The right way to see Nolan's Odyssey

To debate the historical accuracy of Christopher Nolan's Odyssey is almost as ridiculous as debating the historical accuracy of Kubrick's Odyssey. It has as much interest in history as Star Wars has in science. 

Critics point out that the armour and clothing is nothing like what the Greeks would have worn in those days, and that the ships are actually Viking. I don't understand why it's such a big deal, since in the very first trailer we got to see Agamemnon looking like a cross between The Dark Knight and Darth Vader, as if teleported from the movie 300 rather than Troy. That should have been a clear indication that Nolan's goal was not to do a portrayal of ancient history.

In fact, despite putting a lot of effort into giving a realistic and palpable experience, he only needed the audience to believe they were living in ancient times, not specifically in Ancient Greece, but a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.... Hold on... That doesn't sound right. (*checks notes, does a quick search*) Ah, that's the one. "In a time of apparent magic..." And he only needed that in order to fulfil his actual artistic goal. And that goal is to portray not the story of The Odyssey, but the myth of The Odyssey. I will detail in a bit.

But first, a digression. The famous abstract painter Piet Mondrian - the guy with the paintings of coloured rectangles and black lines that look as if they were drawn in Paint - said that his aim with his abstract paintings was the same as with his earlier works which were more traditional. If he painted a tree in a realistic manner, his focus would be on the relationships within. Things like: Are there more leaves on the right side than the left? In what ratio? Is a particular branch longer than another? Is there a pattern to the arrangement of the leaves on the branch? And so on. He realised that he was not as interested in depicting the tree accurately as he was in illustrating these relationships. So, he considered that anything other than that is a distraction, which he needs to strip away. Eventually, he stripped away almost everything, until he got to just three basic colours and only horizontal and vertical black lines.

Nolan's works are similar. They have the characteristic that they are as much about the story they tell as they are about how they tell that story. Tenet is the extreme example: it is not really about something in particular, as it is a skeleton of a movie, displaying all its moving parts as you watch the story unfold in its convoluted structure. That is as much as Nolan went towards abstraction, without actually getting completely there. It's the equivalent to the third painting in the sequence above, where you can sort of make out some leaves and a tree, but the painting is clearly more about the shapes and how they relate to one another.

The Odyssey doesn't get such rough treatment, but I'd still put it somewhere between the first and second of the paintings. Even in the first one, despite it not being 100% realistic, it's obvious that it depicts a tree, but you cannot shake the intuition that it's actually about more than just that. In a similar way, Nolan's movie is obviously about an adventure in ancient times, but there are several details that make us think that it's actually about something else.

Its goal is to expose the underlying workings of a myth, while telling the story of that myth. To start with, there are a few lines of dialogue about how information is mostly gotten from songs and poems or from stories and how they relate to the actual truth. The movie ends by enunciating that songs (read: myths) are more resilient than the written word as a way of passing down timeless truths, like the one Odysseus spent 20 years discovering himself. That is how myths have survived for so long, passed from generation to generation, until eventually being written down. And even after that they are translated in several forms and languages, adapted to the times and media. The secret of their survival is that they tell something profound.

What they relate is so profound because it ties to the common psyche that all of humanity shares. Despite differences in culture, our minds work the same. We have pretty much the same hopes, desires, fears, emotions. And these are what end up in myths, because they are the most important things worth sharing with others. Furthermore, these are not things that are easy to describe as they stem from deep within the inner workings of our mind. That is why they take the form of fantastical stories, filled with allegories and symbols, whose meanings are not direct, but which we intuitively understand. All this has been well established by the likes of Freud, Jung, Campbell etc.

In other words, a myth tells a story which symbolises one's psychological struggles. While its story seems to be entirely external on the surface, it is actually about what goes on inside one's mind. What Nolan's Odyssey does is to remove some fluff from the story to expose the symbols in a more direct manner, just like Mondrian did when removing some of the details from the tree to expose its inner relationships.

Despite putting so much effort into practical effects and on-location shooting, the world of the movie seems almost uninhabited and devoid of geography. The settings look desolate and generic. Even the depiction of Hell is just a dark barren landscape and not the spectacle of lava one would imagine (like Mustafar for example). And Calypso's island seems more like the limbo from Inception. All this is because they symbolise states of mind. The hero's journey is much more a journey through his own mind, than it is a voyage on the seas of the Mediterranean.

The characters are all archetypes, representing various aspects of the human psyche. The Mother-Father-Son trio is to be seen as a unity, that identifies the mind of a person. The Father is the more rational part and the one that defines one's moral values. The Mother is the more emotional side, while the Son is the one that brings the balance, who has to make decisions for himself using the guidance of  the other two. He is the ego, the self.

The suitors and servants represent all the confusing, sly, mischievous thoughts and feelings that we confront day by day, though not all of them are bad.

Thus, the story is that of a mind that has lost its moral compass and has fallen into a state of disarray. There are few hopeful thoughts, while the bad ones are more and more frequent, consuming resources and corrupting the mind with each passing day, bringing it to the edge of despair. Emotions are basically held captive as they retreat in a self-imposed cage. They must not burst out because rash decisions can only have bad consequences.

The situation has become in need of an urgent resolution. The ego is willing to accept a compromise solution, but without the confidence of strong values to back him, the cautious and protective part restrains him. Instead, he seeks to rebuild that moral backbone, but all he has available are second-hand sources. His success hangs in the balance.

It's actually interesting to point out that, despite not being the protagonist, Telemachus is actually the main character. On his fate lies everything: the resolution of the psychological struggle, the peace of mind, and by extension, the fate of civilisation.

But solving the psychological struggle is purely in the hands of the Father. It is no coincidence that he starts out on Calypso's island. When a mind has gone so far astray, it needs to detach itself completely, to be able to see things from outside itself, to look at its own thoughts and emotions from far away, rather than be entangled in them, to understand how a previously healthy mind ended up so distraught. And that is what Odysseus does: starts with a blank slate and puts all the pieces in order.

The journey begins with a rational decision. Instead of choosing to follow the emotions and run away, the Father acts out of a sense of duty. But that duty is slowly converted into a goal and when a goal is put above all else it becomes corrupting, because it supersedes even the deepest principles. That is why Agamemnon is portrayed as a hulking black figure without a face, that moves as if untouchable, invincible. He is the most abstract element of the movie, because he is a concept, not a man. He is the unshakeable urge, the desire, that when followed it slowly corrupts.

The fall of Troy is explicitly called out by Odysseus as the moment of complete corruption. The walls represent the invisible barrier that blocks us from accessing our deeper mind directly - the place from where our thoughts and emotions mysteriously stem from. The Trojan soldiers have stylised white armour, that seems to be out of the Marvel Universe rather than the Bronze Age, hinting that they are more like some antibodies of the mind than actual people.

