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Dragonland
« The Battle of the Ivory Plains »
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Jonas Heidgert - vocals, drums
Olle Morck - guitars
Nicklas Magnusson - guitars
Elias Holmlid - keyboards
Christer Pedersen - bass |
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| 1. Dragondawn
[Music: Holmlid]
"As the dragons of the dawn spread their wings
And in the first blazing rays of the flowing morninglight
Set flight over oceans of radiant azure blissfull tides
Over majestic mountains of old, mountains of gold
Past heavens breaking through the serenity into  |
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Очень героический, эпичный power, вдохновляющий на подвиги и вызывающий самые положительные эмоции. Красивая и профессионально исполненная музыка с жизнерадостными интересными мелодиями, запоминающимися аранжировками и эмоциональной насыщенностью. В мастерстве музыкантам также не откажешь. Убедительные скоростные ударные, замысловатые гитары, чувственные клавиши и красивый вокал. Местами музыка превращается в хэви, что удачно разбавляет картину привычного power-звучания. Каждая вещь на этом альбоме имеет свою индивидуальность и является по сути хитом. Есть на диске и боевики для героически настроенных мужчин, и красивейшие баллады для их подруг. Но при все этом разнообразии работа не кажется сумбурной, а напоминает скорее эпическое повествование в музыкальном виде. Качество записи не вызывает никаких нареканий, хотя сведение, на мой взгляд, могло быть и получше. Оформление буклета также неплохое, а крылатый серебряный рыцарь на обложке не введет в заблуждение относительно того, в каком жанре играет группа. В целом же альбом представляет собой профессиональную, любопытную и эмоциональную работу, которая лишний раз доказывает, что возможности пауэра как жанра еще далеко не исчерпаны. |
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Шведы Dragonland образовались в 2000 году благодаря гитаристу Никласу Магнуссону (экс-Prophanity, Nightshade) и вокалисту Йонасу Хейдгерту. Несколько позже к ним присоединились басист Кристер Педерсен (Nightshade), гитарист Олле Морк и клавишник Элиас Холмлид, а вот с барабанами пришлось справляться самому вокалисту Хайдгерту. Группа удачно заключила контракт с Black Lotus Records и спустя пару лет выпустила свой дебютный альбом, представляющий собой неплохой образец эвропейского пауэра наподобие Stratovarius, благодаря обширному использованию клавиш и наподобие Rhapsody, с такими же фэнтэзийными текстами песен и эпической, величественной мелодике. Помогать в записи диска был привлечён легендарный продюсер и гитарист Энди ЛяРок (King Diamond) – он то уж знает, как правильно сделать звук. К сожалению, качество записи хоть и отличное, однако, добиться оригинального звука ребятам не удалось, несмотря на то, что их техничность на весьма высоком уровне. Такую же картину представляет собой простенький и приятный вокал Хайдгерта, не отличающийся никакой оригинальностью – хотите, сравнивайте с Михаэлем Киске (ex-Helloween), хотите с Фабио Лионе (Rhapsody) – результат будет один и тот же. Честно говоря, больше всего этой группе подходит ярлык «очередной клон», потому как пауэра сейчас много, а вот пауэра толкового мало, а тут у нас почти тоже самое. Однако если вы заметили я сказал «почти», и это почти приходиться где-то на 50% всего музыкального материала. И хотя инструментальная часть до ужаса банальна, но вот мелодическая сторона пластинки достаточно интересна! Здесь можно, например, найти великолепную балладу «Last Farewell», выполненную с женским дуэтом, причем очень даже неплохим, хорошее впечатление оставляют энергичные и задорные боевики «Storming Across Heaven», «Ride For Glory» и «World's End», и что самое замечательное - никаких заимствований я не нашёл! То есть мелодии очень оригинальны и обладают неким стилем присущим только данной группе, а это уже что-то! Также в наличии весьма прогрессивный и цепляющий номер «The Orcish March» и чудо симфонизма «The Battle Of The Ivory Plains». Суммируя всё вышесказанное, можно прийти к выводу, что данная работа имеет все шансы, чтобы конкурировать с более популярными и умудрёнными братьями по стилю. |
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Through crimson horizons bursting with the glory of dusk
To where proud swords are raised high to the sky...
