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Выпустив шесть лет назад промо-альбом "Sageness Fallen", Crystal Abyss надолго замолчали. Нет, в Москве группа выступала регулярно, праздновала юбилей, а недавно даже отметилась участием на престижном польском фестивале MetalMania, в компании с My Dying Bride, Destruction, Testament и другими грандами. Только вот обещания записать новый студийный материал, завершить, наконец, работу на полноформатным альбомом, висели на их сайте, кажется, годами. Наконец, полностью поменяв состав, и закрывшись во все той же Польше, Sarquanaar сделал-таки это, я имею в виду, "Word of The Darkest Ages" - "Слово о Темнейших Веках". Всего девять песен: полная дебютная демо-кассета, интро-аутро, и два относительно новых трека (потому что заглавная композиция, как я помню, исполнялась вживую еще года четыре назад). А стоило ли ожидание того? С одной стороны, это отличный симфо-блэк, немного сухой в исполнении (по-шведски, или по-гречески - кому как нравиться, по сути - это одно), сохраняющий со своего раннего периода приличный запас пафосности. Очень много синтезатора, гитара едва слышна, но наиболее агрессивно звучат ударные. Звучат, к сожалению, очень выверено и четко, как игра драм-машины, а не живого барабанщика, и мне очень не хватает прежней, хаотичной и местами неточной, игры Gniffuts'a. Излишний лоск для такой "причесанной" музыки, как симфо-блэк, это уже слишком. Начиная сравнивать с EP, можно заметить, что, несмотря на возросшие скорости, блэковой долбы стало меньше, а структурной сложности, порядка и симфоничности - больше. Это притом, что CA никогда не были медленной командой. Кстати, о увлечении синтезатором: клавишные на этом альбоме - вне любой критики. Безумные "барочные" пассажи, как бы вьющиеся параллельно скрипучему голосу Sarquanaar'a и бластбитам - явный шаг вперед. В общем, приятно, что группа не стала очередным Graveworm или Agathodaimon, избавилась от схожести с Emperor, при этом сохранив нужную долю агрессии.
Есть, как положено, и обратная сторона... Альбом хороший, продуманный, качественный, но, увы, не гениальный. В связи с этим, у меня даже возникли ассоциации с Belphegor, хотя группы и играют в разных стилях. Новых песен – это за шесть-то лет работы! – очень мало. Да все это не главное. Где те выразительность и яркость, которые были у CA ранее? Материал стал заметно более однообразным, и вместе с сыростью из него исчезла львиная доля экспрессии и привлекательности. Впрочем, он никогда и не представлял собой ничего принципиально нового, а теперь... в России стало на еще одну "команду европейского класса" больше. Почти как в пресс-релизе. А по европейским меркам Crystal Abyss крепкий середнячок, со своими "фишками", конечно, но на открытие Америки не претендующий. Обидно, что сделав этот выбор, команда уже назад не повернет, и никаких, пускай и несбыточных, надежд не подаст. Да ведь это только придирки. Когда они появляются к неприглянувшейся рецензии, пишешь свою, а когда к музыке - ... Но меня все равно мучает вопрос, насколько другим был бы это диск, будь он все-таки записан пораньше? Было бы в нем что-то, чего нет сейчас? |
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Entering generous bliss.
Mountains replied to me greeting the Queen
Of blowing winds and ice-crystal worlds,
And her flying servants that are never seen
Were carrying leaves as they came on the Earth.
Whistling like trumpet on funeral act
Grey blizzard came releasing white snakes,
And myriad of warriors in sparkling white dresses
Were carrying the tongues of the saints on stakes.
White spears and swords
Ripped off angels' hearts,
Cold was freezing their wings.
And night slowly fell
On forest beneath
Like fingers of bard on strings,
On forest lying under
Mountains of mine,
Under wind, whispering legends of time...
And ice-storm along
With the Children of woods
Sang joyful and furious rhymes.
