Seven Songs for Seven Days 2

Yes, yes, more than seven days have elapsed. I don't care! Shoo! Away with your pedantry.

Here are the things that have haunted my ears for this half a fortnight.

Amorphis - Majestic Beast

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bbVelwUkDY

The beginning of this song is unexpectedly bombastic for Amorphis. Everything else, though, falls perfectly into place - the calmer and melodic chorus, the gradual escalation of tension, the thunderous finale.

Wuthering Heights - Beautifool

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXl40rkVGP4

Speedy Celtic chaos, played by immensely talented Danes. Whomsoever the guitarist is, he deserves praise - as well as the vocalist, for both the lyrics and the vocal lines soar.

Blu & Exile - My World Is...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjTyrfmO_Mw

I've been slowly insinuating my way into the world of hip hop and Blu is a fairly good find. The producer he partnered with, Exile, definitely has a way with soul, funk, and r&b rhythms - and the stuff that Blu is laying down on top of it is certainly fit for consumption as well. It's strange how such good lyricists remain firmly on the bottom of the charts.

Dream Theater - Wither

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrnYiNnEKHg

I haven't given Dream Theater's latest offering many spins at all, which seems now to be quite the error given this song. There's not exactly a whole lot going on in it, but a solid chorus will steal you my heart every time.

Threshold - This Is Your Life

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gg1MoJVnYK8

Quite a bit similar to another of their songs, "Slipstream" - low on the melody in the verse, turns it up to 11 during the chorus. The auto-tune-esque vocals after the second repetition of the chorus are for some reason particularly haunting.

Keldian - Ghost of Icarus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DMb6Xjk1GI

Keldian, I am fairly certain, is the only band to base most of their lyrical content around science fiction novels and video games. I'm fairly certain this song came from a somewhat famous Microsoft game (?!), Freelancer. Soaring choruses and a 'spacy' feel dominate the music. I don't know if it's just me, but all of their music seems to contain some element of wistfulness.

Sabaton - Light in the Black

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIenz9tHqbs

I read earlier this week that this song is actually dedicated to peacekeeping forces, and not to the armies of justice like all their other songs. I suppose I can't fault them for finding material in World War 2 - there's certainly a lot to be said and sung about it.

The guitar lead that introduces the song is unfailingly lofty, and the driving rhythm and guttural singing fit perfectly to some sort of memorial march of the world's dead soldiers.