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1997: era da tempo che i fans degli Iron Maiden stavano aspettando un album che tornasse alle gloriose sonorità degli anni '80, ma i loro beniamini non li accontentano con "Virtual XI"; il colpo da maestro lo effettua Bruce Dickinson, il loro ex-cantante. Bruce viene da una coppia di album sfortunati sul piano delle vendite: infatti, nonostante "Balls To Picasso" e soprattutto "Skunworks" cerchino sonorità diverse da quelle del metal tradizionale, commercialmente parlando sono degli insuccessi. Ecco però che Bruce mette insieme una band perfetta: ci sono Roy Z (chitarra), Andy Casillas (basso), Dave Ingraham (batteria) della band Tribe of Gypsies e infine (rullo di tamburi!!!!!!!) Adrian Smith come seconda chitarra.
Il nuovo album è un vero e proprio heavy rock anni '80, duro e puro, il migliore fino a quel momento di Bruce. È prodotto dallo stesso Roy Z, il sound è aggressivo, più heavy dei contemporanei Irons. Si parte con "Freak", durissima, in cui Bruce si ispira ad un amico di Roy. Segue "Toltec 7 Arrival", 37 secondi strumentali che precedono "Starchildren", non così bella come la prima, che parla di un contatto con degli alieni, ma l'alieno in questione è la morte. Queste tematiche fantascientifiche saranno frequenti anche in altre canzoni del disco. Poi è il turno di "Taking The Queen", semiballata in cui una regina morente deve restare vergine per sopravvivere, ma si innamora di un giovane. Ecco poi "Darkside Of Aquarius", la canzone migliore del disco, cupa, con un lento inizio bruscamente interrotto da potenti schitarrate, che si riferisce all'Apocalisse. Canzone tra le migliori di tutta la produzione solistica di Bruce, diviene un classico da concerto in cui il pubblico canta insieme a Bruce la lunga coda finale. La sesta traccia è "Road To Hell", che ci riposta ad un heavy metal più diretto, potente e veloce. Il testo parla di cosa passava per la testa di Gesù mentre stava morendo. Poi tocca a "Man of Sorrows", canzone lenta e triste, cantata benissimo da Bruce, che tratta della gioventù di Aleister Crowley e di ciò che divenne, di cui purtroppo non abbiamo testimonianze nei live ufficiali "Accident in Brazil" e "Scream for me Brazil".
Ecco la title-track, uno degli episodi più duri dell'intero disco, anch'essa molto presente nei concerti. Poi c'è "The Magician", più veloce, anch'essa basata su Crowley. Dopo la cupa ma non memorabile "Welcome to the Pit ", è il turno di "Omega", simile a "Tears of the Dragon" nella struttura: inizio lento, soffuso, e dopo il secondo ritornello c'è un'improvvisa accelletazione con un assolo magistrale. Il testo prevede un futuro apocalittico, con l'esplosione del sole che distrugge pure la Terra. Si chiude con "Arc Of Space", ballata triste che parla di coloro che guardano agli alieni come ad una religione. Nel bonus disc ci sono versioni demo di "Accident Of Birth", "Starchildren", "Taking The Queen", "Arc Of Space" e di "Darkside Of Aquarius", "Ghost of Cain", un'altro inedito che figurava sul lato B del singolo "Accident of Birth" e ben tre versioni differenti di "Man of Sorrows", di cui una in spagnolo. Roba un po' da aficionados, ma idem sono interessanti.
Dal punto di vista musicale è un grande album, un ritorno alle origini che farà frutti anche in senso commerciale (venderà più del contemporaneo "Virtual XI" degli Iron Maiden). Suono simile a quello della Vergine Di Ferro, ma buono come quello dei tempi migliori. Quanto ai testi sono cupi, duri e per niente superficiali. Insomma, un disco che consiglierei a chiunque ami gli Irons e il metal in generale!
Elenco tracce testi e video
01 Freak (04:15)
He rides the wave, aspiring slave
The prince of darkness plays his games
You’re hypnotized, under velvet skies
He breathes the red wind ’cross your eyes
Who leads you to the dark secret?
Who leads you to the dark secret?
Your life is lost, your soul is damned
But it feels too good to make a stand
Bad is bad, but this is worse
Let judgment come, you love this curse
When you look at man you’re like a god
Swimming in the tide of life
Somersault into the flood
Washes you away
Who leads you to the dark secret?
