2 STEPS FROM HELL AM I NOT HUMAN FULL

The opening notes actually remind me of a song from the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion soundtrack, but it soon moves into strings and a crescendo with mighty effect. This song-this song is a stunning, jaw-dropping display of genius, atmosphere, and emotion.

This 13-minute track combines orchestra, folk melodies, and searing rock guitar from Claudio Pietronik of Ancient Bards. “We Are Legends”, however, almost leaves me speechless.

The title almost feels like a reference to “The Little Prince”. The vocals are distorted behind an electronic beat, and it rises with fervor to feel both raw and prophetic, emotional and anticipatory. The latter is vocally-driven, lush, and ethereal in sound. Without a doubt, my favorite songs are “We Are Legends” and “The Stars Are Coming Home”. “Innocence” is similar in this regard with a powerfully addictive melody and a children’s choir making the whole song feel global and human to the core. The latter actually includes a mother reading a story to her daughter, and it is such a beautiful portion. “Take Me Back” and “Fairytale”, two of my favorites, are both mostly quiet and serene, with strong central hooks and a boatload of whimsy. Songs like “Crystallize” and “Materialize” give us the orchestral power that is so associated with Bergersen’s name, while songs like “Your Imagination” and “Vaporize” are more folk driven or focus on vocals. The ten primary tracks are all beautiful in a variety of ways. I think this album was designed to celebrate our stories, both real and fictional.

2 STEPS FROM HELL AM I NOT HUMAN FULL

Some of the lyrics deal with the human imagination, and we visit forests and glens full of fairy tales and epic battles. There are songs that are almost completely quiet and pensive in nature, reflecting what I think this chapter is meant to portray: humanity’s story telling. It does not rely as much on the towering, monolithic climax that Bergersen so loves. One thing I could say, also, is that this chapter is far more diverse. That said, this new chapter is also a wonderful success. That is par for the course with such over-the-top music, but the cheese factor is definitely noticeable. I feel like Chapter II is a little less focused and I daresay even a little cheesy at points. My general thoughts about this second chapter are this: Chapter II isn’t as strong as the first release, but it does contain the best song of the two albums. It’s a mixture of just about everything, and that is wildly appropriate for a project with such a name. He primarily uses cinematic, orchestral, folk, and piano-driven sounds, though you will hear plenty of rock, pop, and electronic, too. For “Humanity”, he is striving to make each chapter have its own flavor, and I would say that he has accomplished that thus far. “Humanity” is his most aspiring project yet, however.īergersen makes epic music, yes, but his style is far more nuanced and diverse in genre than you might imagine. He is, like so many film composers, also interested in his own musical endeavors, and so he has released several albums. Yes, I imagine that he is doing quite well for himself financially, and he deserves the success. He is the head of Two Steps from Hell, a company that makes epic music for films and trailers, such as for Interstellar, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean, and X-Men. If you aren’t familiar, Thomas Bergersen comes to us from Norway.

If you are waiting for a physical release, you will be waiting until all seven parts are released, as a physical version will release with all seven discs at the same time.

There will be seven chapters in all, which is a massive and ambitious project. Bergersen’s new album “Humanity, Chapter II” released on November 11 th, and it puts on full display his ability to create diverse and interesting musical ideas.Įarlier this year, I reviewed the first chapter of this “Humanity” series. I actually have a feeling that we will get three or more in 2021, but I digress. It’s quite an achievement to release two albums in the same year, but that is what Thomas Bergersen has done.

2 steps from hell am i not human