• Voto:
Possono dei tipi che vanno in giro vestiti da fricchettoni concepire un’opera che condensa in una quarantina di minuti tutto quello che in ambito “metal” verrà sviluppato anni più tardi e in un’evoluzione stilistica e di costume durata almeno un decennio?
E’ una delle stranezze, il paradosso più eclatante se vogliamo, di questo genere, che si è imposto nel mondo musicale per la durezza visiva, contenutistica e verbale, ma che se vai a ben guardare trova origine in elementi primigeni ben distanti da quello che ne sarebbe scaturito: le corna di Ronnie James Dio, divenute saluto universale dei metallari di tutto il mondo, altro non sono che lo “sciò sciò” che faceva la nonna (italiana) al malocchio. Le borchie e i vestiti di pelle “inventati” da un omosessuale ed ex fricchettone, in barba alla mascolinità e al machismo predicato dalla filosofia metal. La mascotte degli Iron, che diede vita a centinaia di imitazioni sempre più lugubri e sanguinolente, vede uno degli ispiratori in un (almeno visivamente) cantante punkettone.
Nel 1976 questi signori di Birmingham, il cui cantante omosessuale ho appena citato, hanno un’illuminazione, una folgorazione, ma io più che altro la chiamerei una scivolata involontaria: come altro puoi chiamare "Sad Wings of Destiny" se non qualcosa che non avevi assolutamente in mente di fare? Se il tuo primo disco si chiama "Rocka Rolla" ed è perfetto hard rock, e quelli a venire saranno tutti hard rock, almeno fino a "Screaming for Vengeance" (ma anche qui credo si tratti di hard rock appesantito a più non posso), per poi cadere addirittura nel gay metal di "Turbo" (rabbrividisco a ricordare le liriche...), che cosa ha potuto partorire un concept, perchè di concept si tratta, in cui tutto trasuda “metal”? Via le canzonette, ma una sintesi perfetta di brani-racconti, costruiti su testi ora amari (la vittima dei cambiamenti, l’ingannatore dei sognatori), ora rassegnati (l’epitaffio), ora violenti e truci (il tiranno e Jack lo squartatore), che ti lasciano nel cuore solo il masso della cupezza del mondo.
La chitarra non produce solo riff e assoli, ma è una seconda voce, un lamento, un richiamo a guardare e cercare un orizzonte nel buio: quando "Victim of Changes" si ferma a metà e segui con l’orecchio, gli occhi e il cuore quell’eco che si perde in lontananza, punteggiato solo da un suono metallico che pare disperdere lacrime nel vento, beh, cazzo, che resta da dire: questo è METAL.
Allora, la domanda: chi c’era in sala di registrazione con Tipton e compari? Chi li ha ispirati per l’epica "Victim of Changes"? Chi per lo speed metal primordiale di "Tyrant" e di "The Ripper"? Chi ancora per la strabiliante, commovente e assolutamente innovativa "Dreamer Deceiver", un lentazzo che non parla d’amore e di figa ma spalanca sotto di te un abisso di solitudine in cui solo il seme del thrash rallentato poteva fiorire?
Io ancora non so rispondere.
Elenco tracce testi e samples
02 Tyrant (04:28)
[Tipton - Halford]
Behold 'tis I the commander
Whose grip controls you all
Resist me not, surrender
I'll no compassion call
(Tyrant) Capture of humanity
(Tyrant) Conqueror of all
(Tyrant) Hideous destructor
(Tyrant) Every man shall fall
Your very lives are held within my fingers
I snap them and you cower down in fear
You spineless things who belly down to slither
To the end of the world you follow to be near
(Tyrant) Capture of humanity
(Tyrant) Conqueror of all
(Tyrant) Hideous destructor
(Tyrant) Every man shall fall
Mourn for us oppressed in fear
Chained and shackled we are bound
Freedom choked in dread we live
Since Tyrant was enthroned
I listen not to sympathy
Whilst ruler of this land
Withdraw your feeble aches and moans
Or suffer smite from this my hand
(Tyrant) Capture of humanity
(Tyrant) Conqueror of all
(Tyrant) Hideous destructor
(Tyrant) Every man shall fall
Mourn for us oppressed in fear
Chained and shackled we are bound
Freedom choked in dread we live
Since Tyrant was enthroned
My legions faithful unto death
I'll summon to my court
And as you perish each of you
Shall scream as you are sought
(Tyrant) Capture of humanity
(Tyrant) Conqueror of all
(Tyrant) Hideous destructor
(Tyrant) Every man shall fall
03 Genocide (05:51)
[Tipton - Halford - Downing]
Mercenary batalions
Are poised to strike us down
Terminations conquest
Upon us now full grown
Save me, my heart's open wide
Help me, no question of pride
Save me, my people have died
Total genocide
Devastation hungers
She waits to leap to earth
Imminent liquidation
Before the grand rebirth
Save me, my heart's open wide
Help me, no question of pride
Save me, my people have died
Total genocide
Sin after sin I have endured
Yet the wounds I bear are the wounds of love
Frantic mindless zombies
Grab at fleeting time
Lost in cold perplexion
Waiting for the sign
Generations tremble
Clinging face to face
Helpless situation
To end the perfect race
Flashing senseless sabers
Cut us to the ground
Eager for the life blood
Of all who can be found
Save me, my heart's open wide
Help me, no question of pride
Save me, my people have died
Total genocide
Slice to the left, slice to the right
None to retaliate, none will fight
Chopping at the hearts, snuffing out the lives
This race departs, no one will survive
Heads to the feet, feet to the air
Souls in the soil, heavy in despair
End of all ends, body into dust
To greet death friends, extinction is a must
04 Epitaph (03:08)
The old man's sitting there, his head bowed down
Every now and then he'll take a look around
And his eyes reflect the memory-pain of years gone by
He can't regain nostalgic dreams he'll never see again
With trembling hands, he wipes a tear
Many fall like rain, there's one for every year
And his life laid out so clearly now, life that's brought death
So nearly now life once he clung to dearly lets go
But spare a thought as you pass him by
Take a closer look and you'll say
He's our tomorrow, just as much as we are his yesterday
A lonely grave, and soon forgot
Only wind and leaves lament his mournful song
Yet they shout his epitaph out clear
For anyone who's passing near
It names the person lying here as you
And you...and you...and you...