The horse trick was the climax of the corruption, letting desire become the ultimate principle, replacing the seemingly inviolable Law of Zeus that the mind of the trinity held so strongly.

I found it amusing that Odysseus also explicitly mentioned emerging from the belly of the horse as the moment of realisation that the mind is compromised, because "the belly of the whale" is a common point of inflexion in myths. Usually it's a symbolic one, not an actual belly (e.g. the trash compactor in A New Hope), but, as stated, The Odyssey is showing us in more direct ways how a myth functions.

In myths the gods are exterior manifestations of our unconscious mind. We have no access to those depths, thus our minds create intuitive representations. That is why Athena seems more like a personal figment of the imagination rather than an all powerful goddess, and why Odysseus complains that the gods don't speak in ways humans understand [1], but she replies "Who doesn't understand pain?" Pain is how we mature and grow, as it is the mind's signal that something is not right, that there is an inconsistency between how it acts and what it truly values. The gods represent the unshakeable principles of life. They are the North Star. They do not change. The soldiers may have beheaded a statue of Athena, but not Athena herself. But the compass can become adrift and end up not pointing to the North Star anymore.

Calypso explains to Odysseus that these inner workings of the mind cannot be controlled, yet he is the Father, he is reason, he only understands control. The mind cannot be understood rationally, only intuitively. That is why he must give himself to Poseidon and take his punishment. In fact, he got here because of the wrath of Poseidon, but Calypso also explains that Odysseus is actually there because he himself does not want to return. Thus, if we equate those two affirmations, we realise that the symbol of Poseidon is actually the mind stirring up a storm itself, to destroy its bad habits and push itself back on the right course. That is why the whole crew is lost to the will of the gods and why Odysseus cannot defy the gods regardless of his ambition and determination. That also explains why the seemingly irrational decision to not follow Agamemnon on the easy route back home is completely justified, since it is made by a mind which rationally realised it had gotten off course and decided it must choose a different path - a path of redemption.

The self-discovery is only the first half of that path. The second one is implementing a change of mindset. One does not simply walk into Ithaca and change their way of thinking overnight. Bad thoughts cannot be just thrown out of the citadel of the mind. For one, it would be a very hard fight. But more importantly, even if it were possible, it wouldn't be right, as it would be once again a breaking of the foundational principle - represented as the Law of Zeus in the movie. Peace of mind would only last for a short while, before thoughts of guilt and uncertainty (the families of the suitors) would come for revenge.

That is why Odysseus has to come under disguise, so that the mind does not react defensively. It would be sceptical that the same sort of reasoning that got it into this appalling state is also capable of healing. Only a new way of thinking, which slowly gains the confidence of the more intuitive and hidden parts of the mind, can persevere.

Once order is re-established, the Mother and Father leave the keys to the kingdom of the mind to the Son. This is why I stress that he is actually the main character. This ending marks his coming of age, symbolising the integration of all aspects of the mind into a single entity. The ego is fully mature, it is no longer split into reason and emotions, it is a fusion of the two.

The departure of the Mother and Father also depicts the symbolic death that is so common in mythology. To become a new, better self, the old one must die. "Let the past die. Kill it if you have to." No... wait. Wrong movie again! "We'll head into the unknown west, to honour my men." Meaning that one's past mistakes cannot be erased, but, by accepting them, they no longer have a grip on the mind and thus it becomes free to reshape its own future. Each thought can now once again be treated as a possible "god in disguise", come from the realm of the unconscious, which is now aligned with the harmonious principles of life.

To be honest, you can probably deconstruct many movies in this way, but for most you'd need to remove some layers from the story to get to the underlying symbols. You have to do that for The Odyssey as well, but there are fewer layers, since, as explained above, some of the symbols are described explicitly in the movie, while others are highlighted by incongruous directorial choices.

I've touched a few of those, like how Agamemnon stands out. The diversity of the cast is an obvious point of contention. It's hard to believe Nolan would make such a choice without artistic reason. The simple and obvious one is that history is just the background of the story, whereas its characters are meant to make it more universal. I think Helen is played by a black actress so that she is visually and symbolically complementary to Agamemnon. She is the object of desire, while he is desire itself. [2] Could the casting of a transgender actor in the role of Sinon also have a more symbolic meaning? After all, he is key in Odysseus's transformation, who adopts the fallen soldier's name, right after having found his true self.

Movie soundtracks are meant to be evocative, but it's worth pointing out that despite the effort of using ancient instruments, Ludwig Göransson's score often feels modern, and at times it sounds so abstract that it makes you question whether it's actually music.

Last but not least, the movie title is not stylised in any way to make it evoke antiquity, but instead uses a nondescript typeface. That's because Nolan's movie is not meant to tell a story from Ancient Greece, but to portray a myth. And all myths are meant to be timeless. Otherwise, we wouldn't be discussing a movie called The Odyssey in 2026.

Salvarea care fură copii

Nu dau prea multă atenție știrilor de genul „uite cât de proști sunt unii”, dar cea cu ambulanța atacată fiindcă se credea că fură copii mi-a stârnit interesul. Pe de o parte, sună ca un scenariu de film horror: protagoniștii ajung într-un sat uitat de lume, unde dau de o atmosferă sinistră, ceva pare nelalocul lui, iar în cele din urmă sunt atacați de localnicii posedați de o forță malefică. Chiar ar fi un twist genial: forța malefică e, de fapt... TikTok!

Dar m-au tot năpădit gânduri în jurul întâmplării și am realizat că e ceva mai profund. M-am întrebat: Oare de ce a născocit cineva povestea asta și de ce a fost crezută într-atât încât să se ajungă la astfel de reacții radicale? Prostia nu e un răspuns satisfăcător. Nu orice prostie prinde. Trebuie să fie ceva mai seducător la ideea că cineva umblă cu o ambulanță și fură copii, mai ales că se pare că povestea tot reapare de zeci și zeci de ani, cu modificări pe ici, pe colo. Ba chiar putem găsi și exemple mai vechi de atât, cum ar fi faimosul Fluieraș din Hamelin.

Această evoluție se potrivește cu teoria memelor descrisă de Richard Dawkins. O memă este, practic vorbind, un element cultural care se dezvoltă în timp, într-un proces asemănător evoluției speciilor, în care doar cele mai rezistente supraviețuiesc. O putem compara cu un virus. Cineva născocește ideea inițială. Dacă ea e suficient de atractivă, va fi reținută de ascultători și povestită mai departe. Ca să supraviețuiască, povestea suferă diverse mutații pentru a se adapta vremurilor. Dacă în anii comunismului vehiculul diabolic era o Volgă, mai târziu s-a transformat într-o salvare. Mai demult recolta organe, acum fură copii. Inclusiv platforma de răspândire este importantă, ajungând în zilele noastre să aibă acces la un mecanism bine închegat și optimizat de rețele sociale și asistenți cu inteligență artificială.

