Colours in the Dark | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 28 August 2013 [1] | |||
Recorded | 2012–2013 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 61:11 | |||
Label |
| |||
Producer |
| |||
Tarja Turunen chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Colours in the Dark | ||||
|
Colours in the Dark is the fourth studio album released by Finnish vocalist Tarja Turunen. The record was released on 30 August 2013, in Austria, Brazil, Finland, Germany, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland; 2 September in Norway, Poland, and the Czech Republic; 3 September in the United States and Canada; and 4 September in Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the UK. Mixing was done by Tim Palmer in Austin, Texas in the United States. [3] Tarja started the Colours in the Dark World Tour on 17 October 2013, to promote the album. The name of the album, as the cover image, came as a metaphor from the idea that life has a large range of colors and the dark absorbs all of them, containing every color. [4]
An official lyric video of the song "Never Enough" was released 31 May. [5] The video was shot in Zlin, Czech Republic. [6] The song was also released as a single on iTunes. [5] The first music video for "Victim of Ritual" was shot in Berlin, Germany, [7] and was released on 10 July. A promo teaser was released on 26 June. On 12 September 2013, earMUSIC, Tarja's label, announced that the second single taken from the album is going to be "500 Letters". It would be released as a strictly limited CD single and download at the end of October. [8] A promo teaser of the videoclip was released on 25 October and they announced that the premiere was going to be on 31 October. "500 Letters" was released on 1 November 2013 as a digital download only. On 20 February it was revealed on the blog [9] that a new version of the album called Left in the Dark would be released later this year and will feature different versions of the songs on the original Colours in the Dark including acoustic versions of 500 Letters & Until Silence. A competition was held, with special prizes for the 5 best artworks. The winner's art would get to be the cover art for Left in the Dark, and the others in the booklet.
The vocal recordings of the album started late 2012 and continued throughout the beginning of 2013. Titles of the album's songs were revealed from times to times through Tarja's blog, like she did with My Winter Storm (2007). The album's name came out of the song "Until Silence". This is the third time the album's name came out of one of the songs. [10] The artwork and some promotional pictures for this album were taken mainly in India during the What Lies Beneath World Tour in 2011. [11] During the end of that tour Tarja already performed "Into the Sun" and a different version of "Never Enough". Both songs ended up on the Colours in the Dark album and were also featured on the Act I video album.
During the process of composition, Tarja alleged that she "had to learn a lot as a soloist, for good and or evil, and often in the past years [she] thought that [she] would never reach a day coming to the point where [she is] today", also adding that she had a lot of "positive and negative" experiences that would finish on this record, that is "very rich in colors, shadows, deep aspects and that it does not capture at the first listen". [12]
During the middle of 2013, Turunen began via earMUSIC uploading two videos per week until the album itself was released. [13] The official pre-listening started one week prior to the album's release. [14] The album cover was created by artist Dirk Rudolph. [15]
The first single and the first song of the album, "Victim of Ritual" was described by Tarja as a rock song. According to the singer, the track it is very theatrical and has all aspects of her career, as the symphonic side and the aggressive guitars. [16] Regarding your concept, she said for Sonic Shocks that "it is a powerful story, about how rituals ... we ourselves are subject to some rituals sometimes and we don't even realize it, I wanted to take this subject and put it in a song." [17]
"Lucid Dreamer" is about her love with soundtrack, and she sees that song as a psychedelic one. In the "Mystique Voyage", Turunen uses three languages: english, spanish and finnish. Tarja talked for the El Litoral that the track is like a trip and there are many journeys on it. [18] "Deliverance" is the first love song Turunen wrote, she revealed that, for this music, she worked closely with Jim Dooley. [19] The last track of the album, "Medusa" has a beautiful and mythological story. About the process of composition, the artist said that "Medusa is a very strong, mystical, very inspiring female character. The story came too late for me, I was already in the recording process, testing the vocal harmonies, and then 'oh!' I heard the snakes singing their harmonies in vocal backing, the choirs, then I thought 'the snakes are singing' is crazy (laughs) so I soon thought of her. Now it's a duet that I do with Justin Furstenfeld, he's from the band Blue October, and I love the work he did, the vocals were amazing so, have fun!"
