|
Незаслуженно всеми пропущенный мимо ушей и забытый финский коллектив The Black League в 2001-м году выпустил свою вторую и, пожалуй, самую сильную пластинку. Курс, намеченный на дебюте "Ichor", не поменялся ни на градус - это всё тот же тяжёлый металл американского пошиба с характерным звонким хэви-металлическим привкусом и духом североамериканского юга. Впрочем, не всё так просто, как на первый взгляд.
Музыканты группы никогда не были обременены навязчивыми идеями о приверженности какому-то определённому стилю и не страдали от узости музыкальных взглядов, поэтому альбом вышел очень эклектичным, разносторонним и совсем не скучным. Нет-нет, здесь, конечно, не соседствуют друг с другом американский "пантера"-металл и финский "химорок" (хотя вокалист группы, Танели Ярва, когда-то в 90-х был голосом и басом могучих Sentenced), но блюзовых и психоделических отголосков в "южном" хэви-металле The Black League предостаточно: примерно 50/50. И если начало диска в виде "Empiria" и "Voice Of God" являет собой настоящие бронебойные металлические хиты с чёткими ритмами, чисто "мужскими" партиями соло-гитары и и сочными припевами (Ярва всё-таки остаётся одним из колоритнейших певцов сцены), то далее начинается самое интересное. "To Suffer And To Smile", "Tedium Vitae" и "The Everlasting IV" - очень занимательные образчики смешения прогрессив-рока 70-х и тяжести хэви 90-х; "Day One" и "Harbour Of Hatred" - сногсшибательные среднетемповые (но не монотонные) композиции, берущие за душу и запоминающиеся с первого раза. Концовка альбома так же сильна, как и первая его часть, и, дабы не перечислять совсем уж все песни, скажу просто: альбом стоит потраченного на его прослушивание времени. Он цельный, в то же самое время разнообразный, и имеет свою чисто финскую, алкоголически тоскливую атмосферу, и внедряется в то же время в южно-американский пост-трэш и хэви-металл (не имея при этом точек схождения с Down или Crowbar, на которых многие сейчас равняются). Это ли не лучшая реклама данному музыкальному произведению? Возможно, так могли бы звучать Texas Hippie Coalition, если бы отказались от байкерской тематики в пользу тем о пробуждении духа и тоске по ушедшим временам, и записывали альбом где-нибудь в бревенчатом домике за полярным кругом под ликер-водку "Минтту"...
P.S. Впервые этот альбом попал мне на кассете от Фоно в 2003-м году, но на обложке был кавер-арт релиза "Frost", от Enslaved, что заставляло меня думать несколько лет (до появления интернета), что так на самом деле Enslaved и звучит...
P.P.S. Долго не мог понять, почему The Black League здесь именуют Death'N'Roll'ом, ибо аналогий с какими-нибудь Helltrain нет совершенно. Думаю, дело в том, что во времена, когда альбом добавлялся в базу, не было ещё распространенным в обиходе понятие "южный рок/металл". |
|
You say that you will take part to the so-called "GREAT EVENT".
Just how you're gonna make it to the BOOKS and build the FUTURE
If you step DOWN from your tower
You'll see a world that is GONE
And when you look at YOURSELF you'll see that you're gone
- Yeah, You're gone NOW!
This ain't your PIPE DREAM, babe!
This is what's HAPPENING!
Just step OUTSIDE of your goddamn tower…
- Into THIS world.
Wanna know where we're HEADING?
You wanna have a NEW BEGINNING?
- You don't know EMPIRIA
You wanna know where we're heading NOW?
You wanna have a new beginning NOW?
- You gotta know EMPIRIA
And now you can see them SIGNS right about everywhere you look
And you can SENSE there's something WRONG with YOURSELF too.
When all the streets are CROWDED and all the beasts run WILD
And when the WALLS and TOWERS of this town COLLIDE
While you feel so NUMB and TIRED
When looking DOWN from my window
I see a TIRED OLD WORLD that is GONE
And when I look at myself I see that I'm GONE
- Yeah, I'm gone now!
This is THE REAL THING, babe!
This is what's happening NOW!
Just step OUTSIDE of your goddamn tower…
- Into THIS world.
Wanna know where we're HEADING?
You wanna have a NEW BEGINNING?
- You don't know EMPIRIA
Lead – MV – AR
Wanna know where we're HEADING?
You wanna have a NEW BEGINNING?
- You don't know EMPIRIA
You wanna know where we're heading NOW?
You wanna have a new beginning NOW?
- You gotta know EMPIRIA
Empiria.
NOW!
3. Voice Of God
[Valanne, Jarva et al.]
You hear your MASTER calling like a RAGING SEA of LIES
Like a SIREN wailing in your head
- GOOD GOD don't give a DAMN!
