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░ ██ ██ Artist: Von Hertzen Brothers ██ ██
▓ █░░ ■█ Album: War is Over █■ ░░█
■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2017 █ ▀▓█ ░
█ ▓ Rel. Date: 2018-02-26 ▓ █
▒ ▒ Genre: Progressive Rock ▒ ▒
█▄ ░ Label: Music Theories Recordings ░ ▄█
░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█
░ █▓ Type: Album ▓█ ░
▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓
▓ █ █ ░ ▓
▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■
░█ █░ ▀
█ The Von Hertzen Brothers release their latest █
█ album War Is Over through Music Theories █
█ Recordings. The album sees the Finnish trio firmly █
█ back in prog territory, kicking off the album with █
█ the 12-minute title track. Here, Kie von Hertzen █
█ gives us a rundown of every track on the album. █
█ █
█ 1. War Is Over █
█ The title song is a three part declaration of █
█ peace. The intro can be seen as the echo of the █
█ distant turbulent times or/and as a deep relief █
█ after years of distress. The middle part, which we █
█ call simply ôthe songö deals with the █
█ understanding of how peace can only be achieved █
█ here and now, in this very moment. There is no way █
█ to peace. Peace IS the only way. With the tempo █
█ and the continuous transposing of the melody we █
█ try to leave the impression of how joyful the █
█ realization of freedom can be. The song ends with █
█ a fanfare, which was recorded in 100 guitars █
█ stems. Finland celebrates its 100 years of █
█ independence this year, so it can be seen as our █
█ bow to those who fought to make our country free █
█ and independent. █
█ █
█ 2. To The End Of The World █
█ Composed to an Indian Raga (or scale) the song █
█ rolls with full speed, makes jerky movements, █
█ takes fast turns and occasionally hits potholes █
█ like a rickshaw on an Indian highway. I donÆt know █
█ how we managed to mix Black Sabbath with Chick █
█ Corea, but it works. Maybe it was the Blind █
█ Melonish part in between that glued it together. █
█ If the opening track was a declaration of peace, █
█ this song is a declaration of love and passion. █
█ Counting nine different parts, it still somehow █
█ feels like a somewhat simple song. Go figure. █
█ █
█ 3. The Arsonist █
█ We all have that someone who has screwed us up in █
█ a bad way. This song is about that person. In this █
█ case, a pathological liar. Not the idiot in the █
█ white house (but could be him too). ItÆs the most █
█ ôstraight forwardö rock song of this album and has █
█ an eight bar drum solo! - A thing weÆve been █
█ wanting to have on a track for a long time. █
█ █
█ 4. Jerusalem █
█ This song relates to the war theme of the album. A █
█ dramatic story about a person who is forced to █
█ leave the place he loves in search for a new █
█ beginning. The title æJerusalemÆ was the only word █
█ we kept from the original demo of the song because █
█ as a word it has some weight and we couldnÆt think █
█ of anything remotely as loaded with emotion. ItÆs █
█ a word filled with history, religious meaning, all █
█ sorts of devotion and also some deep and █
█ perplexing controversy. So even though the song is █
█ about a refugee trying to adapt to the new █
█ circumstances of life, itÆs also a sneak peek to █
█ the future. Is there perhaps a situation weÆll █
█ find ourselves in if we canÆt solve the █
█ problematic situation that war and terror has █
█ brought into our lives? The synth lead was played █
█ by our friend Janne Burton Puurtinen (of HIM) and █
█ is the only guest appearance on this album. █
█ █
█ 5. Frozen Butterflies █
█ The power-pop song of the album. The riff tries to █
█ imitate the flutter of a butterfly. We played with █
█ the idea of how a crush creates these tinglingÆs █
█ of excitement and then when the enthusiasm wanes, █
█ itÆs difficult to get that excitement back. ItÆs █
█ conscious and hard work. Dealing with the seasons █
█ here in the north can be hard. The endless cold █
█ and rainy weather pretty much penetrates the █
█ Helsinki six months a year. The butterflies donÆt █
█ die in the cold, they hibernate and maybe, just █
█ maybe there comes a time when we get that █
█ excitement back. █
█ █
█ 6. Who Are You? █
█ Portraying the more artistic side of our band, █
█ this song stands out as ôthe oddö one of the █
█ bunch. The storyteller shifts from the vocalist to █
█ the string quartet and back. Written from a point █
█ of view of a distressed father who can only meet █
█ his loved daughter occasionally, the song deals █
█ with love which is blocked by circumstances. █
█ █
█ 7. Blindsight █
█ The idea behind the song is to have two different █
█ styles in the boxing ring competing for victory. █
█ The rock band with the riff gives the first █
█ punches but the world music/indie band quickly █
█ recovers and takes the lead. The two come together █
█ in choruses and the grand finale. The repetition █
█ of lines in the bridge is an idea we had from an █
█ Indian tradition where the lead singer sings the █
█ lines first and the choir repeats it. We also █
█ wanted to add some contemporary keyboards to this █
█ song to make it stand out from a basic guitar rock █
█ tune. █
█ █
█ 8. Long Lost Sailor █
█ The idea was to bring a new rhythm to our █
█ repertoire of grooves. We tried to bring a █
█ feverish western movie like atmosphere to the song █
█ that combines Morricone sounds with something from █
█ The Shadows. Also hints of Nick Kershaw and Cult █
█ (Sonic Temple era) can be heard in the soundscape. █
█ When Mikko started working on the lyrics, the █
█ cowboy theme turned into a sailor theme. █
█ █
█ 9. Wanderlust █
█ This song was originally a little dark story of █
█ someone who wants to leave a relationship but is █
█ too afraid to do so. Regardless of several times █
█ trying to do so. It developed to a farewell song █
█ that suits better the theme of the album. We █
█ thought that since the composition itself was █
█ ballad like, we would keep the instrumentation to █
█ the bare minimum. It worked out nicely. █
█ █
█ 10. Beyond The Storm █
█ A classic ending to a classic album. That was the █
█ reason we decided to end the album with this song. █
█ Signature VHB song with a transposing build up █
█ towards the end. We were also seeing this a █
█ perfect way to close the circle that started with █
█ War Is Over. ItÆs a spiritual song that stems from █
█ being away from your loved one and maybe too torn █
█ to return. █
▓ ▓
▒ ▒
░ 1. War is Over 12:33 ░
░ 2. To the End of the World 5:07 ░
░ 3. The Arsonist 3:53 ░
░ 4. Jerusalem 5:41 ░
░ 5. Frozen Butterflies 4:03 ░
░ 6. Who Are You? 5:40 ░
░ 7. Blindsight 5:51 ░
░ 8. Long Lost Sailor 4:27 ░
░ 9. Wanderlust 3:55 ░
░ 10. Beyond the Storm 8:29 ░
░ 59:39 ░
░ ▒ ▒
▓ █ ░ ▓ ░
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