• Voto:
Esiste la verità assoluta, l'oggettività indiscutibile e provata con i fatti, oppure siamo piccole gocce individuali e che vanno a formare un oceano vario e multiforme fatto di visioni soggettive? Siamo i figli e i discendenti delle teorie Darwiniste sull'evoluzione della specie o un dono di grazia e misericordia del creazionismo di Gesù Cristo? Difficile rispondere a queste domande, come è arduo mettere tutti d'accordo quando si parla di musica punk rock e di Rise Against.
Amati da buona parte della critica e da schiere di fans e visti come la nex big thing in ambito hardcore e visti non troppo bene da una minor parte di pubblico e tacciati di essere un banale esempio trito e ritrito di hardcore. Parlavamo all'inizio di soggetti singoli e conglomerati, dell'io e del noi altri, di gocce e di distese oceaniche, eccovi la mia goccia allora:
"Revolutios Per Minute" è il secondo disco dei Chicagoani sempre sotto Fat Wreck records segue "Unreveling" e precede il successivo "Siren Song Of A Counter Culture" sotto major. Tuttavia, notizia recente la band è tornata di nuovo sotto la supervisione della label di Fat Mike.
Una compilation di adrenalina ed emozioni allo stato puro in salsa new school hardcore (con acceni 'old'), episodi da sing along, potenza, melodia e velocità ecco gli umori e gli elementi portanti del platter. Il gruppo con cui si possono trovare i maggiori punti di contatto sono senza dubbio i Good Riddance di Russ Runkin.
Questo è il classico disco che si mostra alle orecchie proprio come tu vorresti che fosse prima ancora di inserirlo nello stereo. Difficile eleggere un pezzo principe, visto che nessuno sfigura rispetto agli altri, ma i prime tre episodi già chiariscono le coordinate del disco. Impossibile non farsi catturare dalle grandi linee chitarristiche e dai super refrain di "Black masks & gasoline" e "Heaven knows" e dalla devastante e urlata "Dead ringer" che porta alla mente i Sick Of It All, con un giro di basso claustrofobico al giro di boa. Il pezzo più particolare del cd risulta tuttavia esssere il mix di lentezza/pesantezza di "Halfway there", che strutturalmente ricorda un po' la loro "Ready to fall", sebbene quest'ultima sia migliore.
Mid-tempo punk rock e melodia sulla splendida perla di "Like the angel" contornata da un ottimo assolo, allegria e anthem cachty come "Voices off camera", ancora pezzi classici che molte band li invidiano vedi i cori e gli acuti di "Blood red, blue & white" e "Last chance blue print" aperta da un piccolo dialogo e in cui si fa apprezzare il tocco del batterista sul bridge. C'è spazio anche per un refrain di Offspring-iana memoria che fa capolino su "Broken english"
Ancora rabbia tipicamente old school sulla arrabiatissima "To the core", "Torches" che parte lenta e acquista aggressività lungo il percorso, gli svarioni ritmici di "Amber changing" e omaggio finale ai Journey con l'ottima reinterpretazione in chiave punk della loro "Anyway you want it" che sansisce la fine del lavoro.
Come se non bastasse, i Rise Against possono disporre tra le proprie file di Tim Mcilrath niente di meno che la miglior voce del punk moderno. Capace di variare tra i vari registri stilistici in maniera spettacolare da parti calde e pulite a parti roche e ad acuti in screaming capaci di farmi rizzare i peli dello stomaco. Il tutto viene completato da ottimi cori, assoli, granitici riff e una sezione ritmica tirata per il meglio.
I testi trattano tematiche sociali e di protesta non molto distanti dai vari Anti-Flag e soci, con particolare attenzione anche alla tutela dell'ambiente e al rispetto degli animali.
Era un po' di tempo che cercavo un disco che mi sorprendesse in questo modo e si dimostrasse interessante e immediato, ma non facilone al primo ascolto, questo disco si merita quel posto che nemmeno dischi acclamati come "Punk in drublic" riescono ad occupare. Un capolavoro nel suo genere, dalla grande realtà punk del nuovo millennio.
Elenco tracce e testi
01 Black Masks & Gasoline (02:59)
simply because you can breathe,
doesn't mean you're alive,
or that you really live,
this life has taken its toll
and she just doesn't know how much more she can give
but here, at the top of the world, I raise my hands and I clench my fists,
they stand before me below demanding the answers with flips of a switch
I don't understand where you got this idea,
so deeply engrained in your head
that this world is something that you must impress,
because I couldn't care less
a need for revolution's rising, it comes to the surface, gasping for air,
we're not putting up with this planet one more day much less one more year
I don't understand where you got this idea
so deeply engrained in your head
that this world is something that you must impress,
because I couldn't care less
so here and now, in our rotting nation
the blood, it pours, it's all on our hands now
we live, in fear, of our own potential
to win, to lose, it's all on our hands now
I have an Amerikan Dream,
but it involves black masks and gasoline,
one day I'll turn these thoughts into screams,
at a world turned its back down on me
I don't understand where you got this idea,
so deeply engrained in your head
that this world is something that you must impress,
because I couldn't care less
04 Halfway There (03:41)
"Is this the point where we give up?