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2013) |
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
About.com | [20] |
Metal Hammer | [21] |
TeamRock | [2] |
"Colours In The Dark" was a worldwide chart success, few days after the release, the album collected five Top 10 entries. In Czech Republic the record received the gold disc certification.
The response from the critics was good as well. For Classic Rock Prog, "Colours In The Dark" must surely be Turunen's strongest solo release to date. Infernal Masquerade, SOUNDI and Lust For Life Magazine have the same thoughts, saying that's "the best Tarja album to date". [22] According to Fireworks, with this album, "Tarja has reached a level of sustained maturity and dynamism with her song writing and singing whereby nothing is beyond her capability". The site also praises the first single, "Victim Of Ritual", calling it "simply stunning". [23]
Todd Lyons at About.com gave the album a somewhat favourable review, but not without criticism; he described it as "riskier than Tarja's previous three solo albums", and that it was "a huge panorama of operatic metal, where some artistic experimentation is attempted, but repeatedly crushed under the album's bombast", whilst also referring to "Lucid Dreamer" as "maddeningly flawed". Metal Hammer give the album a score 5 out of 7, while TeamRock give the 4 out 5. Anette Olzon, Tarja's replacement in Nightwish, expressed appreciation for the album, commenting that "it's really her best album so far" and also thought that Tarja's "definitely found her own style". [24]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Victim of Ritual" | 5:54 | |
2. | "500 Letters" |
| 4:22 |
3. | "Lucid Dreamer" |
| 7:28 |
4. | "Never Enough" |
| 5:20 |
5. | "Mystique Voyage" | Turunen | 7:14 |
6. | "Darkness" | Peter Gabriel | 5:38 |
7. | "Deliverance" |
| 7:27 |
8. | "Neverlight" |
| 4:33 |
9. | "Until Silence" | 5:03 | |
10. | "Medusa" (featuring Justin Furstenfeld) |
| 8:12 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
11. | "Neverlight" (Full Orchestral Version) |
| 4:29 |
12. | "Until Silence" (Orchestral Version) |
| 4:32 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
11. | "Into the Sun" (Studio Version) |
| 6:10 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
11. | "Into the Sun" (Studio Version) |
| 6:10 |
12. | "Medusa" (Tarja Solo Version) |
| 8:12 |
13. | "Deliverance" (Instrumental Version) |
| 7:41 |
Notes
Adapted from the album's booklet. [25]
Musicians
Additional musicians
Production
Album | Certifications
|
Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee. The band was formed in 1996 by lead songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former lead singer Tarja Turunen. The band soon picked up drummer Jukka Nevalainen, and then bassist Sami Vänskä after the release of their debut album, Angels Fall First (1997). In 2001, Vänskä was replaced by Marko Hietala, who also took over the male vocalist role previously filled by Holopainen or guest singers.
Angels Fall First is the debut studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, originally released by Spinefarm Records on 1 November 1997. The original 500-copy limited edition features seven tracks, two of which are not on the regular edition. This edition is highly sought after by collectors and in 2012 a copy was sold for $1137.23 on eBay. The album was released in the US by Century Media in March 2001.
Oceanborn is the second studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. It was released in Finland by Spinefarm Records on 7 December 1998 and in the spring of 1999 worldwide. It was released by Drakkar Entertainment in the rest of Europe, and by Toy's Factory in Japan. It is their first album with bassist Sami Vänskä.
Over the Hills and Far Away is the first EP by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, released on 25 June 2001 through Spinefarm Records in Finland, and Drakkar Records in the rest of Europe. It was also released by Toy's Factory in Japan and Century Media Records in the US. Bassist Sami Vänskä left the band after its recording, due to musical differences between him and Tuomas Holopainen. He was replaced by the bassist and male vocalist, Marko Hietala.
