• Versione 1 Voto:
recensione
Gli anni 90' sono conosciuti, nel panorama del genere metal, più per la nascita di nuove correnti musicali che proprio in quegli anni andavano a formarsi, come il Nu (Korn, Limp Bizkit), Alternative (Nine Inch Nails), o lo Stoner (Kyuss). Sebbene il genere heavy avesse già detto molto nel lasso di tempo che va dal 1982 al 1987, c'erano altri gruppi che tentavano di riportare in auge quel genere che col passare del tempo era passato sempre più in secondo piano. Inutili erano difatti i tentativi di band Hair/Glam Metal che ottenuta la fama nella prima metà degli anni 80', provavano a immettere nei loro nuovi album influenze di quei generi sopracitati, per cercare di riottenere la fama, tentativi che nelal maggior parte dei casi si rivelarono dei fallimenti. Skid row, Warrant, Motley Crue, Poison, Tesla per dirne qualcuno.
La Germania era la nazione dove il genere heavy non era ancor astato totalmente sopraffatto da quest'aria di cambiamento, e dove gruppi come i Running Wild (che in quell'epoca vivevano il loro momento di massima popolarità), Grave Digger, Accept, e Axxis rimanevano ancora in piedi. Fra tutti, i Rage sono forse quelli rimasti più coerenti con la loro musica, sia guardando al passato che ora come ora. Emersi nel 1985 con il nome "Avenger", e successivamente nel 1986 con il nome Rage, la band capitanata da Peavy Wagner ha sempre dimostrato nella sua carriera una coerenza e una costanza come pochi. Rimasti ancorati a uno speed/heavy metal negli esordi, caratterizzato dalla voce roca e potente di Wagner, nel 1996 i Rage collaborano con la Lingua Mortis Orchestra per creare un progetto che permetta ai Rage di aggiungere elementi sinfonici e orchestrali alla band, progetto che vedrà la sua massima espressione in lavori come "Lingua Mortis" (1996) e "XIII" (1988). Proprio fra questi due album si colloca il disco che andrò a recensire, "End Of All Days", album che si contraddistingue per un richiamo agli esordi, specialmente a lavori come "Trapped! (1992) e "Perfect Man" (1988), aggiungendo però una cattiveria e una ricerca della melodie sempre più insistente.
Due infatti sono le caratteristiche che fanno di questo album uno dei più belli della band tedesca, e che sarà anche il più apprezzato dai fan del periodo più diretto e scarno della band. La melodia e la potenza. Tracce dirompenti come l'opener "Under Control", con un ritornello ripetuto più e più volte da entrare in testa, e "Deep In The Blackest Hole" sono la prova che i Rage, seppur abbiano abbracciato un cambiamento musicale non da poco con la LMO, dimostrano di non aver dimenticato le loro origini. Altra traccia da segnalare è "Let The Night Begin", dove la batteria diventa il vero protagonista del pezzo. Collegandoci invece alla melodia invece si trovano canzoni più cadenzate e caraterizzate da stupendi assoli di chitarra come in "Fortress" o la più digeribile da ascoltare, ma pur sempre ottima titletrack "End Of All Days". Trova spazio anche un pezzo sorretto da un pianoforte e accompagnato da un violino, con il primo suonato da Peter Wagner, ossia "Fading Hours", che personalmente trovo ottimo, ma che sarebbe stato più adatto su album orchestrali come "Ghosts" o "XIII". Più misteriose e oscure invece si rivelano "Desperation" e "Voices From The Vault", che nell'ascolto sembrano come collegate da un unico filon, e che contribuiscono a comporre un ottima melodia. Non da meno è la copertina, tanto semplice quanto efficace che ritrae la mascotte del gruppo, il Soundchaser, un mostro simile ad un alieno che accompagnerà i Rage per quasi tutta la loro carriera e del quale sarà spiegata la sua storia nell'album "Soundchaser" (2003). Ma questa è un altra storia.
