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Degnissimo successore del capolavoro assoluto e fulminante debutto “Spreading The Disease” dell’anno precedente, questo “Among The Living”, album dedicato alla memoria del grande Cliff Burton, il bassista dei Metallica deceduto qualche tempo prima della sua pubblicazione, è la seconda fatica dei leggendari Anthrax e ha visto la luce nel lontano anno 1986, ed è sempre stato leggermente trascurato e messo in penombra a causa degli altri “soliti” storici colossi di quell’anno che si trovò ad affrontare.
Non è un caso, infatti, che il disco non sia nient’altro che solo un punto di contatto tra i vecchi Anthrax, quei cinque (quasi) italiani che all’inizio degli Anni ’80 infiammavano l’East Coast a colpi di virulento Thrash Metal dalle grandi aperture melodiche, e gli Anthrax successivi, sempre più impegnati a sperimentare e a fondere i generi più impensati e meno assimilabili, inserendo spesso e volentieri elementi di chiara origine Punk, Hardcore e addirittura Rap (!!!) che col passare del tempo arrivarono addirittura a perndere il sopravvento sul nucleo chiaramente Thrash che animava i nostri, ed andando così a tagliarsi le gambe e a non riuscire più a recuperare le vecchie, buone origini che li avevano resi tanto famosi e tanto rispettati.
Qui dentro si trova un po’ di tutto, dal Thrash bello e buono (la title-track, “Caught In A Mosh”,”Skeleton In The Closet”) al Thrash più “hardcoreizzato” (le ultime tre tracks ne sono un ottimo esempio), passando per inserti palesemente maideniani, e all’Hardcore duro e puro (ascoltate “Efilnikufesin”, che bisogna leggere al contrario per ottenere un titolo “sensato”, e vedete se potete darmi torto).L’unica traccia comune è che si nota una forte enfasi sulla velocità sfrenata e al tupatupatupa, caratteristiche già presenti su “Spreading The Disease”, ma qui ulteriormente accentuate, un chiaro invito a scatenarvi di brutto e a pogare fisso col termosifone della vostra camera (come ho fatto io).
Niente da dire sulle prestazioni individuali dei singoli componenti della band: il carismatico Joey Belladonna è come sempre vivacissimo, superlativo e sopra le righe, e con la sua unica voce, limpida, chiara, incitante al “moshing” e a tratti molto ma molto ironica e divertente, che permea tutto l’album, ci fa capire che, anche in un genere non certo famoso per le capacità tecniche dei cantanti, esiste sempre la piacevolissima eccezione che non conferma la regola; Charlie Benante è semplicemente inarrestabile, e segna qui probabilmente la migliore prestazione drummistica dell’intera discografia degli Anthrax insieme all’immortale predecessore, andando alla grande sia sulle parti di velocità pura sia nelle parti più lente dove mette in mostra tutta la sua creatività; le due asce Dan Spitz e Scott Ian spaccano a dovere, con riffs veloci e assolutamente taglienti, assoli leggermente banali ma sempre soddisfacenti e parti melodiche alla “Armed And Dangerous” da togliere il fiato e far allargare il cuore; le due veloci dita del bassista Frank Bello confermano il notevole talento dimostrato su “Spreading The Disease”, con interventi ottimi, sempre interessanti ma mai scontati, che lo elevarono tra i migliori bassisti Thrash della storia.
A questo punto, una sintesi mi sembra più che doverosa: l’album è ottimo e tra i migliori della discografia Anthraxiana, ma…
…Ma, se siete Thrashers duri e puri e non volete assolutamente saperne d’influenze esterne assai discutibili o di parti molto melodiche combinate magistralmente, probabilmente non potrete apprezzare al massimo l’atmosfera che permea il disco: un’atmosfera allegra, che sa tanto di “rottura con il passato, senza rinnegarne però l’importanza”.
Se, invece, volete apprezzare il punto di contatto tra i vecchi e “nuovi” Anthrax, siete disposti a tollerare qualche influenza punkettona di troppo o qualche riff fin troppo maideniano o melodico per essere definito Thrash, questo disco risulta assolutamente imperdibile e spensierato!
