Star Sparkle Blog

This week's video is  Ophelia by Leaves' Eyes . It's from their 2013 album and features then lead singer and co-founder Liv Kristine . Liv left in 2016 and was replaced by Finnish singer Elina Siirala . She is now the official second vocalist for German/Norwegian Midnattsol , along with her sister Carmen Elise. Ophelia wasn't released as single so there isn't an official music video. This is a fan made lyric video. I believe the song is about the Ophelia character from Shakespeare's play Hamlet . Leaves Eyes' fan? Check out these posts: My Destiny:  http://starsparklex.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/weekly-music-video_24.html Elegy: http://starsparklex.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/weekly-music-video_15.html The Waking Eye:  http://starsparklex.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/weekly-music-video.html Fires in the North (with Elina): http://starsparklex.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/weekly-music-video_26.html  

Today's video is for Evanescence's new single Imperfection. It was released this month and is from their new album Synthesis, which is due out on 10th November. It's been quite a while since Evanescence have released anything. They went on hiatus in late 2012 and then had problems with their record label. Their last album was Evanescence in 2011. Synthesis will be the band's 4th studio album. Please note that the song contains some explicit lyrics. (Just one line but thought I'd should mention it). :) Check out another Evanescence video here: http://starsparklex.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/weekly-music-video_9.html

This week's video is Fires in the North by Leaves' Eyes . It's their latest song. I still think it's a shame that Liv Kristine left/was sacked (she says the rest of Leaves' Eyes fired her while they say she left) but new singer Elina has a good voice which suits this song. It must be hard going into such a long running band. It will be interesting to hear further music and I also look forward to hearing new stuff from Liv. :) This is the official lyric video.

A couple of weeks ago I did a round of up world music posts on the blog from Africa and Asia. It was originally going to include more countries but it was turning into a really long post, so I split it up. Now here is the second half. :) This post is about music from America, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe and the Middle East. I'm not going to include most of the American and British music because I consider world music to be music from countries around the world other than Western ones and music that's not necessarily "mainstream" in the UK. Also I couldn't really link to every single post I've ever done because that would turn this into a massive post! lol. But I'm going to list a few artists from the UK and US, just so they're represented. :) You can read the Africa and Asia post here: http://starsparklex.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/world-music-round-up-africa-and-asia.html America Guam Pia Mia http://starsparklex.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/wee...

Today's video is Edge of Steel by Leaves' Eyes . They have a new singer called Elina Siirala who is from Finland. (The rest of the band are German). She has replaced lead singer and band founder Liv Kristine . I was shocked when I watched a clip of the video just now because I thought, "That doesn't look like Liv Kristine!" It was only a clip, so I kept rewinding the video, lol. The band announced that Liv had left in April but it happened in January. She claimed she was dismissed but the rest of the band said it was a mutual decision. It must be a difficult situation because Liv and backing  vocalist Alexander Krull were married and have a son together. I thought they were still together but on Alexander's Wikipedia page it says he "was" married to Liv. I also wonder which direction the band waill go in now, since Liv Kristine wrote the lyrics and they were based on her Norwegian culture and heritage. She was in Leaves' Eyes for 13 years. It...

Today's video is The Waking Eye by Leaves' Eyes . It's from their latest album King of Kings which came out last September. I don't think it was released as a single, they haven't released many singles. (Only one according to Wikipedia!). They mostly bring out albums and EPs. Commentors on YouTube pointed that Liv and Alexander's son is in the video. :)

This is one of my favourite Epica songs, Tides of Time. It's from their 2009 album Design Your Universe. It's a haunting, melancholy kind of song which is maybe why I like it! Tides of Time was never realeased as a single so there's no music video but this is a lyrics video. :)

Today's video is Lithium by Evanescence . It's from their 2006 album The Open Door and was released as a single in early 2007. Lithium is one of my favourite Evanescence songs. They hardly show the video on the music channels so I forget it has a video sometimes! lol. Anyway here it is, hope you enjoy it! :)

