German Hardrockers BERSERKER will donate 18.000€ to the Berlin cancer charity for children on May 25. November 2011 BERSERKER front man Schröder was diagnosed with cancer, now he is cancer-free. In 2012 the band collected money for this charity at their concerts and will also continue to do so in the future. Slayer´s Jeff Hanneman is dead: he passed away at about 11AM on May 2nd near his Southern California home because of liver failure due to an infection after a spider bite. More info: www.facebook.com/slayer
R.I.P. Jeff! Festivals cancelled: ROCK AM SEE (GER) takes a break in 2013 "lacking attractive headliners"; BURNING SEA in Croatia had to succumb to a new tax regulation; yet purchased BS-tickets can also be used to visit METALDAYS in Slowenia.
The Siberian Jay music video "I´m Holding" featuring Mikko Sirén from Apocalyptica on drums - we reported about the videoshoot in our "1h with" Special - can be watched here: http://youtu.be/C-hSNurZVcs
Luckily, I received this CD weeks before its release, therefore I had time to make up my mind and also to feel some disappointment. The 2009 release “From Afar” was (and is) for me one of the most important works in the genre of Pagan/Viking Metal because everything seems solidly built, with grandiose melodies as well as orchestra parts that create a wonderful epic. “Unsung Heroes”, however, presents a lot of bore, decorated with bombastic but hollow arrangements! The only ray of hope is the cool “Burning Leaves”, where basically only the chorus is remarkable. And this is not much.
I have no idea why one could descend passionately into the pit of mediocrity, without noticing the triviality of one’s creations. Probably ENSIFERUM have become victims of the delusion that more, bigger and EVEN MORE replaces the variety of a good song. Well, okay, you got to be the fan of native sounds and medieval atmosphere but the Finns are taking it too far, and therefore I have to use one of my favourite expressions again: boredom. The Metal attitude takes the back seat because a questionable cliché is driving the car, which is evident listening to those few ‘Metal-Songs’. I noticed the respectable vocal development of Mr. Lindroos on the last album, yet this time he is returning to inflexible throat-vocals that characterised NORTHER records in the past. Which doesn´t make sense and doesn´t sound good at all.
Summing up, those who like CDs lacking Metal but offering a lot of Opera singing, Orchestra falderal and composition-deja vùs or movie soundtracks, should purchase “Unsung Heroes”. Those who rather enjoy rough guitars and great songs in the style of “From Afar” - hands off!
01. Symbols
02. In My Sword I Trust
03. Unsung Heroes
04. Burning Leaves
05. Celestial Bond
06. Retribution Shall Be Mine
07. Star Queen (Celestial Bond part II)
08. Pohjola
09. Last Breath
10. Passion Proof Power
