Jacksonville, Florida anno domini 2003.
Quattro baldi giovanotti conosciuti ai più come Cold, dopo aver sgomitato parecchio con l'ottimo "13 Ways To Bleed on Stage", buttano sul mercato questo azzeccatissimo "Year Of The Spider", un disco per tutti, figli degli anni '90, amici del NuMetal, malinconici vari ed eventuali.
Per chi scrive questo è praticamente l'ultimo album dei Cold, dato che considero "A Different Kind of Pain" una cagata di proporzioni BIBLICHE.
Dunque, dell'acerbo "Cold" qui c'è poca traccia, del già citato "13 Ways To Bleed on Stage" rimane poco, nelle orecchie ci troviamo un lavoro diverso, per certi versi più maturo, per certi versi più vendibile.
La produzione del disco è affidata a Howard Benson, già con Motorhead, Adema, Crazytown, P.O.D. e Sepultura, uno che non s'è fatto mancare niente.
Benson ha il demerito, o il merito di aver ri-plasmato completamente il suono della band, che appariva marcio e sporco nel precedente lavoro (funzionale al registro delle canzoni, và detto), e lo rende potente, ipercompresso e se vogliamo pure un pochino patinato, ha pure il tempo di piazzarci qualche tappeto d'archi qua e la.
I nostri, furbi come non mai danno una sterzata anche al songwriting, strizzando l'occhio alle ballad, e dimostrano di saperle comporre, come testimonia l'ottima "Wasted Years", i pezzi heavy invece sono un pochino più allineati al trend Nu che imperversava negli anni, forse merito della produzione.
C'è tanta chitarra acustica in questo disco, tanti passaggi puliti, non sembra quasi nemmeno di ascoltare la band dei "tredici modi di sanguinare sul palco, se non fosse per l'inconfondibile voce di Scooter Ward, e per gli orpelli in fase di arrangiamento dell'ottimo Kelly Hayes (che all'epoca di questo disco aveva una ESP eclipse signature TAMARRA COME POCHI, n.d.r.).
Passiamo ad analizzare qualche passaggio del cd: si parte con "Remedy", potente e diretta, ottima come opener decisamente, segue subito il singolone "Suffocate", che a me è rimasto in testa per settimane, un gran pezzo davvero, difficilmente vi capiterà di dimenticarvela, è il pezzo che traina il disco, e si sente.
Fino a qui nulla di nuovo, più o meno, rispetto a quanto sentito in precedenza dai nostri, ma quando parte "Cure My Tragedy" si capisce che qualcosa è cambiato, il pezzo assume dei toni più calmi del solito, i chitarroni ci sono sempre, ma sembrano quasi servire solo da tappeto, piuttosto che da muro sonoro, si torna invece ai fasti di un tempo con "Stupid Girl" di cui è stato anche realizzato un video, "Don't Belong" è la canzone del lotto che assomiglia di più ai pezzi dello stracitato lavoro precedente, oppressiva e incalzante.
A questo punto c'è un break inaspettato, parte "Wasted Years" e senti un tappeto d'archi, chitarre acustiche, ma sono i Cold? Si, e la voce di Scooter si sente tutta, gran bel pezzo questo, inaspettato, commerciale quanto volete, ma bello.
Calano un pò i toni e l'originalità da qui in avanti "Whatever You Became", "Sad Happy" e "Change The World" sono pezzi un pò anonimi se vogliamo, fortunatamente in mezzo ci sono "Rain Song" e "The Day Seattle Died" a rialzare le sorti dell'ascolto.
Tornano le chitarre acustiche con "Black Sunday", formula collaudata, strofa in acustico e chitarroni nel ritornello, fa bene il suo mestiere questa penultima traccia.
Chiude il lotto "Kill The Music Industry", un breve assaggio dei Cold che furono, seguita da una bonus track di cui non sò il titolo, un'altra significativa ballata, significativa per capire la svolta musicale del gruppo.
