| Aesma Daeva | |
|---|---|
| Origin | United States |
| Genres | Symphonic metal |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Associated acts | Therion, Visions Of Atlantis, Haggard |
| Website | symphonicmetalband.com |
| Members | |
| Lori Lewis Chriss Quinn John Prassas Tim Klatt |
|
| Past members | |
| Melissa Ferlaak Rebecca Cords Craig Ohren Eden Taylor Earl Root † |
|
Aesma Daeva is a symphonic metal band from Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
Contents |
Aesma Daeva formed out of the early collaboration of Nick Copernicus (production) and John Prassas (guitars, composition) in La Crosse, Wisconsin circa 1998 . Their original projects, Copernicus' "0dark:30" and Prassas' "162" saw them working together on a remix of the 162 song "Darkness" for COP International compilation disc Diva-X-Machina II. As their project began taking a new shape, classically trained guitarist John Prassas and Nick Copernicus then enlisted the help of another classically trained artist, Rebecca Cords. Along with a second new track "Stay," Aesma Daeva caught the eye of Accession records of Germany, who published their first full length album "Here Lies One Whose Name Was Written In Water". At this point, Aesma Daeva, the operatic, symphonic, metal band, took official shape. The original female operatic vocals were performed by Rebecca Cords, all composition and guitar was performed by John Prassas, with production and other work done by Nick Copernicus.
After the release of their first album, Rebecca Cords departed from the band and Melissa Ferlaak (along with two other temporary vocalists) began recording with Aesma Daeva for their second album "The Eros of Frigid Beauty." After the release of Aesma Daeva's second album "The Eros of Frigid Beauty" in 2002, demand for live music soon drove John Prassas to find musicians capable of portraying the complex music best on a stage.
In January 2002, John Prassas asked Earl Root to play guitar at his side, Craig Ohren to offer drum assistance (while also tweaking some older songs' drum pieces), and Melissa Ferlaak to sing for live performances. The band started off playing a small venue: June 2002 saw them debuting at a small St. Paul, Minnesota club, but things quickly increased Aesma Daeva's prestige as they played Metalfest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Such metal magazines as Unrestrained!, Terrorizer, and Metal Maniacs deemed Aesma Daeva "One of the Highlights of Metalfest 2002." Later, in August 2002, Aesma Daeva journeyed to Mexico for Festival Obscuro IV (presented by Dilemma Entertainment) to play along such acts as Tristania, Maldorar, and HIM.
2004 saw some line-up changes that included replacing Craig with drummer Tim Klatt and adding performing bass player Eden Taylor, who in 2005 was replaced by Christopher Quinn. The line-up has begun to solidify.
In the Autumn of 2005, Root of All Evil records put out Ex Libris, a collection of outtakes from the past few years, as a stop gap release to satiate fans' enthusiasm for the band's next album. It is limited to 200 copies and features several videos of live performances taken from a March 2005 show in addition to a unique polariod taken by each band member.
On October 11, 2005, it was announced[1] that singer Melissa Ferlaak was leaving to join the Austrian band Visions of Atlantis. Her final show with Aesma Daeva was in December 2005 at the Star Central club in Minnesota. The concert was filmed for the DVD, Last Rites, which is currently set for a March 2007 release.[2]
The band's fourth album Dawn Of The New Athens, featuring new vocalist Lori Lewis and produced by Neil Kernon, was released in January 2007.[2] Some of the new songs that were previously performed live with Melissa appear on the album, including "The Tisza" [1] and "Since The Machine". [2] These tracks were recorded with Lori singing the leads.
In early 2007 Lori began to tour with Therion to help them support their current release "Gothic Kabbalah". She holds double duty as a touring musician for Therion and as the lead singer for Aesma Daeva.
The band toured the US and Canada in the fall of 2007 with Therion in support of Dawn Of The New Athens.
Aesma Daeva's first released recording Here Lies One Whose Name Was Written In Water is, for all intents and purposes, an experimental symphonic metal album released from the original three collaborators. The recording itself is separated into three parts.
Part One "A Quiet Chamber Kept for Thee" is anything but quiet, these are Aesma Daeva's hardest four songs on the CD, melding together grinding guitars, staccato bass drums, and otherworldly vocals into some of the most original metal music available at the time. Rebecca Cords' ultimately serene operatic vocals share the fore with driving electronica and heavy guitar/drum segments.
