Wintersun - Time I

I have been a fan of Wintersun since my brother has introduced me to them way back. I was straightaway a Wintersun devotee. I've never heard such awesome, touching composure of metal music before. Tracks like Sadness and Hate and Death and the healing, was spiritually entrancing and so beautiful. There isn't one track in that album that I don't like. The talent they exposed is nothing like I've ever seen before. Truly godlike.

Many people have eagerly anticipated the release of their 2nd studio album last year, including me and my brothers. It was this one definitive album that we would listen to as soon as it is released. Thanks to the internet, I got my hands on it almost as soon as it was released(or before?). My brother on the other hand pre-ordered the Album and he got the full package, which I'm glad he did. But until now, I did not get a good chance to like really listen to it. I borrowed the CD from brother and decided to spend some quality time with it. :)

It's one of those albums that you immediately fall in love with when you first listen to it. Even when you listen to it half-heartedly, You feel that there is so much elements in it, for all of it to sink in, for you to fully take all the things that Wintersun has offered in Time I, you have to dedicate your time to it.

Today I was feeling a bit down, mentally and physically, and as always I sought bliss through a distraction, and as that distraction I chose Time. This would be a good time to bask in the glory of what Time I really has to offer, I thought. And It did me good. Actually I'm so glad that I'm accessible to these means of distractions, to take me away from reality, to let my mind rest from all the guesses and over analyzing craziness that bothers me so much lately.

I was actually surprised when the album came out, with the number of songs it had. It's only 5 songs and 2 of them are instrumental. So actually 3 songs. I was let down. After this huge wait they only came up with 3 songs? But when you listen to it, you get it, you understand the reason why it takes so long. Because they are not you ordinary songs. They are a whole other thing, an entity almost, which is designed so well. I'll get more into each song later. But overall, this is like no other album. The whole album is almost an entity, a tale, a one Song that radiates brilliance and beauty, with a poetic flow that astounded me. How it transitions in to each part, each melody and each song is quite brilliant, never before seen I believe. Now other albums seems mediocre without the complexity of this masterpiece.

The intro (When Time fades away) is just so beautiful, you just feel that this will be the start of something awesome and powerful. Then It's Sons of Winter and Stars. Actually this one 13.31 long song is composed of 4 songs. I Rain Of Stars, II Surrounded By Darknes], III Journey Inside A Dream, IV Sons Of Winter And Stars. Rain of Stars  is the grand entrance. Awakens the spirit with its chants of "Sons of winter and stars, Rise!". Surrounded by darkness is just filled with power, that's just non stop headbanging right there. The pace of it and beckoning tunes is enough to convince me that this is just right. I didn't focus much on the lyrics, because this song and its power is what its all about. Journey inside a dream, is kind of a ballad, a narrative which doesn't seem much impressive, but still has a deep meaning. But that narrative is almost necessary when we transition into Sons of Winter and Stars. That song in its power convinces that We are part of something great and we should be standing proud to be part of this fandom, to be a son of winter and stars. It radiates through you the pride and the power and makes you scream out that what Wintersun is so awesomely makes you a part of. The whole song is just a frenzy, which makes you feel so energized and rejuvenated. The lyrics doesn't matter much. Who ever thinks that lyrics have to mean something, (which It does, I'm trying to make a point here) just doesn't understand what good music is all about. It's not a story or a book. If the song with it's music is able to make you feel what the words are trying to tell, then that is perfection, perfection that is seen in Wintersun's music. Sons of Winter and stars overall tell of a great arrival, a fresh arrival, The hatred, how the emotions diminishes with the arrival of the sons of winter and stars and lets all be a part of that.
 

Sigh. I've always been a sucker for sad songs. Be it Metal or any other genre. So Land of Snow and Sorrow is like a drug to me. A sweet compensating drug that fills my soul. The music is so sweet and tender and soothing which makes you wanna just die listening to it. If a song can make a person tear up, that is a very strong statement for that song, and this did that to me. There are very few songs which are actually able to do that, and Land of Snow and Sorrow is the first metal Song which was able to do that to me, or the second one after Sadness and Hate. I love it for that. The lyrics go so well with the music. It speaks of perishing, and hope of a better tomorrow.

