***POWER/ SYMPHONIC/ PROGRESSIVE METAL: Third wave of metal in Europe of the 90's/00's

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KAMELOT

http://www.kamelot.com/thvideo.htm

www.myspace.com/kamelot

In 1994, the opera metal band signed a deal with Noise Records; the release of their debut album Eternity followed in 1995. The next album, Dominion, was released in 1997. Later that year, drummer and founder Richard Warner and lead vocalist Mark Vanderbilt were replaced by drummer Casey Grillo and vocalist Roy Khan (formerly of Conception) respectively. With the two new members, Kamelot released their third studio album, Siege Perilous, in 1998. The new line-up undertook an extensive tour through Europe during the fall of the same year; twelve months later, they returned to the Gate Studio in Wolfsburg to produce the fourth studio effort, The Fourth Legacy.

The summer of 2000 brought the "New Allegiance Tour" through Germany, Austria, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Greece and Spain during which the recordings for Kamelot's first live album The Expedition were made. A few months later, the band presented their fifth album Karma. Their sixth album, Epica, was released in 2003.To support the Epica album, the band went on tour through Europe (with At Vance as supporting Band) and Japan. Both "Epica" and the band's seventh effort, The Black Halo, which was released in 2005, are based on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's version of the legend of Faust, a man who sells his soul to the devil. To support the new album, the band went on tour through Europe and Japan. During the first leg of the "Black Halo World Tour 2005", they played a head liner show with Epica and Kotipelto. In Japan the support was Silent Force. They also played on the Bang Your Head!!! Festival in Germany and the Graspop Metal Meeting in Belgium.

In 2005, they shot their first music videos for the songs "The Haunting (Somewhere in Time)" and "March of Mephisto" from the album The Black Halo. Both videos were shot by the prolific director Patric Ullaeus. On October 5th 2005, Kamelot added Oliver Palotai as the fifth official band member; Oliver handles both keyboards and (additional) guitars.

On the second leg of the "Black Halo World Tour" they visited North and South America (USA, Canada, Brazil) as well as Europe (The Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden and Norway). On February 11th, 2006, the band's live DVD, One Cold Winter's Night was shot by Patric Ullaeus at Rockefeller Music Hall in Oslo, Norway. It was released on November 17th, 2006 in Germany, November 20th in other parts of Europe and November 21st in US/Canada via SPV Records.

In fall 2006 the band returned to Gate Studios in Wolfsburg, Germany to record their latest album, Ghost Opera. Drummer Casey Grillo flew in to record in Wolfsburg for the first time since the Karma album.

Ghost Opera was released on June 1st in Germany, June 4th in Europe and June 5th in the US. The album was recorded and mixed at Gate Studios and Pathway Studios in Wolfsburg with producers Sascha Paeth and Miro. A limited-edition digipack version of the CD includes the bonus cut The Pendulous Fall along with a bonus DVD containing the video for the album's title track, Ghost Opera, shot by director Ivan Colic of Serbia's ICode Team as well as the making of the Ghost Opera video. The Limited Edition also contains a special extended booklet as well.

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Current members

Roy Khan - Vocals
Thomas Youngblood - Guitar
Glenn Barry - Bass
Casey Grillo - Drums
Oliver Palotai - Keyboards

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Studio albums

Mark Vanderbilt era:

Eternity (1995)
Dominion (1997)

khann era:

Siége Perilous (1998)
The Fourth Legacy (2000)
Karma (2001)
Epica (2003)
The Black Halo (2005)
Ghost Opera (2007)

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Characters
Helena - Helena and Ariel grew up together, and she is the only person Ariel has ever truly loved. She represents innocence and all that is pure and good.
Ariel - Ariel is an ever-searching person. A prominent young alchemist, he has become disappointed with the inadequacy of science and religion to answer his questions, and seeks the universal truth that they have failed to provide. He feels that this truth is the only thing that can make his life worthwhile.
Mephisto - Mephisto is the archangel who most loved God. Thus, when God ordered all the angels to bow before mankind, Mephisto refused, proclaiming that his loyalty was to God alone. For this, he was cast out of Heaven. He appears in many different shapes and guises, and is never quite what you'd expect--rational and sophisticated, yet tricky and deceptive. He desperately yearns to be with God again--and it is this yearning that sets the events of Epica into motion.

