I thought it would be fun to see how my music taste has evolved during the years, so today we're traveling back to 2005 when my babybat days were in full swing (flight?). I started thinking of songs that I could not get enough of at the time and those that shaped my music taste into what it is now. Looking back on it, I listened very little to what is considered goth but it all had its purpose. (Mind you, this was also when music was not easily available for everyone like it is now, and most of the alternative music I was exposed to was through a friend.)
So here are five of my biggest babybat anthems from around 2004-2005:
1. The 69 Eyes - Lost Boys
To be honest, this could have been the entire The 69 Eyes discography. They were my absolute favourite band at the time and they were my gateway to goth and metal music and the alternative scene in general.
2. Cradle of Filth - Nymphetamine Fix
Even though their music is not particularly goth and definitely not classic goth rock, Cradle of Filth was one of those bands that was considered essential for goths to listen to in the mid-2000s Finnish goth circles. It came with a catch though: if you openly stated that you actually liked their music, you were a poser. I thought this was stupid even back then and did not care one bit. Cradle of Filth was the first metal band I loved and it lead to me finding so many other great bands and Midian is still one of my favourite metal albums.
3. HIM - Join me (in Death)
Growing up in Finland you could not escape HIM even if you tried. But I didn't: I love - and still love - this song.
4. Dimmu Borgir - Puritania
The story of Dimmu Borgir is very similar to that of Cradle of Filth. For some reason it was considered an essential goth band to know (I have no idea where this started from and why) but you could not openly like them, unless you wanted to be labeled a poser, of course. Bah humbug, this song is still great.
5. Within Temptation - Jillian (I'd give you my heart)
Within Temptation was hugely popular in Finland when The Silent Force came out and played on the radio all the time. When I was still in the stages of wearing make-up and dressing up only when I had come home from school, I used to blast Within Temptation and Evanescence while lip syncing in front of a mirror in my long lacy skirt, fashion corset and crimson lips. Makes me laugh thinking of that, but I still quite like the album.
As a babybat bonus, here's a picture of me with Jussi69 (the drummer of The 69 Eyes) at a publishing event for their book Route 69 back in 2006. As you can see I was yet to learn how to do make-up but luckily I've grown up a lot and learned more in the past decade, haha!
Stay spooky!
Anna
