| Stormcrow | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by Cain's Offering | ||||
| Released | 15 May 2015 (Europe) 19 May 2015 (North America) | |||
| Genre | Symphonic power metal | |||
| Length | 57:34 | |||
| Label | Frontiers | |||
| Cain's Offering chronology | ||||
| ||||
Stormcrow is the second album by Finnish power metal supergroup Cain's Offering, released on 15 May 2015. It is their first album with keyboardist Jens Johansson (Stratovarius, ex-Yngwie Malmsteen) and bassist Jonas Kuhlberg. The first song to be made available was the title-track, streamed from 22 April on. [1] Eight days later, the band streamed "The Best of Times". [2]
Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. Generally, power metal is characterized by a faster, lighter, and more uplifting sound, in contrast with the heaviness and dissonance prevalent for example in extreme metal. Power metal bands usually have anthem-like songs with fantasy-based subject matter and strong choruses, thus creating a theatrical, dramatic and emotionally "powerful" sound. The term was first used in the middle of the 1980s and refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a later more widespread and popular style based in Europe, South America and Japan, with a lighter, more melodic sound and frequent use of keyboards.
A supergroup is a musical performing group whose members have successful solo careers, are members of other groups, or are well known in other musical professions. The term is usually used in the context of rock and pop music, but it has occasionally been applied to other musical genres. For example, The Three Tenors—composed of opera superstars José Carreras, Plácido Domingo, and Luciano Pavarotti—or Rainbow have been called a supergroup.
Cain's Offering is a Finnish power metal supergroup that formed in 2008.
Contents
Guitarist and main songwriter Jani Liimatainen said he was approached a few years before about the possibility of a second Cain's Offering album, but at that time he was unavailable. When the subject came into consideration again in 2014, he decided to give it a try since he had more time. Comparing it to the previous album, Gather the Faithful , he said: [2]
Gather the Faithful is the debut album of Finnish power metal band Cain's Offering, an all-star project started by former Sonata Arctica guitarist Jani Liimatainen. It was recorded in 2009 in different studios in Finland and was released on July 22, 2009 in Japan via Avalon. On the band's website the band stated that they're "right now concentrating on the following European/US release, which most likely will be end of August" and that they're "in negotiations with a well-known label, and will soon be able to announce the deal and tentative release date." The album was mixed by Jimmy Westerlund in Los Angeles, Hollywood and mastered by Eddy Schreyer at Oasis Mastering, Los Angeles, Burbank. On June 25 the band announced that their debut album will be released on August 28 in Europe and on September 11 in the USA by Frontiers Records.
| “ | I think musically the new album is a bit more focused and coherent. 'Gather The Faithful' was the first album where I wrote all the music and lyrics by myself, and in retrospect maybe I was a bit too ambitious, trying to prove that I can actually write really good, complex songs. It's been six years since the first one and I think that I have matured as a writer, not trying to prove anything anymore, just trying to write the best possible material. It's still very much vocal- and melody-orientated writing, since, to me, the melody is always the king, but I did try to keep things a bit more simple this time. | ” |
Drummer Jani Hurula described it as "majestic and humongous" [3] and also said the album songs "are more concentrated and have more meat around them, [...] Just the way we like them. The production was also exactly what each of us wanted it to be this time around." The title of the album, according to him, fits the band "perfectly. [..] The underdogs are back with a vengeance!". [3] Hurula also said the band is going to shoot a video for the album and they are also willing to tour, but he gave no further details. [3] Liimatainen also expressed his wish to tour and shoot a video, but he depends on his band mates schedules. [4]