Dar, în tot acest lanț, esențială rămâne doar măsura în care ideea este acceptată de gazda infectată. Dacă lumea nu ar fi crezut povestea, ea nu ar fi devenit virală. De asemenea, dacă ambulanța fura neveste, probabil că nu ar fi stârnit asemenea emoții. Asta mă face să cred că tocmai furtul de copii e ceea ce atinge o coardă sensibilă.

Toate miturile sunt născute dintr-o frământare psihologică a societății. Povestea inițială e izvorâtă din modul de gândire al celui ce a născocit-o. Dacă ea prinde la alții, e pentru că stârnește ceva similar în mintea receptorului. Cu cât se răspândește la mai mulți și este transmisă din generație în generație, povestea este șlefuită de gândirea fiecăruia, astfel că, în final, rămân doar particularitățile psihologice care sunt comune tuturor.

Ce particularitate a psihicului colectiv ar fi atât de atrasă de o poveste despre o entitate malefică ce fură copii? Ar fi mai multe, dar cea mai evidentă și cu cea mai mare greutate e anxietatea de a fi un părinte inadecvat. E al naibii de greu să te pricepi la meseria de părinte și este infinit mai greu să te și simți sigur pe abilitățile tale. Copilul plânge, urlă, nu mănâncă, nu doarme, face crize, face exact ce nu vrei tu să facă, se îmbolnăvește din nimic și habar n-ai de ce și nici ce anume trebuie să faci în niciuna dintre aceste situații. Chiar și în cazul celor care cred că le știu pe toate, psihicul subconștient e greu de păcălit. El simte lipsa acută de încredere în sine și caută noi repere care să îi reclădească siguranța.

Ambulanța apare drept salvarea necesară. Spre deosebire de nazu­rile și nevoile unui copil, e o problemă concretă, cu o soluție clară. Oprirea ei îl asigură pe individ că e cel mai bun părinte din lume. Asemeni unui supererou, el se pune în calea demonului și îl oprește din a-i face rău copilului. Ba mai mult, doar cei care dau dovadă de prudență, deschidere, inteligneță și abilitate pot accesa informația ezoterică legată de apariția pericolului. Restul, oricât ar încerca, având o perspectivă limitată, vor rămâne captivi în mediocritate parentală. (În caz că sunt prea abstract: un părinte bun e cel care s-a informat corect.)

În basme, elementele malefice sunt tocmai simboluri ale conflictelor pe care le avem zi de zi, adesea exteriorizări ale unor confruntări interne. Victoria eroului e menită să ne dea nouă confortul psihic că putem înfrunta și greutățile vieții. Problema e că povestea cu salvarea ce fură copii nu a rămas la stadiul de basm, ci a fost luată drept realitate.

Ca să restabilim utilitatea basmului, trebuie să o readucem în lumea alegoriei și să ne gândim ce învățături am putea extrage. Cum am putea înfrânge adevăratul răpitor – cel din sinea noastră? Cel care se dă drept salvatorul nostru, când, de fapt, ne fură conexiunea cu realitatea. Minciuna pe care ne-o vinde e că noi știm mai bine. Adevărul e că nu știm nimic; soluția e să acceptăm asta. Atunci vom fi mai umili și mai deschiși față de ceea ce nu înțelegem. Și poate că, astfel, și cei neînțeleși ne vor asculta, iar cu toții vom ajunge să știm câte ceva mai mult.

Anul muzical 2025

Anul ăsta am ascultat mai mult muzică românească, așa că voi scrie postarea anuală în română.

Piesa anului nu are cum să fie alta decât The Day We Die, semnată The Memento Project, adică Andrei Găluț împreună cu mai mulți prieteni muzicieni, cu toții supraviețuitori ai tragediei de la Colectiv. M-am bucurat enorm să îl văd pe Andrei la prima sa apariție publică la exact 10 ani de la acel incident. Sunt fanul lui încă de când a concurat la Mega Star și a arătat că e un luptător, dar în același timp un om cumsecade, cu calități de admirat.

Nu doar atât, dar și aranjamentul acustic pe care l-a dat piesei emblematice a fostei sale formații, este de o frumusețe sublimă. În calmul ei, parcă e mai tăioasă decât originalul. Partea de final m-a luat prin surprindere, căci acele versuri erau mascate în mixul de pe Mantras of War, dar aici capătă prim-planul și lovesc în plin.

Unul din albumele cele mai lăudate în sfera mea a fost Nori peste Sălăjan, de la Partizan. Deși îmi plac Timpuri Noi, Partizan nu am ascultat mai mult de piesele ajunse în mainstream. Albumul ăsta e mișto, e fun-fun-fun, interesant de ascultat, dar mi se pare cam overhyped. E o colecție de melodii ce îmbină jovialitatea cu nostalgia anilor '80, într-un pachet de muzică electronică cu tente post-punk, dar nu e vreun album de căpătâi. Tristă recenta dispariție a lui Artan, dar e bine că s-au reunit o grămadă de muzicieni și alte voci care să îi laude activitatea și să facă uitată întâmplarea aia nefericită ce a apărut prin presă și asupra căreia s-a insistat prea mult, doar fiindcă o avocată voia să fie în lumina reflectoarelor.

L-am cunoscut un pic pe om înaintea concertului de lansare din Timișoara, când ieșise la o țigară, iar după ce a vorbit cu câțiva cunoscuți din sfera muzicii, a venit să dea mâna cu cei câțiva care hoinăream în fața intrării, care nu aflasem în timp util că ora de începere se amânase cu o oră. Mi-a lăsat impresia că e măcinat că nu va fi prea multă lume la concert și că îi e dor de trecut. Cine știe ce altele îl măcinau de fapt pe interior, care presupun că l-au dus să facă și acel gest nefericit, dar sunt sigur că nu rău intenționat. În lumea asta, uităm tot mai des că suntem oameni.

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Revenind la muzică, mult mai mult m-a impresionat un album apărut în aceeași perioadă - Qintesențiale, semnat Norzeatic & Qinta Spartă. Nu mă pricep la rap, dar știu că Norzeatic e un rapper ilustru (sau acum se zice iconic?) și chiar și eu țin minte de pe Atomic piesa Din Sub, care mi se pare cea mai șmecheră piesă rap românească.

Văzusem reclama la concertul de lansare din Timișoara și m-am gândit să merg, dar am zis că nu am ce căuta acolo, printre rapperi. Fraier am fost... Am văzut apoi recenzia semnată de amicul Iovan, care anul ăsta s-a apucat de ceva jurnalism underground, ceea ce mă bucură foarte mult, pentru că orașul nostru duce lipsă de așa ceva, evenimentele culturale de masă fiind acoperite practic de o singură persoană - atotprezentul Zoli V.

Așa am aflat că de fapt albumul nu e doar rap, ci un melanj jazz-funk, sonorități realizate de acea Qintă Spartă, nume sub care se regăsesc diverși instrumentiști, printre care și Tavi Scurtu la baterie, un alt nume notoriu, în special în scena timișoreană.

