Tarja - What Lies Beneath Review

*****Originaly posted on November 20, 2011*****

Ok, so this blog is WAY overdue. Especially since the album is almost a year old. "What Lies Beneath" is Tarja's sophomore release, a follow up to her amazing debut album "My Winter Storm". This album explores new areas and atmospheres when compared to her first album.

So, I'll break it down:

1. Anteroom of Death - The album opener. The song starts off with what sounds like instrumentalists coming in, picking up their instruments and warming up. The playing stops, and a feint laugh from Tarja. Then the song begins. It sounds very Victorian when it starts. Slow and rhythmic. Tarja's vocals are very classical during this part, but it is short lived. When the chorus starts up, so does the band. But only for the chorus, then we're back to the classical sound with a little bit of the band playing until the chorus. The bridge of the song, Tarja is assisted by the a cappella - metal group Van Canto, making it a very unique aspect to the song. This song is a great album opener, it shows that she still has her classical roots, as well as her metal background, but that she still has something new in store.

2. Until My Last Breath - The album's second single. Tarja said that she wrote this song as a way to remember the passing of Michael Jackson. How a star's death can bring them back to the spotlight. The song has some epic guitar riffs, and the vocals to match. I love the chorus in this song:

"Until my last breath
You'll never know
Until you feel the silence
When I am gone
Now it's vanishing
Everything
What we might have been
Only know your praise
Call my name
But you wont see again"

3. I Feel Immortal - The album's first single, and first ballad. The keys in this song are beautiful. I cant really say much about this song, except the fact that it is beautiful and powerful!

4. In For A Kill - WOW! That is the word that describes this song. For me it takes the place of "Ciaran's Well" that was on "My Winter Storm". This is her "hear how good I can sing" song. I love the orchestra in this song. Tarja hits some of her highest notes on the album in this song.

5. Underneath - The albums third single. This song is a very empowering song. It starts off with just the keyboard and her voice, later the orchestra softly joins in. The band eventually joins in adding a power to the the song. Yet again, Tarja provides us with another awesome chorus:

"Underneath
Something inside me invisible
Turning the fragile unbreakable
But they cannot take away
Cannot take away
What I believe
You cannot take away
Cannot take away
What's underneath"

6. Rivers of Lust - The second ballad of the album. It's a beautiful song. The band never really comes in, but her use of vocals, choirs and orchestra make it a wonderful addition to the album.

7. Dark Star - Quite possible the heaviest song she has done on her solo career. The addition of male vocals (Phil Labonte) are reminiscent of her days with Nightwish. This was a quick favorite of mine when I first listened to the album. This song is a complete 180 from her song "Underneath", an uplifting song. This song is really talking down.:

"Where are you now

Are you proud of the life you wasted?
Wearing the crown of illusion you created
You'll never know what it feels like to shine
You're the master in your own mind
But a slave to all
You are a dark star"

8. Falling Awake - The album's first single. This song show off that even though she is classically trained, she can still put out a good mainstream song. This song has a very pop feel to it, yet still being metal!

9. Archive of Lost Dreams - This song is very soft, slow and beautiful. Very close to "The Reign" from "My Winter Storm. This song also introduces its main character "Naiad".

10. Crimson Deep - The last song on the album, other than the bonus tracks. Also the album's longest song at 7:36. I like this song because it gets back to her gothic metal roots.

Bonus Tracks: (By far the most bonus tracks I've ever seen on an album)

11. We Are - A great song to show Tarja's soft side and her strong side. The guitar solos in this song are very unique. I've never heard anything like them.

12. Naiad - This is by far my favorite off the album. Not only was this song the first song that Tarja released the lyrics to almost a full year and a half before the album was released, but it also is where the album gets it title. This so also talks about the album's character: Naiad. Unfortunately this song talks about the end of her life and eventually, through music alone, her death. This song builds a wonderful atmosphere around this character. It's almost ethereal.

" What lies beneath
beyond the ocean's door
tranquil is the kiss
of the azure rising deep
sleeping ever more
Naiad's mystery
what lies beneath."

13. Still of the Night - Yes, Tarja does Whitesnake, and does an amazing job! I actually prefer her version over the original. I know others may disagree, but its a personal preference. Her operatic vocals bring a whole new dimension to this classic song.

14. Little Lies - This is a great head-banging song! I love rockin' out to this song. Great lyrics! I have a feeling that this song goes with her song "Enough" from "The Seer" EP.

"Take my faith with an open hand and warm embrace
My confidant
Use my words
Take the good away and leave the worst to sell me out

Little lies
Little lies
Making up tragedies
Nothing is what it seems
Who cares what is real
Little lies
Little lies
Only to entertain
The message is all the same for those who believe"

15. Montañas de Silencio - This song is sung entirely in Spanish. I love it when she puts a classical song on a metal album. There is nothing metal about this song. It's just a beautiful song about solitude.

16. The Crying Moon - The final bonus track. Personally this song could be grouped with the songs "Enough" and "Little Lies". Basically saying for a final time that she has moved on. This song has a very unique sound to it with very interesting vocals.

Finally, this album is available in both jewelcase and in digi-pak. But the most amazing edition is the "What Lies Beneath Dreamers Box".

Dreamers Box Contents:

- Deluxe Version of "What Lies Beneath"

-"Anteroom of Death"

-"Until My Last Breath"

-"Naiad"

-"Dark Star"

-"Underneath"

-"Little Lies"

-"Still of the Night"

-"Rivers of Lust"

-"In For A Kill"

-"I Feel Immortal"

-"We Are"

-"Falling Awake"

-"Archive of Lost Dreams"

-"Crimson Deep"

- Bonus Cd

-"Dark Star" (Tarja Lead Vocals Version)

-"Montañas de Silencio"

-"If You Believe"

-"The Crying Moon"

-"Underneath" (Orchestral Version)

-"I Feel Immortal" (Single Version)

-"Falling Awake" (Featuring Jason Hook)

-"The Good Die Young (The Scorpions Featuring Tarja Turunen)

-"Naiad" (Extended Orchestral Version)

- A 56 page hard cover 12" book containing High Quality photographic pictures and lyrics for all songs

- 2 Picture Vinyl 180g pressing of "What Lies Beneath" in a hardcover Gatefold cover, unique for this box

- A 12" Photograph signed by Tarja in its own spined sleeve.

- a 2GB Brushed aluminum CardPac with Tarja's Logo containing all music videos and "Making of"

- An Authentic Venetian Mask

- Certificate of Authenticity

This Boxset is strictly limited to ONLY 500 COPIES.

And I'm VERY proud to say that I was able to find one! And it's worth every penny!

All in all, I love everything about this album!