"Marko Hietala was interviewed by Jete at Tuska, on Sunday!😎 With Marko, we had deep discussion about how has it been to work with Tarja Turunen and what are the past things that have affected their friendship🔥🔥" - Radio City
Radio City is a Finnish rock radio.
Link for the video on IG:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DaLWn7GlEqa/?igsh=MTc5bnhoNmh0eTA0Ng==
Tarja mentioned that the song is inspired by Greek mythology. Thanks to Petra, I found out that the lyrics most likely refer to the story of Orpheus and Eurydice. So after finding out more about that story, I saw a whole other layer to the song: not only is it Tarja and Marko’s story, but you can see pieces of Orpheus and Eurydice’s tragic love story in the lyrics. I think those stories mix in the lyrics and of course you can interpret them however you see, this is just how I see them. And I would be very interested to hear your thoughts about the lyrics.
Weightless in my sleep, sound of your voice returns to me beyond the veil
Life across the line, dying and living intertwine
Orpheus is a poet and a musician, and he is referred to as “the father of songs”. In the story Eurydice died and went to the Underworld, and Orpheus went after her trying to bring her back. In the Underworld, Orpheus sang a song so enchanting, that even Charon, Cerberus and Hades were moved by it. So, to me the phrase “your voice returns to me beyond the veil” refers to this scene, Eurydice can hear Orpheus’ voice to/in the Underworld. In this story, death and life are intertwined, for example Orpheus tries to bring Eurydice back to life and fails.
With Tarja and Marko, maybe this line “your voice returns…” is about how Marko and his voice returns to her life after so many years? Also, I think it’s very symbolic that we can think of Marko as Orpheus in a sense that he is a great musician and singer, and he in turn can almost enchant people with his music and voice.
How long have I drifted lost inside this song
At first, I thought that maybe Tarja struggled to write this song, and maybe she kinda felt lost inside it… but I don’t know.
Your call could break what holds me fading here
With Orpheus and Eurydice, I think it can again refer to how Orpheus tried to save Eurydice from the Underworld. With his song he 'persuaded' Hades to let Eurydice go.
Defying all below, makes the stars retreat, the river stills beneath
Thought of her rewrites, laws I swore I'd never break
These lines are a bit of a mystery to me still. XD What rewrites? Her as in Tarja’s rewrites? What laws?
Maybe in the story, the laws refer to the condition that Hades set for Orpheus when he said that Orpheus can take Eurydice out of the underworld and back to the world of the living. The condition was that while they, Orpheus and Eurydice, were making their way out of the Underworld he must not look behind him at Eurydice, not even once. In his desperation, Orpheus broke this condition before they got out of the Underworld losing Eurydice in the process.
How long have I drifted lost without your love
In the story, after Eurydice died Orpheus was completely lost without her.
I think this line also refers just to the fact that for a long time Tarja and Marko were in no contact.
The dark remembers only you and I
I love this line! I don’t quite know what it means... yet.
Can you feel the world surrender for a truth we defend
I can’t help but to think of Nightwish with this line. Is a truth, that they defend, Tarja’s side of things of what happened? That she was not a diva and now T&M are defending it together and people are finally seeing that truth.
That belies a leap of faith
There were those who doubted Tarja and Marko’s new friendship, were against it or thought that it was just a marketing trick. And I think that leap of faith is that Tarja and Marko decided to trust each other again and try to build a new, better friendship.
Leap of Faith also suits Orpheus and Eurydice’s story. They had to trust each other to get out of the Underworld.
Will we survive a leap of faith?
It was probably uncertain where all this would lead, could they build a new friendship? And they started touring together even when they didn’t know each other that well, yet.
Don't you hope the final ending just to make pretend
(Tear down your fears before the end)
Maybe it’s like don’t hope for the end just so you can pretend. Before the end, lose your fears. And maybe after that you can find peace.
Let me find peace
Since they both sing this line, maybe they are hoping for people, those doubters, finally leaving them alone, leaving them in peace. Or maybe it’s more like they are hoping for peace from their past and singing it to each other: let me be at peace from our past, let’s find that peace together.
By a blinding grace, pulse that once divided us becomes the same
For years, they were apart, but now they are together again. The music united them.
Deep within my breath, I feel our silence learned to speak
Tarja and Marko were silent for a long time, they didn’t talk to each other for years. Then they ‘learned’ to speak to each other after so many years of silence.