Prologue
Based on the "Prologue in Heaven" from Goethe's Faust, Mephisto and God make a bet; if Mephisto can claim the soul of Ariel, God's favorite man, then he will be allowed to reenter Heaven. But if Mephisto fails, he must be condemned to Hell forever. Musically, we are given scattered glimpses of the events to come through distorted fragments of lyrics, accompanied by an erratic strings ensemble.

Center of the Universe
We are introduced to Ariel's "always searching" mind. He guesses that, at some point, on the verge of death, someone must have known the truth he seeks. Without that truth, he feels alone in his homeland--the center of his universe. A moment of calm enters Ariel's raging mind (represented musically by a melodic duet) in which he decides that, having exhausted every venue of knowledge in his homeland, the answers must lie somewhere else.

Farewell
Ariel bids farewell to his old life. He burns all bridges and cuts ties with everyone he has ever known--including Helena. Finally, he rejects God, who is apparently unable to remedy the questions and afflictions of the human condition. Eager to begin his quest, he boards the next available ship and sets sail across the ocean, never to return.

Interlude I - Opiate Soul
This interlude marks the passage of time as Ariel spends many years traversing the wide world in search of truth.

The Edge of Paradise
Grasping at straws after years of fruitless travels, Ariel has turned to the occult and hallucinogenic drugs (represented through slow, meandering vocals and an exotic Arabesque melody), to which he has developed an addiction. Under the influence of these practices, he experiences a brief vision of Mephisto, though, as of yet, he knows nothing of the fallen angel or his divine bet. Ariel realizes that his current lifestyle will not lead him to the great answer, which he still desires as much as ever.

Wander
In despair, Ariel gives up his search and wanders, alone and aimless, throughout the wilderness of winter (the season in which the rest of this tale will take place). He reminisces about Helena, longing to return once again to the youth they spent together.

Interlude II - Omen
This slow, soft instrumental interlude marks Ariel's darkest hour, in which he prepares to take his own life. But Mephisto, his bet not yet won, has other plans.

Descent of the Archangel
Bathed in a halo of moonlight, Mephisto descends in angelic glory to Ariel. This is represented musically through a haunting saxophone opening pierced with simplistic keyboard chords. He introduces himself to Ariel, and proposes a deal: He will serve Ariel in life, fulfill all his desires, and grant him all manner of worldly power--on the condition that, when Ariel dies, Mephisto keeps his soul. Though the offer is tempting, Ariel is initially wary.

Interlude III - At the Banquet
Ariel suddenly finds himself transported to Mephisto's glorious castle, where the fallen angel is holding a feast in his honor. The revelrous mood is set through the upbeat tempo as Mephisto makes his entré to the banquet hall.

A Feast for the Vain
Ariel enjoys a night of gluttony, reverly, and pleasurable company at Mephisto's hand. Awestruck and overwhelmed by the splendor and glory (shown musically through almost Waltz-like progressions), the last of his doubts are banished; he accepts Mephisto's friendship and consents to his deal--with one modification: If Ariel ever experiences a moment in which he is so content that he wishes to linger there forever, only then will Mephisto keep his soul. Mephisto grudgingly accepts this modified contract.

On the Coldest Winter Night
Leaving Mephisto's castle, Ariel runs into, of all people, Helena, who, unbeknownst to him, has been searching for him these past years. A moving acoustic bass portrays the warmth and love that still remains between them, even after all their years apart. The two lovers hold each other close and spend the winter night together in the nearby Town. During this night, Helena conceives Ariel's child--though neither is aware of this.

Lost & Damned
After tarrying in the Town with Helena for a time, Ariel decides that, with the newfound power Mephisto has brought him, it is time to continue on his quest. But he is unwilling to subject the pure and good Helena to the hardships of his journey and the seductive ways of Mephisto. And though he loves Helena, he holds his sought-after answers more valuable than the bond they share. In his words, "Love means nothing to me, if there is a higher place to be." So, though he still loves Helena and Helena alone, he leaves her. The discord between the two is portrayed by a fast-paced drum beat punctuated by slower keyboard chords.