M-am pus repede să ascult și am descoperit un album minunat, inteligent, care te face și să dai din cap pe ritm, sau chiar să dansezi dacă nu te rușinezi, dar și să asculți atent, să cugeți. Spre deosebire de Nori peste Sălăjan, piesele de pe Qintesențiale mă fac să le ascult mereu cu interes, fie că e vorba de șugubățul Ring Ring Ring - un tribut De La Soul, fie că e linștitorul Jam, sau Mistica Pătratelor Concentrate - o ars poetica în care Norzeatic ne prezintă cum face magie cu un aparat electronic. Dar piesa centrală e triptich-ul A.I. / Roboții / Nu sunt sclavul tău, un poem epic genial despre un subiect foarte actual, tratat cu măiestrie artistică. După ce prima parte ne pune să ghicim ce cuvinte rimează cu „AI”, actul doi reprezintă o adaptare (nu un cover) foarte reușită a unei piese Kraftwerk, pentru ca finalul să ne facă să ridicăm amuzați din sprânceană. Nu sunt sclavul tău este o piesă tipică de „muzică ușoară” din anii '90, cu un ritm jucăuș, despre o relație nesatisfăcătoare, adaptată să fie despre relația dintre o inteligență artificială și om. Luate împreună, alcătuiesc piesa mea favorită din 2025.

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Despre Liliac am mai scris pe aici, iar ca să nu trebuiască să cauți, am să repet povestea lor incredibilă. Trupa e formată din cinci frați și surori, părinții lor fiind emigranți români în SUA. La început cântau cover-uri pe celebra Santa Monica Pier, iar când au înecput să adune public semnificativ, au continuat la nivelul următor. Au participat la ceva concurs de talente și apoi au început să compună propriile piese și să meargă în turnee.

Ultima oară spuneam că aceste compoziții nu se ridică la nivelul cover-urilor. Dar cu ultimul material - Delusion - cred că au reușit. Mi se pare evident că au evoluat de la un album la altul. Chitaristul e foarte bun, crescut atât cu stiluri mai moderne, dar și un maestru al solo-urilor clasice, care sunt o plăcere de ascultat. De Melody, vocalista trupei, am mai spus că parcă ar fi o reîncarnare feminină a lui Dio, și e la înălțime și pe albumul ăsta. Piesele sunt variate, apar o sumedenie de idei interesante (remarc și introducerea unor intstrumente noi precum fluierul sau vioara), ceea ce face audiția una captivantă, atât pentru fanii de metal clasic, cât și pentru cei cărora le plac sonorități mai actuale.

În mod interesant, se pare că odată cu încheierea anului, trupa va lua o pauză pe timp nederminat. Sora cea mare deja nu prea mai apărea în trupă, de când a devenit mămică. Probabil și alte evenimente sau interese personale au apărut în sânul familiei. E greu de imaginat că o astfel de trupă există, dar mai să ne așteptăm că va continua în formula asta mereu.

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Albumul pe care l-am ascultat cel mai mult a fost Here Be Dragons de la Avantasia. Precedentele două nu m-au prins, deși sunt mare fan, încă de la The Metal Opera. Dar cu ăsta am știut că va fi mișto încă de când am auzit primul single, Creepshow.

E incredibil că Tobias Sammet a ajuns să aibă la fel de multe albume de studio cu Avantasia, câte are și cu Edguy, deși cea dintâi părea la început că nu poate fi decât un proiect ambițios, cu un succes limitat în timp. Dar uite că rețeta continuă, cu un nucleu solid de voci celebre (Eric Martin, Bob Catley, Ronnie Atkins, Jørn Lande) și cu altele pe care le aduce în evidență în diverse compoziții de toate genurile.

Cu ocazia asta, i-am și văzut din nou live după prea mulți ani, un show de toată splendoarea - două ore și 40 de minute, fără pauză, cu piese una și una. Tommy Karevik și Kenny Leckremo sunt mai nou veniți în proiect și au dat totul, de parcă era visul lor să facă parte din Avantasia, iar Adrienne Cowan e excelentă și foarte versatilă, atât scenic, cât și prin vocea ei puternică. Fără ea, s-ar fi simțit un gol important.

Am fost norocos să îl prind și pe Bob Catley, care nu a participat la toate concertele din turneu. Setlistul a cuprins și bijuteriile Death is Just a Feeling și The Toy Master, pe care Tobi le-a interpretat cu mare stil, chiar dacă nu e nici Jon Oliva, nici Alice Cooper, dar cum să ai chiar așa pretenții. Și toate astea în ciuda faptului că a lipsit Jørn Lande, componentă de bază pe majoritatea albumelor Avantasia, dar care de data asta a fost ocupat cu altceva.

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Un alt album ce a ajuns în topul ascultărilor a fost Breach de la Twenty One Pilots, duo pe care l-am tot menționat de-a lungul anilor. Albumul ăsta a venit prea devreme față de precedentul, așa că m-a stârnit mai greu, dar până la urmă a prins destule repetări și conține câteva piese foarte catchy. Se pare și că au dus la sfârșit povestea pe care au întrețesut-o prin versurile precedentelor câteva albume, ceea ce mi se pare o realizare foarte ambițioasă.

* * *

Am mai ascultat și altele, dar termin cu o mențiune specială: Tempest Saint. Pe vocalul formației l-am cunoscut în 2019, în urma unui concert Manowar, în Birmingham. Pe atunci era un puști de vreo 18-20 de ani, dar care arăta într-un mare fel, cu vestimentație corectă de metalist, de la pantaloni de piele, la bocanci, vestă, ținte și accesorii. Un băiat foarte de treabă de altfel, am aflat că e cântăreț de operă, dar activează și într-o trupă de metal. În cele din urmă, cu Tempest Saint s-au și pus roțile în mișcare, au concerte și au lansat primul album, intitulat Hyperbolized. Prin UK se pare că e un nou val de trupe de heavy metal tradițional (NWONWOBHM să-i zicem - de ce nu?) și puștii ăștia asta cântă, cu influnțe puternice mai ales Judas și Maiden. Ba chiar au și o colaborare cu Tim Ripper Owens pe una din piese. Nu am să spun că e cine știe ce bijuterie albumul, dar e o audiție foarte plăcută, energizantă, și pe lângă voce îmi place mult și chitara, care oferă destule riff-uri și solo-uri delicioase.

Dacă evenimentul anului 2025 a fost prestația Gojira de la Jocurile Olimpice, anul ăsta am vizionat cu mare entuziasm concertul tribut Black Sabbath. Chiar dacă pe undeva arăta a o adunătură de moși care ne-au făcut să ne amintim de vremurile bune (cu excepția Guns N' Roses), mi s-a părut că evenimentul e un fel de Live Aid al generației noastre. În vremurile de acum nu prea există știri care să capteze atenția întregii comunități metal. Fiecare e cu muzica lui. Dar despre concertul ăsta puteai vorbi cam cu oricine care are cât de cât o tangență cu genul. E un lucru rar.