Who leads you to the dark secret?
Who is your mistress that leads you to the dark secret?
Who is your mistress who leads you to the dark secret?
[spoken:]
Who is your mistress that leads you to the dark secret?
Who is your mistress who leads you to the dark secret?
Who is your mistress that leads you to the dark secret?
Who is your mistress who leads you to the dark secret?
Who leads you to the dark secret?
Who leads you to the dark secret?
Who leads you to the dark secret?
Who leads you to the dark secret?
03 Starchildren (04:17)
I came from nothing before nothing began
Broke the window of existence and became a man
No sympathy for fools, my star is black and burned
I tilt toward the light, I suck your souls into my might
We are starchildren, coming out of nowhere and to nowhere return
Starchildren, a hundred million souls sucked out in one breath
I shiver at the threshold of your waking hour
The knowledge that you seek is my source of power
I live apart from you, but I know the things you do
No angel can save you how?
You don't need a god, coz I'm here now
I am starchildren, coming out of nowhere and to nowhere return
Starchildren, a hundred million souls snuffed out in one breath
Do I fulfill your deepest need for prophecy?
I am the ruler that you seek, so come to me
Come to me
We are starchildren, coming out of nowhere and to nowhere return
Starchildren, a hundred million souls snuffed out in one breath
Starchildren, I'm the ruler of existence in your space and time
Starchildren, to penetrate your future is my only crime
Star...
05 Darkside of Aquarius (06:42)
The first hellrider came, on wings of plenty in the dark
Poured out his poison and he blew away his mark
The fascist from the east is coming, mothers hide your sons
The second hellrider came, from flaming seas and molten sands
Pipers playing Hell's commands
Poured out his poison, with his promises of promised lands
Blackened toungues of lying leaders
Here come the riders as the wheel of kharmas running out of time
Here come the riders as the wheel of kharmas running out of time
The third hellrider came, teaching brothers to kill brother men
And the fourth hellrider waits, on an acid trip for an acid world
Wars of old religious fools and superstitious men
Throw some scary Tarot cards and...
Here come the riders as the wheel of Dharma's running out of time
Here come the riders as the revolution's stepping into line
The dark side of Aquarius has robbed us of our souls and minds
Here come the riders as the wheel of Dharma's running out of time
From the starlit sky, on the silver sea
A lonely silver surfer, comes to push the wheel for me
A lonely silver surfer, comes to push the wheel for me
Gotta move, gotta move, gotta move that wheel right 'round
Gotta move, gotta move, gotta move that wheel right 'round
Gotta move, gotta move, gotta move that wheel around
Gotta push the wheel of Dharma round
Push the wheel of Dharma round
Push the wheel of Dharma round
Push the wheel right round, right now yeah
I've gotta move the wheel of Dharma, gotta move the wheel of Dharma
Gotta move the wheel of Dharma, move that wheel right around
Gotta move the wheel of Dharma, gotta move the wheel of Dharma now
08 Accident of Birth (04:23)
Journey back to the darkside, back into the womb
Back to where the spirits move like vapor from the tomb
The centre of the cyclone blowing out the sun
Break the shackles of your union to the light
I might've had a brother, as I was born they dragged him under
To the other side of twilight, he's waiting for me now
Nativity was lost on me, I didn't ask, I couldn't see
What created me? What and where and how?
Welcome home – it's been too long, we've missed you
Welcome home – we've opened up the gates
Welcome home – to your brothers and sisters
Welcome home – to an accident of birth
Feel our bodies breathing as you try to stop believing
There's nothing you can do about your shadows
You can fight us, you are like us
And your body will betray you
Lay down and die like all the others
Where are the angels and their wings of freedom?
Jesus had his day off when they pulled you through...
Welcome home – it's been too long, we've missed you
Welcome home – we've opened up the gates
Welcome home – to your brothers and sisters
Welcome home – to an accident of birth (to an accident of birth)
Visions growing dim as the daylight fades away
A spinning, twisting black hole, it's your dying day
Welcome home – it's been too long, we've missed you
Welcome home – we've opened up the gates
Welcome home – to your brothers and sisters
Welcome home – to an accident of birth
Welcome home – it's been too long, we've missed you
Welcome home – we've opened up the gates
Welcome home – to your brothers and sisters
Welcome home – to an accident of birth
09 The Magician (03:54)
I am the teacher, come to reach ya
Take the old words back to you
You were lost, but I found you
And it's your choice what to do
I've learned a few things as I've traveled through the years
Through the door of evermore...
