Search - Michelle Belanger :: Blood of Angels

Beautiful Musical Alchemy

John Rossi | Somers Point, NJ United States | 10/14/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If ever there was a unique and tantalizing marriage of melody and voice in the realm of Gothic music, this is it. Silken-voiced siren Michelle Belanger, guest vocalist on Nox Arcana's Winter's Knight CD, returns. This time her task is to tell a passionate and tragic tale drawn from the mythology of the Watcher angels. According to legend, these were celestial beings who abandoned Heaven for a taste of mortal love and passion with terrible consequence. Joining her in this endeavor are the night's most mesmerizing minstrels, Joseph Vargo and William Piotrowski, collectively known as Nox Arcana. The tale they weave together is a beautiful tragedy for the ages that will be remembered by all who hear it, long after the CD is over.



1. Ligeia's Lament- Thus does our tale commence, with a sonic bed of tolling vespers and deep wordless male choral work, over which the soaring soprano voice of Michelle Belanger effortlessly floats, mating with somber but entrancing piano, pipe organ and percussion. The blending of all these instruments creates a heartwrenching experience. The lyrics tell of one who finds love, only to lose it on his weddiing night, drawn to sleep beside his love beyond the mortal world.



2. Children Of Heaven - Here we get a taste of yearning with an epic feel. Horns, percussion, and strings are the stars of this part of the drama, along with beautiful choral passages, tolling bells and a touch of pipe organ. Here, Belanger sings of the plight of Sephiriel, a beautiful guardian angel and warrior of Heaven who falls 'victim' to the lure of mortal passion and abandons her station in order to grasp it. Any who has ever yearned for love of this type should relate to the irresistible pull felt by this song's title character.



3. Bitter Ashes- Here, we are treated to a gentler musical movement. Its main players aside from Belanger's bewitching soprano voice are the harpsichord, the piano and splendid choral backing melody. Particularly enchanting is the violin that enters after the first verse and the way it dances with the piano. I also love the wordless melody that Belanger entones after verse two. The lyrics speak most poignantly of lost dreams, shattered faith and emotional crises in the face of catasrophe. They seem to carry an air of crestfallen emotional desolation. It is beautiful, and heartbreaking.



4. Ella Sheena- This song, to me, has a distinctly Middle Eastern feel. Its instrumentation certainly conveys it well. A mandolin and exotic percussion start us off, blending with other even more exotic instrumentation. Belanger's voice sings hypnotic wordless melodies over it all for a little while before the lyrical passages do begin. The lyrics are fabricated in an arresting, though fictitious language, calling to mind the Elven song often heard in the Lord Of The Rings films. It is absolutely lovely to hear.



5. Angels Are Weeping- Here we are transported again. This time, plucked strings and a plaintive flute combine with what sounds to me to be the bodhran (goatskin drum) to impart a distinctly Celtic feel to this piece, which I absolutely love. This feeling is helped along considerably by the driving fiddle work in the middle of the composition, mated terrifically with tambourines and other percussion. Belanger's angelic voice dances over the top of it all, singing of angels who go from being seductresses to being prisoners of their own passions' consequence, outcast from Heaven by their own choice. Lyrically tragic and melodically beautiful, this composition is compelling indeed.



6. Widow's Walk - This one is pure melancholy. Begun by a crying violin, mated with somber harpsichord and the sound of thunder, the song seems to tell the tale of many lost in a shipwreck long ago. It concerns the faithful love of a woman toward's the vessel's captain, for whose return she died waiting with unquenchable yearning. Tolling bells put in a most effective appearance with mournful strings and choral passages to complete the work.



7. Forlorn - This one is a personal favorite of mine. It reminds me of, or rather calls to mind an infinitely deep and painful loneliness. It could almost be a vampire's lament of yearning. The backing melodies are provided by a flawless blending of piano, choir, tolling vespers, and pipe organ. Belanger's vocal delievery is wrenchingly poingnant here, and in particular, the way the pipe organ passages blend with her voice and the choral backing rips and tugs masterfully at my heartstrings. I've been moved to tears by this one.



8. Blood Of Angels - This one... is downright SCARY. It is a most effective martial opus. A blend of driving strings and thunderously rumbling percussion are the main players, along with powerful choral melody and... of course, the lyrics. They tell of an army of outcast angels lauding the grandeur of their race and calling for acknowledgement and subjection by our own. A chant between verses recites the names of several of the outcast angels, adding an even more chilling touch to an arresting piece.



9. Children Of Heaven (Club Mix) - This turned out to be a real surprise. I say that in a good way. It is a gem. Opening with a galloping, and yet subdued techno dance beat, it grabbed my attention very quickly and kept it throughout the piece. The change from epic orchestral ballad to entrancing techno dance tune actually works wonderfully. What I like most about it is that the techno elements of the song, while powerful and obviously there, are tasteful and are "kept back" enough that they do not overpower the melodies provided by the piano, the choir, the pipe organ, and Michelle Belanger's absolutely exquisite soprano singing. They serve as an effective backdrop instead of forcing their way to the front, allowing the melodic power of the song to shine through. It is a beautiful song, and a great closer to the CD.



This is Michelle Belanger's first turn in the spotlight and she proves most worthy of it. Nox Arcana's music compliments her vocal talents beautifully. Together they weave an enchanting tale of tragedy and terror. I sincerely hope that these three reunite again in the future. If they do, we are sure to be treated to yet another unique and beautiful experience. If you are a fan of Nox Arcana, you owe it to yourself to get this CD. If not, one listen could make you a fan. If you do pick it up, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, or perhaps even more."

Astounding!

Corvis Nocturnum | Indiana | 10/18/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One look at the front and back cover of the Blood of Angels CD gives the would be listener an insight as to the hauntingly beautiful sounds that wait within. Even the disk itself, created by Monoliths Graphics, is a work of art.



The lovely voice of author Michelle Belanger is given full reign here, from powerful chants to amazing octave ranges, surpassing Nightwish and Evanescence's superb work. If you like love Nox Arcana and ambient music, Michelle's debut will leave you breathless. Fans of Phantom of the Opera will fall in love songs such as Bitter Ashes, one of my favorites. The title track however is a piece de resistance, with its layered vocals and emotional chorus.



Highly recommended- Corvis Nocturnum"

Not Bad

R. Hobson | Manhattan, KS United States | 05/17/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I thought this would add a new dimension to Nox Arcana, it does, but not a big enough one. Out of the nine songs, five are great, four are good, but none are AWESOME. A good buy but not a Must Have."