Mi-au plăcut în special concertele din prima parte - Mastodon, Alice in Chains, Lamb of God, Tool - cât mai ales diversele combinații de muzicieni dintre trupe. Nuno Bettencourt a fost miezul, iar Changes e fără îndoială prestația live a anului. Nu auzisem de Yungblud până acum, dar am rămas mut când am văzut cu câtă pasiune interpretează și cu o prezență scenică impecabilă, de rock star veritabil, care a acaparat întreg stadionul. Mi-a adus aminte ca look de Bob Geldof și de carisma lui Freddie Mercury. Un moment cu adevărat memorabil. Am încercat să îi ascult și albumul, dar nu m-a prins în starea necesară. Poate pe viitor. În orice caz, binevenită prezența lui în scena muzicală.

Dear Matilda

Dear Matilda,

We're incredibly excited to see what story you will make for yourself. We'll be here to help and cheer you along.

Be brave. Be creative. Be (just a little bit) naughty.

Love,

Mom & Dad

Trezirea conștiinței

M-am tot gândit să iau bazaconiile emise de Călin Georgescu și să construiesc ceva inteligent pornind de la ele. Așa, ca un antidot la prostie. Inspirat de clipul de mai jos, (pe care vă recomand să-l vizionați înainte de a citi mai departe) mi-am amintit de sintagma „trezire a conștiinței poporului”.

Cum poate poporul, care e constituit dintr-o o mulțime de indivizi, să aibă o conștiință? Nu e nimic miraculos sau spiritual. Când privim creierul la nivel microscopic, el nu este decât o colecție de neuroni, a căror interacțiune bazată pe niște reguli simple relevă anumite tipare. La o scară imensă, atunci când privim din exterior, percepem această activitate a creierului drept o minte conștientă, o conștiință. La fel, când într-o mulțime de minți, precum un popor, apare un anumit grad de sincronism, chiar de este întâmplător, putem vorbi de o conștiință colectivă.

În cazul unei minți individuale este o diferență evidentă între conștiință și elementele ce îi dau naștere. Despre un om putem spune că e jovial, inimos sau malițios, dar este absurd să spui același lucru despre neuronii din creierul său. În cazul conștiinței poporului, însă, putem atribui aceste trăsături atât ei, cât și indivizilor ce compun poporul. Totuși, conștiința colectivă nu este doar un „rezumat” sau o „medie” a indivizilor, ci trebuie văzută ca un „individ” la fel de unic (dar complet imaterial) precum cei din care emerge.

Este evident că într-un popor întâlnim indivizi foarte diferiți unul de celălalt. De exemplu, un anumit individ are patru clase, trăiește la țară și votează AUR. Un altul, este IT-ist cu master și votează USR. Dar există poate și un altul, care la parlamentare a votat PSD, la primele prezidențiale cu Lasconi, iar la ultimele cu Simion. Este imposibil să creezi o entitate care să fie stereotipul tuturor acestor indivizi, fără să devină prea generică (precum „român” sau „votant”).

Pe de altă parte, cred că există o diferență aparte în cazul conștiinței colective, anume că ea are, totuși, o legătura mai importantă cu individul, decât are mintea cu neuronul. Conștiința colectivă are o relație directă cu subconștientul uman, deoarece acesta este izvorul sincronismului necesar nașterii ei. Cea mai clară dovadă în acest sens este similaritatea miturilor, legendelor, religiilor, învățăturilor spirituale apărute pe întreg mapamondul și de-a lungul întregii istorii. Chiar de ele diferă mult la suprafață, în esență ele sunt la fel, deoarece aceste idei izvorăsc din străfundul subconștientului uman, care funcționează la fel pentru orice om. Cu toții avem la bază aceleași temeri, aceleași nevoi, aceleași năzuințe.

Iar domnul din videoclip mi se pare că exemplifică perfect conștiința poporului român. Majoritatea ar spune că este un creier defect, dar de fapt el funcționează la fel de bine ca oricare altul, atâta doar că este dezbrăcat de straturile stufoase și complicate ale omului de rând. Este o minte atât de simplă încât putem vedea direct subconștientul ei, care la majoritatea este ascuns sub problemele cotidiene, sub raționalizări și manipulări.

Subliniez din nou că aceasta nu  reprezintă un stereotip al românului, ci tocmai conștiința lui, care îl ghidează din străfunduri. Chiar de un individ anume este în opoziție cu aceasta, el nu scapă de influența ei nevăzută.

Cum arată, deci, conștiința poporului român? În primul rând, putem remarca un simț al datoriei. Nu pune nici măcar o clipă sub semnul întrebării ceea ce are de făcut. După 45 de ani de comunism și încă 35 de ani de atunci, votul dat partidului unic nu doar că este un automatism, ci este un instinct de supraviețuire. Dă dovadă de cooperare și receptivitate. Își apreciază semenii („vecinul”) și nu ezită să îi asculte, mai ales dacă îi percepe mai înțelepți. Totuși, simte mocnind un sentiment de neliniște, că ceva nu este tocmai cum ar trebui să fie. Nu e clar ce, dar o schimbare trebuie făcută. Și o va face!

Până aici cred că am interpretat la fel ca domnul Georgescu. Dar mai departe cred că el face o greșeală, crezând că această schimbare din urmă reprezintă o trezire. Ca și cum o divinitate a bătut din degete și conștiința poporului s-a trezit din amorțire. Nu văd cum poate fi așa, la fel cum nimeni nu se poate lăsa de fumat peste noapte, doar fiindcă așa i-a spus doctorul.  (Privind retrospectiv, îmi dau seama că poate sintagma i-a venit lui Georgescu în minte după ce a vizionat „Trezirea Forței”.)

Mintea se schimbă greu relativ la viața omului. După ani în care a fost modelată prin acțiuni repetate, durează ceva ca să îi induci schimbarea vreunui obicei înrădăcinat. O conștiință colectivă se schimbă și mai lent de atât, la nivelul timpului istoric. Miturile și religiile au supraviețuit tocmai datorită perenității conștiinței umane, având doar câteva evoluții majore de-a lungul timpului.

Ce este important de evidențiat, cu toate că este evident, e faptul că schimbarea nu o poate face un individ și nici măcar un grup de indivizi. Ea se produce lent și este greu de influențat, la fel cum forțele naturii modelează un relief încet, dar sigur.

Cu alte cuvinte: Vedeți-vă de propria conștiință, că cea a poporului își urmează cursul firesc.

2024 - Is music dead?

I'm the kind of guy who likes to listen to an album as a whole, instead of just random mixes of songs. But seeing that for the past few years I found it harder and harder to be fascinated by albums, I'm starting to think that just releasing singles is the best way to go for most bands, especially ones that are already established.