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 Among the Living (05:16)
Disease! Disease! Spreading the disease.
With some help from Captain Trips,
he'll bring the world down to his knees.
Power, yes Power! He'll show them all his power.
It pulses through his ice cold blood,
a whole world to devour!
BridgeHe's seeing, he's calling, his legacy he's spawning.
He's coming, corrupting, among the living!
Murder! Murder! Commit cold blooded murder!
Like Nazis during World War Two, they only follow orders.
Hatred! Hatred! A crucifix is your bed,
Once he turns his eye on you, you'll be better off dead!
I'm the walkin' dude, I can see all the world!
Twist your minds with fear, I'm the man with the power.
Among the living, follow me or die!
Man, fights Man! Divided they can't stand!
United, they can battle back, and make him force his hand!
Fear, yes fear! His end is growing near,
He didn't count on Man's good faith,
and their will to persevere.
Follow me or die!
FIRE! HOT FIRE!! Purge the world with fire!!
Damnation is the price he'll pay, for an evil man's desire!
Good, versus evil! The stand to vanquish evil!
Man can only live one way, that place right in the middle.
Follow me or die!
Among Among Among Among Among Among
Among Among Among Among Among Among!
02 Caught in a Mosh (05:00)
Why don't you listen to me when I try to talk to you
Stop thinking of yourself, for just a second fool
Shut up, shut up, I don't wanna hear your mouth
Your mother made a monster, now get the hell out of my house
Can't stand it for another day
I ain't gonna live my life this way
Cold sweat, my fists are clenching
Stomp, stomp, stomp the idiot convention
Which one of these words don't you understand?
I'm caught in a mosh
Talking to you is like clapping with one hand
What is it? Caught in a mosh
What is it? Caught in a mosh
What is it? Caught in a mosh
What is it? Caught in a mosh
Don't tell me how to do my job
There's the door, your name's on the knob
You're always in the way, like a beast on my back
Were you dropped as a baby, 'cause brains you lack
Can't stand it for another day
I ain't gonna live my life this way
Cold sweat, my fists are clenching
Stomp, stomp, stomp, the idiot convention
Which one of these words don't you understand?
I'm caught in a mosh
Talking to you, is like clapping with one hand
What is it? Caught in a mosh
What is it? Caught in a mosh
What is it? Caught in a mosh
What is it? Caught in a mosh
Think, before you speak
Or suffer for your words
Learn, to give respect
That others give to you
AAAAAAAAAAAh, the best you can do
Hey, man!
I'm trying to reason but you don't understand
Talking in circles, we'll never get it straight
Just you and me in our theatre of hate
Can't stand it for another day
I ain't gonna live my life this way
Cold sweat, my fists are clenching
Stomp, stomp, stomp, the idiot convention
Which one of these words don't you understand?
I'm caught in a mosh
Talking to you is like talking with one hand
What is it? Caught in a mosh
What is it? Caught in a mosh
What is it? Caught in a mosh
What is it? Caught in a mosh
03 I Am the Law (05:53)
I Am The Law
Fifteen years in the academy
He was like no cadet they'd ever seen
A man so hard, his veins bleed ice
And when he speaks he never says it twice
They call him Judge, his last name is Dredd
So break the law, and you wind up dead
Truth and justice are what he's fighting for
Judge Dredd the man, he is the law
DROKK IT!
With gun and bike he rules the streets
And every perp he meets will taste defeat
Not even Death can overcome his might
Cause Dredd and Anderson, they won the fight
When the Sov's started the Apocalypse war
Mega-City was bombed to the floor
Dredd resisted, and the judges fought back
Crushed the Sov's with their counter-attack
DROKK IT!
Respect the badge - he earned it with his blood
Fear the gun - your sentence may be death because...
Chorus
I AM THE LAW!
And you won't fuck around no more - I AM THE LAW
I judge the rich, I judge the poor - I AM THE LAW
Commit a crime I'll lock the door - I AM THE LAW
Because in Mega-City... I AM THE LAW
In the cursed earth where mutants dwell
There is no law, just a living hell
Anarchy and chaos as the blood runs red
But this would change if it was up to Dredd
The book of law is the bible to him
And any crime committed is a sin
He keeps the peace with his law-giver
Judge, jury, and executioner
DROKK IT!