Come dicevo prima, per me questo è l'ultimo disco buono dei Cold, la dipartita del prezzemolino Terry Balsamo (C'è un gruppo dove non ha suonato?) e dell'eclettico Kelly Hayes (Che è andato a farsi gli Allele usciti in contemporanea all'ultimo dei Cold, e gli ha dato della gran merda), ha veramente lasciato in merda il povero Scooter, che per quanto bravo, per quanto espressivo, non è più riuscito a tirar fuori niente del genere.
Al disco dò un 3, e mi spiace parecchio, ho un pò l'amaro in bocca per un piccolo capolavoro mancato, ci sono dei pezzi strepitosi distribuiti per lo più nella prima metà dell'album, purtroppo ci sono anche dei riempitivi stucchevoli.
Qualche pezzo in meno, e un paio di canzoni più convincenti e il 4 sarebbe assicurato.
Detto questo, un disco comunque godibile, ideale nelle giornate di pioggia, skippare qualche brano non sarà un problema quando poi nelle casse risuonerà un pezzo come "Suffocate".
Elenco tracce testi e video
01 Remedy (02:59)
I don't love how you love
But please dont leave me here alone
I don't feel how you feel
Well it's my fault I'm bones
I don't die how you die
I can't just waste away
You keep changing your life
Everyday
If it burns I'll keep doing the same dream
If you fall I'll remember the same thing
I don't want your remedy
I don't fall how you fall
I wont hold on, you cant let go
Well it's pain that I feared
I made you take it slow
I don't cry how you cry
Theres nothing left in me
You keep changing my life
Everyday
If it burns I'll keep doing the same dream
If you fall I'll remember the same thing
I don't want your remedy
If it burns I'll keep doing the same dream
If you fall I'll remember the same thing
I don't want your remedy
I don't want...
I don't need...
I don't want...
Remedy
I don't want...
Remedy
If it burns I'll keep doing the same dream
If you fall I'll remember the same thing
I don't want your remedy
If it burns I'll keep doing the same dream
If you fall I'll remember the same thing
I don't want your remedy
I don't want...
I don't need...
I don't want...
Remedy
02 Suffocate (03:41)
I could take every fucking word she says
Throw it in her face
But would she even care
I still remember when she looked at me
That frown upon her face
Trying to be sincere
I gathered all those little things she said
Kept them close to me
Trying to make this real
This cloud will alway hover over me
I'm leaving you today
'Cause now I see
Suffocate, you suffocate
You lie (I don't lie)
You're fake (I'm not a freak)
Suffocate, you suffocate
You always take (I don't take)
What you can (what I can)
I could take every fucking game you play
Blow it all away
But would you even care
I could take all those lies you said to me
Never go away
Never dissapear
This cloud will always hover over me
I'm leaving you today
'Cause now I see
Suffocate, you suffocate
You lie (I don't lie)
You're fake (I'm not a freak)
Suffocate, you suffocate
You always take (I don't take)
What you can (what I can)
Suffocate, you suffocate
You lie (I don't lie)
You're fake (I'm not a freak)
Suffocate, you suffocate
You always take (I don't take)
What you can (what I can)
Now I'm far away from you (You're always far away)
I'll never bring back yesterday (bring back yesterday)
You're such a fake it's true
I can't believe the words you say
I'm far away from you
I'll never bring back yesterday
Suffocate, you suffocate
You lie (I don't lie)
You're fake (I'm not a freak)
Suffocate, you suffocate
You always take (I don't take)
What you can (what I can)
I always take
What I can
04 Stupid Girl (03:11)
Wanna love ya
Wanna bug ya
Wanna squeeze ya
Stupid girl
Wanna touch ya
Wanna take ya
Wanna shut ya
Stupid girl
I can't take this
Born to break this
She's going away (she's going away)
What's wrong with my life tonight
She's going away (she's going away)
What's wrong with my life tonight
Stupid girl
Stupid girl
I'm a loner
I'm a loser
I'm a winner in my mind
I'm a bad one
I'm a good one
I'm a sick one with a smile
I can't take this
Born to break this
She's going away (she's going away)
What's wrong with my life tonight?
She's going away (she's going away)
What's wrong with my life tonight?
She's going away (she's going away)
What's wrong with my life tonight?
