The Dark Element's 'Songs the Night Sings' - Album Review

Regular readers of my blog will know of my general distaste for Frontiers Records' numerous studio-based projects. The Italian label has done a lot of good over the years, both by promoting older rock and metal acts that other labels seem less interested in these days and by championing new talent - particularly in the AOR world. I own lots of Frontiers-released albums, and will probably acquire many more over the coming years, but a lot of their work seems to go into these 'fantasy match-ups' that seemingly randomly put members of different bands together in the studio to record an album - usually recording songs written by one of the label's handful of in-house songwriters. Most of them all sound the same - filled with mid-tier AOR tracks that would have been decent as b-sides to Survivor singles back in the mid-1980s, but lack the hooks to truly stand on their own. I really do not know why the label continues to put so much effort into these projects. I cannot imagine that many of them genuinely sell well, and it must take a lot of time and resources getting all these people together. The ends certainly do not justify the means (for me anyway), and it just seems like wish-fulfilment from Frontiers president Serafino Perugino. That is not to say however that none of these projects are worth the time. There are a few that I have enjoyed over the years, with W.E.T. and Revolution Saints both coming instantly to mind. The difference with these however is that both of these bands feature significant songwriting contributions from those involved and both have gone on to play live. While they might have been initially artificially been constructed by the label, they have gone on to have lives of their own - which elevates them above most of the other Frontiers projects. Another similar example is The Dark Element - a power/symphonic metal band put together by frontwoman Anette Olzon (Alyson Avenue; Nightwish) and guitarist Jari Liimatainen (Sonata Arctica; Altaria; Cain's Offering; Insomnium) in 2016. I think it was Frontiers that put the two together, but that is essentially where the label's involvement ended. No in-house songwriters were involved at all in the making of their self-titled 2017 debut album (which I reviewed here), with Liimatainen handling all of the songwriting and production duties throughout. He also performed all of the album's keyboards and arranged all of the orchestrations - meaning that The Dark Element felt like a bit of a continuation of his Cain's Offering project with a different singer. Fast forward two years, and the band's second album Songs the Night Sings has been released. Soundwise, this new album is extremely similar to the first one - taking a poppy approach to symphonic and power metal to make the most of Olzon's melodic voice. There are plenty of comparisons that can be drawn between the songs here and the singles that she was a part of with Nightwish, which makes the album an extremely pleasing listen. Bassist Jonas Kuhlberg (Paul Di'Anno; Cain's Offering; One Desire) returns from the band's debut album, but on drums this time is Rolf Pilve (Solution .45; Status Minor; Stratovarius).

Not Your Monster gets the album underway with a dancing symphonic intro, before a main riff kicks in that really harks back to Dark Passion Play-era Nightwish. The comparisons are unashamed, and possibly even more obvious than throughout the band's first album, but it is pulled off so well that it hardly seems to matter. In true symphonic metal style, the guitars mostly provide tough rhythms, while the synths and orchestrations provide the main melodies. This is the case throughout the track, with a grand orchestration driving the song - while the verses toughen up a little with the guitars taking on more of a prominent role. Olzon still sounds fantastic vocally, with her somewhat poppy vocal delivery perfect for these lighthearted symphonic metal tunes. A strong chorus is the song's focal point, which ups the heaviness and drama a little but never so much that it gets in the way of the vocal melodies. Not wishing to be outdone, there are plenty of instrumental moments to allow Liimatainen to shine, including a keyboard-led section that quietens everything down somewhat to allow a cute tinkling riff to cut through the mix. The album's title track follows, which builds up slowly from an atmospheric intro. At first it seems as if the song is going to be a bit darker, with the atmospherics giving this indication, but as soon as the main symphonic riff kicks in it is clear that this is going to be another poppy track. It is an extremely upbeat song, with lots of jaunty riffing and symphonics, as well as an anthemic chorus packed with slightly dancey beats and catchy melodies. It is common in symphonic metal for the verses to have a bit of a softer vibe, and that is the case here with the guitars dropping out and leaving Kuhlberg's bass to provide the main rhythm - while the orchestrations add some grandness. Speaking of Kuhlberg, he gets a chance to show off after the song's second chorus with a short bass solo that showcases his playing. Things like this are rare in symphonic metal, and it is a nice burst of progressive songwriting that sets the tone nicely for Liimatainen's controlled guitar solo. It is a catchy track that really makes the best of Olzon's vocal style, and has a chorus that is likely to stick with you for a long time. When It All Comes Down is somewhat heavier, with tougher guitar tones throughout and a much more gothic approach to atmosphere. The orchestrations and synths are much darker here, and the verses have a strong groove thanks to a stop-start guitar pattern and a kinetic Pilve drum beat. After two poppier tracks, it is nice to hear the band turning up the heaviness here - with a chorus that moves away from the anthemic melodies of the previous tracks, instead slowing everything down with droning guitar rhythms and dense atmospherics. Liimatainen has proved as a member of Insomnium that he can do heavier music well, and this track is a great example of it. His Eastern-tinged solo here is great too, and really adds to the song's overall mood.