How long have we drifted lost where angels hide
I don’t know what is the place where angels hide... Some say it's the clouds... Or is this another reference to the story of Orpheus and Eurydice? I still feel like this is a reference to how T&M were apart/in no contact for years.
The rhythm ends as time begins again
Tarja and Marko's journey together continues again.
I always love talking about lyrics and their possible interpretations, also because there is no right or wrong answer. Everyone can interpret them however they want. I was thinking that this could be 'a series', that we could go through the whole Frisson Noir album. I would love to hear your thoughts as well. I thought that it's probably for the best to create one post for each song, and not try to fit them all under one post. So in the upcoming days/weeks I want to go through all the songs' lyrics (except maybe not the 3 singles since we have already talked about them quite a bit). Also, if there is a song's lyric from Frisson Noir that you want to talk about and I haven't yet made a post about it, feel free to do it. :) And as you can see, I am doing this in no order XD I want to start with Against the Odds because I have the most to say about it now, I need more time to understand some of the other songs' lyrics on the album.
Against the Odds feels like a song about dreams. How you should not let other people put you down and diminish your dreams. You just need to believe in yourself and your dreams and do what you want. This song is full of hope, and it's Tarja trying to tell us: just believe in your dreams, you’ll beat the odds just like I did. I feel like it also reflects Tarja’s life/childhood, and she kinda confirmed that one in a recent interview.
And just to be clear: the lyrics are on bold and italic.
Born in a dreamscape where silence is endless
Raised in a nightfall when hope shifted aimless
These are really cool lines but I don’t quite get their meaning. Maybe the dreamscape refers to the fact that Tarja always wanted to become a singer/musician? Her dream of becoming a singer was born in a dreamscape at first.
No one could see (No one could see)
The horizons alive in me
Maybe no one was able to see this potential for more within her. She craved to see and experience more, but others didn’t understand that.
Walked as a shadow, a stranger among them
She didn’t belong. No one knew who she really was so she was a stranger among them.
Whispers of doubt tried to sever the flame
People doubted her, maybe try to get her to do/be something less.
No one could hear
My defiant voice so clear
People didn’t hear her fighting back, wanting to get away and rebel against the expectations of her.
Find a calling that burns
Find something that’s yours, something that’s your passion.
Cross the oceans, the spirit flies
Do everything for your dream, your passion. Cross the oceans if need be.
Rising against the odds
Do it even if it’s not expected of you, even when the odds are against you.
Your fire will return
Even if someone lost their spark (maybe to fight for their dreams), you can get it back. Also, (an accidental?) reference to the song The Fire Will Return where Tarja was featured?
Learned from the darknеss, the solace it granted
Carriеd that silence through lands never charted
Maybe a reference to the beginning of her solo career? She ventured into the unknown.
No one could know (No one could know)
The strength I allowed to grow
Maybe no one understood her strength.
Find a calling that burns
Cross the oceans, the spirit flies
Rising against the odds
Your fire will return
Calm the tides that were torn
Heal the child that forever hides
Even if you have not succeeded in the past, it doesn't mean you can’t now. You can fix your (?)mistakes(?)... or maybe more like you can accept the past, move on and heal.
Rising against the odds
Your fire will return
The number 1 is easy for me: Trace Outlives! I cannot stop listening to it!! It really has become one of my all time favorite Tarja songs. At Sea is 2nd. It shocked me when I first heard it. A beautiful song with a strong story. After that it gets a bit tricky, but I'll pick Leap of Faith. I was also thinking of Against the Odds, because I really love that one too, but I picked Leap of Faith because the chorus is stuck in my head, (permanently I fear😆) and I have clearly been listening to it more.
So my top 3:
The Trace Outlives (I still can't stop listening to it!)
At Sea (Tarja's masterpiece)
Leap of Faith (permanently stuck in my mind)
It's really good! Wow, what a journey! A beautiful album! Sooo many thoughts and yet there are couple of songs that I don't yet know quite what to think of them, like Frisson Noir and The Eternal Return. All the orchestrations and choir parts are amazing! This is what I have needed in my life.
BTW: there goes a good night's sleep😆 How was I suppose to listen to this album and not think about it instead of sleeping?! Thanks again, Tarja!😆
I won't talk yet much about the lyrics since I think I need more time with them, more time to understand them all.
Vocally, Tarja is on an another level here! Seriously, how is she this good?! And she did amazing job writing the songs too!
