Music inspirations - TIAMAT "WILDHONEY"

 

The 90s in metal music were interesting. What was born in the 70s and matured in the 80s exploded with all its might precisely in the 90s. This is my own opinion, which every reader of these words has the right to disagree with. Since my musical maturation occurred at the end of the 90s, unfortunately, I didn't "catch" all those epoch-making musical moments. At least not all of them.

Somewhere in the late 80s, total frenzy for music under the sign of the horned one took hold in Scandinavia. Bands were popping up faster than mushrooms after the rain. On the wave of this craze, the band Treblinka was formed, which initially touched upon the realms of black and death metal with its work. The band changed its name to Tiamat.

In 1992, they released the album entitled Clouds, which heralded changes. The band began its journey toward finding its own path. Already here, acoustic insertions appear (see the introduction to "In a Dream"), keyboard landscapes ("A Caress of Stars"), and industrial insertions ("Undressed"). Along with the Clouds album, our compatriot Waldemar Sorychta began working with the band; he produced many groundbreaking albums, to name a few: Moonspell's Wolfheart, The Gathering's Mandyllion, or the masterpiece that this entry is about. ... It was September 1st, 1994, when Tiamat released the album Wildhoney. Their third studio album, released in cooperation with Century Media, and which later turned out to be one of the biggest commercial successes from the Century Media stable.

The album opens with the title track "Wildhoney". Instrumental, unsettling, lasting less than a minute, the somewhat dreamy character of the track breaks off to open the way for hit number 2. "Whatever That Hurts" begins with a heavy, meaty riff, only to transition into an instrumental journey moments later. Johan Edlund's vocal starts as almost a whisper. However, it is a whisper full of unease. A whisper that, just like the music punctuated by a heavy riff, transforms into Edlund's characteristic growl.

Track number 3 is "The Ar". Dark, heavy. Full of psychedelic effects. One of the most recognizable riffs in the band's history. The following "25th Floor", as the name suggests, introduces us to the mysterious 25th floor. A heavily industrial track full of psychedelia.

And after this instrumental piece comes the album's opus magnum. The absolute mastery and virtuosity in both composing and arranging this song are undeniable. "Gaia" is the name of the goddess who symbolizes the Earth. And this song is about that, too. About the beauty and majesty of nature, although I don't like to publicly interpret lyrics, so I leave that part to you.

Next is "Visionaire". A very gothic track, characterized by a heavy guitar riff and a catchy, melodic guitar. A track where growling contrasts with clean singing. A provocative song full of rebellion.

"With a solar knife I cut the sky and walk straight into the trace of blades to find the answer to every "why?" I saw a world hidden from you"

The next track is the instrumental "Kaleidoscope". In the background, the sound of rain and thunder, and in the foreground, delicate acoustic guitar. A track that soothes but also disturbs. A track that somewhat introduces and connects to the next one in the set, "Do You Dream Of Me?" The acoustic, slightly hypnotic tone of the song allows you to lose yourself in this music. For me, it is definitely one of the best moments on this album:

"Calmly, slowly I wait by your side Calmly, carefully I wait by your side

I will pick you up when you fall Down to the waking hours Silently sweeping like golden grain Down to the waking hours

How much I long to be able To break into your dreams Do I have the strength that I need to break into your dreams?

I hold you in my arms Dimmed by the scarlet red of morning I whisper into your ear: "Do you dream of me?""

Next is "Planets", marked by psychedelic sounds. Probably the longest instrumental track on this record. Very calm and incredibly mesmerizing.

The album culminates with "A Pocket Size Sun", a track that has a slightly different character than the rest of the album. Many say it's the most Pink Floyd-esque track on this record. I never got to know Pink Floyd well enough to express such opinions, but you can definitely feel the spirit of the Floyds on this album.

My flawed attempt to describe this album has ended in utter failure, but there can be no other result in trying to encompass with words that which cannot be encompassed by words. Even if we had the richest language, we could never faithfully describe feelings and emotions with words. It is similar with this album. You can have a fleeting romance with it or fall head over heels in love and lose yourself. There are so many different emotions here that it is impossible to characterize it unequivocally. There is some undefined nostalgia and longing here. This album is like a sleepy dream. Like a leap into the abysmal chasm of oniric reality. It is not for everyone, perhaps for the few. This is an album that sounds great in autumn and winter, when the days are getting shorter and darkness covers the world.

Sometimes, for that undefined "chemistry" to occur, the right moment is needed. Perhaps this was the case for me when, listening to this album on a winter evening sometime around the year 2000, I completely surrendered to it.

I will summarize this entry with words from the song entitled "Visionaire":

"I rob the night of its shadow to protect myself from your gaze I am the visionaire follow me if you dare"