Pensées Nocturnes - Grotesque

2010; 8 tracks

Pensées Nocturnes is a French one-man black metal project, where everything is done by Vaerhon. This album is one of the better black metal releases I've heard lately. It's full of lovely, rich texture. Also, "Thokk" is a black metal reproduction of Grieg's "Morning" from his suite Peer Gynt. So yeah, another reason to love this album.

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Pain of Salvation - The Perfect Element, Part1

2000; 12 tracks

This is my favorite of all Pain of Salvation albums. I'd have to say that the lyrical content is the most striking to me - it's maturity, it's subject matter... they are all unprecedented. Plus, Daniel G.'s vioce is pretty amazing in and of itself. The entire album looks as if it's a concept album, which it probably is, but I like to think of each song as a journey. They are all difficult songs to understand - that may be why I love this album so so much. My favorite tracks are Used, Ashes, King of Loss, and Her Voices. And then, one of the few songs that I can call my favorite in the entire world: the title track, The Perfect Element.

I set myself on fire, to breed the Perfect Element...

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Alan Hovhaness Harp Music

Alan Hovhaness was an extremely prolific American/Armenian composer of contemporary classical and neo-classical music. Here I have an album compiling his most famous music for harp, as well as flute, cello, guitar, and a giant tam-tam. The harp in these pieces is played by none other than Yolanda Kononassis. Kondonassis is an amazing harpist, certainly one of the greatest in the entire world. Her interpretation of music is utterly stunning, and I highly recommend listening to this haunting compilation of Hovhaness' harp music. As Last.fm perfectly notes, the music of Hovhaness is "reverential, mystical, and nostalgic." Indeed, his music has a certain holiness to it - his use of experimenting modal harmonies and folk rhythms (most prominent in "Spirit of Trees") will certainly arouse tranquility in the heart. I've used this CD to fall asleep many, many times... and it always works.


2000; 21 tracks

1-5. "Spirit of Trees," Sonata for Harp and Guitar, Op. 374..
6-10. Concerto for Harp and String Orchestra, Op. 267
11. "Upon Enchanted Ground" for Flute, Cello, Giant Tam-Tam and Harp, Op. 90, No. 1
12-14. Sonata for Harp, Op. 127
15-21. "The Garden of Adonis," Suite for Flute and Harp, Op. 245

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:\ I spelled his name wrong in the file description, my apologies.