, she is little prepared for the dangers she will face on her journey when she returns to her homeland of the Old Kingdom to find her missing father; a man known only as The Abhorsen. The Old Kingdom is filled with dangerous magic and dark creatures that continually claw their way out of death to wreak havoc on the living. The only person who can help is the Abhorsen and now that he is missing, Sabriel must claim her birthright as the new Abhorsen in order to save her father, her homeland, and defeat a great evil.

Discussion:

This is a book I have had for a long time and have always had a love for its exciting and intriguing plot. The characters are very lively and unique and it is easy to get lost in the culture of this fantasy world. I find I related to the character of Sabriel as she was thrust into following in her father's footsteps. I can imagine how hard it would be facing a challenge like that and not really feeling prepared for the job. The interesting way that magic played a part in this world was also a great aspect of this book. The magic is called "The Charter" and is used through signing, singing, whistling, or speaking "Charter Marks" of which there is an innumerable amount and each one has a specific purpose or meaning. There is also the evil side of magic which is called "Free Magic" and it is uncontrollable and consuming to the people who use it. Going back to Charter magic, "Charter Mages" are people who are connected to the Charter and can therefore use magic and anyone can become a Charter Mage by being baptized into the Charter. I also find it interesting that magic is used musically in this book, I find it very different and its another way that it makes this world seem close and almost real. Anyway, the culture and world of this book are painted very vivdly in this story and I am very happy that this series continues in the next two books; Lireal and Abhorsen. I plan on reviewing these books in the future and, I have also heard about another book that apparently was lost and has now been found and released in October called Clariel.

Review:

I think I will come up with a points system later but for now, I give this book 4.5 Stars. I recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy, magic and adventure. The only complaints I have are that at times I found the main character to be a bit whiny, I would have imagined her as more of a 'step up to the plate' kind of person without all the somewhat juvenile outbusts. Although on that note, she is only 18 and she did have a very big task ahead of her. The other thing is that the romantic relationship in the book seemed to happen quite suddenly, one minute they barely talk or even know each other and the next minute they are in love. Personally, I think that if there is going to be love in a story there should be more relationship development. But then again, I am glad that the love part was not the main aspect of the book either. All in all this is a great book and series, enough so that I repeatedly return to the land of the Old Kingdom to relive this great adventure.

Dream Cast:

If Sabriel were to be made into a movie, this is who I think would be great for the main roles:

Emma Watson - Sabriel

Liam Neeson - Abhorsen

Chace Crawford - Touchstone

Martin Freeman - Mogget

Ian Somerhalder - Kerrigor

Sean Bean - Colonel Horyse

I feel that Emma Watson and Liam Neeson fit the look and have the outstanding talent for those roles for sure. I know that Martin Freeman would make a good voice actor for Mogget because he is both funny and sassy. I don't know much about Chace Crawford's acting, I know he was on Gossip Girl but I've never watched that show, I think he has the right look. Ian Somerhalder I know is a good actor, though honestly I didn't think about him for this role until I started researching. I had only really thought of a voice actor for the role (Benedict Cumberbatch) because when I imagine this character I think of what is on the cover, but now I realize that when Kerrigor appears he is actually mostly in physical form and his character is supposed to also be Touchstone's older brother. I think him and Chase could pass for that and I know he is good at playing the evil brother so this is why I picked them. And I think Sean Bean and Liam Neeson have a similar intensity and I feel they are supposed to be similar in that aspect so that is also why they seemed like ideal choices.

Anyway that is about all I have to say about this book for now, I really look forward to hearing what you guys have to say about this new blog and what you think of my review. What do you think I should do in the future?

Let me know!
Oriona



Image Credits:

http://www.kdramastars.com/articles/24457/20140609/emma-watson-boyfriend-matthew-janney-musical.htm

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0293509/

http://mashadutoit.com/2008/04/05/leo-and-diane-dillon/

http://speakerpedia.com/speakers/ian-somerhalder


http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2014/03/01/neeson-annoyed-with-ny-mayor-bill-de-blasio/

http://www.listal.com/list/0-chace-crawfords-face

http://blog.findmypast.co.uk/2013/famous-family-trees-sean-bean/

Media Reviews by Oriona - An Introduction

Welcome to my new blog! Some may know me from my other blog series, The Starchild Diaries, which is just a series of articles about things on my mind. This series is taking a bit more of a specific path.

I am going to be reading books, watching movies and possibly TV shows, and listening to music and giving my review and opinions about it. Let me tell you a bit more about myself and my tastes so you know where my opinions are coming from.

To be honest I am fairly easy to please when it comes to music and movies, however I find that I have a more discerning taste when it comes to books. Recently I read a book - no let me rephrase, I tried to read a book about this guy who gets sucked into the world of the books he writes that have also been made into video games. Although I thought the idea was cool, I finally had to admit to myself that I could not make it through the whole thing. Maybe it would have gotten better but it really just sounded like some gamer-guy's personal fantasy written out in detail.

I generally enjoy movies, and I tend to like almost everything I watch but I can still be objective and recognize the actual quality or lack-thereof, even if I was entertained. I also have a very broad taste in things; for music I like everything from classical to heavy metal to pop, and I tend to be that way with most things. I really hope that writing this blog will encourage me as well as my audience to read more and hopefully appreciate these forms of art more. I also promise to do my best to review without giving too much away with spoilers and if for any reason I have to give anything big away, I promise to put a warning at the top of the post.

That's all I can think of for now, but I hope you enjoy and I look forward to hearing what you think about what I think and possibly discussing as well :)

Annnnnd scene...
Oriona

Photo credit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Writing