'Tis like a LAUGH…
In the SHADOW…
Of the GALLOWS… For all night!
If you're LONGING to be FREE
To BREAK OUT of your MISERY
C'mon now, babe, CRUSH your ICONS
And then you've got to got to GET AWAY
I need it… I NEED it… Like a HOLE in the HEAD
I need it… I NEED it… Like a HOLE in the HEAD
You hear your MAKER's calling like an AVALANCHE of LIES
Like a SNIPER's BULLET through your HEART
- But GOD don't give a DAMN!
'Tis but a LAUGH…
In the SHADOW…
Of the GALLOWS… For all night!
So if you're DYING to be FREE
To BREAK AWAY from your MISERY
C'mon now, babe KILL your IDOLS
And then you've got to got to GET AWAY
I need it… I NEED it… Like a HOLE in the HEAD
I need it… I NEED it… Like a HOLE in the HEAD
Lead – AR – MV
Watch out 'cos here it comes…
I need it… I NEED it… Like a HOLE in the HEAD
I need it… I NEED it… Like a HOLE in the HEAD
And I think that's exactly what you'll get
4. Day One
[Jarva et al.]
Lead - AR
What EVIL OMEN, what GRISLY FATE,
Came a-crawlin' DOWN that that ROAD
And BLACKENED your DAY?
What ILL-WILL-WIND came blowin'
straight into your FACE?
Well, now we know WHO's the one to BLAME
But the DAY will come and it ain't that FAR
Time will CLEAN your WOUNDS
Time will HEAL your SCARS
I don't KNOW how LOW
I can GO just to make you MINE
But I KNOW that you KNOW
That in the END it will be ALRIGHT
Lead – MV
The DAY is coming, that day is CLOSE
Someone's gonna make me PAY
And RIGHT all the WRONGS!
You've heard it ALL before but NOW it's for REAL
In the END you will be FREE
once you're RID of ME
Ans the DAY will come and it ain't that FAR
Time will CLEAN your WOUNDS
Time will HEAL your SCARS
I don't KNOW how LOW
I can GO just to make you MINE
But I KNOW that you KNOW
That in the END it will be ALRIGHT
It's gonna be ALRIGHT…
And let me tell you: That'll be THE DAY…
Lead – AR – MV – AR – MV
I don't KNOW how LOW
I can GO just to make you MINE
But I KNOW that you KNOW
That in the END it will be ALRIGHT
Yeah, I KNOW that you KNOW
That in the END it will be Alright
Alright, Alright… ALRIGHT
Everything's gonna turn out FINE
It's gonna be ALRIGHT…
I assure you: It's gonna turn out FINE
And let me tell you: That'll be THE DAY…
5. To Suffer & To Smile
[Florida, Jarva et al.]
Lead - MV
I can remember one SUMMER so LIFE-LIKE
So LONG AGO that it probably wasn't even REAL
Yet a CONSTANT LONGING keeps tormenting my DREAMS
Ignorance is bliss.
Ignorance is bliss.
All ye YOUNG ONES down there by the waterfront
They cannot see the SKYLINE
Turning DARK above their heads
As the BLACK CLOUDS keep gathering around them Looming over like a LIFE-LONG MALEDICTION
Ignorance is bliss.
To suffer. To suffer. To suffer and to smile.
To suffer. To suffer. To suffer and to smile.
To suffer. To suffer. To suffer and to smile.
To suffer. To suffer. To suffer and to smile.
Lead – AR Ignorance is bliss.
To suffer. To suffer. To suffer and to smile.
To suffer. To suffer. To suffer and to smile.
To suffer. To suffer. To suffer and to smile.
To suffer. To suffer. To suffer and to smile.
Ignorance is bliss.
I can remember what a WISE MAN once said to me:
"I tell you to ENJOY LIFE.
I wish I could but it's TOO LATE now!"
It's too late…
6. Tedium Vitae
[Valanne, Jarva et al.]
I'm not here looking for HAPPINESS
I can do well enough WITHOUT
Everything I need from this LIFE…
Just one tiny lil' bit of PEACE and QUIET
Nothing GLORIOUS about it
Nothing to CELEBRATE or BOAST
I don't remember when I first stopped CARING...
I don't mind… I just take it as it COMES
I'm afraid it is more than just a PHASE
And I feel it is not a PASSING thing
It's been right there ENCODED INSIDE me
Since the day that I LANDED on this EARTH!
Nothing GLORIOUS about it
And nothing to CELEBRATE or BOAST
I don't remember when I first stopped CARING
But I don't mind… I GO with the FLOW
7. Harbour Of Hatred
[Jarva et al.]
