Metal Screamers Part I
February 26, 2007 by Jo Minor
Tarja Turunen (Nightwish)
Tarja (pronounced Tar-Gar) deserves to be mentioned for her contributions to power metal, through the brilliant band from her native Finland, Nightwish.
Tarja was one of the few original members of the band, alongside guitarist Erno Vuorinen and keyboardist/songwriter Tuomas Holopainen, and saw the quick shift of Nightwish from an acoustic rock band to a full-fledged, power metal unit.
Tarja’s impressive operatic vocals proved to be one of the most distinguishable elements of Nightwish, and because she was classically trained since the tender age of six her vocal prowess was versatile, emotional and energetic. Tarja has been with the band from the start, and has been the face of Nightwish through all the years as well until she was fired from the band by the other members. Tarja’s firing was in the form of an open letter on the band’s official website, and it was stated that her diva-like attitude and unwillingness to rehearse and travel with the band on tours was unacceptable.
Band leader Holopainen is still auditioning for another female vocalist, and Tarja has found a considerable amount of fame and solace in her solo ventures. It is very unlikely that the two parties will ever team up again, as a result of their bitter breakup. The biggest disappointment, however, is how Tarja’s allowed her ego to get the better of her.
We would love to see one of metal’s best female singers make a comeback with another metal band someday, but it seems like she’s relishing her features on Finnish TV and radio shows.
King Diamond (King Diamond)
King Diamond is a man - or more accurately, a fearful character - right out of a twisted and macabre horror movie. His full-face make up and equally frightening stage props and stunts complement his horror-filled concept albums, and his strange, creepy falsetto vocals - usually arranged to represent different characters in his grotesque stories - can scare the daylights out of anyone.
He is the key person of his band King Diamond, and his other equally successful outfit Mercyful Fate - and through all his years in the business, his vocals are either loved or hated - there is no middle ground when it comes to the King’s vocals!
King Diamond is truly an extreme metal persona - larger than life, and definitely larger for just the black metal genre. King Diamond, with lead guitarist Andy LaRocque, form a dreadfully talented team in King Diamond - and continue to push the boundaries of creativity and musicianship of heavy metal to this very day.
King Diamond’s best musical works would be Abigail (with King Diamond) and Don’t Break The Oath (with Mercyful Fate) - and is dedicated to turning every metal fan’s dreams into nightmares, every single night. Thanks for all the scares, King!
Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity)
Mikael Stanne is the vocalist for distinguished Swedish melodic death metal band Dark Tranquillity, and is the best example of a Jekyll and Hyde vocalist.
The reason I’m using such an analogy is because Stanne can be a frightening death metal growler one moment, and an operatic and touching vocalist the next. He is vocal versatility in the form of one single man, and his life’s work with these pioneers of Swedish melodic death metal speaks volumes.
Stanne moved from rhythm guitar to vocals very early in his career, and we fans are still thanking our lucky stars that he decided to quit the six strings to work with his vocal chords.
Stanne has contributed his vocals to all Dark Tranquillity albums, including the beautiful Projector, the hard-hitting Character and the band’s first truly commercially successful album Damage Done.
Comments
Feel free to leave a comment...
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!
