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Anante β The Black Halo
Published: 2014-05-29 18:19:41 +0000 UTC; Views: 953; Favourites: 21; Downloads: 5
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"When your time has comeYou know you'll be lonely once again
And the final winter comes to us all
Life is treacherous
But you're not the only who must pretend
"We're a second in time
We're the last in the line
Of the prey that walks the earth
Good and evil combined..."
- Memento Mori, Kamelot
Ariel from the Black Halo Album (with Helena and Mephisto pictured in the stained glass window).
Originally uploaded to my alt. account anontheory .
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Comments: 23
This is beautiful and it gives the impression that you have actually put some thought to what the album's lyrics mean. I love the idea of the black halo being a part of the window with Ariel's head in the middle of it, like the greatest pain he feels is being torn apart between good and evil, it's really deep and stuff.
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That's exactly what I wanted it to portray! I wanted to show his inner struggle metaphorically and somehow get Helena and Mephisto in there to duel it out for Ariel's outcome. I'm glad it came across! 
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I find it especially interesting how you portray Helena surrounded by roses and Mephisto surrounded by thorns, like ... they both are part of the same thing and one can't really exist without the other. If you want to feel the beauty of life you'll also have to stand the pain of it and just learn to live with it while maintaining the good. "You would not feel sadness if you never tasted joy" 
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Yes, I also love those two albums! It makes me very happy a fellow fan is receiving the message and connection with the music I was trying to convey. 75% of credit should go to Kamelot, the Khan era of music writing and albums will always be precious to me and be so inspiring! And I actually never thought about the connection of roses to thorns in this piece, I chose roses at the last minute cause I suck at drawing other flowers. haha. But I did want to surround her with flowers like Ophelia's death in Shakespeare's Hamlet. But your interpretation makes so much sense! Thank you for such a lovely comment and expressing your thoughts on this.
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You're so welcome!
Both Epica and The Black Halo are strong contenders for my favorite album of all time, and they are kind of closely followed by Karma. I love how many thought Kamelot put into their music and lyrics. You know, there's so much to discover...
I think Ariel's journey is one everyone is able to identify with in one way or the other. I study philosophies, so I recognize myself in his eagerness for knowledge and happiness, and it's fun to pick out the philosophical, mythological, or religious references, since they literally are all over the place. I just won't get tired of listening to them, thinking about them, and talking about them, obviously. ;D
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Me too! I need music when I draw and if I can't pick something Kamelot is one of my defaults to choose. Karma album is in my third choice for favorite Kamelot album after Black Halo and Epica. 
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Yeah, I've been to Cologne in 2013 (I'm German), I think it was November 3rd ... loved it, I like how they actually interact as a band on stage. Sadly I've never come to see them with Khan, but Karevik made up for that - I thought his stage presence and performance were amazing.. they couldn't have found a replacement more talented and suitable.
Still, Roy remains my personal favorite singer. I've always felt some kind affinity to the character of his voice, as lofty as that may sound like.. I don't know, his voice is so poetic, thoughtful, soothing, emotional, and EVIL at times, it is hard not to like it.
How about you, have you had the chance to see them?
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I feel the same way, Tommy is doing a great job with Kamelot but Roy's contribution to the band, lyrically and as a front man, has always been mind blowing. Definitely one of my top singers as well. I love when he sings from the evil point-of-view and with any emotion because he knows how to make the listener feel it too. My sister is also a big fan. She introduced me to the band and it crushed her when Roy decided to step down.
I attended a concert in August 2012 in Philadelphia. It was Poetry for the Poison, the tour where right before it started Roy said he couldn't be a part of it and Fabio Lione of Rhapsody of Fire substituted for him. I only know a few Rhapsody songs but Fabio was amazing. He gives a different stage presence than Roy or Tommy but he could sing the high notes and was very engaging with the crowd. What other bands do you listen to?
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Fabio is a great singer indeed. I'm not the biggest fan of Rhapsody, though I enjoy some of their songs. But lately he joined Angra, one of my favorite power metal bands, and he does an amazing job there.
