Tarot – Gravity of Light

Releasedate: 23-04-2010; Label: Nuclear Blast
By: Sabine van Gameren

Tarot is a Heavy Metal band from Finland. The band formed in 1985 and got quite a long list with releases behind their name. “Gravity of Light” is their 8th studio album.

Even though a lot of people might know this project as being “the other band of Marco from Nightwish” even though Tarot has been around way longer. Nevertheless Tarot has been known for bringing a very consist sound, ever record again. The album starts with a little statement “Satan is Dead” which comes out extra funny remembering label mates Callejon having a song “Gott is Tot”(God is dead). Although the band probably did not mean it like that, it sets the tone. The vocals are quite upfront in the album, hearing a lot of second vocalist Tommi Salmela which usually stayed more in the background. This certainly brings a little change in the music, but the band got their familiar riffing still in the pocket which makes this a typical album like Tarot usually makes anyway. The band blew up the orchestra, making some of these songs quite filled up, perhaps a bit too much.

All concluding, this album isn’t a topper in the way it is that one that you will always remember when hearing the band’s name. It is a typical album of Tarot that fans can buy without hesitating though. The band have taking some risks with it, but when the fans get to know it better they will adopt it, as most of it turned out really well.

Line up:
Marco Hietala – Vocals, Bass
Zachary Hietala – Guitar
Pecu Cinnari – Drums
Janne Tolsa – Keyboards
Tommi “Tuple” Salmela – Vocals, Sampler

Tracklist: 01. Satan is Dead 02. Hell Knows 03. Rise! 04. Pilot Of All Dreams 05. Magic and Technology 06. Calling Down the Rain 07. Caught in the Deadlights 08. I Walk Forever 09. Sleep in the Dark 10. Gone

Links:
Tarot MySpace
Tarot Official