Last night I watched a Within Temptation concert on TV. It was from their Elements concert in Antwerp, Belgium, which took place in 2012. At the time the band were celebrating 15 years of being together. It was a good concert, so I thought I'd share a couple of clips here. :) Here is Candles: And Memories: Hope you enjoy the songs. :)

Today's video is Elegy by Leaves' Eyes . It's on their album Vinland Saga (2005) and was the first single to be released from it. Elegy came out as a EP in May 2005, there were 2 versions of the song itself and 4 other songs. I think it's about Viking warriors going away and leaving their women behind. I've been listening to Vinland Saga lately and this is one of my favourite songs on there. :)

Sorry this week's post is late. I started the 1000 Songs in a Year Challenge on 24th March, so it was a year on Tuesday. I've been trying to finish up but I'm a bit behind. Never mind! There are 49 songs in this update, so it's another long one! I have 50 songs to go now, so hopefully shouldn't be too much longer till I'm finished. 910. Matty B- Turn Up The Track (Video seen on Dance Moms ) 911. Ella Henderson- Mirror Man 912. Iggy Azalea feat. Jennifer Hudson- Trouble 913. Evanescence - Anything For You 914. HELLOVENUS- StickySticky (K-pop) 915. Anjaan- Sirripu En Video (Bollywood) 916. Kary Ng- Soul Mate (C-pop/C-rock) 917. Tinashe feat. Iggy Azalea- All Hands On Deck REMIX 918. OMI- Cheerleader 919. Jasmine Thompson- Almost Lover* * Chloe from Dance Mom's new dance- watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IXRO_6lnu0 920. Mariam- Do It Again (Original song used the JAYBeatz mix ) 921. EXID - UP & DOWN (K-pop) ...

Time for the latest instalment in the 1000 Songs In A Year Challenge. There are over 30 songs so it's longer list today. I've been listening to be a bit more music lately because it's coming to the end of the challenge. I've listened to over 900 songs now! 876. Madonna- Living For Love 877. Jess Glynne- Hold My Hand 878. Nick Jonas- Jealous 879. Kelly Clarkson- Heartbeat Song 880. Korn- Never Never 881. Conor Maynard- Talking About 882. Tum Mile- Dil Ibadat Kar Rha Hai (Bollywood) 883. Tinashe - F*ckin Wit Me 884. Nick Jonas feat. Tinashe- Jealous (Remix) (Unlike the original, this song is explicit) 885. Nick Jonas feat. Jhene Aiko- Chains (Remix) 886. Pia Mia feat. G-Eazy- F*ck With U (Remix) * 887. Pia Mia- My Bae *Listen to the original here (Explicit): http://starsparklex.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/weekly-music-video.html

Today's video is Feint by Epica . They are a Dutch symphonic metal band who were founded by Mark Jansen, previously a guitarist in the band After Forever . Mark left After Forever in 2002 and decided to form his own band. Originally the female vocalist for Epica (which was then named Sahara Dust) was Helena Michaelson but she left and Simone Simons (who was dating Mark at the time) replaced her. The other members of the band were guitarist Ad Sluijter, keyboardist Coen Jansson, drummer Jereon Simons and bassist Yves Huts. Epica released their first full-length album The Phantom Agony and their debut single of the same name in 2003. Since then they have released 6 albums, including Consign To Oblivion (2005) and Design Your Universe (2009) and 11 singles, which include Feint, Unleashed which came out in 2009 and Forevermore, released in 2012. Their music tends to deal with religious and spiritual themes and current events. Past members of Epica include drummers Dennis Leeflang ...

The latest 1000 Songs Challenger update (a bit late because I was busy yesterday but never mind!). The Soundstage Global Jukebox on Propellor 740. Pei Ziqi- Darling (C-pop) 741. Lazy Habits- Even Out 742. MIX- Dialogue* 743. QiQi- Nanana (C-pop) 744.Woodkid- Iron ** *This was an Asian boyband, I think Chinese. But I can't find any record of them online, So I may have written the name down wrong! **It was a different video that I saw, a performance one I think. But this is the official video. I first heard this bit of music at the beginning of EXO' s performance at the MAMA 2013 Awards. It's also used in a TV advert. I see from people's comments that it's used in the video game Assassin's Creed . 745. Beyonce- 7/11 746. Pentatonix feat. Tori Kelly- Winter Wonderland/Don't Worry Be Happy 747. Tulisa- Living Without You

This week's video is another song by UnSun . It's called The Last Tears and featured on their 2nd album Clinic For Dolls which was released in 2010.

