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Le recensioni non vanno scritte a mente fredda. Se il disco è buono, basta metterlo su e le parole vengono fuori subito, naturali, appropriate, chiare.
Ed è il caso degli Iced Earth, che con questo "Night Of The Stormrider", seconda uscita della loro carriera discografica, illustrano - in un periodo pieno di innovazioni, di ricerca, se vogliamo di sperimentazione per il metal: vedi atheist, cynic, death...) - come si può prendere uno standard, interpretarlo e dargli nuova linfa vitale, senza stravolgerlo e anzi esaltandolo. E difatti dei nostri eroi della terra ghiacciata tutto possiamo dire meno che siano innovativi rispetto ai loro dèi: Iron Maiden in primis, ma anche Judas Priest e Black Sabbath. Il risultato, comunque, è gioia per le orecchie.
Si parte con Angels Holocaust, che maestosamente riprende il famoso coro tratto dai carmina burana. Ed è un alternarsi di parti lente, decadenti, e di riff più tipicamente thrash, accompagnate dalle furiose ed altissime urla di John Greely, che dà al disco un'impronta davvero heavy. Non si ha il tempo di respirare, e in uno scroscio di pioggia comincia la title track: altra perla di cattiveria, diventerà un cavallo di battaglia negli show dal vivo. Il ritornello entra dentro dal primo ascolto, e fermare la testa è impossibile. Si continua dritti per una strada che appare già segnata; "The Path I Choose", di chiara impronta maideniana, è una tumultuosa cavalcata di sei minuti; Before The Vision è un intermezzo di lusso, solo chitarra e voce, e si riprende a cavalcare con Mystical End. Che altro aspettarsi da un gruppo la cui anima è il chitarrista ritmico? Riff a volontà, naturalmente, e fin qui ce n'è per tutti i gusti.
Ma la seconda parte dell'album stupisce, per atmosfera, visioni oniriche, varietà (pur rimanendo, sia ben chiaro, all’interno dei limiti/pregi del genere). Il quartetto inizia con “Desert Rain”, una delle song più varie di tutto l’album, sempre easy-listening ma già più complessa; tocca a “Pure Evil”, ancora in nettissima chiave maideniana; un nuovo intermezzo, “Reaching The End”, ci guida fino al fiume infernale di “Travel In Stygian”, degna chiusura di un album infernale ma capace di far sognare. Si tratta, probabilmente, dell’episodio più riuscito dell’intero album; la voce diventa demoniaca, raggiunge vette irraggiungibili, canta tutta la disperazione del mondo. Anche l’atmosfera continua a crescere, e il lungo viaggio (quasi 10 minuti!) ci porta via l’anima.
Cosa, dire, in sintesi, di più ? Che questo album è un MUST per tutti gli appassionati fan degli Iced, che in qualche modo ne rappresenta una prima svolta dall’heavy maideniano verso un’oscurità metallica che diverrà il loro contrassegno (specie negli album successivi, a partire da “Burnt Offerings” e “Dark Saga”) . Peccato per la produzione, ancora acerba: siamo lontani dai fasti di “Alive In Athens” …
Elenco tracce e testi
01 Angels Holocaust (04:54)
"Angels Holocaust"
As I walk through the blackened forest
Thoughts of hate and anger fill my soul
The charred remains of the holy rollers
Scream repentance though it's far too late
I fight back the laughter at what I see
The suffering healers false destined prophecy
He didn't think yesterday of the end of his life
The brainwashed fools born again of a thousand lies
Hate filled screams break the silence
Terrifying dreams filling up your head
Blasphemy thrusting out, in the masses it reigns
The mask of hypocrisy is slowly unveiled
Fear the angels holocaust, they're screaming
Dreams of pain forever entering your head
Death and hatred loathing, on mankind it feeds
Earth is dead and gone now, we've brought it to an end
For the last time I've been betrayed
Never again will I subject myself to this hypocrisy
Something is drawing me to the other side
Only time will tell my true destiny
As I travel through the astral plain
I see the break of day
As though the sky has burst in flames
Before the storm I dread
Lightning breaks across the sky
Blackish-blue at night
Riders ride on dismal clouds
I scream at heaven's light
02 Stormrider (04:49)
As I travel through the astral plains