Before I talk about specific tracks, I think that Tarja absolutely chose the right songs as singles. At Sea introduced this new era of Tarja to us combining all the elements of her music. I Don't Care was the most typical single out the 3 and that is what Tarja definitely needed as her 2nd single and no other song on the album could have done that. And finally, as a 3rd single she gave us an absolute banger, Trace Outlives.
FRISSON NOIR
Not the strongest start for the album, in my opinion (yes, intro was technically the start). It didn't really capture me, though there is nothing wrong with it... But this I will say, I do absolutely love the beginning piano melody and how it starts turning into more haunting sound. Otherwise, I don't quite know what to think of it, I need to listen to it more.
THE ETERNAL RETURN
This song is so weird it made me laugh at one point. And this is not an insult!! It just really caught me by a surprise. But I was literally thinking "What the hell, Tarja??"🤣 This song reminded me of Ciaran's Well. Also, I had the feeling that it was gonna be heavy but it surprised me how heavy it really was. I still like the effects the song has. I already noticed that this song is growing on me.
LEAP OF FAITH
When I first heard the album, I hadn't memorized the order of the tracks, I didn't even remember all of them by name. All I knew was that Frisson Noir starts and Against the Odds ends the album. So when Leap of Faith started, when the heavy part started, I immediately knew this was the song with Marko. There was something familiar to it yet something different compared to the previous songs already. Marko is playing the bass, and I think I can hear the difference compared to the rest of the album. Not that it's better or worse, just a difference.
As soon as Marko started singing I was grinning from ear to ear, I couldn't help it. I love them together, their duets are special to me. And I absolutely love that Tarja said that she studied Marko's current voice for this song, so she could write a good song that would fit his voice.
I can hear what Tarja meant with this being more epic. It feels that way. I loooove the choir part more towards the end so much! It still reminds me of the soundtrack for Alice in Wonderland. Also, I really felt that lyric: "let me find peace!" And I could not help but to notice the lyric "Can you feel the world surrender for a truth we defend?".
BLAZE FOREVER
The guitar riffs, for example in the very beginning, remind me of a song but I can't but my finger on it what it is and it is really bothering me😆
This song really reminds me of Spirits of the Sea (not the song I meant earlier)... Like certain parts of it, not entirely.
TANGO
I really like this song! This is a fun song. Fits perfectly with Apocalyptica. I don't know what else to say about it...yet.
ANEMOIA
I instantly fell in love with this song. Gorgeous song!! It (the flamenco guitar especially) transported me to a some sea shore in Spain watching a sundown. This song really made me teary eyed. The piano melody is incredibly beautiful especially with the guitar. In general, and once again, Tarja has managed to create so many beautiful piano melodies for this album. That piano melody will definitely haunt my mind for a long time!
AGAINST THE ODDS
This is the perfect closing track for the album! It's hopeful after all the darkness of the other songs (although there were glimpses of hope throughout the album). It's also really wonderful to hear the whole finished track after all these years. It feels almost strange to listen to something that sounds so familiar but yet it's new. I really loved it when Tarja used part of it as her intro song in her concerts. And this song makes me really want to hear a full score by Tarja written for a movie. I know she would crush it!
Still, so far, Trace Outlives stays as my favorite song from this album. I just love that song so much that I can't even explain it 😄 At Sea, Anemoia and Leap of Faith are not far behind! At the moment I can say that Frisson Noir and I Don't Care are my least favorite tracks from the album.
I shouldn't be surprised by Tarja anymore, but I am!
(For Finns, the interview can be found in Supla later on)
short summary:
Not a lot of new things.
She talked about creating this new album, how it was painful (in a good way) to write the lyrics and you can hear it on the album. Tarja was also asked about the duets and she said that it makes her very humble to realize that many great artists want to work with her.
She was of course asked about NW and what her relationship with the members is. She says there are none, except with Marko. This article is about that too.
Tarja talked a little bit about the stroke and how lucky she was that it didn't have any lasting issues on her.
Plus Tarja mentioned that there will be many concerts in Finland!!
From Tarja's IG
Though, nothing new, I would say.
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This was part of a baking contest between Tarja and Skubu and, well, let's say Skubu had some issues with his pastries. Tarja just couldn't contain her laughter.
Episode 6 of Seagulls' nest: https://youtu.be/__q3_u4R0WQ?is=JZ7OxSCYKMr66cnF If you haven't seen the episode yet, I highly recommend. It is so much fun!