I came through fire, came through water
Through the oily serpent's kiss
Climbed the mountain, chased the dragon
Thrown myself in the abyss
Do I make myself familiar to you now?
'Cause I've been around you
And I'm glad I found you...
I am the living flame, and I teach the holy games
Teach the secret of the dance
Throw the future in the runes
Kick the sand in Satan's face
I'll put Jesus in his place
Shaman or priest, it's all the same
The Magician is my name
(woah-oh-oh, oh-oh)
The Magician is my name
(woah-oh-oh, oh-oh)
The Magician is my name
(woah-oh-oh, oh-oh)
The Magician is my name
(oh-oh)
And magic is my game
Now I know you, and you know me
We have secrets we can share
We can build a new tomorrow
From the trash of yesterday
It won't be the last time
And I'm glad I found you...
I am the living flame, and I teach the holy games
Teach the secret of the dance
Throw the future in the runes
Kick the sand in Satan's face
I'll put Jesus in his place
Shaman or priest, it's all the same
The Magician is my name
(woah-oh-oh, oh-oh)
The Magician is my name
(woah-oh-oh, oh-oh)
The Magician is my name
(woah-oh-oh, oh-oh)
The Magician is my name
(woah-oh-oh, oh-oh)
The Magician is my name
10 Welcome to the Pit (04:43)
You come on down to the pit
Come on down to where the vipers spit
I've been waiting for you down here
Cover your eyes with the velvet hands of darkness
Cover your eyes with the velvet hands of darkness
I don't even know your name, you won't even see my face
But you choose to play my games, welcome to the hard place
I'll bring you back from the brink
Are you surprised in every way that you like it?
Are you surprised that you want it?
Cover your lips with the wicked tongue of silence
Cover your lips with the wicked tongue of silence
I don't even know your name, you won't even see my face
But you choose to play my games, welcome to the hard place
Back to back, you ride the snake
You feel it strike, you feel it bite ya...
Cover your eyes with the velvet hands of darkness
Cover your eyes with the wicked tongue of silence
I don't even know your name, you won't even see my face
But you choose to play my games, welcome to the hard place
I don't even know your name, you won't even see my face
But you choose to play my games, welcome to the hard place
I don't even know your name, you won't even see my face
But you choose to play my games,
Now can you feel the hard, the hard... place...
11 Omega (06:23)
The ashes drift away, smoke of our confusion
We turn our frightened faces to each other, say goodbye
Waited for the sign, waited for the moment
Waited for the miracle to arrive, I guess the lied
Look at your future, take a look at your burning sky
Look at your future, look at your burning sky
The others they have gone, who wants to live forever
With nothing left to hold on to the past that we once knew?
We believed in heaven, we believed in angels
With arms of purest white, to hold us, catch us when we fall
Look at your future, take a look at your burning sky
Look at your future, now look at your burning sky
Now it's omega zero day, the red star shines it's last rays,
The sun that gave us life yesterday
Is now the sun that takes our lives away
Take a look at your future, look at your burning sky
Look at your future, look at your burning sky
Now it's omega zero day, the red star shines it's last rays,
The sun that gave us life yesterday
Is now the sun that takes our lives away
Now it's omega zero day, the red star shines it's last rays,
The sun that gave us life yesterday
Is now the sun that takes our lives away
12 Arc of Space (04:18)
There, on a lonely desert hilltop
The pilgrims huddle closer
Waiting for a sign, the coming silver shrine
The Arc Of Space and time
Truth, oh the truth is never clear
Perhaps again next year
Hope lives on, beneath the blazing sun
One day you'll come
In my heart I reach you
In my heart I reach out to you
In my heart I touch the face of god
It's all a dream somehow
(repeat 2 times)
Truth, oh the truth is never clear
Perhaps again next year
The hope lives on, beneath the blazing sun
One day you'll come
Carico i commenti... con calma
Altre recensioni
Di Rainbow Rising
"Accident Of Birth fu un autentico fulmine a ciel sereno, il classico colpo di coda che ti fa tornare ad impugnare saldamente il timone del tuo vascello dopo anni di tempesta."
"L’album ... viene ancora oggi ricordato come uno dei suoi lavori migliori di sempre."