Now let eternity's saga unfold..."
2. Storming Across Heaven
[Music:Magnusson,Heidgert Lyrics:Heidgert, Magnusson]
"Welcome to dragonland, A mighty enchanting world
Filled with the most remarkable wonders and the most fearsome of foes!
Once every century the gods play out the good people against the evil hordes
As a little game to satisfy their twisted minds"
Look at the sky as the dragon flies by
Storming across heaven like fire pierce through ice
Joins with the sky in a whirling dance
With bolts of lightning and clouds that cries
In a world where the strong survives the weak
Where the dragons rule as kings
Marching from the north comes the hordes of the night
With hate burning for the armies of the light
Across the open plains (they venture)
And through the darkest and deepest of forests
Over vast mountains and mighty rivers (and streams)
While their heads are held high their hearts are hanging low
Marching from the south comes the armies of the light
With fear trembling for the hordes of the night
DRAGONLAND - A war will soon begin
DRAGONLAND - No one knows who will win
DRAGONLAND - On ivory plains they'll stand
Oh, in dragonland
"The dragonlord circled the plains of ivory and knew
that the battle forthcoming would be heard all across this world"
[Solo: N.M]
On the ivory plains
Where generations have fought, lost and won
A battle that is fought once every century
And thousands of lives will be wasted again
Marching from the north comes the hordes of the night
Marching from the south comes the armies of the light
DRAGONLAND - A war will soon begin
DRAGONLAND - No one knows who will win
DRAGONLAND - On ivory plains they'll stand
Oh, in dragonland
DRAGONLAND - It's where they'll live and die
DRAGONLAND - Why are they pledged to fight?
The dragonlord spreads his wings
And storms across the sky
3. A Last Farewell
[Music: Holmlid, Magnusson , Lyrics: Magnusson, Heidgert]
"To leave someone you love deeply without hope
of ever seeing each other again, can tear the hardest heart apart.
But sometimes you must act unselfish and do what you feel
you have to, even if it bears against you...life is not always fair"
[Solo: O.M, N.M]
The time has come for me
To ride on towards the ivory plains
But don't you shed no tears now
Someday i might come home again
I'd give you the moon and sun
If you'd stay with me
If i gave you the world
Would you stay here by my side?
But i might return again
Oh, please stay with me
I must follow the call of my king
Oh, stay with me
My land has now burned down
Blackened soil is all that now remains
The ashes of my home
All that was just slips through my hands
As i gaze into the fire
Loneliness sets in
As the flames fades away
You're disappering from my reach
I have to go
Let me come and ride by your side
My love, my only one
My love, my only one
Heartbreaking melody, enveloped in tragedy
Tears are falling, my destiny's calling
In our darkest hour, oh, never say goodbye
A song for our last farewell, our last farewell
For you i write these words, a song of our last farewell
I know i won't come home again, a last farewell
Heartbreaking melody, enveloped in tragedy
This is our final farewell, our last farewell...
4. Ride For Glory
[Music: Magnusson Lyrics: Magnusson, Heidgert]
"We yearn for the battle and the glory...but my heart doesn't stray from home...
We're joined by the dwarves of the underworld, the elves of
the deepest forests, the highland barbarians and the knights of the most
radiant orders...
Together we will defend this world...
And victorious we shall be
Ride on..."
We ride into the sunset
And race towards the dawn
We carry on beyond the horizon
Past the night to see the sun again
For the glory, for the splendour
For the honour and the victory
We all hope that someday
We can live in peace again
But for now we must defend
Our people, our homes and our lands
We raise our steel, to the sky
Journey on with hope held high
Carry on, carry on
Brave men you'll fight for your freedom
So Ride on, ride on
Ride on with hope held high
[Solo: N.M, E.H, O.M]
We leave our women and children
We leave them crying behind
But we'll return someday
With happiness and joy
For the glory for the splendour
Journey on with hope held high
Carry on, carry on
Brave men you'll fight for your freedom
So Ride on, ride on
Ride on with hope held high
With hope held high...