Some other power metal bands I like to listen to besides Kamelot and Angra are Blind Guardian, Gamma Ray, Sonata Arctica, Avantasia, Versailles. Probably you know all of them except for the latter... Versailles is a japanese visual-kei band and their music is maximum cheese, but they are amazing in their own way.
I'm a fan of progressive metal in general, so some other bands I really like are: Circus maximus, Seventh Wonder, Conception, Symphony X, Crimson Glory, X Japan, Queensryche, Savatage, Cynic, Tool...
I'm also into progressive rock, escpecially Anathema, Nightingale, Porcupine Tree and Steven Wilson's solo stuff.
And from time to time I like me some death metal as well, especially the bands Death, Opeth and Edge of Sanity.
I don't know how much of this is your cup of tea, but maybe you know some of them. What are your favorite bands in general? Maybe I'm able give some recommendations.
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I love X Japan and Queensryche!! I've heard of Versailles but mostly I remember their pictures from magazines. I like some Crimson Glory and Savatage songs too. Other bands I like are Triosphere, Eumeria (they're pretty new, only one album so far), Benedictum, Myrath and I love classic heavy metal like Judas Priest, Dio, some Iron Maiden, Megadeth and Black Sabbath. I've been looking into doom metal recently and I don't know if Dethklok counts as true Death metal, haha. Generally I lean toward amazing tenor singers and progressive metal. Recommendations would be very welcomed!
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Oh my god, X Japan is probably my favorite band next to Kamelot!
Queensryche is top 10 for sure, if only for Rage for Order and Operation: Mindcrime.
Hm, check out Circus Maximus, a Norwegian progressive metal band. Maybe you've heard of them, because their singer has been a strong contender for replacing Khan. 
I've mentioned Angra before ... they change their style (and their singers) all the time and have drawn influences from power metal, progressive metal, prog rock, European classic, and Brazilian folk over the time, among others ... but their first era with singer Andre Matos fits the pattern for sure! (Time:Β www.youtube.com/watch?v=vT3uj5β¦ ) Their other stuff is worth checking out, too - they are one of the most consistent bands overall, imo..
Since you like Myrath, there is a chance you know Orphaned Land, another band with an oriental approach on progressive music, although they are quite different in style, more like Opeth. Their album "Mabool" is amazing and their latest one "All Is One" is beautful as well. (Our Own Messiah:Β www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGm2l5β¦ )
Oh, and be sure to listen to Karevik's own band Seventh Wonder if you haven't yet.
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I'm going to check all these out once I get off work. 
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You're welcome!
The album you heard must have been "Mercy Falls". I can't decide whether that one or their latest, "The Great Escape", is their best. Karevik's vocal performance is at its best on "The Great Escape" for sure, he totally destroys songs like "Wiseman" and "Move On Through".
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Just wanted to leave a comment here as well, just to say: Dude, that's epic!
I love the background! Makes your pic really stand out
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Thank you!! You didn't have to leave more than one comment on my deviations so it means a lot that you chose to do so.
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I like the idea of this art-work. Really great!
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Thank you! It was fun to do.
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This is incredible work. I love the coloring... Everything. Β It looks fantastic~!
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Thank you! I tried not to rush this one since it was inspired by such an awesome band!!
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You are most welcome, friend. Β
On a less formal note *ahem* aksfhaksdhfajklsdhfajklsdfhlajkdhsf!!!! I absolutely love Epica and the Black Halo! Their music is indeed inspiring, and I get not wanting to rush. Β In fact, because of them I downloaded a copy of Goethe's Faust and I'm going to re-read Alighieri's The Inferno [though none of their songs reference it, the poetry of the piece is just as entertaining and I love to recite it aloud.]
Β Again, I will say that this is fantastic! Guh! Man Kamelot is the best. Β Great job. Β Again.
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Thank you so much!! I really wanted to express the solitary anguish and inner turmoil of Roy Khan's character Ariel. Kamelot's music has so much atmosphere and story-telling lyrics so they inspire a lot of images and inspiration for artwork in my head. 
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