Lead - TJ
One too many times I've crossed that THIN RED LINE
UNLEASHED that Ill-Will-Wind
That blows INSIDE
I should be taken into my TRIAL
I should be put in CHARGE of my DEEDS
But I'm a COWARD and a LIAR
- Yeah, a liar!
And now…
I find MYSELF in your Harbour of Hatred
And ALL is WELL in your Harbour of Hatred
Lead – MV
Once I've been BANISHED into EXILE
When I'm DRIVEN OUT of my town
I LEAVE everything BEHIND
Now BURN all BRIDGES,
CUT down all BLOOD TIES
FORSAKE my POSSESSIONS
And SINK deeper UNDERGROUND
- Underground!
And now…
I find MYSELF in your Harbour of Hatred
And ALL is WELL in your Harbour of Hatred
Lead – F – AR
I find MYSELF in your Harbour of Hatred
And ALL is WELL in your Harbour of Hatred
I find MYSELF in your Harbour of Hatred
And ALL is WELL in your Harbour of Hatred
So I must HIDE… In DEMIMONDES…
In these DUSTY, HAZY corners…
Where NO MAN dare go
All LOST in a HALF-WORLD…
Lost in the LIMBO-ZONE…
Where only my NAME is left
ECHOING endlessly…
echoing ENDLESSLY…
In your Harbour of Hatred.
8. The Everlasting – part iv
[Jarva et al.]
I can still hear the SOUND of your FOOTSTEPS… When you went AWAY
The SCENT of your perfume in the DOORWAY… Still LINGERS ON though you've gone AWAY
And the ECHO of your FOOTSTEPS… in the HALLWAY… Keeps HAUNTING me at night when I cannot SLEEP.
I'm gonna miss you. Girl, I miss you. God, I miss you so.
Lead – AR
9. Rex Talionis [a.k.a. "The Foe"]
[Luttinen, Jarva et al.]
Lead – AR
REMEMBER me, OL' FRIEND?
Gonna take you ROUND the BEND
Gonna BRING you to a place
Where your LIFE will END – for good!
We all need ENEMIES! We need our NEMESIS!
And we need… Someone to HATE.
I'll lead you THROUGH that GATE
To your FINAL resting place
It's a junk yard full of SCUM
Like the PIECE of SHIT that you are!
We all need ENEMIES! We need our NEMESIS!
And we need… Someone to HATE.
Lead - MV
Hate. Hate. Hate. Hate.
[Goddamn you!]
Lead – AR
Now I hold a BRICK in my hand
And I smash your SKULL in HALF.
Gonna do it AGAIN and AGAIN
Till there's NOTHING left
Of your WRETCHED life!
We all need ENEMIES! We need our NEMESIS!
And we need… Someone to HATE.
Hate. Hate. Hate. Hate.
[Aaaaarrrrrgh!!!]
10. BlueSkyMagic
[Luttinen, Valanne, Jarva et al.]
Clean your SPIRIT…It's gonna clean your SOUL…
When that BLUESKYMAGIC makes you WHOLE…
Again! And again! And AGAIN!
Now everything's ALRIGHT…
It's kinda nice SURPRISE
When I CRAWL OUT of my lair
And have a DEEP BREATH of that MORNING AIR
Clean your SPIRIT…It's gonna clean your SOUL…
When that BLUESKYMAGIC makes you WHOLE…
Sometimes I feel so ALIVE! [magic]
Like I could KISS the SKIES UP HIGH! [magic]
But when I step OUT of the CLOUDS! [magic]
The DREAM is GONE; I am EARTH-BOUND
I could almost believe in a MIRACLE…
Just if I wasn't so goddamn CYNICAL
I could lay my TRUST on TOMORROW
ALL of this and MORE if I didn't know better!
[but I do!]
Clean your SPIRIT…It's gonna clean your SOUL…
When that BLUESKYMAGIC makes you WHOLE…
Sometimes I feel so ALIVE! [magic]
Like I could KISS the SKIES UP HIGH! [magic]
But when I step OUT of the CLOUDS! [magic]
The DREAM is GONE; I am EARTH-BOUND
Lead - AR
Feel the GRASS growin' 'neath my feet
Great planes of GREEN as far as I can see
Fill my lungs with the SUMMER BREEZE
And dip my tired body in the DEEP BLUE SEA
Yeah, I know that it's JUST a DREAM
But it's the BEST fuckin' thing that I've EVER seen!
Sometimes I feel so ALIVE! [magic]
But the DREAM is gone
All gone all GONE!
BlueSkyMagic.
BlueSkyMagic.
BlueSkyMagic.
BlueSkyMagic.
BlueSkyMagic.
BlueSkyMagic.
11. Citizen Cain
[Florida, Jarva et al.]
Over here, fella!…
He-hey, You Mister! Why don't you LISTEN?