5. The Orcish March
[Music: Magnusson, Holmlid Lyrics: Magnusson, Heidgert]
"From the darkest caverns and dankest caves of Dragonland the dark hordes
of undead and nightly creatures of the dusk crept forth.
Awakened by thy evil one incarnate..."
From a sunless domain we march
Death to all we have no hearts
In our veins runs a burning blood
Which only the killing can quench
Thirst for death guides our way
Born of the night, for evil we fight
Seeing the world in grey, no joy, no love
To walk against this is our way
I call upon my servants the goblins, trolls and orcs
We shall march into human lands and we shall burn their homes
We thunder towards the light
Yes, entranced we're stalking the night
The heavens now are burning
We will bring the end to all
Undying shades in a world of lights
That we are and in forever we'll be
For we know we will win this war
And will sing of the darkened hordes
I shall erect my throne upon a mountain of their bones
Then oh my children we shall drink their blood
[Solo: O.M, N.M, E.H]
6. The Battle Of The Ivory Plains
[Music:Magnusson Lyrics:Heidgert, Magnusson]
"After a journey that seemed endlessly long, they finally set foot by the
ivory plains...but the
atmosphere around this place was horrific as they looked out across the
desolate landscape!!!
Here a world's fate shall be decided.
A camp was set up by brink of the plains, everyone rested and polished their
swords, singing
hymns by the fire about ancient battles from every other hundred yearbattle,
fantastic stories of loss and gain.
T'was not a good night's sleep they've had, awakened by battle horns in the
far distance...they froze in fear!!!
LET THE BATTLE BEGIN"
Early morning with a scent of death in the air
The first ray of light breaks free upon the hills
We all gaze upon the distant plains
To see a dark line filling the horizon
The hordes will charge down on us like a thunder storm
We will be heavily outnumbered
Oh, bewildered horizon
The ground will be drenched in red
All nature dies out
The horns sound for the battle to begin
As bodies clash together and steel ploughs through flesh
Salutations to the end with death we dance
We fight for our lives like a whirlwind
The elves with arrows that covers the sky
With flails and axes the dwarfs shout their battlecries
But it seems that we don't stand a chance
Oh, bewildered horizon
The ground now is drenched in blood
All nature's died out
Endless the battle seems
[Solo: O.M, E.H, N.M]
As my companions go down one by one
I know that this must end before the day is gone
With fear and rage we make our final assault
But they are flanking us, crushing us and killing us
Then i feel a pain and it's flashing before my eyes
Everything turns black
Oh, darkened horizon
The sun will shine no more
All light has died out
We could not save dragonland this time...
7. Graveheart
[Music: Magnusson Lyrics: Magnusson,Heidgert]
"I slowly wake up to the conscious world, was i beaten down?
There's bodies everywhere...how could it go so wrong...this place reeks of death
No...it can't be...is it, I found my brother slayed... a sword is plunged right
through his heart!!!
Suddenly he opens his eyes in a silent glare...he signals me to come close..."
As the smoke has cleared
The dust lays heavy in the air
I wake up covered in blood and sweat
Can't reminisce what really happened
So hold me tight
As my life runs short
Listen now and be strong
There's something you should know
A secret well kept
You're not one of us
You're a dragon's son
The sunset is upon me
Was it all worth, is this the last light i'll see
So take me away...
Never again! Never again!
These sight's before me are for real
Death spreads her wings as far as my eyes can see
Never again! Never again!
These visions haunt me day and night
This day will i always will remember in my graveheart
You can see it in his eyes
And hear it in his voice
When joy's no longer felt
When a heart is empty and closed
The day still echoes in my mind
Those few words cut right through my all
And my world ceased to be
As you killed my inside
I can no longer feel
The sunset is upon me
Was it all worth, is this the last light i'll see
So take me away...
Never again! Never again!