Far away there ́s a land of snow and sorrow

Time has made the frozen tears fall like rain from the starlit sky
And I feel so cold, I can ́t make it tomorrow
Oh, but the night will see where this path will lead my life
Endless field of snow at the edge of the world and the wailing
Winds so cold scar my face, I ́m going insane
I am lost from the light - And the memories follow me in the night
I ́m left in the arms of winter and I am carried far away - Far away
Night is falling over my home
The land of snow and sorrow, oh carry me away from the cold
And I fall asleep, I will dream the last dream
All I was, is gone now and sorrow is all I feel
And the white snow is falling from the starlit sky
And the stars are shining like your eyes
You are so beautiful
And I will follow them in this cold winter night
So I ́d find my way to you this time
Drifting away from the warmth of the darkness
Caressed by the light of a million stars
The darkness will always be a part of my heart
Until I ́m carried away by the winter ́s arms
Night is falling over my home
The land of snow and sorrow, oh carry me away from the cold
And I fall asleep and I will not be afraid
All I was, is gone now and sorrow is all I feel

This is the death and the healing or Sadness and hate of Time I for me. No matter when I'll always get goosebumps to this song and sigh with it. This is what I needed from a Wintersun album. Other things are extra luxuries, but not second to this.

Time, the last song in the album, is the one with the most beautiful lyrics. It really gives you a perspective of Time and how it waits for no one, how it is taken away from all of us when we need it the most. A constantly fading entity that we need the most, and is never available as much as we like it to be. 

Darkness and frost are starting to reach
The heart of this land with a cold disease
Sleep now for a while before the storm awakes
And one day it will reward you for the burden of wait
The roots go deep into the frozen dead ground
Listen to the land of snow, it makes no sound
For ages searching the warmth of the sun
If it never finds me, I can die as one
Time will go on and we are drifting away in the night
I ́ve been searching so long, but I will find you even if it takes my whole life
But tonight I feel so alone and I know that you are forever gone
Oh time, don ́t fade away when I need you here, oh please don ́t leave me now
TIME!
Time! Fades away!
When time fades away!
And I ́ll never be the same
Time! Time! Time! Time!
You want so much from me - I feel nothing but grief and despair
How can I make you feel again - All my dreams are just visions I can ́t bear
You want something that I can ́t give - I cannot keep living in this bitter dream
And I don ́t care anymore
It feels like my life is ending
Oh, another year gone by
But nothing has changed in my life
And time goes on forever and ever
And it waits for no one
Time fades away
And I fade away
And I ́ll never be the same
TIME! Fades away!
When time fades away!
And I ́ll never feel the same
And I fade away!
When time fades away!
And I ́ll never feel the same

Such a genius of a song.

One thing I notices that the mp3 format cannot do justice to this album. My Corsair Vengeance 1500 does justice to the MP3s I guess. But the DVD will really test it capabilities. As a matter of fact, when I bought these Headphones, one of the first things I thought is how would Time I sound in these. And It really does justice to the album, the best form I've listened to it so far. But I wanna try it more. I know it can get better. I want the best out of it.

Thanks my brother Suran Jayathilaka for introducing me to these musical gods. Eagerly waiting for the second installment for the album Time II, which they say is coming in 2014.

Seeking a friend for the end of the world

Steve Carell has always been a favorite of mine. Although he is well known for the goofy comedic characters like Michael Scott(The Office US) and Brick Tamland(Anchorman), there are those really serious, moody ones like Dan(Dan in real life) and Frank (Little miss sunshine) that he plays so well. I can't really decide which type I like best. But I really do love every movie in which he takes part in.

