1) Karelia wa… Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one artist with this name, including:
1) Karelia was a 1970s Finnish psych-folk group.
2) Karelia is a French dark symphonic power metal band created in 2000.
Note: for the 90s Scottish rock band, see The Karelia.
1) Karelia was a 1970s Finnish psych-folk group headed by Paroni Paakkunainen and jazz guru Edward Vesala with Esa Kotilainen and Matti Kontio. The band released two albums, Suomi Pop and Suomi Pop 2 , as well as singles "With the Lord on the Field" / "Taitaja from Karelia" and "Tiski-Jukka (Vyborg's Vihtor's Son)" / "Old Gold" (the singles were released under the name Iivana Nyhtänköljä and Karelia)
Paakkunainen re-established Karelia at the turn of the 1980s. In addition to Paakkunainen, Esa Kotilainen (keyboards), Eerik Siikasaari (double bass, electric bass) and Matti Kontio (guitar, kantele, strings) and, since 1982, Judo Wasama (drums, percussion) have played in this completely renewed line-up . The band's last album, recorded in 1992 and released in 2005, also features Mongo Aaltonen (percussion).
2) Karelia is a French dark symphonic power metal band from Alsace created in 2000 by Lionel Vest (sound mastering) and Matthieu Kleiber (singer). They've released several albums including Usual Tragedy (2003), Raise (2005), and Restless (2008).
Karelia's music is generally referred to as symphonic metal. Next to driving drum parts, progressive rhythms and hard-as-nails guitar riffs, there are anthemic choir parts, hovering string arrangements and numerous cross references to the time of the great classical composers.
The compositions are multi-layered, multi-dimensional, away from clichés or genre-typical settings, yet accessible and catchy at the same time.
Early 2004 saw the arrival of their debut, Usual Tragedy. Raise, the second album by the quintet, demonstrated how melodies, sounds and lyrical standards can be brought into line. "Compared to our first album, we've changed some minor stylistic aspects", says Matthieu Kleiber, vocalist, founder and main composer. "The vocals in particular are more unambiguous and easier to pin down this time around. We've concentrated more on mid-tempo numbers, consciously making the album less monotonous by including only a few fast double bass numbers."
Karelia have proved themselves as intelligent and sensitive contemporary musicians with their lyrics. Their talent for observation is sharp and critical, their historic understanding pronounced. The title track is an intense exploration of the turmoil of World War II. "That war still is inexplicable to me," says Kleiber. "We live only a few kilometres away from the German border. Germany and France are good friends. It's impossible to imagine that only sixty years ago there was a bloody war raging between these two countries." A cold shiver runs down the listener's spine when excerpts from a Hitler speech reverberate on 'Raise'. Karelia have turned music into a breathtaking excursion into the past.
Karelia also focus on the madness of countries involved in wars – 'Cross & Crescent' doesn't kick off with oriental sounds for no reason, it's a symbol for the culture clash the way it presents itself in the Middle East at the moment. Kleiber: "The worst thing for me is the uncertainty which information to trust. Isn't everything we get to hear in Europe propaganda?"
'High Hopes', the Pink Floyd classic off the The Division Bell album comes along in a tougher, more metallic outfit, courtesy of Karelia, while it continues to spread a similar intensity as the original. For Matthieu Kleiber, it's a question of honour to interpret the original, but not to disfigure it. "We're all big Pink Floyd fans," he confesses. "That's what we would like to document with 'High Hopes'. Of course, it could have been any other song. 'Comfortably Numb' was also on my wish list."
Karelia was founded by Matthieu Kleiber and keyboarder Lionel Vest, who has gone on to concentrate on other classical projects but is always delighted to help out with orchestral arrangements at the studio. Following the release of their self-produced demo and shows with acts like Kamelot, At Vance, Vanden Plas and Dyslesia, Karelia signed with Drakkar and released their debut, Usual Tragedy, in spring 2004. Next to Kleiber, the current line-up consists of Bertrand Maillot (keyboards), Erwan Morice (guitar), Loïc Jenn (drums) and Gilles Thiebaut (bass).