Is this the point where we give in?
Is this the point where we turn ourselves in?
Is this the time to ask questions?
Is this the time to seek answers?
Is this the time to throw it all in?
When enough is enough that's when you know that you're halfway there
When enough is enough that's when you know that you're halfway there
You're halfway there
That's when you know that you're halfway there
This is the point where we stand up
This is the point where we take back
The things that are keeping us from being free
When enough is enough that's when you know that you're halfway there
When enough is enough that's when you know that you're halfway there
That's when you know that you're halfway there
Your voice the airwaves sent you prayed my life would end,
The wasted time I spent ashamed I called you friend,
Give me one reason, I need a reason, one reason"
05 Like the Angel (02:46)
They turn the lights down low,
In shadows hiding from the world,
Only coming out when it gets cold
The seas part when they hit the floor,
The voices carry on and out the door,
Everything you touch turns into gold
Like the angel you are,
You laugh creating,
A lightness in my chest,
Your eyes they penetrate me,
(Your answers always 'maybe')
That’s when I got up and left
A beating heart and a microphone,
A ticking clock in an empty home,
Still tells of these times so long ago,
And even though I’ve come so far,
I know I’ve got so far to go
And any day now ill explode
Like the angel you are,
You laugh creating,
A Lightness in my chest,
Your eyes they penetrate me,
(Your answers always 'maybe')
That’s when I got up and left
And each and every day will lead in to tomorrow,
Tomorrow brings one less day without you,
But don’t wait up just leave the light on,
Cause all the roads that I might take will all one day lead back to you
And Like the angel you are,
You laugh creating,
A lightness in my chest,
Your eyes they penetrate me,
(Never cease to amaze me)
That’s when I got up and left
09 Last Chance Blueprint (02:14)
late nights and bloodshot eyes, clock ticking half past five,
we're barely breathing but we're still alive. GO!
our plans are all laid out, take all these unmarked roads,
we blaze the trails to places no one goes, yeah!
one last chance to go, if I don't leave tonight I never will
one last chance to go, let's take it now in for the kill
if in time we find ourselves, back where we started from,
too weak to fight and much too tired to run
before you swallow me into your perfect life,
i'm not going out without a fight, yeah!
one last chance to go, if I don't leave tonight I never will
one last chance to go, let's take it now in for the kill
but this blueprints faded grey
and here it seems like just yesterday
when we mapped out the details of our great escape,
but still these roads all beckon me to uncover their mystery
but I fall like dead autumn leaves and let the jet stream carry me
one last chance to go,
if I don't leave tonight I never will
one last chance to go
10 To the Core (01:33)
if i could paint how i feel,
i'd draw a bullseye on your forehead,
my anger is not misdirected,
unless it somehow misses you
time spent on hate,
is time gone to waste,
i watch you point and click
your life away
so cast the stones that i'll gladly catch
and i'll throw them right fucking back,
i stand behind the things i say
you type the words you wont say to my face
time spent on hate,
is time gone to waste,
i watch you point and click
your life away
it seems you've let me go again
just like the day you let me in
the best of intentions
you were never mine to begin with
so step away from the fucking screen
see a world outside your scene
maybe then you will know,
and realize the lack of threat you pose.
11 Torches (03:41)
on clearer days I can see the lights from my bedroom door
on windy nights I can smell the lake as it drifts to me from the shore
the traffic lights silently change a thousand times a day
but I'm still waiting
yeah I'm still waiting
(Chorus)
if my hand could block the sun
would we ever wake up?
If I turned back all these clocks
would that be time enough?
I can't remember exactly when this longing began
but I know it wasn't before the day you touched my hand
laugh and shout in blissful daze
and numbers are exchanged
I'm still waiting
yeah I'm still waiting
(Chorus)
so put your hands where I can see them
and shut your mouth
I know who you are
in a world void of feeling or heart
I know that we are the torches in the dark
let's break this down
let's make this count
let's leave this one-horse town
no better time than now
the angels dance
like feathers float
they're here to see and to be seen
the clock strikes two
the music slows
and each one slowly dons their wings
once outside
they all pair off and hand in hand they leave
but I'm still waiting
yeah I'm still waiting
(Chorus)
Would We Ever Wake Up?
Carico i commenti... con calma
