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I Marduk, entrati in un'era artistica ormai orfani del singer Legion, ritornano con un lavoro nuovo che, a mio avviso ciò che guadagna in produzione, perde in qualità.
Il nuovo singer, dall'emblematico nome di Mortuus (ex Funeral Mist e Triumphator) è anni luce lontano dalla caratteristica voce di Legion, il che non significa che è una cosa buona.. anzi, lo fa rimpiangere, e molto anche.
Ecco quindi tra le mie mani il loro nuovo lavoro, dalla bella copertina, e dal titolo di “Plague Angel” che presenta anche delle novità non indifferenti che, al primo ascolto (ma anche al secondo e al terzo e così via), mi hanno lasciato molto perplesso. Se si dovessero fare dei parallelismi con il passato della band, potremmo dire che presenta piccoli elementi dal passato della band, tipo “Panzer Division Marduk” oppure “La Grande Danse Macabre”, definizioni da prender con le pinze, perché, effettivamente l'album risulta lontano dai fasti dei predecessori. Ma comunque le analogie, in termini di potenza sonora e di velocità, ci sono tutte: le prime due tracce “The Hangman of Prague” e “Throne of Rats” sono di una velocità e potenza davvero notevoli. Ma i ritmi si rallentano “Seven Angels, Seven Trumpets”, essendo un brano quasi d'atmosfera ed evocativo.
“Life's Emblem” torna ad accellerare in maniera azzeccata e anche buona, come la successiva “Steel Inferno”, per poi cadere in cadenze che sanno di ossessivo e di ripetitivo con “Perish in Flames”. Finora c'è poco spazio per la melodia, ma è da notare la produzione finalmente buona, ottimi i suoni e gli strumenti che, bene o male, si sentono in maniera nitida. La violenza ritorna prepotentemente con “Holy Blood, Holy grail” e “Warschau". Finora il disco non ha offerto davvero nulla di nuovo: la sensazione di “già sentito” è presente in ogni canzone, e come detto in introduzione, i paragoni con il passato si sprecano. “Deathmarch” rompe l'atmosfera aggressiva per donarci un brano doom, in cui la fanno da padrona orchestrazioni e voci filtrate e piene di echi. Nessuna chitarra o batteria o basso, ma solo grida e lamenti. L'unico esperimento riuscito del disco, perché si ritorna nella monotonia con “Everything Bleeds” e “Blutrache”.
Il precedente “World Funeral” era sicuramente un buon disco black: oltre che ben suonato presentava esperimenti ben riusciti, ma questo “Plague Angel” è monotono, privo di reali idee e soprattutto sembra un copia e incolla di vecchi brani. Lo trovo quasi inutile come disco, se non fosse che la produzione finalmente è fatta come si deve.
Per i die-hard fans.
Elenco tracce testi e video
01 The Hangman of Prague (03:05)
In the gothic splendor of the chapel of St. Menceslaus
Golden door with seven locks
Seven keys within your hand
Ancient crown of Behemia placed upon your head
Sharpening your spears
The hangman's disciple, vomiting forth death
Murderous power, radiate hate, harbinger of suffering
The malignance of maledomance rises beyond benevolence
Smite your foes that they may die
Splattering blood across the sky
Architect of genocide, by death taking pride
The shape of things to come
The shape of things to come
The shape of things to come
The shape of things to come
Thousand-eyed angel of death, armed with flaming sword
Spread your wings, let the killing begin
The hunter becomes the hunted, hangmen also die
Morning red, morning red shines us to soon be dead
Retaliating from beyond, killing, blood spilling
Wade through carnage
Seas of blood
Seas of blood
Morning red
Seas of blood
In the gothic splendor of the chapel of St. Menceslaus
Golden door with seven locks
Seven keys within your hand
Smite your foes that they may die
Splattering blood across the sky
Architect of genocide, by death taking pride
The shape of things to come
The shape of things to come
The shape of things to come
The shape of things to come
Hangmen also die
Morning red, morning red shines us to soon be dead
Retaliating from beyond, killing, blood spilling
Wade through carnage
Seas of blood
Seas of blood
Seas of blood
Seas of blood
02 Throne of Rats (02:42)
Plague upon plague
Black boil redemption
On this sea of rats shall I set my throne
Halo of fleas
Blood puke salvation
Only fire is now clean enough to touch your soul
Throne of rats
Sword of disease
Throne of rats
See how the body contracts
Until your limbs become a rope of madness
Rope of regret
The piece of purity
Rope of regret
Throne of rats
Sword of disease
Throne of rats
Older than time am I, and yes I am for evermore
Constantly reshaping reforming to suit your sins
Death upon death
Black Death redemption
On this sea of death shall I claim my crown
Halo of death
Death puke salvation
Only death is now pure enough to forgive your sins
Throne of death
Justice is done
Throne of rats
04 Life's Emblem (04:55)
Upon that storied marble cast thine eye
The scene commands a moralizing sigh
E�en in Areardias blessed Elysium plains
Amidst the laughing nymphs and sparkling flames
Life�s emblem here, in youth and vernal bloom
But reasons finger pointing at the�
See festal joy subside, with melting grace
And pity visit the half smiling face
Where now the dance, the hate, the nuptial feast
The passion throbbing in the lover�s breast
Life�s emblem here, in youth and vernal bloom
But reason�s finger pointing at the tomb!