In un decennio in cui il genere Heavy tendeva gradualmente a scomparire, e ad essere sempre meno apprezzato, i Rage hanno rappresentato per molte persone amanti del genere una vera e propria ancora di salvezza. Va ovviamente precisato che "End Of All Days", a detta dello stesso Wagner,, non fu un album uscito così per caso. Reduci dal disco della svolta con la Lingua Mortis Orchestra, molti fan non gradirono molto il cambio di sound effettuato dal trio tedesco, e quest'ultimo rilasciò per l'appunto questo album con il quale potè riappacificarsi con i propri fan. Le release uscite con la LMO, rappresentano ancora oggi per molti sostenitori della band l'apice compositivo della band, il che vuoldire che col passare del tempo molti album prima definiti orrori vengono rivalutati, diventando la punta di diamante di un gruppo.
Pace fatta? Direi di sì.
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 Under Control (04:06)
Like a kiss of evil it took hold on me.
Creeping paranoia, it will get me day by day.
Like the deadly viper with it's poisoned teeth
it is getting in my blood, a killing brain desease.
Oh, no, the thrill became a curse,
oh, the right has turned to wrong.
It's just me, myself to blame,
yes I could have seen it coming.
Now I'm a wasted man
this is 'cause I am under control.
Inside a self built cage,
screaming out the rage, under control.
Enslave my soul, I'm under control.
I can't live without it and I need it now,
what is I know about it will destroy me anyhow.
I have lost my free will, it's enslaving me.
Face inside me mirror let me out and set me free.
Oh, no, the thrill became a curse,
oh, the right has turned to wrong.
It's just me, myself to blame,
yes I could have seen it coming.
Now I'm a wasted man
this is 'cause I am under control.
Inside a self built cage,
screaming out the rage, under control.
Enslave my soul, I'm under control.
Yes, I am
02 Higher Than the Sky (04:19)
So, now my time has come.
I will be dead and gone
from the earth's face.
It is my destiny,
this time I cannot hide
from this cruel fate.
A never ending memory,
a life before my eyes.
Whatever comes, whatever's been,
my pocket full of lies.
Like an arrow in the air,
falling endlessly and I know we're gonna be
Higher than the sky, we're
higher than the sky.
An ordinary flight,
who could imagine this
will be our death cell.
No miracle in sight,
We're diving faster now,
as for as I can tell.
I see the faces passing by,
there's fear inside this eyes.
They all will be my company
we're brothers now for life.
Like an arrow in the air,
falling endlessly and I know we're gonna be
Higher than the sky, we're
higher than the sky.
So, now my time has come.
I will be dead and gone
from the earth's face.
It is my destiny,
this time I cannot hide
from this cruel fate.
A never ending memory,
a life before my eyes.
Whatever comes, whatever's been,
my pocket full of lies.
Like an arrow in the air,
falling endlessly and I know we're gonna be
Higher than the sky, we're
higher than the sky.
An ordinary flight,
who could imagine this
will be our death cell.
No miracle in sight,
We're diving faster now,
as for as I can tell.
I see the faces passing by,
there's fear inside this eyes.
They all will be my company
we're brothers now for life.
Like an arrow in the air,
falling endlessly and I know we're gonna be
Higher than the sky, we're
higher than the sky.
03 Deep in the Blackest Hole (04:23)
Hey, what have they done to you?
Say, do you mean what you do?
Just like a spark that fell aside, or what -
you're telling me you're happy but I know you're not.
I look into your eyes and see you heart is black.
Are you afraid of me or why don't you look back?
You're telling me to follow, do it like you've said,
you'll get me never, never, never...
What has happened to you life?
Do you really want it so, 'cause
I don't want to be like you, the time will come,
when everything too late
Deep in the blackest hole.
I'll never be like you and you will end
frustrated, full on hate,
deep in the blackest hole!
You don't like to see the world
like it is, you try to change it all.
You're in defense, only appologize,
you're telling me you're lucky but I know your lies.
I look into your eyes and see your heart turns red
like if you're wounded but no drop of blood is shed.
You don't look for a cure, instead you're hurting me,
You'll get me never, never, never...
What has happened to you life?
Everything you had is missing.
I don't want to be like you, the time will come,
when everything too late
Deep in the blackest hole.
I'll never be like you and you will end
frustrated, full on hate,
deep in the blackest hole!
What has happened to you life?
Do you really want it so, 'cause
I don't want to be like you, the time will come,
when everything too late
Deep in the blackest hole.