This goes hand in hand with the feeling I've been having that music is kind of dead, in the sense that it has reached a kind of evolutionary end and it has nowhere else to go. Almost everything that could have been said has already been said. In metal, the trend was about going to more and more extreme sounds, and the end of the line was reached in the '90s. Then bands started blending genres, and it seems that by now they've mixed them in everyway possible. The new trend, it seems to me, is gimmicks. Bands like Gloryhammer, Alestorm, Powerwolf, Ghost, Nanowar of Steel, where the focus is on the costumes or theme of the band, more than just the music. (The music is also good, don't get me wrong.)

The problem with gimmicks is that, after a couple of albums, it's already grown old. Sure, the band is still fun to see live, but the music they put out is just more or less the same, with the occasional hit. here and there. That's how I feel about relative new-comers Brothers of Metal, who like to dress up in loin cloths and take a more light-hearted approach to viking metal. Fimbulvinter is their third album and it took quite a while since the previous one, seeing that they had already released two songs in 2022. The album, while fun, doesn't reach up to the anticipation created by those releases, nor to the greatness of its predecessor.

Coming up with new interesting things has always been a problem with veteran bands. Like say, Judas Priest. While they've tried different styles along the way, at this age it seems they settled into just creating the kind of music that made them famous. I listened to Invincible Shield when it came out early this year and thought it sounded really good. A few months later I had already forgotten about it and only remembered that I liked it, so I gave it a few more listens. It shouldn't be a surprise that, as I write this, I have very little recollection of most of the songs on the album. The only one that really stuck was Crown of Horns. I saw that it's even nominated for a Grammy. I find that funny, because my impression was that this was a fun little ballad that they came up with on the whim. As if a teenage fan saw Halford in a pub, went up to him and enthusiastically hailed him "Rob, Rob! Tell me a story!" and then Halford replied "Alright then, get this old man a pen and a napkin and I'll see what I can do in 5 minutes." And that was it.

Another group of old geezers, Deep Purple, have also released their twenty-somethingth album, which they called =1. I really loved the previous one, Whoosh! about which I wrote that it's like well-aged cognac. While this one is great, I don't like it as much. The pre-released singles were quite fun, especially Portable Door, with its hilarious lyrics that reminded me of Knocking at Your Back Door. I think the story with this album was something like this. Guitarist Steve Morse said he's getting too old for this (he was the youngest member), so he retired. So on comes new blood Simon McBride, in his mid-40s, full of energy. One day, Gillan comes to rehearsals and tells the others: "Oi! You know what? Why are we all cooped up in here? Let's hit the pub. And tell that McBridey fella to grab his guitar." So, that's what they did. They went to the pub to have fun playing some music off each other and out came a list of bangers.

To end with this category of old people, Bruce Dickinson has released a much-awaited solo album. Unfortunately, he waited too long. His voice simply doesn't sound as good and it often feels like he's not adapting to reality. The Mandrake Project is a good listen, but just like the others, I don't remember much about the actual songs.

The only band that I think is truly innovative these days, is Black Midi. Having put out several albums, I found out in the second part of 2024, that they are on a sort of indefinite hiatus. What can I say? Weird kids that make quirky music, not much of a surprise. Turns out that the frontman, Geordie Greep, had been having some fun with some other musicians in the meantime, and short after a non-announcement of the band's situation, he put out a fully complete one-hour long album, called The New Sound. It's an ambitious title, but the music is not really as ambitious as Black Midi's, with less experimentation, and more Brazilian influences. That said, the main single Holy, Holy is amazing, telling the story of the most narcissistic guy on Earth who enumerates to a call girl every minute detail of how he wants their date to go in order for him to feel very good about himself.

Zeal & Ardor could be seen as both on the gimmick and mixing genres bandwagon, but I think that for their latest releases they've been trying to move away from the afro-black metal sound that defines them. Indeed, Greif is more experimental, especially since it is their first album that is the output of the whole band, rather than just of the project's founder, Manuel Gagneux. I like it, but just like the other stuff I mentioned here, it's not that memorable, it's less cohesive, and their previous studio album is much better.

For the next two mentions I'm going to go back in time to when I started to really get into music, the good old turn-of-the-millennium. One is obvious, the other much less so. Alien Ant Farm are most famous for their excellent cover of Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal. And most probably, just for that, although I fondly remember a couple more videos, like the excellent Movies. Coming back to 2024, the year since their first release in quite a while, entitled ~mAntras~. I thought I'd give it a listen to remember the old times, and give this band the attention it deserved. Turns out they are quite a fun bunch, the kind that enjoys making a bit of a ruckus, but remain decent fellows. The album is nothing outstanding when you look at music history, but I enjoyed it, and it's probably the one I listened to the most. It has some fun tunes, and while they show off that no-fucks-given laid-back Californian attitude, some of the songs are quite serious, but with a hint of optimism and those quirky inflexions that make the singer so easily distinguishable. And on top of that, they've another really great cover, this time of Everything She Wants by Wham!.

The other mention is, of course, Linkin Park, the band that made history with those early albums, especially Hybrid Theory, by picking up the rap-metal baton from Limp Bizkit and hoisting the flag for the angsty teenagers of the new millennium. I've not followed them since, and they never really became a huge band, despite having a loyal following. Now they're back in the spotlight having returned from a 7-year break caused by Chester Bennington's suicide. I think they've done everything right about this comeback. To me it doesn't seem like it was PR-driven, but it managed to bring in the attention of the media and the whole world. It honestly does feel like an organic reunion, one that's not made just because they had to, but because they really felt like the band has the reason and the energy to continue in a new form. And I really love Emily Armstrong. I like her amazing range and how easily she can glide from a powerful melodic voice to scorching screams, even if she lacks in Chester's rawness. I like her grunge/punk look, I like that she looks like she's somehow lost on stage, as if she's in her own world. That said, From Zero is not a history-making album. It couldn't have been, given all I've said in the beginning of this post. The lyrics and Shinoda's performance are sometimes a bit childish, but it's definitely a good listen. The Emptiness Machine is an amazing track, especially due to Emily's stellar performance, and I also like Over Each Other very much, probably for the same reason. Everything else is fine, but not very memorable.

Twenty One Pilots are one of the bands that are always creative and have something interesting to say. Clancy is one of my favourite albums of the year. It's a continuation of Trench, a sort of conceptual work, that continues the imagined world and characters that the guys have created over their discography. I like that in a world where the relevance of music videos is mostly gone, they've made one for each track of the album. And no, they're not lyric videos or those kind of videos where it's mostly animation or live footage and are relatively cheaper to do. These are actual live-action music videos. And that drum pattern of Overcompensate is really dope!