These sight's before me are for real
Death spreads her wings as far as my eyes can see
Never again! Never again!
These visions haunt me day and night
This day i will always will remember in my graveheart
Oh... In my graveheart
[Twinsolo: N.M, E.H]
8. Rondo a'la Turca
[Music: Wolgang Amadeus Mozart ,Arranged by Dragonland]
"Last words of my dear brother...
Seek your origin in the mithril mountain
All answers shall be revealed...
And take care of the ones back home
Before it's too late...
We'll meet again in lands beyond this world
We shall walk the silver fields again..."
[Solo: E.H]
9. A Secret Unveiled
[Music: Holmlid , Magnusson ,Kvist Lyrics: Magnusson, Heidgert]
"Now that i've lost my beloved brother, i took his advice
I've searched for the one he claimed to be my true father...the king of kings
The fearsome lord of the mithril mountain the king of dragons!
It was a warm yet expected welcome, i spent many a night there
And found out a great deal of my past, and i was told that there's still a
chance to
save our kingdom and world!
The leader of the dark hordes the dweller of night, the
destructor of light he must be destroyed in order to scatter the hordes
...he also told me that it is my real brother...
It will be done...i will find you bastard son"
I've wandered for months searching
Time grows short i need an answer
Now i know your name
I have come to cleanse this world
And to rid it all from evil
It has to be done
Now i know the name of the one, the bastard son
It's so clear, Still so much has to be done
I will find you wherever you are
There's nowhere to hide
The power of light guides me right
You sold your soul to learn the secrets of the night
Rejected and cold
May in sickness you dwell
Father tell me what i'm to do
They have burned my home
All i love has died
Follow the path of death, so much pain, all in vain
The road's long and hard, destruction's a horrible sight
I will find you...
[Solo: N.M]
The dark side ravages and plunders still
I must hurry and find an answer soon
[Solo: E.H]
I will find you...
10. World's End
[Music: Magnusson, Lyrics: Heidgert, Magnusson]
"At last after endless searching i have found him the dark prince!
I fought my way up the highest mountain, and found him laughing on
his throne made of the rotting carcasses of my people.
To kill him, their leader is to defeat them all, i must win! This is my only
chance,
To save all i have ever lived for!
FEAR...i must stay strong, it's been hard and i lost most of my loved ones.
This is for them, this is for Dragonland!!!
DIE, evil twisted creature...DIE!!!"
Eye to eye, with our destinies
Sword to sword, Will set one free
Light to darkness, The future will be set
Darkness to light, This will be the end
For hours we fought
Wounded and tired with no end in sight
The storm draws near
Upon the highest mountain we stand
Steel against steel as we strike yet again
Face to face we will fight to the death
Then a mortal blow brings me to my knees
All hope's gone, Dragonland is doomed
As i'm bleeding
My life is draining away
In a world now embraced by darkness
Evil's beginning to rise
Soon the world will come to an end and all good will die
Though the clan of dragons will survive
someday in the future might a hero arise
But can they hold on for so long?
[Solo: O.M, N.M]
Withered forests the homes of elves decayed
Crumbled mountains the dwarves will be no more
Shattered cities the humans slowly die
Pungent wastelands the dark ones marching on
Nothing is spared
All in their path will be destroyed
Their reign of terror
Has barely begun
Now the hordes of night begins their feast of victory
Burning down and slaying everything
Dark clouds cover the whole sky and black rain starts to fall
And will do for ages come to pass
Hundred years have passed now it is time to strike back
Time to raise our swords and shields again
But who will lead us, the armies of light this time?
In the den of dragons hope is born...
11. Dragondusk
[Music: Holmlid]
"I can hardly stay conscious any longer
The world darkens all around me
Even the moon and the stars
Cease their last glimmer of light
I take a last gaze upon this world
The valleys, forests and seas
It will all wither away
As the sun slowly fades
Now i don't care any more
It has proven useless to fight
I yield to my fate
I will just die in peace
And welcome the dark embrace
This is a last goodbye...
Farewell..."
To be continued...