Man: So say me noble stranger, what brings you here this night?
Death: I have come to release you from the bitter taste of life
Man: Why me? Why now? It cannot be my time
Death: Everything that falls to the ground is mine!
Upon that storied marble cast thine eye
The scene commands a moralizing sigh
E�en in Areardias blessed Elysium plains
Amidst the laughing nymphs and sparkling flames
See festal joy subside, with melting grace
And pity visit the half smiling face
Where now the dance, the hate, the nuptial feast
The passion throbbing in the lover�s breast
Life�s emblem here, in youth and vernal bloom
But reason�s finger pointing at the�
See festal joy subside, with melting grace
And pity visit the half smiling face
Where now the dance, the hate, the nuptial feast
The passion throbbing in the lover�s breast
Life�s emblem here, in youth and vernal bloom
But reason�s finger pointing at the tomb!
Man: But in youth am I still, and in flesh am I strong
Death: And I have a disease for every sin that you have done
Man: But I�ve done nothing wrong, nothing bad or untrue
Death: Neither God or Devil agrees with you!
11 Blutrache (07:50)
[7:50]
The great cathedral of Man arise
through doors flung wide.
Every nation marches singing
towards defeat and death.
Judgement Day edges toward evening.
Panzer thunder, panzer death.
Black twelve-armed holy Sun.
Rise, rise, holy Sun.
Judgement Day edges toward evening.
Every nation marches singing,
every nation towards death.
Let us rejoice in the light
of this man-made Armageddon
this man-made Hell.
Hand in hand with angels of iron,
angels of wrath.
Panzer thunder, panzer death.
Black twelve-armed holy Sun.
Rise, rise, holy black Sun.
The great cathedral of Man arise
through doors flung wide.
Every nation marches singing
towards defeat and death.
Judgement Day edges toward evening.
Panzer thunder, panzer death.
Black twelve-armed holy Sun.
Rise, rise, holy black Sun.
Judgement Day edges toward evening.
Every nation marches singing,
every nation towards death.
Let us rejoice in the light
of this man-made Armageddon
this man-made blazing Hell.
Hand in hand with angels of iron,
angels of wrath.
Panzer thunder, panzer death.
Black twelve-armed holy Sun.
Rise, rise, holy black Sun.
Every nation marches singing,
every nation towards death.
Let us rejoice in the light of
this glaring mass cremation,
this shining mass-death-light.
Hand in hand with angels of iron,
angels of wrath.
Panzer chaos, panzer Hell.
Black twelve-armed holy Sun.
Rise, rise, holy Sun.
Every nation marches singing.
Even our children shall fight to the end.
Let us rejoice in the light
of this man-made Armageddon
this man-made blazing Hell.
Hand in hand with angels of iron,
angels of wrath.
Panzer thunder, panzer death.
Black twelve-armed holy Sun.
Rise, rise, holy black Sun.
Every nation marches singing,
every nation towards death.
Let us rejoice in the light of
this solemn dance of death.
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