Monday, July 13, 2009

TWILIGHTNING: Plague House closed - 1998 - 2009 -

Twilightning posted this piece of news on their website July 8th 2009:

"Twilightning decides to call it quits. We discovered the fact that the drive has vanished and there's no point of going on without the full force and motivation. Then we just not only would cheat ourselves but also our fans. Everyone continues to pursue their musical careers on their own projects and bands.

Twilightning thanks all of it's fans and everyone that has somehow helped or been there. The past eleven years has changed our lives.

Thank you and see ya!!"

Twilightning always had a deep meaning to me. Ever since I heard their Delirium Veil-album. I don't think they have brought anything new to Finnish musicscene other than awesome music. The first thing about Twilightning that caught my attention was the sound of Heikki Pöyhiä. When I saw his picture and I thought to myself "Is this babyface really behind that awesome sound?" I couldn't believe it really. But in all honesty the man has a voice that you rarely hear. My only tragedy is that I never got the chance to see them live...and it seems it's too late now. Well in my defense I can say that in the last years they didn't tour all that much anymore.

There is one question concerning Twilightning that I have repeatedly asked myself for years already...why weren't they more popular? Well Twilightning isn't the only band I have hoped to gain more success than they did but since this is about them, I'll stick with them. They had a good label in Finland (Spinefarm). Don't know about their distribution channels outside of Finland but at least everything should have been ok in Finland. I don't even know if any of their albums reached albumcharts in Finland? They were popular in Japan though. Well at least more popular then they were anywhere else. It's naive to believe that having good music is enough for success it seems. But I would have granted the success for Twilightning.

Some people say it was time for them to quit cause they got worse and worse by the album. I do agree on that. Their debut album Delirium Veil was so incredible that it would have taken miracles to make a better one. But Plague-House Puppet Show wasn't a bad album...not at all. I think what makes people puzzled and confused about Twilightning is that they changed in every album. Where Delirium Veil was pure melodic power metal, Plague-House Puppet Show was more close to 80's hairmetal or glam. As for their last and latest album Swinelords...well I really don't know how to categorize that. It was a good album in general but not as a Twilightning album. I think you could already sense the changes on their Bedlam-ep released prior to Swinelords. I remember buying that ep and listening to it...what a weird experience. I was disappointed and happy at the same time. Happy to hear new Twilightning material but disappointed cause it wasn't as good as their previous albums.

But all in all...it saddens me that the Plague-House is closed.

Twilightning Tribute:



Discography:

Delirium Veil (Spinefarm Records 2003 SPI152CD)

01. Gone To The Wall
02. At The Forge
03. Jester Realm
04. Delirium Veil
05. Return To Innocence
06. Under Somber Skies
07. Seventh Dawn
08. Enslaved To The Mind
09. Masked Ball Dalliance
10. The Escapist (Japanese bonus track)
11. Affection Seeker (Japanese bonus track)

Into Treason EP (Spinefarm Records 2004 SPI203CD)

01. Into Treason
02. Wind-up Toy
03. Affection Seeker

Plague-House Puppet Show (Spinefarm Records 2004 SPI204CD)

01. Plague-House Puppet Show
02. Into Treason
03. The Fiend
04. Victim of Deceit
05. Painting The Blue Eyes
06. In The Fervor's Frontier
07. Fever Pitch
08. Diamonds Of Mankind
09. Riot Race
10. Lubricious Thoughts
11. Goddess Of Fortune (Japanese bonus track)
12. Wind-up Toy (Japanese bonus track)

Recorded at Astia Studio A by Anssi Kippo
Mixed at Finnvox Studio by Mikko Karmila
Produced by Anssi Kippo
Mastered at Finnvox Studio by Mika Jussila

Buy from Recordshop X

Bedlam EP (Spinefarm Records 2006 SPI250CD)

01. Space of Disgrace
02. Rolling Heads
03. Sex Jail
04. Plague Overload
05. Train to Bedlam

Recorded at Astia Studio by Anssi Kippo
Mixed at Finnvox Studio by Mikko Karmila
Produced by Anssi Kippo
Mastered at Finnvox Studio by Mika Jussila

Buy from Recordshop X

Swinelords (Spinefarm Records 2007 SPI257CD)

01. Isolation Shell
02. Swinelord
03. Reflection Of The Cuckoo
04. Vice Jesus
05. Pimps, Witches, Thieves & Bitches
06. The Gun
07. Not A Word
08. Consume Gap
09. With The Flow
10. Wounded & Withdrawn
11. Maggots (Japanese bonus track)

Recorded at Music-Bros Studios by Miitri Aaltonen
Drums recorded at Astia Studio by Anssi Kippo
Mixed at Music-Bros Studios by Miitri Aaltonen
Produced by Miitri Aaltonen & Twilightning
Mastered at Finnvox Studios by Mika Jussila

Buy from Recordshop X
Twilightning:

Heikki Pöyhiä - Vocals
Tommi Sartanen - Guitars
Ville Wallenius - Guitars
Jussi Kainulainen - Bass
Juha Leskinen - Drums

Twilightning on internet:

www.twilightning.net
www.metalfromfinland.com/Twilightning/

2 comments:

  1. I love Twilightning too, ever since I heard Masked Ball Dalliance in 2006, but it was only earlier this year that I started to pay more attention to them again. Affection Seeker's lyrics trapped me, I really enjoy the way their songs tell different stories, vague and at the same time, really specific. Their sound is also powerful, although not very unique, since it's similar to other power metal bands. However, they had a certain charm.
    I hope they do great in their solo projects, but still want to see a reunion in the future.

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  2. I identify with your words. When Twilightning splitted up a part of me was gone.

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