Next to it, there's one other album that I really liked as a whole, "XII: A gy​ö​ny​ö​rü álmok ezut​á​n j​ö​nnek", coming from Thy Catafalque, a band I've mentioned in last year's review as well, being the single Hungarian band that I find worthwhile. I like this album more than its predecessor. It's quite diverse, ranging from energetic, uplifting songs to moody or angry ones, alternating clean singing with growls, complementing great female voices with rougher male ones, while keeping a mystical and profound atmosphere throughout. I especially like the title track (which translates as "The beautiful dreams are yet to come")  and "Piros kocsi, fekete éj" (meaning "red carriage, black night"). The animation video for the last one gives a good representation about what the song is about, a metaphor for one's journey through life.

Crossing the border, I've only listened to two Romanian albums, and it should be no surprise which ones those are. Methadone Skies have returned with Spectres at Dawn, which is quite a nice listen. I like that they're back to the more playful attitude of the first albums, but still not at the level of Colosseus.

And finally, Trooper have shown for the third and hopefully final time that it's really hard to make a historical album. Mihai Viteazul: Poemele Românilor completes their trilogy about the most important medieval Romanian leaders. It starts out decently enough, with songs that try to convey something on top of the historical theme, but a third of the way in, and the album turns into a boring history lesson, where the quality music that Trooper is so skilled at producing by now is just background for the most awful lyrics you can imagine, that go something like this: "King whatever proposed this, Mihai accepted" or "Thousands gathered on the hill, many died". There's no sense of atmosphere, of recreating emotions, of setting perspective, basically no poetry, no artistic vision, just a bland recounting of facts.

You might say I'm getting old and nothing seems to thrill me anymore. Except it does. There are three things that have impressed me profoundly in 2024. The first one comes from an unexpected source, from the Agatha All Along series. Yes... one of the most interesting pieces of music of 2024 came from a run-of-the-mill Marvel spin-off. When seeing The Ballad of the Witches' Road my jaw dropped and I haven't been this awed since seeing the first trailer for The Hobbit, the one where the dwarves sing Misty Mountains. No gimmicks, no extravagant arrangements, it delivers a raw and powerful energy with such effectiveness and subtlety that you actually get the feeling that there really must be something mystical about those notes.

The other two moments revolve around the same name: Victor Le Masne. If the name sounds vaguely familiar, it's because he was the Music Director of the whole Olympic Games, basically the guy responsible for all the music associated with the event.

For metal fans, the highlight was definitely Gojira's performance during the opening ceremony. I've written in great detail elsewhere why I consider this to be one of the greatest artistic moments of our times. Here, I'll just point out that it blends several art forms to portray the energy and emotions behind a certain historic event and mindset, while also doing it in the context of Olympism and its values of respect and unity.

Secondly, I was deeply impressed with the anthem of the Paris Olympics, composed by Le Masne himself, entitled Parade. The theme etched into my brain as it was played during montages of the sporting events or before medal ceremonies. The whole piece is a brilliant embodiment of several moods and emotions. It is astounding how the very same theme is so versatile that it can be played in several styles and tempos to convey different meanings. It starts out as a classical piece, evoking grandeur, nostalgia of a more romantic past, then builds up in energy to expressing the spirit of competition, conquest of one's abilities, discipline, the idea of putting effort to be the best. Then it switches to a modern upbeat and rich tune, inspired by electronic music, fit for the pace of modern times, evoking optimism for the future. If nothing else, it will remain in our memories as the emblematic jingle of the event.

My guess is that from now on, music will be interesting only if it somehow resonates with the listener in an intimate way (which doesn't really depend on the music itself), or it escapes its boundaries, either connecting with other artforms or with other means of raising emotions, meanings, that it can't do on its own. Or maybe I'm just getting old.

2023 - another year of musical parody

I could hardly be thrilled by new music in 2023 and it felt as another year of parody.

A Tale of Two Anguses

So, let's just dive in with the ever so popular genre of comedic fantasy metal. Gloryhammer is one of the leaders in this area, with their trilogy of albums which fuse medieval fantasy with space opera, dealing with the never-ending duel between hero Angus McFife and the evil wizard Zargothrax, a story that involves dwarves, unicorns and all sorts of magical beings and gadgets such as the laser-powered goblin-smasher. The band members each portray a character from the story, with the frontman being Angus McFife himself. The fun part is that after the conclusion of the aforementioned trilogy, which ended with the hero sacrificing himself, the band also parted ways with its lead singer, Thomas Winkler. The Angus McFife persona was taken by a new singer, which, in my opinion, sounds even better.

Their newest release, Return to the Kingdom of Fife, continues with the hint at the end of the previous album, that this whole thing is just something orchestrated by some aliens, which have reinstated a clone of Zargothrax, so that the story can be re-started from medieval times. And, just as that suggests, the album is more of the same: cheesy fantasy, a humorous, over-the-top, rehashing of what Gloryhammer is now very confident of putting out.

As for Thomas Winkler, he became quite attached to the name Angus McFife. While still in Gloryhammer, he had some collaborations with other bands using that name and even the costume he used as part of that character. It would be hard for him to make an impact if he were to use a new name. Thus, he is now known as... (drum roll)... Angus McSix. Get it? No? Don't worry. It took me a while, too, until I listened to the chorus of his first single, Master of the Universe: "I got stabbed through my old armor made of leather / But guess who's back, one better?" Get it??? Because Fife sounds very much like "five", so now he's Six, which is "one better"!!! Hilarious!

The thing is I actually like Angus McSix and the Sword of Power better than Gloryhammer's album, because at least it's got something to say, and he has a lot of fun with it. There are lots of puns on the name (Sixcalibur, Starlord of the Sixtus Stellar System) and references to his past, but in a very unresentful manner. I wouldn't even be surprised if this is just a ruse and at some point we'll get a Gloryhammer featuring McSix album, in which the two Anguses fight it out on who the real one is. Then, there's this animated video of Laser-Shooting Dinosaur, which sounds like the theme song for a Sunday kid's show, but metal. All songs are like that: funny, catchy, danceable and sing-along-able.

The Kings of Parody

We should now move to the actual Kings of Parody. And I'm not calling them that just because their name is a spoof on the actual Kings of Metal. I've greatly underrated Nanowar of Steel's previous album as upon subsequent re-listens, especially by watching their lyric videos, I found their songs are unrecognized gems. That goes for their newest album - Dislike to False Metal - as well.

The musicians have really proved themselves to be not only masters of making songs in the exact manner and style of various genres and bands, but they are also fine observers of modern socio-political life. Thus, we do not have just one of the best Sabaton songs, but also an epic account of the 1994 FIFA World Cup final, as if it were a battle of one of the world wars. Protocols (of the Elders of Zion) of Love is not just a boy band spoof, but it makes fun of conspiracy theory lovers, while also piling on tons of cultural references. Just like Sober, which is a tribute to another parody metal band - Alestorm - and turns the pirate theme on its head, by promoting a life of complete abstinence from alcohol. What Alestorm failed to do, Nanowar does, by including an interpretation of the Scumm Bar theme from the legendary Monkey Island games, for which they have my deepest appreciation!