Seeking a friend for the end of the world describes a world which faces imminent apocalypse, and how Dodge, an Insurance salesman tries to copes with that. His wife leaves him at the start, which throws him into this depressed state. Then he stumbles upon his neighbor, played by Keira Knightley, whom he never has met before. And things begin to take a different turn for dodge. They go on a road trip to meet their loved ones, to say their goodbyes, but they seek in each other the friend and ultimately the person they want to spend the rest of their lives together.

Steve Carell does so well, as expected. The depressed countenance and the hopeless void that one feels in such a time is portrayed well by him. But I couldn't get myself to like the character played by Keira Knightly. Whyy did they have to pick her. They could've picked Emily Blunt maybe(because she has to be British). No, No Keira Knightley in any movie please. She overacts soo much and very good at being overly dramatic. She can't basically cry in a convincing manner even. The chemistry between her and Carell is so off, which really tones down the quality of the movie. I really think if anyone else had played her, I would've loved this movie. Yes, that's right. I did not like this movie. Sorry Steve Carell that has to be said.

I have special love for apocalyptic movies with drama. Another earth, Melancholia, Take shelter, Perfect Sense are all movies of a kind of a similar theme and I love every one of them. Those movies make me think of how I would feel when it all ends and you know that you gotta make the best of the time that is left to you. What would you do in a similar situation. Spend the rest of the days working? Watching movies? Playing? Partying? None of that matters at the end does it? No point in keeping secrets, is there? I'll certainly stop being so closed anymore, and stop thinking about all those what ifs. Cease the moment is what I'll do. I would want to be with the people that really matters. Because that would be the only thing that matters then. That would be the time for us to let the heart speak out loud, before the brain interferes. To be the impulsive fool without thinking of the consequences.  

But the end is not here! We have to keep our lives 'Normal' and spend the routine life that everyone expects of us.  Because you cannot escape the consequences of being open and declaring yourself. Priorities are not the same then. You have to be cautious, and careful, which I'm damn tired of right now. What if things don’t turn out the way as you hope it would? What if the feelings are not mutual, then how would we cope? Double thinking every action, subsiding impulses, all because we have to face what comes after, because no, the end is not here.

Why the Interlude?

From childhood, we had lot of dreams, ambitions, but when you step in to adulthood, reality overthrows everything, and drags us back to our place. The apparent notions of success, superficial rules and conditions of proper conduct, changes our identities, our unique dreams. Ironically, they tell us to be ourselves, but as long as we fit inside the accepted mold which is created by the persons in charge. Hypocrites everywhere, with hardly any surprising element in their souls. We are all under the same spell, all driven to that 'success', the steady drone of life with hardly anything interesting. I am sometimes surprised how I've changed, how I almost lost my identity. I got a wakeup call, and was in desperation to grab back to that old self. To be myself again.

We tarry ourselves in the same problems of our lives, over-thinking, analyzing, because humans are overly concerned creatures by nature. Concerns leech our minds and souls when there's nothing else to focus on. Concerns of how different and how unfitting are we in that hypothetical social mold. Concerns of others that is pushed or pulled to us whether we like it or not. These bug us consistently, if we let them. Peace of mind is preached by many but harder to achieve than it sounds.  Nothing could ever be accomplished, or nothing good ever comes out of us embracing those concerns. That is why we need to let go. But not forever. We must be a part of that chaos of reality, for it is inevitable. That is why it only could be an Interlude.

I seek distractions from reality, when it can swerve my mind away from it. Fiction is the greatest form of distraction for me. We like to seek this imaginary stories of dreams, and characters and be involved in their lives for a change. Fantasies, Fictions, Art, music , all help me to bid a short farewell to that monotonous life. It doesn't always have to be happiness or glee, There's a bittersweet pleasure in sorrow. Depression derived from a work of fiction, is short felt but awakening. It makes me feel alive inside, the different kinds of emotions that the works of fiction gives us. Food for thought, although rare, can be found in the most insignificant of things. My attempt will be to carve out the essence from those distractions I enjoy, and try to share with this blog.