...As abused angels left the Earth
The call of freedom started its way !!!
I was going on the other side
Of sacred new day
To infinity of blinding black mass
Absorbing the mind.
I was going on the other side
Of dying sun's heat
To icy and frozen nature
Absorbing saints' lives.
And I saw burning shadows of the past
Along with crystal and fathomless lakes.
...and the snow fell as it was born by Winter...
Visions of the Past
In the haughty mountain pass
Where the river's floating by
There was a great fight
But the legend lays in dust...
I saw warriors fighting here
Tinkling of swords in the silent air
And the river was red
Of the bodies lying there
Bloody battle was over at last
Warriors lying as if they've slept
Under the crying wind
Their brothers by sword were waiting in the crypts
Granite rocks were standing in fear
Sky was cloudy and grey like tin
Upon the battlefield
Ravens had thir feast
And the only tower remained
Looking by its black loop holes
As the sun went west
It fell from the edge of the world
In the haughty mountain pass
Where the river's floating by
There was a great fight
But the legend lays in dust...
Word of the Darkest Ages
Seeking knowledge hidden beyond blinding light
Lusting to taste the song of spectral pantheon
Step on the path decorated with pain and laid out with thorns
Find it's end and enter silver gate to hear the name of mine...
My wisdom lies under dust on pages,
Carrying prophecies of the Fallen Pride
My powers are free winds that lust
To unveil the moonless night
From it's pale dress of a compelled bride
By kissing candlelight
My flesh was born by roaring fires
Consuming bones of sageness covered with gore
My blood was created from the tears of tar-blackened skies
Bewailing souls of legends that had withered before
My way lies under speeches of stars
Towards seas of fury, hatred and scorn
Ashes of sunrays were covering my road to the far
I dance the nocturnal waltz on sparkling splinters of dawn
I'm buried under sand trampled by one
Sentenced to be crucified
My confinement is irrigated by blood
Flowing down rough boards of the cross
I was meant to plunge into a slumber
Of pespirate plains, never to wake
I'm spirit of those who tried to sip
My forlorn grace
But seers speak of my forthcoming rise...
Rise to make my vengeance flow
Like rivers through all souls
Bound and shepherded by a bane
For springs of sacred
Pride that rides on widely spread
Black wings of serpent's children
Guarding impassable approaches
To ghostly pages' vault
Flames will be tapestries along the way
Depicting episodes of my
Reign beyond the misty shores of mind
My ascendancy will proclaim
Beginning of new epoch
Ceasing my oblivion for times
All powers will decay
While I'll take possession
Of trembling souls, destinies and lives
My embrace will let
The hearlds of my ressurection carry
Powers to embody all my wrath
Seeking knowlenge hidden beyond blinding light
Lusting to taste the song of spectral pantheon
Carry my name until flesh is fraternized with Earth
Drowned among centuries I'm word
Where darkest ages mourn
Sageness Fallen
Eyes
Were charmed by the sight
Of stone on the grass -
Grey mirror of sky.
Stars
Lit golden tree crowns
With millions of fires
That showed me the road
To world
Of the tear-crying rains
That talk to the flames
And winds of the past
Where beauty -
The queen of free hearts
Was sister of those
Who despised the horde.
Standing praying on the sunset
Caressed by tender wind
Ancient oak-tree's spread its green arms
In the embrace of dusk...
"You saw legends with your own eyes,
Ages grew under your feet,
Filled with freedom and desire,
Thoughts and feelings buried fast...
Wake the secrets that you keep
From their deep eternal sleep -
Let them be the sacred whip
For the cattle hearts !
Let your tar womb be sweet home
For the wisdom that will roam...
Nature'll dwell under the dome
Of the ancient arts."
Stone became red
Of the fury and pain,
My thoughts and feelings
Were all faint in vain
When archangel sword's aura
Was licking the face
Of the shrine
Containing the ways
To unknown. And the drops
Of the amber blood fired
Scarlett hearts and black souls
Making them feel the sight
Of the emerald eyes
Belonging to ancient sage
Bearing thoughts,
Awakening the rage.