Helena's Theme
Distraught, Helena vows that she will love Ariel even in death, and drowns herself--and, by extension, the child in her womb--in the nearby River. At the prayer of the River Spirit, both Helena and the unborn child ("Alena") ascend to Heaven.

Interlude IV - Dawn
As dawn rises, the Town Crier announces Helena's actions of the previous night. Her body has been found in the River, and discovered to be with child.

The Mourning After (Carry On)
In a dream, Ariel witnesses the twofold death. His dread is confirmed by the Town Crier. He is shocked and bewildered both by Helena's death, and the death of the child, of whom he had no knowledge. Overwhelmed with loss and loneliness, he grieves for Helena. Yet he knows that he must carry on in his quest. After all, if he fails, then what did she die for? It would be a dishonor to her memory not to fulfill the task for which he left her, and compelled her to take her own life.

III Ways to Epica
Mephisto encourages Ariel to continue his quest, rationalizing Helena's death as a cost of "playing with fire." He asks for Ariel's trust and berates him for his grief, proclaiming all human emotions, which are born in passion, as ultimately destructive. Helena, now in Heaven, declares that love is the only thing that humans can truly know, and that, against it, the forces of darkness can never prevail. Ariel, in despair, blames God for his sorrow. His guilt for the part he played in Helena's death consumes him, and he feels that he is beyond redemption.

It is here that the story of Epica properly ends, though there are two additional bonus tracks. Ariel's tale is continued in The Black Halo.

Characters

Marguerite - A beautiful young maiden living in the Town (in which Epica ended and The Black Halo begins), Marguerite has a voice and physical appearance very similar to Helena's.

Helena - Helena and Ariel grew up together, and she is the only person Ariel has ever truly loved. She represents innocence and all that is pure and good. In Epica, Helena sought for and finally found Ariel, her one true love, in his travels. But after conceiving his child (unbeknownst to the two), Ariel left her to continue his search. Distraught, she killed herself (and, by extension, the child in her womb). Now in Heaven, she is watching over Ariel.

Ariel - Ariel is an ever-searching person. A prominent young alchemist, he has become disappointed with the inadequacy of science and religion to answer his questions, and seeks the universal truth that they have failed to provide. He feels that this truth is the only thing that can make his life worthwhile. In Epica, Ariel's search for truth drove him to make a binding deal with Mephisto. Under this deal, Mephisto supplies him worldly aid and power. In exchange, if Ariel ever experiences a moment in which he is so content that he wishes to linger there forever, Mephisto will receive his soul. Since Helena's death, Ariel has been overwhelmed with grief and guilt, leaving him in a state of weakness.

Mephisto - Mephisto is the archangel who most loved God. Thus, when God ordered all the angels to bow before mankind, Mephisto refused, proclaiming that his loyalty was to God alone. For this, he was cast out of Heaven. He appears in many different shapes and guises, and is never quite what you'd expect--rational and sophisticated, yet tricky and deceptive. He desperately yearns to be with God again--and it is this yearning that sets the events of Epica into motion. In Epica, Mephisto made a bet with God that he could claim the soul of Ariel, God's favorite man. If he wins his bet, he can reenter Heaven. But if he fails, he must be condemned to Hell for eternity. Having struck the aforementioned deal with Ariel, all Mephisto has to do to claim Ariel's soul, win his bet, and reenter Heaven is to see that Ariel is ultimately contented.
**

March of Mephisto
In Ariel's moment of weakness, Mephisto's hold on the alchemist's will is at its highest point. He finds Marguerite, a beautiful girl in the Town. She looks and sounds like Helena. In an attempt to console Ariel, Mephisto delivers her to him, paving the way for her seduction. His control and power over Ariel are represented musically by harsh bass lines and death grunts. He convinces Ariel to follow through with this course of action. Thus, as Ariel seduces Marguerite's body, Mephisto seduces Ariel's mind.

When the Lights Are Down
Both seductions are completed. Mephisto gains control over Ariel's will, and Ariel's illusioned lust for Marguerite is consummated. The two sleep together. Afterward, Ariel's mind emerges from Mephisto's grip, and he realizes who he has slept with. He yearns for Helena, and, as his mind begins to recover, remembers her death, and the events leading up to it.