Stupid girl
Stupid girl
Stupid girl
Stupid girl
Woah
Woah
Woah
She's going away (she's going away)
What's wrong with my life tonight
She's going away (she's going away)
What's wrong with my life tonight (what's wrong with my life tonight)
She's going away (she's going away)
What's wrong with my life tonight (what's wrong with my life tonight)
Stupid girl
Stupid girl
Stupid girl
Stupid girl
05 Don't Belong (03:42)
My mind takes you to where you need to be
Cure for your heartbreak to take away the pain
I could describe each mistake for you
Tattoo it on my tainted heart
But I won't ever tell the world
That I don't belong
Please don't ever tell the world
That I don't belong
That I don't belong
Can you still feel me
Or did I slip away
A sick man a monster
Broken still today
I can't explain what happens to me
Caught in the game I always start
I could describe each mistake for you
Tattoo it on my tainted heart
But I won't ever tell the world
That I don't belong
Please don't ever tell the world
That I don't belong
I won't ever change my ways
And I can't be strong
Whoa
That I don't belong
And it's my own shame
I can't break away
But I won't ever tell the world
That I don't belong
Please don't ever tell the world
That I don't belong
Well I won't ever change my ways
And I can't be strong
Please don't ever tell the world
That I don't belong
Whoa
That I don't belong
That I don't belong
06 Wasted Years (04:09)
There's a game life plays
Makes you think you're everything they ever said you were
Like to take some time
Clear away everything I've planned
Was it life I've betrayed
For the shape that I'm in
It's not hard to fail
It's not easy to win
Did I drink too much
Could I dissapear
And there's nothing that's left but wasted tears
There's nothing left but wasted years
If I could change my life
Be a simple kind of man try to do the best I can
If I could take the sides
I'd derail every path I could
I'm about to die
Won't you clear away from me give me strength to fly away
Was it life I've betrayed
For the shape that I'm in
It's not hard to fail
It's not easy to win
Did I drink too much
Could I dissapear
And there's nothing that's left but wasted tears
There's nothing left but wasted years
There's nothing left but wasted years
There's nothing left but wasted years
Was it life I've betrayed
For the shape that I'm in
It's not hard to fail
It's not easy to win
Did I drink too much
Could I dissapear
And there's nothing that's left but wasted tears
Was it life I've betrayed
For the shape that I'm in
It's not hard to fail
It's not easy to win
Did I drink too much
Could I dissapear
And there's nothing that's left but wasted tears
Was it life I've betrayed
For the shape that I'm in
It's not hard to fail
It's not easy to win
Did I drink too much
Could I dissapear
And there's nothing that's left but wasted tears
07 Whatever You Became (03:47)
Whatever you became
Blame it on my fame
Always away from you
Sold my life for a song
Whatever you killed
The blood got on my face
See it took over you
And your minds nearly gone
And I can't change my ways
Sorry it's my fault
I wasn't there to see
Whatever you became
Whatever you became
Whatever you became
You blame it on blind faith
Can't turn away from you
What's my life if your gone
Whatever you feel
I take it on my stage
I sing to the world for you
And I'm always alone
And I can't change my ways
Sorry it's my fault
I wasn't there to see
Whatever you became
Whatever you became
I can see it all
You're so far away
I can't take this anymore
I can't live until I see your face
I can see it all
You're so far away
I can't take this anymore
I can't live until I see your face
And I can't change my ways
Sorry it's my fault
I wasn't there to see
Whatever you became
Whatever you became
Somethings gone away
You've taken this from me
Until I see your face
I'm slipping away
08 Sad Happy (03:38)
She was only seventeen,
and forced to blame it on herself,
as she hides away to tame the pain she feels,
She was thrown into a scene,
a drunken man without a will,
And the God that makes mistakes and still pretends,
And I'll be strong
And I will sing
And I will take your pain away
And I'll be strong
And I will sing
And I will take your pain away
She was only trying to breathe,
Her broken nails had sliced his skin,
As he bruised her face she fades away again,
When she came to at the scene,
A fevered will,
And a match in hand
As she watched the flame
She felt alive again
And I'll be strong
And I will sing
And I will take your pain away
And I'll be strong
And I will sing
And I will take your pain away
Can you feel
Can you feel
Can you feel
Can you feel
And I'll be strong
And I will sing
And I will take your pain away
And I'll be strong
And I will sing
And I will take your pain away
Can you feel
Can you feel
Can you feel
Can you feel
09 Rain Song (03:39)
When it rains I don't mind
Let me stand here all night
Did she take her own life
Let me know she's alright
And every time it rains
I feel her holding me
And every time it rains
Are the angels crying?