Chupacabra Cadabra is an epic Mexican-style song, which feels lacklustre on a passive listen, but, like all Nanowar songs, it really shines when you look at the lyrics, which deal with the absurdity of the Covid pandemic. Metal Boomer Battalion is also a standout as it makes fun of all those people that like to cast their negative opinions on anything that isn't in line with their sentiments from when they were 14, back in the late '80s. Definitely something that is needed, not just in metal, but for anything that is debated online. There are a few fillers, too, but Disco Metal is not one of them. It just shows that the band can confidently go outside the metal genre. Here, they pile tons of autotune and house music, but somehow make it really catchy and fun to listen to. This probably turns a lot of metalheads away (if for some reason they weren't already!), but it's the kind of song which distinguishes between a listener who really gets it, from those that don't and are just there for a few chuckles.

The Greatest Parody of All

Finally, we turn to what I found to be the album that I liked the most this year. At some point I thought: "Hmm, I wonder what Madness are doing?" Turns out, they're releasing an album! A very good one, too, which deals with the greatest parody of all: life. And you don't have to take my word for it. I don't usually follow tops and charts, but just a quick search revealed that Theatre of the Absurd Presents C'est la Vie is, unbelievably, the band's first ever number one album in the UK. That's incredible for a band that's been around for almost 50 years, and one that is already well established in the history of music. I find it hard to say a lot about it. It's just great. All the songs are catchy, and the witty sarcasm of the lyrics oozes through the melodies, in the characteristic Madness style. It's of a refined quality, skilfully composed, enjoyable without much effort needed, but also profound. It makes you feel like dancing to the absurdity of life.

Some Metal

Enough silliness. Another album that I enjoyed throughout the year is Beyond the Black's. I've said before that they're the best Nightwish since Nightwish. Lately, their style has leant towards a more radio-friendly production, but, in my opinion, they are just as powerful as ever. The lyrics deal with themes of loneliness and overcoming it, with the value of the album being the emotion it puts behind those lyrics. Jennifer's voice is amazing as always, but it's not just that she can sing the notes. She knows how to portray despair when needed by putting more urgency in her performance, she knows when to lengthen the note or when to put a punch into the word to bring out the right emotion. And when the emotion really needs a kick, the guitar steps in for support. (case in point: the sublime duet towards the end of Free Me, when the guitar "cries" as if it is an extension of the voice) Speaking of guitars, they are solid all around, melodic and powerful, with modern-sounding riffs here and there. The lyrics are also not to be overlooked. I especially like Into the Light, which adds a twist to the "follow your dreams" kind of song, by questioning whether courageously diving "into the light and into the fire" is always a good thing. Whether "driven by hope, driven by greed", it is "another dance on razor's edge" as "we keep on reaching out for more".

Godsmack have released Lighting Up the Sky, which they've announced to be their final album. That's a curious statement for a band that's not even 30 years old, but I guess we'll see if it remains like that. It's a good album, with some good songs. Of course, being the final album, it deals a lot with retrospection, gratitude, but also growing old. And that's part of the charm. As I said, it's a good album, but it didn't get me as excited as When Legends Rise.

What got me excited is a new band I discovered, called Thy Catafalque. They are actually the first Hungarian band I like. It turns out it's more of a one-man project, and he didn't particularly care for doing concerts or touring, but from time to time, he gathers some musicians and they do. That was the case this year, where they did a few shows, two of them in Romania, including one in Timișoara, and that is how I found out about them. Their music is a blend of melodic black metal with folk music, and there is a certain charm about it, a kind of mystic and mythic atmosphere that rises from it.

Speaking of new discoveries, I first heard of Sleep Token from this funny short video, which spurred my interest. So I gave their album a listen. They are a mish-mash of a whole lot of things and I think everybody will pick different things based on what they usually listen to. I've heard people compare them to Tool, to Bring me the Horizon. I'd compare them to Leprous (but better), but also to Twenty One Pilots. And they are all of those. Plus, something like an emo/Lovecraftian version of Ghost for their image. It's the kind of gimmick that divides people quite definitively into love it or hate it camps. Not me of course. I wanted to fall into the former, but after several listens throughout the years, it just didn't stick to me. I like some songs, and I'll recognize them instantly when I hear them, but I can't remember much about the album as a whole. Nothing left a mark on me and the transitions from harsh vocals to pop/hip-hop feel just too random to me, without much substance.

Maybe I'm just a lazy and not that sophisticated listener. Kinda what it's like with Haken's Fauna. Again, it's a good album, and I like how they've put more melody, leaning more towards pop in ceratin songs, but I don't feel like listening to it. I guess it's just how I feel about prog metal in general.

On a happier note, I really liked Liliac's release - Madness (not to be confused with the band). I've mentioned them before - in the previous year of parody. Incredibly, the five members of the band are brothers and sisters. Their parents emigrated to Los Angeles from Romania and raised them with the love of music. They started doing covers of classic rock songs on Santa Monica pier, gained some nationwide attention by appearing on TV, and after all these years they are still playing together. I noted back then, that while the covers they did sound amazing, their own compositions are not that exciting. Well, I'm happy to say that Madness is quite exciting. It has a very fresh and modern sound, especially due to the guitarist who has some heavy classical affinities, but also to the keyboardist, who brings just enough bells and whistles into the mix. While there is nothing ground-breaking, it feels like they are having fun with the songs, not only the thrill of playing the kind of music they enjoy listening to, but also trying out different things. The lead singer, of course - another highlight, has a distinguishably raspy voice that sounds a lot like Dio. She (yes, she is a girl) uses that style on a lot of songs, to great effect, but isn't afraid to fasten the pace to almost a rap style, or go out screaming almost death-metal style. I would say that if you want to hear what a modern Dio would sounds like, Liliac is your kind of band.

Some Pop

Finally, I also listened to Pink's Trustfall. Or, I think it's written P!nk. Whatever. I went with my wife to one of her shows. No, I wasn't dragged, although it's not the kind of concert I would go on my own. Even though I don't regularly listen to Pink, I like her. She's probably my favourite female pop-star. And the concert was really great. It started by her bungee jumping from the roof of the stage, while singing. There was a lot of that, and towards the end she even flew across the entire stadium from one end to the other, tumbling in mid-air, doing one-hand push-ups while upside-down... while she was singing. I think I'm not exaggerating when I'm saying that her show was the pop version of a Rammstein concert.

Anyway, coming back to the album... There are some good songs on it, but the production really takes the life out of it. It's made to sound mellow and radio-friendly. For example, the title track I didn't really like, but in concert it sounded very different, loud and with real guitars, and that totally changed my opinion of it.

And I think that wraps it for this not very exciting year. Hope I didn't forget any important releases.