Embassy of Silence - Euphorialight
Euphorialight
CD Info
2010
Supernova Records/Finland
11 Tracks
English Lyrics
There’s a bar north of me, in a small town where the bikers hang out, a few Angels, a few less radical club bikers, and some regular guys like me although I do tend to ride the Harley rather than the Beemer or the Triumph when I go for a visit. Leads to fewer problems. Anyway, they occasionally let the boys bring in some music over the weekend on a CD to play since they’re pretty cheap and rarely have a band (It’s the price you pay for cheap beer, doncha know). I don’t generally contribute since I favor the symphonic, operatic Gothic in my daily fare and I’m not sure I see the need to explain that musical style to a Hells Angel who’s been drinking for a few hours and packing a .38. Just in case he doesn’t stray far from Country Western. However, on this occasion, I brought a copy of a new CD I had obtained recently, and played a track for the locals. . . and it brought the house down. Further, it led to innumerable free drinks for me throughout the rest of the evening and I have to report that my reputation as a music critic has been greatly enhanced among the two-wheeled segment of the local society.
So, let me begin by thanking Embassy of Silence for the free beer and for the boost in my status among the local biker elite. And the CD, you ask? Well, it’s the debut production from this Finish crew, Euphorialight, fronted by an eclectic Finish vocalist, Ines Lukkanen. The sound is a diversified one, probably a little more than one would expect. There’s a six person core musical element, but the CD makes use of a number of guests so there’s a lot of sound here, and it covers a range from hard metal... melodic hard metal to be sure, all the way to the truly beautiful. And beyond that musical direction, there is some of the finest poetry I’ve been privileged to read or listen to in any recent release. And lyrics count with me. They are the product of an interesting woman, the aforementioned Ines Lukkanen who communicated some background information to me in a detailed e-mail. You can get an even more detailed glimpse into this Finnish songstress in Robin Stryker’s interview found here. Ines commented that she has always been into the written word, having learned English at the tender age of 4, then learning the lyrics to Dire Straits' "Money for Nothing" at the age of 5 or 6. She’s been writing stories, poetry and music ever since. Interestingly enough, her "full time" gig is with the city of Helsinki, in a business capacity. Go figure.
There’s a lot more I could say about Ines and the band but you can get enough in the Robin Stryker interview to cover most of the appropriate territory, so let’s get to the music. As is often the case, we’ll only look at a few of the titles, but be aware, there are no weak links in this CD, it’s solid from start to finish. But, that tune that cranked the house full of bikers has to be at the top of the list. It’s the best road song I’ve ever heard, and a lot of bikers agreed. I Ride Alone is road music, hard metal, sung with a desperate, gritty vocal over a solid metal framework. Ines gets right to the point:
Down to my last cigarette and down on my luck
I guess the dealer's got it in for me today
So I fold in time to stop myself from shooting off his cock
I should keep a lower profile anyway
The metal leads on the primary verses, it’s hard and dangerous, just the way an Angel likes it. But Ines changes direction with the chorus and takes a more melodic tone, even if the lyrics remain gunmetal gray:
I shattered my wings on the open road
I battered my halo on each reload
I put six clean holes through my patron saint
But never in my hell-bent life have I complained
Oh no
The vehicle of choice for the "Ride" is described as 4-wheeled. .
Chasing sunsets like a cowboy watching towns drift by
In a jet-black 1960's Chevrolet
... but one can be forgiven for seeing a long black Harley Cross Bones or a Sportster 48 being substituted for that. Not that I have anything against a bleedin’ 60s Chevrolet, owned one myself at one time, convertible, chick magnet supreme only in yellow. I’d love to link out to a video of the song, but there ain’t one. . . .yet. But, we’re working on it.
Ines commented that she’s been into the cowboy scene, guns and cars and action, for a long time. She previously wrote poetry on the subject. . . "My rifle is my next of kin / gunmetal cradled 'gainst my skin / cold and hard to sleep with, yes / but I'm just drawn that way I guess / I'm on horseback tonight / chasing the sun" so I Ride Alone isn’t a new theme for the girl. But lord, she sure got it right here.
Other titles on the CD are a bit more complicated. Several are addressed in the interview, but one of the more interesting is Baron Samedi. It uses a different musical direction, metal to be sure, but with some interesting "circus" style components to weave a story about a Voodoo God of the Dead. We get a jolly party atmosphere here, a musical salute to dark humor, where the participants are, well, dead.
Void is another one that interested me, more for the beauty at first, but once Ines explained the symbolism it became even more interesting. This is the opposite end of the spectrum from I Ride Alone, a lush dark musical component, with Ines demonstrating a completely different vocal style. At first listen, once you get beyond the dreamy quality of the music, you recognize the link to Shakespearian literature. . ."My kingdom for a horse". And yes, the song is about Richard the Third, the power hungry 15th century madman who drove England to disaster. At least at first glance. Ines commented that the song was written circa 2007, and was intended to point to the leader of another English speaking land whose leader provided a frighteningly similar final scene. My predicament of sovereignty
I simply cannot endorse
Amen to that.
The CD concludes with the title song, Euphorialight. Great metal tune, strong guitars, some male / female vocals that work exceptionally well, lots of symphonic style background, everything you expect from the Fins. Guess when it’s dark 250 days out of the year, you have lots of time to write and produce great music. And that happens here. Robin and I were a little unsure exactly what the song was about, Ines cleared that up. The song "is about love as well as pyromania. I find the idea of standing on a hilltop, hand in hand with a special someone, while watching the world burn, immensely romantic." Bloody cheek.
There’s an interesting video about the making of the CD found here and damned if you don’t get to hear a little of that chorus from I Ride Alone. Of course, the commentary is in Finnish so keep your dictionary handy. But, it’s as close as most of us will get to actually seeing the band perform in person, anytime soon. But, that’s another thing we’re working on. . . and who knows. Stranger things have happened, and I know where there’s lots of bikes . . . and a jet-black 1960's Chevrolet.
10 / 10
You can purchase a copy of this release in the SC Store for a limited time!
