When you think about Floor Jansen, “pop singer” is probably the last notion that springs to mind. However, “Paragon” seeks to change all that. Her first solo album follows in the same footsteps as her Nightwish predecessor, Anette Olzon, whose debut “Shine” was a similar commercial venture — although it arguably had a darker edge to it (in spite of the name). But with “Paragon”, Jansen dispels any pretense of attempting to appeal to her base, as if her sole consideration is to cater instead to an altogether different audience. And while she obviously has the artistic right to pursue another type of market – it does mean that fans of her previous, more traditional work may want to sit this one out.
The album begins with the closely titled “My Paragon”, and to its credit this song does sound like the type of music that would sit comfortably in modern-day pop charts. The liberal use of ‘woah-oh’ sounds in the verses instead of actual words gives it that trendy indie vibe, which is seemingly all the rage these days in the mainstream music industry. It’s formulaic, and a little on the cheesy side, but I still found myself enjoying the piano parts and overall momentum of the song despite myself. The way Floor belts out the chorus lines is also a stark reminder of her raw, unadulterated power, and something which I have sorely missed hearing in recent years. She certainly sounds much more comfortable and natural in this setting than she has ever done in Nightwish, which is a sad indictment on how they have utilised her gifts so far. Or an indication that perhaps she is not the best fit for that band and is better suited elsewhere. Regardless, this material does seem to be a better showcase for her amazing voice.
And indeed, her crystalline vocals are the key selling point for the album. On the second track, “Daydream”, Jansen even goes as far as to draw attention to them specifically in the lyrics: “Do you hear that? // Do you hear me, my voice?”, and you cannot help but be encaptivated, not only by her singing but also her supreme confidence. This shines through again on “Invincible” which despite its meandering pace is still an empowering ditty. Jansen is clearly very passionate about this project, and it comes through consistently in her vocal delivery. If only she could have applied this to something more substantial than these simple (and ultimately disposable) pop songs, it wouldn’t feel like such a missed opportunity. But alas, we are merely given “Hope”, which chimes in with a melodious acoustic guitar; adding a much needed layer of warmth to an otherwise bare track that doesn’t have much else to reveal.
The opening seconds of “Come Full Circle” are a subtle reminder of the intro to Evergrey’s “In Orbit”, a song which also includes a guest vocal appearance by Jansen. The similarity in the two song titles leads me to believe that this could be an intentional Easter egg, but it could also just be a coincidence, or my ears playing tricks on me. Either way the comparison is short-lived, and the song moves on to very much develop its own persona. The jaunty keyboards giving it more liveliness than past tracks. “Storm” is next, and like the calm that precedes it, this one has a torturously slow buildup before the sparse instrumentation is finally replaced with something much fuller sounding, and Jansen can let loose with her high notes. “Me Without You” and “The Calm”, on the other hand, are two rather forgettable, ho-hum additions in contrast (at least for this metalhead). Things do get a little more interesting with “Armoured Wings”, a more traditional pop-rock ballad, but it still feels like a song that is searching for a hook, and the recurring lyrics and themes which were already cliché beforehand are now starting to sound a little too repetitive and uninspired.
And I will keep you up through the storm,
Floor Jansen – Armoured Wings
The storm that surrounds you,
Surrounds you,
Surrounds you
The album does end on a stronger note with “Fire”, but once again it’s a slow burn. Like the songs preceding it, this will be a test of endurance. And given that each track here has a radio-friendly length of less than 4 minutes, that is quite the statement. In saying that, this album was clearly not made for the likes of myself; someone who doesn’t typically listen to this genre. And that is really the crux of the problem. It feels like it was created for more personal reasons, and not necessarily to entice the existing fanbase. However, my sincere hope is that this album still finds an audience of listeners and proves to be successful for Jansen, because her talent is far too precious a commodity to waste in any setting.
Verdict: Jansen’s debut solo outing might be titled “Paragon”, but perhaps “Renegade” would have been a more appropriate label, since releasing a pop album could be viewed as an act of betrayal for her long-time metal fans. And while her musical talent is never really in question, only the most die-hard of followers will end up appreciative of this radical departure from her heavy metal roots.
