Straight out of a winter landscape that even the Snow Queen, Elsa would shy away from, we have the gentleman from the band called Marianas Rest. Hailing from the coast of Finland, these guys call themselves a “melodic death metal” band. After listening to a few tracks from the upcoming 3rd album Fata Morgana, I think they have created the best description ever!
Full disclosure first! I had not heard of this band until this assignment. Yes, dear readers, just grab the proverbial wet noodle now, as I offer my head for a good “thwack”. I saw the band name on the list of reviews needing to be done, and I had to this one. Why? My daughter’s name is Mariana! That fun fact aside, I ventured into the dark winter landscaped melodies that awaited.
Being a visual artist myself, reviewing Fata Morgana with the magnificent videos that have been released was a pure delight! “South of Vostok” opens with a spoken word verse in Finnish, but that didn’t phase me one bit, as the camera slowly panned over the snow and frost covered scrub brush of the Finnish woodlands. The melody behind the voice combined with the imagery, gives a fantasy element to the senses. The light begins to burn brighter as you sense the intensity slowly growing, through the voice and the music. As the landscape fades out and the band fades in, you get an explosion of primal vocal passion. Throughout the video, as the imagery goes from the band in surrounded by shades of black, to the winter forest landscape. The twist of the metal “screamo” singing and guitars, with the melodic tones that bring you in and out of the haze of snowy grays; it’s an intriguing, pull of emotions. As this twist continues, and the fierceness of the lyrics pierce you further, the symbolism in the landscape shows itself more. The primal sensations from the lyrics, manifest into symbolism in the landscape. A gentleman in traditional clothing, seen throughout the video on a journey that ends with trees burning into crosses. The song has devolved into anger, desperation, and it’s reflected in his eyes. All of this is wrapped with the hypnotizing twist of tones, that Marianas Rest is known for.
“Glow from the Edge” is similarly filmed with striking imagery, and uses the haunting melody, further strengthening the imagery. It opens with verses in English, that are just as haunting on their own. “Shadows of men drifting on fumes / Driven by the glow that gave them birth / Containers for thought/ Something that once got lost torn away at the soul”
The contrast between the melody and the raw guitars and lyrics seems much stronger here. The faint ghostly background vocal lends an ethereal feel, as the lack of color in the video fades from scene to scene. Death, the desire to look at it, to change it. “…To gaze into the ceaseless/ End to a futile quest…/“
“ I wish nothing more/ than the power to take it all back…”
The depths that these 2 videos have had my mind reach are phenomenal. On March 18 we get the full album. I’ve already pre-ordered it on my fruity based music app. I hope you follow my lead and do the same! In the meantime, I shall be catching up on the previous albums. Nauti musiikista! Hei Hei! (Enjoy the music! Bye!)
I’m Music Magazine Photographer/Writer Michele Hancock