Silence Between the Words is instantly more melodic, with a somewhat folky melody present during the song's intro and an upbeat verse that is based around a rather jaunty bassline. After the heavier previous track, this song feels much more lighthearted and whimsical as a result - with Olzon showcasing her poppy side perfectly. The heaviness is mostly all gone here, with the guitars mostly just providing a bit of a tough backing - with Liimatainen instead focusing on sparkly keyboards and 1980s-esque synths. It works really well, and I feel it is songs like this where The Dark Element truly shine. I like the heavier moments, but it is these more catchy offerings that bring the best out of everyone. Olzon is much stronger when singing this way, and I always really enjoy hearing all the different keyboard textures and orchestrations throughout. Pills On My Pillow is a little heavier, but the song still retains a strong melodic focus - despite pushing the heavier guitars to the fore. This is Olzon's first writing contribution to The Dark Element too, with her providing the lyrics - which is nice to see. The dancey beats that were present earlier in the album return here during the chorus, which help to provide a bit of a contrast between it and the rest of the track. A bit of everything that makes up The Dark Element's sound is present here, with heavy riffing, bass-led verses, and an upbeat groovy choruses all mixing well together to create a strong overall song. This song is probably one of the best overall representations of the band's sound so far - with a strong guitar solo coming towards the end to top everything off. To Whatever End is the albums first slower track. While Liimatainen plays most of the keyboards throughout, a couple of the songs here feature some piano from session player Jarkko Lahti. The song opens with his playing, while Liimatainen's orchestrations surround it. This forms a great backing for Olzon's melancholic vocals - who tackles the ballad with her usual class. This is not purely a piano ballad however, as the song does increase in scale as it moves along with Pilve's drums adding a slow, yet punchy, beat - and everyone joining in for the slightly weightier choruses. It never feels truly heavy however, just a little weightier which suits how the song emotionally builds up - with Olzon's vocal performance becoming more passionate as the song moves forward. The Pallbearer Walks Alone is heavier than much of the material here, as well as quite a bit faster. The opening riff is full of urgency and pace, with the keyboards backing it up nicely, while Pilve keeps the track going with his quick drumming. While the album sticks to a largely familiar template on the whole, there is still a fair amount of variation the be found within. I like the fact that this track is much more guitar-focused than much of the album, with Liimatainen showcasing some of his razor blade riffing style. He is a very underrated guitarist in my opinion, and it is great to have another album that really showcases his overall musicianship and songwriting abilities. Given the song's overall pace, it is unsurprising that the chorus is a little slower to build on the heaviness and also to give Olzon's voice space to shine.

Get Out of My Head reigns in the heaviness somewhat and ups the poppy melodies. Despite this, the track is not a simple pop song - and in fact manages to whip up quite a bit of an atmosphere during the sparser verses. Kuhlberg's bass once again dominates during the verses, with a mechanical vibe that, along with the synths, helps to create something of an overall dark sound. It is surprisingly effective, and whips up some gothic moods, before the song transitions into an explosive chorus that is full of poppy melodies and a strident Olzon vocal performance. This is another song that manages to cram a lot in, with a fairly lengthy instrumental section towards the end giving Liimatainen a chance to really show off. It starts off with some crazy synths, and then moves through a couple of strong riffs that really keep the song's overall groove going. It is a varied piece that again showcases the best of everyone involved, and shows that The Dark Element are more dynamic than they first appear. If I Had a Heart slows things down once again, and opens quietly with Olzon singing to a synth backing - but the track soon picks up the pace a little with a strong mid-paced guitar riff and rumbling bassline. Despite the strong guitar presence, the track never really feels heavy - instead pushing Olzon's voice to the fore with her melodies overpowering everything else. It works well, and the song in general is a great vehicle for her talents. The Dark Element on the whole is her and Liimatainen's baby, so it should not surprise anyone that her voice is often the main focal point of the songs. This track sees her channelling 1980s-era Ann Wilson somewhat, with a powerful delivery that take the dense backing and elevates it higher - while Liimatainen contributes a searing solo towards the end that includes a number of shredded runs. You Will Learn has a bit of a denser overall feeling, with dominant guitars and a bit of a deeper vocal performance. I enjoy these somewhat heavier deviation from the band, as they provide a change from the band's typical sound. The band do the pop metal thing extremely well, but a whole album of tracks like that would soon get a bit tiresome. These heavier tracks help to space the pop moments out however, and showcase the band doing something different. The synths and orchestrations here are largely in the background, providing a dense backing for the tougher guitars. There are heavier tracks here, but the prominent guitars just give this song a different vibe compared to many of the others. The riffing throughout this strong, and showcases Liimatainen's skill for conjuring up a number of different patterns. I Have to Go is the album's final song, and it closes things out on a low-key piano-led vibe. Lahti's piano dominates the track, while Olzon croons atop it with a somewhat jazzy drum pattern beneath. The song is a very different vibe for the band, as it never really ramps up - instead bringing the album to a delicate close. Liimatainen contributes some occasional bluesy guitar leads throughout, but mostly this a track about Olzon's gorgeous vocal performance and the overall atmosphere created by the piano and orchestrations. It is a bit of a strange end to the album, but it works well and fades things out nicely. Overall, Songs the Night Sings is another very enjoyable album from Olzon and Liimatainen that picks up where their debut left off. There are not really any properly new ideas introduced here, but a few tweaks that help to keep the band's sound interesting. Any fans of simple, poppy symphonic metal should find plenty to enjoy here.

The album was released on 8th November 2019 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Not Your Monster.