I'll never be like you and you will end
frustrated, full on hate,
deep in the blackest hole
05 Visions (04:17)
Headed away and took off in the sky,
the air was as bright as my mind.
And everything on the ground floated by,
a land of toys, undefined.
Glittering clouds that were puzzled in the air,
hiding a secret, not easy to share.
I've got visions and I can't
get then out of my mind,
it was a moment in time.
I've got visions and I can't
get them out of my mind,
what am I leaving behind?
I've got visions...
I saw a face that I'll never forget,
staring at me through the mist.
Leaving a trace that lead into my head,
the other side I have missed.
There in the hemispheres I caught a view in life
where all is streaming and nothing will die.
I've got visions and I can't
get then out of my mind,
it was a moment in time.
I've got visions and I can't
get them out of my mind,
what am I leaving behind?
I've got visions...
06 Desperation (04:55)
Oh, can't you tell me what makes me fell this way?
It's overwhelming, obscuring all my days.
Give me a reason to carry on for more.
The change of season, it undermines my core.
A constant darkness coating me,
I cannot see you, no more...
Excuse me for the things I've said,
if I could change it I'd be glad,
it is just, it drives me to desperation,
to desperation.
There's no solution, I'm heading for the end.
The consecution is lying in my hand.
A constant streaming, opening me.
I cannot feel you, no more...
Forgive me all the things I've made
for peace of mind, now it's too late,
it is just, it drives me to desperation.
Excuse me for the things I've said,
if I could change it I'll be glad,
it is just, it drives me to desperation,
to desperation
09 Fortress (03:56)
The wall inside, he built to defend himself.
He needs to hide, to keep independency.
The race is on, it can't be won.
A fortress in you head
one step among the dead.
Security for fear,
a fortress, caging in
for what you're here.
The pain inside, disappoinments everyday.
To keep his pride he can't find a better way (than)
to lock his mind, though he'll lose life.
A fortress in you head
one step among the dead.
Security for fear,
a fortress, caging in
for what you're here.
A fortress in you head
one step among the dead.
Security for fear,
a fortress in you head, oh.
A fortress caging in,
unreal behind your grin.
Security is lie,
a fortress caging in untill you die
13 Silent Victory (04:55)
Here we are, we talk about too many things.
But we can't
find the words when death is on it's way.
If we don't remember this
we won't be prepare for the final day.
A silent victory, it made me see
that all is meant to be,
my dearest friend, it's not the end.
Our time is short,
our castles built on sand of make believe.
At the gates of eternity the heart is free.
And I will remember this
something's there that's stronger than our pain.
A silent victory, it made me see
that all is meant to be,
my dearest friend, it's not the end.
A silence victory, it made me free
to step outside on me
and in the end I'm born again.
I reach out my hands to reality of life
far beyond all images.
And I will remember this
something's there that's stronger than our pain.
A silent victory, it made me see
that all is meant to be,
my dearest friend, it's not the end.
A silence victory, it made me free
to step outside on me
and in the end I'm born again
16 The Trooper (03:59)
[IRON MAIDEN]
You'll take my life but I'll take yours too
You'll fire your musket but I'll run you through
So when you're waiting for the next attack
You'd better stand there's no turning back.
The bugle sounds and the charge begins
But on this battlefield no one wins
The smell of acrid smoke and horses breath
As I plunge on into certain death.
The horse he sweats with fear we break to run
The mighty roar of the Russian guns
And as we race towards the human wall
The screams of pain as my comrades fall
We hurdle bodies that lay on the ground
And the Russians fire another round
We get so near yet so far away
We were meant to fight another day.
We get so close near enough to fight
When a Russian gets me in his sights
He pulls the trigger and I feel the blow
A burst of rounds take my horse below.
And as I lay there gazing at the sky
My body's numb and my throat is dry
And as I lay forgotten and alone
Without a tear I draw my parting groan
Carico i commenti... con calma
Altre recensioni
Di creative
"Il genere che fanno è veloce e mai stancante, le melodie sono orecchiabili così tanto che ci si ritrova a canticchiarli nella mente anche per strada."
"Come ad esempio la opendisc: Under Control che se la senti a massimo volume fa venir voglia di pogare."