Tarja Soile Susanna Turunen-Cabuli, known professionally as Tarja Turunen or simply Tarja, is a Finnish heavy metal singer, best known as the former lead vocalist of Nightwish. She is a soprano with a three and a half octave range.
"Sleeping Sun" is a power ballad and the fourth single by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. It was released as a maxi single with three other songs on 2 August 1999 to coincide with the total solar eclipse that would occur on 11 August.
"Ever Dream" is the sixth single by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. Released as the lead single from the band's fourth studio album, Century Child, it was the group's first single release in two years, following "Deep Silent Complete" in 2000.
Dark Passion Play is the sixth studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. It was released on 26 September 2007 by Spinefarm Records in Finland, 28 September by Nuclear Blast in Europe and 2 October 2007 by Roadrunner Records in the US. It is the first album without original vocalist Tarja Turunen, who was dismissed in 2005, as well as the first album involving future member Troy Donockley on uilleann pipes and tin whistle. It is the first of only two albums with vocalist Anette Olzon, who was eventually dismissed in 2012 after the release of the band's subsequent album, Imaginaerum. Tuomas Holopainen has referred to this album as the "album that saved his life".
My Winter Storm is the second solo album by Finnish singer Tarja Turunen, and the first to consist mainly of new and original songs specifically written by or for Turunen. The album was released by Universal Music on 19 November 2007 in Finland, on 2 January 2008 in South America and on February 26 in North America and in the United Kingdom was also released a special version limited in 300 copies.
The discography of Finnish symphonic metal singer Tarja Turunen, consists of eight studio albums, one compilation album, four extended plays, fifty seven singles and forty music videos.
What Lies Beneath is the third album by the Finnish singer Tarja Turunen, which was released on 1 September 2010 in Finland, on 3 September in Germany, Switzerland and Austria and on 14 September in Latin and North America. It is the first of Tarja's albums in which she is credited for composition on every track. The album was mixed at '62 Studios in Austin Texas by Tim Palmer.
Act I is the first live album released by the Finnish soprano Tarja Turunen. The two concerts were recorded and filmed with 10 HD cameras at the El Círculo Theatre in Rosario, Argentina, in March 2012, and released on CD, DVD and Blu-ray on the 24th of August, 2012. Additionally, the Act I media book contains a live recording from Luna Park.
"Never Enough'" is a song released by Finnish singer Tarja Turunen from her fourth studio album Colours in the Dark. The song was released on May 31, 2013 as a lyrical video-teaser song. The track is only available as a digital version. The song, although from the Colours in the Dark album, was previously featured on the Act I : Live in Rosario live album, as the song was first played at the end of the What Lies Beneath World Tour.
"Paradise " is a studio EP by Dutch symphonic metal band Within Temptation from their sixth studio album Hydra. It was released on 27 September 2013 with three songs from the upcoming album in their demo versions and also accompanying a music video. The song features former Nightwish singer Tarja Turunen. Beside its digital release, the EP was also released as a physical CD in Japan. A new mix of the song was later released in Turunen's album The Brightest Void.
Left in the Dark is the second EP by Finnish rock and metal soprano vocalist Tarja Turunen. The record features different versions of songs included in the chart-topping album Colours in the Dark, plus a studio version of "Into the Sun", previously only available as a live track.
The Shadow Self is the sixth studio album released by Finnish vocalist Tarja Turunen. The record was released on 5 August 2016. The record produced two singles.
The Brightest Void is the third EP by Finnish rock and metal soprano vocalist Tarja Turunen. It serves as a prequel to the main album The Shadow Self. It was released on the 3 June 2016 and contains 9 tracks.
Kevin Chown is an American bass player best known for his work with Finnish vocalist Tarja Turunen, funk/rock/fusion quartet Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats, and progressive metal bands Edwin Dare and Artension.
From Spirits and Ghosts (Score for a Dark Christmas) is the second classical and Christmas album, and the seventh studio album released by the Finnish soprano Tarja Turunen.
{{cite magazine}}
: Missing or empty |title=
(help)