I see the break ahead
as though the sky has burst in flames
before the storm I dread
lightning breaks across the sky
blackish blue at night
riders ride on dismal clouds
I scream at heavens light
Storming demons travel through the night
the time is almost here
I lay in a jacket of steel
my scream no one hears
I can feel the storm approaching
the pain is its' reality
the death I breathe is in the air
I feel no more, no longer care
The trumpets sound as I break free
this vision I see just can't be me
what is this that I have done
why am I the chosen one
Fight on, grab on
stormrider
stormrider
Now the rider rides through the night
the time is almost here
as I lay wrapped in steel
my scream no one hears
Help me, through this hell inside
my life's my own, it's my pride
carry on my solid dream
save me from this horrid scream
Fight on, grab on
stormrider
stormrider
03 The Path I Choose (05:54)
During the last rays of the sacred moon
I walk the desolate terrain cold and all alone
The rider came to me a black tornado, a violent mass
The cloud of evil rose, now I'm marked for all time
Temptation befell me
Darkness is calling for me
This is the path that I choose
This is the path that I choose
Forced power besieged in me
Showing visions of what will be
Now obsessed with my fate
I must go forth and conquer
The chosen one to lead the pack
This boiling hate has risen
From the depths of my blackened heart
This madness is my destiny
Temptation befell me
Darkness is calling for me
This is the path that I choose
This is the path that I choose
04 Before the Vision (01:37)
[Spoken:]
Oh, God, am I going crazy
What is happening to me, I need some answers
I've been chosen by the darkest force in nature
But why, why me?
Call of the spirits:
Go now, into the plains
Seek out, the answers you'll find
Visions will be shown to you
At night by the lit desert moon
Be strong, ride forth in pride
Our destiny, lies in your hands
Visions will be shown to you
You're truly his chosen one
06 Desert Rain (06:57)
The sympathy in my mind is growing cold
Life is like the burning sand so I'm told
The time is coming near when solitude appears
Take the chains of oppression away
Through the sands of time I'm marching on
The blistering rays of hate strengthen me
The violent mass has shown my destiny
Does all of this justify the rage inside
Chorus:
The desert rain is changing me
It's called on me to rise
A world of hate and malice
Yes, that's the way it seems
The hour glass is running out
The serpent rides with me
We shall rise and conquer
Crushing all that's weak
All that's light is burning out
The serpent rides with me
Repeat chorus
08 Reaching the End (01:13)
Now I feel that I've reached the end
And the end of my quest is close at hand
What have I done
I've reached the end
And as my life slowly fades away
There's not one single thing that I'd change
What have I done
I've reached the end
09 Travel in Stygian (09:31)
Through the flames I watch
As you plead on your knees
The reaper awaits
The ride that you take
Through the lake, lake of flames
Will decide your fate
Was all of it worth eternal pain
The path you chose to live in vain
The river Styx is calling your number
The hot winds of Hell breathe your name
Bridge:
On the night that it came to me
It was like nothing I'd ever seen
A vision darker than death itself
A violent cloud straight from the depths of hell
And that's when I saw my destiny
As it approached I was frozen still
I couldn't move, couldn't scream for help
Out of the darkness it reached for me
And that's when it planted the evil seed
And that's when I saw my destiny
Chorus:
Travel in Stygian
The damned scream my name
Travel in Stygian
I can't repent it's too late
Travel in Stygian
Hot winds blow upon me
Travel in Stygian
No remorse it's too late
Bridge
The henchman awaits you
Yes that's right, step aboard
We have a very long journey
You owe us
You got what you wanted
In your mortal life
Now your soul is in our grasp
It's time
Riding on the hot winds of hell
Traveling down in the ship of pain
I chose this fate no turning back
The river Styx has called for me.
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