Band's List Alternative Metal Arda (RUS) About Eternal Wondering and About the Earth

Darkness flaps its wings and throws thousands of stars into the sky to illuminate ways of outcasts and wanderers… Adventures, suffering, pain, self-sacrifice, feeling – they are always the best themes for songs; hundreds of musicians try to use them. But only really good music can deliver so clear picture of endlessly falling snow and enchaining ice that you’ll feel this Coldness. Only really good composer can reach so bright feeling of spaceless loneliness under the rain that you’ll hear steps in the water.

Russian band Arda did it back in 2004 on their debut album “About eternal wandering and the Earth” in style of melodic power metal with interesting ideas and good melodies, with lyrics in Russian. Young musicians chose quite difficult field for their art: they work with images created by J.R.R.Tolkien in his books. Of course there are a lot of music stuff dedicated or written about this world and adventures of his heroes, but Arda doesn’t follow the standard. You won’t find there many “swords”, “fire”, “war”, “elves” and other cliché, and the main hero is “fallen angel” from “The Silmarillion”, Melkor. Texts can be common, philosophical, descriptive, and definitely they are sincere and soulful; Arda doesn’t write about concrete events, wars, acts. Arda tells about feelings, Arda open souls. And the band does it masterfully.

“About eternal wandering and the Earth” is many-sided and complex disc. There are fast power metal songs; there are midtempo and slow, including a couple of ballads. Guitar riffs are catchy, framed with amazing keyboards, and of course the clean male vocal delivers great melodies and leads us deep into the sound and rich arrangements. Arda are not only the great melodists, they also structured the album really well and got the exciting result. Opening “Return of the Monarch” is fast, driving, and energetic power metal song. “The First Winter” is real hit, it’s midtempo act with perfect guitar riffs and colourful melody. “In A Void” is a kind of interlude, with some elements of ambient; it’s slow, dark and mysterious song. “Melkor” is again mighty, heavy, fast and a bit epic song. “For Stars’ Sake” is fast and glorious, and the next “There’s Nobody” is its contrast. “There’s Nobody” is a great toughing ballad which shows the bright talent of Arda. “About Wandering...” is long epic power metal. “Winged Darkness” returns to mysterious and calm mood, it could be a ballad, but gradually it turns to fast powerful music. “New Dream” is a short calm instrumental stuff with singing birds, and the next is English bonus – beautiful ballad “Fly Away” (though the English pronounce of vocalist is probably not the best).

After all these different songs and strong emotions of Arda’s music I can’t give them the highest point because of a little weak quality of recording and production. But let’s remember that it’s the debut album, and I’d say – one of the greatest debuts I’ve ever heard.