Part Two "Here Lies One Whose Name Was Written In Water" represents an experimental diversion from Part One. Chanting, acoustic guitar work, and subdued melodies - a large jump from the adrenaline pumped first section. "When I Have Fears That I May Cease To Be" is the musical interpretation of lyrics originally penned by the long dead, and long revered poet John Keats (as are the lyrics in "Sanctus").
Part Three really includes two bonus tracks which are re-arrangements of the song "Downvain," more industrial dance bits.
The second release, The Eros Of Frigid Beauty displays a change of style for the symphonic metal band Aesma Daeva. Replacing Rebecca Cords' vocals are three new vocalists; Melissa Ferlaak contributing to tracks three and four; Adena Brumer singing for tracks two, three, four, and seven; Sara Williamson taking the rest with tracks one and six. While their styles vary, the effect continues the tradition of haunting vocals woven into the broad instrumentation, providing powerful harmonies and entrancing melodies.
Opening the album with powerful trumpets and deadly guitar riffs "Lysander" continues with the rhythmic ups and downs which fans of their first release will be familiar with. "Devotion" perpetuates the intense mood of the CD with driving guitars and piercing vocals, which leads into the much quieter "In My Holy Time" a constantly shifting meld of guitars, drums, and voice. "The Eros of Frigid Beauty" and "Overture" range in style between fast and hard, slow and soft, and the balance achieved in between. "The Minstrell Song" is much more synthesizer-inspired with its pulsing keyboard opening and their persistence in the background. "Lysander II" is fast, jarring, melodic, and closes the album out with a quiet solo from Adena Brumer.
The Eros of Frigid Beauty is a much more refined album than "Here Lies One Whose Name Was Written In Water", with the first album containing many more synthesized sounds and a more consistent vocal performance. "The Eros of Frigid Beauty" is overall very solid musically, great sounding and well played, offering a much deeper sound and higher production values than Aesma Daeva's first album.
With Ferlaak as the lead vocalist, Aesma Daeva released their third effort, The New Athens Ethos - with a Grecian theme added to the existing symphonic element. A much quieter, slower album, the level of production on "New Athens" far exceeds the previous Aesma Daeva albums. Specifically, the channel differentiation between left and right channels is vastly improved. The atmosphere of the album is further enhanced by the echo and reverb effects combined with ethereal vocals.
Released March 2007 this was Aesma Daeva's first release in 4 years. The album was hindered by almost an entire line up change. Sonically it is Aesma Daeva's greatest release. Under the batton of Grammy award winning producer Neil Kernon. The album was recorded and mixed at Wax Trax in Chicago.
The album's title originates from the Arthur C Clarke novel Childhoods End. New Athens - a colony without struggle,anger, righteous indignation, rage, produced no creative works thus by killing its self off.
The album's title was an acknowledgement of the new line up but also of the strife and frustration that led to the aggressive and mystical output of songs on the album.
Press Release from the Aesma Daeva web site.
"In water, final Lord"
At an unspecified future in the depths of the ocean, the engulfed structures of man remain standing. Beneath the spires, stoic brass melodies resonate against the once-powerful dome. Among the singing of whales, like counterpoint from the depths, we can still hear the monk-like chant of the sunken cathedral echoing the final days of man. Modal and pentatonic themes with parallel chord movement sing a new praise to the adage that nature will always win.
From deep within the ocean's abyss comes a melody, "The Garden I long for" - a title inspired by one of the last paintings of Vincent Van Gogh. Kostas Grigoreas, an eminent member of the Greek guitar fraternity and one of the most serious figures in the field of classical guitar, performs this haunting refrain.
This garden has the Japanese elements that Van Gogh loved. Asian scales and gongs accompany murmuring guitars that sweep through the piece like brightly colored schools of fish.
"Deep wounds, vast seas that rack and crush."
The various colors and moods of the ocean's paintbrush are echoed in "The Loon - Thalassa Mix". Lori Lewis's voice symbolizes the stable lighthouse of the song, while the visual evocation of crashing waves and glittering water flood the final moments of the song.