TARJA – A guaranteed frisson noir down your spine

With regard to an artist like Mrs. Turunen, the risk of resorting too often to superlatives must be taken into account. Also with her new album Frisson Noir. She (with Nightwish, of course) defined those guidelines that every listener intrigued by symphonic metal could not help but respect. She contributed to an increasingly full-bodied narrative (even if in recent years, or decades, no longer so brilliant) that has merged into a real genre.

Welcome to Frisson Noir

Now the tenth studio album is completed (the sixth if we limit ourselves to the metal titles). It consists of as many new compositions, plus intro and outro to strengthen the orchestral function of Frisson Noir. These tracks reaffirm again her indisputable talent, her intact charisma and also her overflowing self-love. Six tracks feature guests whose contribution is limited to an appearance (more or less evident, let’s say an accompaniment).

What is Frisson Noir?

Frisson Noir, or cold shiver – of fear or pleasure, frightening or pleasant – is a shock that descends along the spine and spreads through our body through the dense network of the nerves. Pleasure and tension intertwine, and symphonic metal fanatics will find enjoyment in the title track, placed immediately after the short introductory track. It is a stroke of genius from a master of promotion: the voice intact, the wall of guitars, the rhythm section that gives movement, the keyboards that sprinkle the song with pomp-rock pollen. Frisson Noir forces even the most relentless detractor to surrender. They can do nothing but take refuge in the den of jealousy.

This is the Eternal Return

More obvious is The Eternal Return: nothing new, even if done very well and enhanced by the careful production that makes every single note sparkle. In the lyrical interlude that precedes the end of the song, Turunen glides gracefully on the red carpet laid out in front of her ego. Tarja is also this: the soul is devoted to symphonic metal, but the heart often takes her elsewhere.

And here we introduce Marco Hietala (yes, him) in Leap of Faith. Listen to it without prejudice. It is a nice episode, not transcendental, where the guest limits himself to playing his part judiciously, knowing full well that the stage belongs only to the benevolent host.

The guest musicians involved on Frisson Noir is impressive

Speaking of guests, the list of musicians involved is impressive and is coordinated by her husband Marcelo Cabuli. This is a dutiful note before reaching At Sea, which makes use of the interventions of Mervi Myllyoja on violin (with Tarja since 2016) and the piano of Niklas Pokki. You will trace a (deliberate?) reference to a well-known motif by Patti Smith. It is embedded in what is the longest episode of the album, exceeding ten minutes (a bit long-winded, to tell the truth, but we forgive her). During this piece Myllyoja’s and Pokki’s instruments find free rein for their pompous evolutions (the violin will make your memory return to the Kansas masters), alternating impetuous parts with more delicate ones.

Tracing outlives and blazing forever

With Blaze Forever we retrace the path of cadenced metal veined with epicness. A solid instrumental base and the voice direct the mood of the song, which especially live will find suitable consecration (pay attention to the ending, I won’t anticipate anything!). The same goes for The Trace Outlives, a sympho-metal classic underlined by powerful choirs and made intriguing by the tsugaru-shamisen played by the Japanese musician Sayo Komada. The instrument is a variant of the Japanese three-stringed lute, the shamisen, with a more powerful sound; the name derives from the Tsugaru Peninsula where it originates.

Frisson Noir: a tango with Apocalyptica and Dani Filth

Tango (which has nothing to do with dancing) introduces Apocalyptica. Their presence in this case is evident. The ballad Anemoia becomes a pleasant exercise of Spanish guitar and piano (reminiscent of some of Steve Howe’s work). Together with the violin, they spread a trail of rose petals on which Tarja’s voice gracefully twirls, grappling with a rather trivial number compared to her talents. It is a pleasant pause before the eruption of the darker (deliberately) I Don’t Care, where the idol of girls (and even the more faded ones) Dani Filth makes his entrance. He limits himself to playing his part by providing a virile shoulder to the Maestra, in an episode stained (this is not a criticism) with electronics and invigorated by the guitar, free to flaunt a fine classic solo (in the sense of classic metal).

An adieu with Chad Smith

You wouldn’t say it, but on the reflective Against the Odds that closes the sung setlist, Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers sits on drums. He evidently has little effect on the melodic structure of an amiably adult pop song with a strong cinematic imprint. It is a pleasure to listen to it with our eyes closed, imagining majestic landscapes that open up before our gaze.

Concluding words on Frisson Noir

Tarja Turunen is (and still will be) an excellent singer and songwriter: a lyrical nature, a strong character that she expresses without unnecessary modesty. She is good, she is aware of it, and she never misses an opportunity to prove it. This is also talent, and Frisson Noir (even if it doesn’t always arouse those shivers of surprise evoked by the title and a few minutes could have been trimmed) is yet another excellent album. No need to add anything else.

Track List

1. Frisson Noir
2. The Eternal Return
3. Leap Of Faith (feat. Marko Hietala)
4. At Sea (feat. Mervi Myllyoja & Niklas Pokki)
5. Blaze Forever
6. The Trace Outlives (feat. Saya Komada)
7. Tango (feat. Apocalyptica)
8. Anemoia (feat. Julián Bedmar & Valter Freitas)
9. I Don’t Care (feat. Dani Filth)
10. Against The Odds (feat. Chad Smith)

Frisson Noir is out on the 12th June via earMUSIC, and can be pre-ordered here.

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