Today's video is Rest Calm by Nightwish . It's from their Imaginereum album which was released in 2011 and the singers are Marco (also the bass guitarist and co-composer) and Annette (their second singer who replaced Tarja ). Hope you like it. :)

The next instalment. :) 419. Charli XCX- Boom Clap (from The Fault In Our Stars ) Tinashe- Black Water mixtape (minus the interludes) 420. Black Water 421. Vulnerable feat. Travi$ Scott 422. Secret Weapon 423. Midnight Sun 424. 1 for Me 425. Fugitive 426. Stunt 427. Just A Taste 428. Middle of Nowhere 429. Ain't Ready https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwJcTD06ZWY&index=27&list=WL Songs from Divergent 430.  Woodkid- Run Boy Run 431. Tris & Four - Hanging On 432. Jess Glynne- Right Here

Here's the next lot of songs. There are nearly 60 again this time! So I'll try and separate the list where I can to make it easier to read. :) Bart Baker parodies 359 Pitbull and Jennifer Lopez- We Are One (World Cup) 360. Drake- Started From The Bottom Music videos 361. Linkin Park- Until It's Gone 362. Kid Ink feat. Chris Brown and Tyga- Main Chick 363. Meenaxi- Chinnama Chilkkama (Bollywood) 364. Nicki Minaj- Pills and Potions JAYBeatz Mashups- 365. Jojo x Drake x The Weeknd- Demonstrate 366. The Weeknd x Tinashe- What A Boss Needs 367. Chris Brown and Rihanna- Lay Down 368. Rihanna & Juicy J- Dolla Signs (feat. August Alsina) 369. Drake- Whatever Became Of You (A JAYBeatz EDIT) feat. Dawn Richard and Colin Munroe 370. Frank Ocean & Tia London- Thinkin' Bout You 371. Justin Bieber- Lay Down (End of the World/Christmas Remix) 372. Tinashe & Drake- 2 On 373. Drake & The Weeknd- Thursday, It Goes Down 374. Drake & Rih...

This week's video is Closer to Death by Polish gothic metal band UnSun . The group was formed in 2006 by Maurycy Stefanowicz (known as "Mauser") who was previously a guitarist in the death metal band Vader and his wife singer Anna Stefanowicz (known as "Aya"). The original band name was Unseen. Bass guitarist Filip "Heinrich" Halucha and drummer Wawrzyniec "Vaaver" Dramowicz completed the group. However they later left and were replaced by guitarist Patryk Malinowski (known as Patrick) and drummer Wojtek Blazowski (aka Gonzo). UnSun have released two albums to date, The End of Life (2008) and Clinic For Dolls (2010). Closer to Death is from The End of Life. UnSun haven't released anything for a long time but according to posts on their Twitter Aya has had long term problems with her health and vocal cords. Her condition is now improving and they're currently working on their new album. For updates on the band visit their...

Time for the next 1000 Songs instalment. :) I haven't listened to as many songs lately, so it's a shorter list which makes it easier to post! 325. Eric Bellinger feat. Jhene Aiko- Ex Again 326. Kavinsky feat. The Weeknd - Odd Look 326. BANKS- Drowning (Lido Remix) You can get a free download of the Drowning remix on BANKS' site (follow the link om SoundCloud). Music channels 327 Mnek- Every Little Word 328. Ella Henderson (from the X-Factor)- Ghost Bollywood 329. Holiday- Tu Hi Toh Hai Metal 330. After Forever- Energize Me 331. Edenbridge- Higher 332. Within Tempation feat. Xzibit- And We Run 333. Amberian Dawn- Magic Forest 334. Midnattsol- Desolation* *The lead singer of German/Norwegian band Midnattsol is Carmen Elise Espenæs, the younger sister of Liv Kristine from Leaves' Eyes .