Leaves were howling loud
Under weeping clouds,
Moon was taking me
To the secret paths,
Golden dust was making me blind...
I saw slaughter of sheep and burial fires.
Fingers pressed on steel
Making it start crying,
Moonlight on the blade
Was the lightning bright.
Grass was drinking red wine
I'd entered the world of dreams and desires !
…of Glory and Pain
I'm breathing the rain at dusk
As I am tasting bitter burial silence.
My soul is cold and weeping like a
Grim and misty black autumn night.
I gaze at flowers fading to dust
And bearing the ashes - the seeds of the moonlight
Eternity steps on the fields of desires
Awakening the roots of sharpened sword's bride.
Guided by tears of clouds
I'm wanderer sharing their dreams and fears
Watching whatever my eyes can see
Seeking whatever I find.
Ravens bring dusk on their wings
Followed by night then fresh morning dew bears
Day while I'm going to place where I
Will end my fettered soul's cry.
Exhausted by constant
Following blind eyes sight
While breathing road's dust
I search for place
That on this endless plain
Will be worthy of ceasing my way.
I approach the hill
With the shining mist on the top and
Golden steps leading there,
Threading on them
As I enter this mist I see
Couch prepared for me.
Like storms on great seas calm down once
Turning themselves into froth kissed by evening breath
Tired I stop on my path
To escape from the load of eternal way seeking.
On the bed surrounded by light
That covered it like a gorgeous dress
Feeling the nearby night
I lay myself to start my rest.
As I awakened from my sleeping
I saw three chains of gold on me
Surrounded by white creatures gripping
My hands to put the cross in...
Blood was washing my teeth in flesh
Of angels as I was breaking the chains,
Day became night as I left this place
With thunder roaring around,
My gaze caught only shadows of black,
The eye blowing black consuming the mind
At the same time caressing my skin
With the waves of songs by night.
Trees on my way were pressing
Nails into my naked arms and dry
Grass under feet seemed to me
Sharper than sword.
As salty sweet of tears was seasoning
The taste of blood drops on my tongue
In the pits and the mists of my soul
I've found the road...
...of glory and pain.
As the Fear Grows
As the fear grows inside,
Wrapping heart like silky lace
On maiden's dress during midnight dance,
Bearing shiver and awakening lust,
Being guide along dark marble halls
Through the mist surrounded by
Scattered beads of candlelight
Twinkling and fading, air is crying.
Sorrow and pain in it's cry
Are floating like lonely black swans
On the waters reflecting leed of gloomy skies.
Time is coming so fast,
Proclaiming hour for solemn requiem
Of soul that's singing it's grievous song
Of victim to be sacrificed.
The moments left behind
Are reflected by the chambers of
Black castle that exalts
On the mountain of foresaken thoughts.
Like feathers from the wings
Of ravens' horde, foretasting
The massacre's blazing ride,
Speeches of it's dwellers soar around:
"Let one word of yours be a knife in a trembling heart
Of prayer rising towards the falling clouds.
Let each tear you utter now become a lake of blood
Of those who dedicated their existence to being blind.
Let the flow of enchanted strain become your eyes,
Seeing unique heady beauty of obscure
Plains, spreading far and wide beneath the roots of mind
Where Chimaera's gaze breeds nightmares from desires".
As the fear grows insane
Under wings of silent night
Winds are whispering thousand names
Of a multi-faced divine.
Rains of broken mirrors shade
Moonlit carpet weaved by stars
Words of velvet serpent's song
Are awakening from their sleep:
"Feel caress of flaming waves
Coming from the seas of fate
Taste the flesh of sharpened blade,
Hear damnations as a name.
Gate is opened granting pass
To the brink where perception ends
Dive into endless blackened chasm
Spreading soul like wings to fly
Eternally or die!"