I'll stay strong, I'll be fine
Carry on with my life
I still stare at the sky
Pray for rain, all the time
Why'd you run? Did you hide?
Why'd you leave, no goodbye?
When the clouds take the sky
Does a storm give you life?
And every time it rains
I feel her holding me
And every time it rains
Are the angels crying?
And every time it rains
I feel her holding me
And every time it rains
All the angels cry for me
I'll never be the same
I'll never be the same
Be the same
Be the same
And every time it rains
I feel her holding me
And every time it rains
Are the angels crying?
And every time it rains
I feel her holding me
And every time it rains
Are the angels crying?
11 Change the World (04:03)
Thinking of the mess we made
You became a part of me
Thinking of the wish you made
To break free
Playing you like I can
Shoving it in your face
This doesn't break your heart
I'm the one to blame
I never wanted to change your world
I always wanted the simple things
And whatever happens now
It can't be real
Thinking that you might betray
My own private fantasy
I'm the only one that gives
What you need
Playing you like I can
Shoving it in your face
If this doesn't tear you apart
I'm the one to blame
I never wanted to change your world
I always wanted the simple things
And whatever happens now
It can't be real
I never wanted to change your world
I always wanted the simple things
And whatever happens now
It can't be real
Now you're gone
I feel betrayed
You can't blame me
You walked away
Now you're gone
You can't blame me
You walked away
I never wanted to change your world
I always wanted the simple things
And whatever happens now
It can't be real
I never wanted to change your world
I always wanted the simple things
And whatever happens now
It can't be real
I never wanted to change your world
I always wanted the simple things
And whatever happens now
It can't be real
I never wanted to change your world
I always wanted the simple things
12 Black Sunday (04:32)
I can't breathe at all
And it hurts to think
That time could heal my wounds
Feeling I've been betrayed
Black Sunday still burns you in my thoughts
I can't sleep at all
Now you're gone away
I can't fake this anymore
Guess I could blame it all
On God's game
Or explain what my life's for
Caught in a winters rain
I can't remember a word you said
Take away my fear please hold on to me
I'm falling
Falling
I will trade it all
For another day
Just to feel you and your warmth
But even pictures fade
Black Sunday still burns you in my thoughts
I can't see at all
Did you fly away
Did the stars shine bright for you
Guess I could blame it all
On God's game
It was fate that carried you
Caught in a winters rain
I can't remember a word you said
Take away my fear please hold on to me
I'm falling
Falling
You always take away
Take away
Take away
Caught in a winters rain
I can't remember a word you said
Take away my fear please hold on to me
I'm falling
Falling
Caught in a winters rain
I can't remember a word you said
Take away my fear please hold on to me
I'm falling
Falling
And I'm falling
I'm falling
I'm falling
I'm falling
I'm falling
13 Kill the Music Industry (02:58)
They change your faith
It's gone too far
They name the way you see
They think they'll change your life
And control your mind
They can't relate to real life
Sick of all this monotony
Kill the fucking music industry
Sick of all this monotony
Kill the fucking music industry
They trust the way they feel in their minds
It's time for us to scream
They think they'll change your life
And control your mind
They can't relate to real life
Sick of all this monotony
Kill the fucking music industry
Sick of all this monotony
Kill the fucking music industry
Sick of all this monotony
Kill the fucking music industry
Kill the fucking music industry
Kill the fucking music industry
Kill the fucking music industry
Sick of all this monotony
Kill the fucking music industry
Sick of all this monotony
Kill the fucking music industry
Sick of all this monotony
Kill the fucking music industry
Sick of all this monotony
Kill the fucking music industry
Kill the fucking music industry
Kill the fucking music industry
Kill the fucking music industry
Kill the fucking music industry
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