CRIME - The ultimate sin
Your iso-cube is waiting when he brings you in
LAW - It's what he stands for
Crime's his only enemy and he's going to war
CRIME - The ultimate sin
Your ISO-cube is waiting when he brings you in
LAW - It's what he stands for
Crime's his only enemy and he's going to war
04 Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.) (04:54)
It started back in high-school
So cool, king of the scene
You found that making people laugh
Was more than just a dream
The public took right to you
Like flies to a pile of shit
So funny and smart so talented
But success just couldn't fit
PRE-CHORUS
Wasting your life
No future is bright
Dancing on your grave
Living like a slave, someone should've said...
CHORUS
N.F.L., Efilnikufesin
N.F.L.
N.F.L., Efilnikufesin
N.F.L.
Wake up dead, in a plywood bed six feet from the rest of your life
And when you couldn't see your own dependency
N.F.L., NICE FUCKIN' LIFE!
The whole world is your playground
Yet you can't find your niche
Your only friends, it helps you through
Helps you dig your daily ditch
The bottom line can't touch you
Cause you're above the rest
But your little friend's the enemy
And the bottom line is death
Wasting your life
No future is bright
Dancing on your grave
Living like a slave, someone should've said...
N.F.L., Efilnikufesin
N.F.L.
N.F.L., Efilnikufesin
N.F.L.
Wake up dead, in a plywood bed six feet from the rest of your life
And when you couldn't see your own dependency
N.F.L., NICE FUCKIN' LIFE!
LEAD BREAK
You lived a life of excess
GODDAMN shame it's such a waste
Just one too many cookies
From the batch no ne should taste
Yet his memory still stays with us
Cause watching him was fun
Too bad things weren't different
Who knows what he'd have done
Wasting your life
No future is bright
Dancing on your grave
Living like a slave, someone should've said...
N.F.L., Efilnikufesin
N.F.L.
N.F.L., Efilnikufesin
N.F.L.
Wake up dead, in a plywood bed six feet from the rest of your life
And when you couldn't see your own dependency
N.F.L., NICE FUCKIN' LIFE!
05 A Skeleton in the Closet (05:29)
All American, an evil game of extortion
A sick old man, and who would guess
He was once S.S.
A deadly fascination, of a madman's solution
Six million dead, poison tales pollutes his head
Tell me a story--Will ya, Will ya
A real good story, I won't leave till ya
Spill your guts old man
Leave out any secrets, Hiding in the..
Any skeletons, and all your other sins
Any skeletons, in the closet
Any skeletons, any misfortunes
Any skeletons, hiding in the closet
Any skeletons, Any skeletons
In the Closet!It's insanity, puppetmaster boy or Nazi
Apt pupil, he hears the screams
Nightmares turn into wet dreams
Hatred lives, boiling inside,
dealing death it's bumicideIn too deep,
their secpill your guts old man
Leave out any secrets,
Hiding in the...
FUN PICKIN-PART
The truth comes out, conspiracy there is no doubt
His life is ruined, but no not yet
He's still got one card in the deck
A loaded gun, a happy smile,
he'll scope the freeway for awhile
King of the world, four hundred rounds,
it took five hours to bring him down
Tell me a story--Will ya, Will ya
A real good story, I won't leave til ya
Spill your guts old manLeave out any secrets,
Hiding in the...
06 Indians (05:41)
We all see black and white
When it comes to someone else's fight
No one ever gets involved
Apathy can never solve
FORCED OUT - Brave and Mighty
STOLEN LAND - They can't fight it
HOLD ON - To pride and tradition
Even though they know how much their lives are really missin'
WE'RE DISSIN' THEM...
On reservations
A hopeless situation
Respect is something that you earn
Our Indian brothers' getting burned
Original American
Turned into second class citizen
FORCED OUT - Brave and Mighty
STOLEN LAND - They can't fight it
HOLD ON - To pride and tradition
Even though they know how much their lives are really missin'
WE'RE DISSIN' THEM...