A few WORDS from a POOR OL' guy now…
Just wanna tell you 'bout THAT THING
That crossed my PATH changing the COURSE of my LIFE!
You've heard the STORY and it's TRUE
So ONE DAY these boots will WALK all over you!
One SOUL. One MAN.
No FATE in a HIGHER HAND.
One HEART. One WILL.
And just one CUP to FILL.
Ok now, Mister… I'm gonna MAKE you LISTEN.
To this CONFESSION of a WRETHCED kind.
Just wanna tell you 'bout that SAME OL' THING
That got me BRANDED for the REST of my LIFE
You've heard the STORY and it's TRUE
I might be CRAZY but I ain't NO FOOL!
These boots will WALK all over you!
One SOUL. One MAN.
No FATE in a HIGHER HAND.
One HEART. One WILL.
One CUP to FILL.
You know the STORY's TRUE…
The ONLY thing I'll do…
Is standing at the CROSSROADS, babe, Yeah!
Lead – AR – MV
You've heard the STORY and it's TRUE
I ain't NO CLOWN and I ain't NO FOOL!
You've heard the STORY and it's TRUE!
ONE DAY these boots will WALK all over you!
One SOUL. One MAN.
No FATE in a HIGHER HAND.
One HEART. One WILL.
Just one CUP to FILL.
One SOUL. One MAN.
No FATE in a HIGHER HAND.
One HEART. One WILL.
I got but one CUP to FILL.
You know the STORY's TRUE…
The ONLY thing I'll do…
Is standing at the CROSSROADS, babe, Yeah!
You know this STORY's TRUE…
The ONLY thing that I'm gonna do…
Is messing with the CROSSROADS DELTA BLUES!
12. Alpha/ Omega, The Desert Song
[Jarva et al.]
The ROAD is LONG. For it's got NO END.
The sand is BURNING and the river's DRY.
The NIGHT is LONG when my guiding light
Is DYING OUT in the FREEZING cold.
I sing: CHAOS from HARMONY
And I sing: from chaos HARMONY.
The ROAD is LONG and the SUN LONG GONE.
I can't TURN BACK so I MUST go on…
- step by step, mile after mile
While the DAY was HOT the NIGHT came so COLD
I LOST my FAITH tryin' to hold on…
- day by day, night after night
Oh, well
But mine eyes are BLINDED!
And I will NEVER FIND it!
Yet I HOPE one day
From CHAOS becomes HARMONY
Lead – MV
Oh, well
But mine eyes are BLINDED!
And I will NEVER FIND it!
Yet I HOPE one day…
The END and BEGINNING…
From CHAOS becomes HARMONY
Oh, well
But mine eyes are BLINDED!
And I will NEVER FIND it!
Yet I HOPE one day…
The END and BEGINNING…
From CHAOS beginning…
The END will bring forth HARMONY
13. Utopia Anno Zero
[Ranta, Luttinen, Jarva et al.]
YOU have been HERE before…
So YOU KNOW what to expect…
Prepare for THE WORST… And hope for THE BEST
I'm talkin' 'bout the CLOWN of CREATION!
"ЬBERMENSCHEN" of a doomed CIVILIZATION!
TOMORROW calling like a PROMISED LAND
And FAME and FORTUNE is falling in our hands!
But then you JUMP for JOY and FAIL to SEE…
Your neighbour's STOLEN the LAND beneath your feet!
Utopia Anno Zero. Utopia Anno Zero.
Utopia Anno Zero. Utopia Anno Zero.
Tomorrow's falling OUT of REACH
We have been HERE before and we have SEEN it
But every time you raise that CUP unto your LIPS
It tastes so BITTER! Like it ALWAYS did!
Utopia Anno Zero. Utopia Anno Zero.
Utopia Anno Zero. Utopia Anno Zero.
It's gonna LET you DOWN again…
And then it lets YOU down AGAIN!
It's gonna LET you DOWN again…
And let YOU down AGAIN!
TOMORROW calling…
The Beginning of the END!
Utopia Anno Zero. Utopia Anno Zero.
Utopia Anno Zero. Utopia Anno Zero.
And then it lets you DOWN again…
It brings YOU down AGAIN!
And then it lets you DOWN again…
It brings YOU down AGAIN!
TOMORROW calling…
Stop!
And the ONE-EYED marches on…
In the KINGDOM of the BLIND…
Reaching for the OTHER SIDE…
Where there's NOTHING to be found…
Nothing but UTOPIA!
Lead – AR
Utopia Anno Zero. Utopia Anno Zero.
Utopia Anno Zero. Utopia Anno Zero.
YOU have been HERE before…YOU KNOW what to expect…
Ladies and Gentlemen… THIS IS IT.
WELCOME TO THIS WORLD. WAKE UP.