The Haunting (Somewhere in Time)
Ariel explains to himself to Marguerite as best he can. He explains that he saw her as a mere shadow of his dead lover, that any feelings he has for her are a mere facade of his love for Helena, and that he can never love her the way she loves him. In a tragic and moving duet, he urges her to leave and forget about him. But he says that, perhaps, they may one day reunite. With that, he leaves, never to see her again.

Soul Society
We once again enter Ariel's troubled mind. He laments the afflictions with which humanity is chained. He wonders how such evil and misfortune came about as the result of his good intentions of finding the ultimate truth. He remarks on the insignificance of human life. Above all, he wishes that humans could live in a free and perfect world, but knows that it will never happen. And once again, he is tormented by his role in the death of Helena and the unborn child.

Interlude I - Dei Gratia
This interlude marks Ariel's realization that he can never find the great answers in this universe, and that the ultimate truth must lie in Heaven alone.

Abandoned
With this revelation, Ariel is struck by a sudden realization: Because of the sins he has committed and the binding promise he has made with Mephisto, he has severed any possibility of connecting with the divine. He can never enter Heaven, never see Helena again, and never find the ultimate truth. For the first time, he realizes that he is truly all alone. Musically, this begins with a very soft ballad form, gradually building into a "power ballad." Lost and confused, he calls out in despair to God. In a daze, he leaves Mephisto, wanders out of Town, and crosses the still frozen River.

This Pain
In his mind's eye, Ariel looks back on his journey. He reflects on leaving Helena and her resulting death, and his abandonment of Marguerite. He has forsaken the two women who loved him. He realizes that he is the cause of this sorrow and pain, and that he will never be free from the consequences of his actions.

Moonlight
Ariel decides that he cannot possibly repent for all he has done, and that even if he could, mere repentance would not be enough. This prompts him out of his reverie, into action. Setting out under the moonlight, he sails back across the now melted River, in search of Mephisto. Once across, he approaches the demon's castle.

Interlude II - Un Assassino Molto Silenzioso
Standing outside the castle, Ariel looks at the full moon, wondering if anything besides death and damnation lie in his future.

The Black Halo
A defiant Ariel resigns himself to death. He denounces Mephisto as a liar and traitor, and challenges him. He no longer fears the eternal darkness that inevitably awaits. He resolves to live a life of purity and goodness like Helena did, even though he knows it is too late for him to escape damnation. He embraces righteousness, not for any reward--there is no hope of that--but simply to be righteous.

Nothing Ever Dies
Ariel reflects that every human, throughout all of history, struggles with these same questions of right and wrong, love and lust, righteousness and sin, faith and doctrine. In a sudden moment of clarity, he comes to a profound realization: Love, including the love between Helena and himself, is the only universal truth. In this revelation, he realizes that he not only knew this truth all along, but that, for his part, he created it.

Memento Mori
This realization prompts Ariel to enter that moment of supreme contentment, setting his deal with Mephisto into action. Musically, it begins almost like a ballad, but quickly builds in speed and intensity. In this moment, as Ariel's soul leaves his body, everything falls into place within his mind. He understands at last that, even having found this universal truth of love, he can never be truly satisfied in this world. That death comes to everyone. That no human is simply good or evil. That he alone is the master of his destiny, and that he creates the meaning of his own life. That everyone has their own beliefs, and that none of them are infallibly correct. With this final existential revelation, under Mephisto's binding promise, Ariel's soul departs. But it does not come into Mephisto's clutches. Having rejected evil even in the face of certain damnation, Ariel has, beyond all hope, redeemed himself at last. His soul is saved, and ascends to Heaven to join Helena. Mephisto, his divine bet lost, is cast forever into Hell. Musically, this is shown through his long, wailing death grunt and screams. The song fades back into the ballad form with which it began.

Here, the story of Ariel properly ends. But there is a bit more to the tale.

Interlude III - Midnight/Twelve Tolls for a New Day
In an inversion of the "Prologue in the Theatre" from Goethe's Faust, we see that this tale is in fact a play put on for the New Year's festival in the town of Gatesville.

Serenade
An uplifting, medium- and fast-paced tribute to comedy and tragedy, life and death, joy and sorrow. The overall message of renewal is given in the penultimate verse: "What does the winter bring, if not yet another spring?"

Article ajouté le 2007-12-16 , consulté 26 fois

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