On reservations
A hopeless situation
Cry for the Indians
Die for the Indians
Cry for the Indians
Oh, Cry, Cry
Cry for the Indians
Love the land and fellow man
Peace is what we strive to have
Some folks have none of this
Hatred and Prejudice
FORCED OUT - Brave and Mighty
STOLEN LAND - They can't fight it
HOLD ON - To pride and tradition
Even though they know how much their lives are really missin'
WE'RE DISSIN' THEM...
On reservations
A hopeless situation
Cry for the Indians
Die for the Indians
Cry for the Indians
Cry, Cry
Cry for the Indians
WARDANCE!!!
TERRITORY, It's just the body of the nation
The people that inhabit it make its configuration
PREJUDICE, Something we all can do without
Cause a flag of many colors is what this land is all about!!!!
We all see black and white
When it comes to someone else's fight
No one ever gets involved
Apathy can never solve
FORCED OUT - Brave and Mighty
STOLEN LAND - They can't fight it
HOLD ON - To pride and tradition
Even though they know how much their lives are really missin'
WE'RE DISSIN' THEM...
On reservations
A hopeless situation
Cry for the Indians
Die for the Indians
Cry for the Indians
Cry, Cry
Cry for the Indians...
08 A.D.I. / Horror of It All (07:49)
It's just to damn easy, to die in this life
Who's making the decisions ?
Tell me, who's got the right ?
[BRIDGE:]
WOH, OH, OH, My grief turns to anger
WOH, OH, OH, It's time to ...
[PRE-CHORUS:]
Say good-bye, It's a horror
Memories, Nothing's harder
I know that there's no answer, I mean what'd
I expect
So many unanswered questions
I can't believe, I can't accept
WOH, OH, OH, My anger turns to hatred
WOH, OH, AH, OH, It's time to ...
[REPEAT PRE-CHORUS]
[CHORUS:]
OOOOOH, AAAH, OOOOOH, The horror of it all
The horror of it all, I'm gonna break
The horror of it all, Tell me why
You're not supposed to question, but why's there so much pain
When someone's taken from you
What can you do or say ?
WOH, OH, OH, My hatred turns to violence
WOH, OH, AH, OH, It's time to ...
[REPEAT PRE-CHORUS]
[REPEAT CHORUS]
[LEAD BREAK]
[END VERSE]
The horror of it all
The horror of it all
The horror of it all
The horror of it all
Say good-bye, It's such a horror
My memories there's nothing harder
Anger and hatred fill the page
So smash the walls it's time to rage.
09 Imitation of Life (04:21)
There's nothing I hate more, than all these plastic people,
With all there plastic promises, and all there plastic deals.
They just can't be themselves, and live their own lives out.
They're just an imitaiton of what life's all about.
Because of me you are who you are,
So sign your name and you'll go for.
I'm your friend: I think you should,
So sign your name, it's for your own good.
How many times have you heard this today?
Some boguns piss on saying 'Let's do lunch babe.'
For them this bullshit, that's their whole life.
Cut through their bullshit with a knife!
*Chorus*:
Imitation of Life!
OH! OH! OH! ANGER BURNS!
IMITATION OF LIFE!
Living out a lie, you'll never be right.
IMITATION OF LIFE!
WHY ARE YOU HERE? TAKING UP MY SPACE!
The new imperfect race;
IMITATION OF LIFE!
Still call him a friend.
Bands dress like women with hairspray and lace,
I'd pass an image law, stick it in your face!
Let's see how long they keep dressing this way,
Wearing this image twenty four hours a day!
CHORUS
Carico i commenti... con calma
Altre recensioni
Di trapano
Among The Living è a mio avviso il loro capolavoro.
Questo fantastico album non dovrebbe mancare nella discografia di qualsiasi amante del buon metal.
Di sofficino
Si tratta del miglior disco degli Anthrax, un caposaldo del thrash metal.
Joe Belladonna è davvero un cantante straordinario e da molti sottovalutato.