05 Island of Domination (04:32)
Beware of their coming
Take heed our time is near
Fatality relinguish not
Brutality in arms doth seek to destroy.
They smashed through the clouds into the light of the moon
Their steeds were full charging, called destruction and doom
'Twas as if all hell had broke loose on this night
And all in all it was a terrible sight
Now we are taken unto the island of domination
We gotta get, we gotta get, we gotta get out of this place
There's a man with a needle who's pleading to get at my face
Hide me and hold me control free as best as you can
It's all becoming too much, I can't cope, for one man
Now we are taken unto the island of domination
Skyrider supersonic flyer
Nightdriver demon of desire
Spinesnapper you tried your best to break us
Throatchoker thought that you could take us
The fright of your life, the fright of your life
The fright of your life is here guaranteed
This is no illusion confessing confusion you're freed
Lashings of strappings with beatings competing to win
Oh what a mess I am blessed, dominations set in
Now we are taken unto the island of domination...
06 Victim of Changes (07:47)
Whiskey woman don't you know that you are drivin' me insane
The liquor you give stems your will to live and gets right to my brain
Don't you know you're driving me insane
You're tryin' to find your way through life
You're tryin' to get some new direction
Another woman got her man
She won't find no new connection
Takes another drink or two, things look better when she's through
Takes another look around, you're not goin' anywhere
You've realized you're gettin' old and no one seems to care
You're tryin' to find your way again
You're tryin' to find some new...
Another woman's got her man
But she won't find a new...
Takes another drink or two, things look better when she's through
You 'bin foolin' with some hot guy
I want to know why is it why
Get up get out you know you really blew it
I've had enough, I've had enough, good God pluck me
[SOLO (K.K./Glenn)]
Once she was wonderful
Once she was fine
Once she was beautiful
Once she was mine...she was mine
Now change has come over her body, she doesn't see me anymore
Now change has come over her body, she doesn't see me anymore
Changes, changes, changes, changes
Victim of changes
07 The Ripper (02:50)
You're in for surprise
You're in for a shock
In london town streets
When there's darkness and fog
When you least expect me
And you turn your back
I'll attack
I smile when I'm sneaking
Through shadows by the wall
I laugh when I'm creeping
But you won't hear me at all
All hear my warning
Never turn your back
On the ripper
You'll soon shake with fear
Never knowing if I'm near
I'm sly and I'm shameless
Nocturnal and nameless
Except for "the ripper"
Or if you like "jack the knife"
Solo (glenn)
Any back alley street
Is where we'll probably meet
Underneath a gas lamp
Where the air's cold and damp
I'm a nasty surprise
I'm a devil in disguise
I'm a footstep at night
I'm a scream out of fright
All hear my warning
Never turn your back
On the ripper...the ripper....the ripper
09 Deceiver (02:41)
[Downing - Halford - Tipton]
Solar winds are blowing
Neutron star controlling
All is lost, doomed and tossed, at what cost forever
Meteors fly around me
Comets die, and then they
And then they, you wanna see how they try to surround me
I can say, here today, we shall stay forever
If you want to find us in a hurry
Oh let me tell you don't you worry
I can't say, here today, we shall stay forever
Carico i commenti... con calma
Altre recensioni
Di Revolver
Anno 1976: nasce ufficialmente il genere dell'Heavy Metal, e se ciò accade lo dobbiamo principalmente all'opera seconda dei Judas Priest.
La perla dei Judas Priest, l'inossidabile e insuperabile "Victim Of Changes", simbolo del cambiamento musicale cercato e trovato dal gruppo.