High Hopes
Karelia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In a world of magnets and miracles
Our thoughts strayed constantly and without boundary
The ringing of the division bell had begun
Along the Long Road and on down the Causeway
Do they still meet there by the Cut
Running before time took our dreams away
Leaving the myriad small creatures trying to tie us to the ground
To a life consumed by slow decay
The grass was greener
The light was brighter
With friends surrounded
The nights of wonder
Looking beyond the embers of bridges glowing behind us
To a glimpse of how green it was on the other side
[ The Karelia Lyrics are found on www.songlyrics.com ]
Steps taken forwards but sleepwalking back again
Dragged by force of some inner tide
At a higher altitude with flag unfurled
We reached the dizzy heights of that dreamed of world
Encumbered forever by desire and ambition
There's a hunger still unsatisfied
Though down this road we've been so many times
The grass was greener
The light was brighter
The taste was sweeter
The nights of wonder
With friends surrounded
The dawn mist growing
The water flowing
The endless river
The lyrics of Karelia's song High Hopes speak about nostalgia and the longing to go back to the good old times when they were young and full of dreams. The opening lines paint a picture of a different world beyond the horizon that consists of "magnets and miracles," where anything seems possible. The ringing of the division bell marks the point of no return, where they realize they cannot go back to their old lives.
The verses talk about a group of friends who walked down the Long Road and the Causeway, reminiscing about the past and wondering if their old friends still meet at the Cut, a landmark from their past. The group recalls the days when they had big dreams and aspirations for their life, but time and responsibilities have consumed them. The grass is no longer greener, and the light is no longer brighter. The nights that they spent being surrounded by friends and feeling the wonder of the world seem like an impossible dream.
The chorus highlights the sense of longing, where everything was better, and life was full of potential. The grass was greener, the light was brighter, and the nights were full of wonder. They were consumed with a hunger for life, and they yearn to go back to those days. However, even after all these years, the hunger remains unsatiated, and they keep going down the same road, which leads to slow decay.
Line by Line Meaning
Beyond the horizon of the place we lived when we were young
The place where we spent our younger years is now far behind us.
In a world of magnets and miracles
We see the world as a place of wonder and magic.
Our thoughts strayed constantly and without boundary
Our minds wander freely without any restrictions or limitations.
The ringing of the division bell had begun
We sense changes coming, as if something important is about to happen.
Along the Long Road and on down the Causeway
We traveled a long and winding path to get where we are now.
Do they still meet there by the Cut
Do the people we used to know still gather in the same place?
There was a ragged band that followed our footsteps
We were once part of a group of people who felt the same way we did.
Running before time took our dreams away
We tried to pursue our dreams before it was too late.
Leaving the myriad small creatures trying to tie us to the ground
We left behind the distractions that kept us from pursuing our dreams.
To a life consumed by slow decay
We are afraid of falling into a monotonous, unfulfilling existence.
The grass was greener
Life seemed better and more exciting before.
The light was brighter
The world seemed more vivid and full of possibilities before.
With friends surrounded
We were once part of a close-knit group of friends who shared our hopes and dreams.
The nights of wonder
We remember nights filled with excitement and anticipation.
Looking beyond the embers of bridges glowing behind us
We can still see the remnants of our past and how much we have grown since then.
To a glimpse of how green it was on the other side
We can see how wonderful life can be if we take risks and pursue our dreams.
Steps taken forwards but sleepwalking back again
We sometimes feel like we are making progress, only to regress back to our old habits.
Dragged by force of some inner tide
We feel as if we are being pulled by our desires and emotions, even if we don't fully understand why.
At a higher altitude with flag unfurled
We feel like we have reached new heights and we are proud of our accomplishments.
We reached the dizzy heights of that dreamed of world
We have fulfilled some of our most cherished dreams and aspirations.
Encumbered forever by desire and ambition
We feel like we are constantly driven by our desires and aspirations, even if they can be burdensome.
There's a hunger still unsatisfied
We still have a deep desire for something more, even after achieving some of our dreams.
Though down this road we've been so many times
We have been on this path many times before, but we still have a lot to learn.
The taste was sweeter
Life seemed more enjoyable and rewarding before.
The dawn mist growing
We are unsure of what the future holds, but we remain optimistic and hopeful.
The water flowing
Life is constantly changing and moving, whether we like it or not.
The endless river
Life goes on, and we are swept along with it.
Contributed by Nathaniel E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jack Siedlewski
One of the better and more intreresting versions of big hit from Gilmours Floyd.
Jacek Piotrowicz
Best version ever!!!!
Franco Miotto
hi...I like it very much and I'd like to contact you...is it possible?