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Этот альбом вызывает у меня противоречивые чувства. С одной стороны, это законченный сильный продукт, с другой, он имеет недостатки и за счет их теряет часть своего обаяния. Начнем все по порядку.
Лирика. Первая часть диска посвящена историям, основанным на рассказах Р. Говарда. Вторая базируется на «Энеиде» — незаконченном патриотическом эпосе Вергилия, одного из наиболее значительных древнеримских поэтов. Третья посвящена подвигу спартанцев, во главе с царем Леонидом, во время греко-персидских войн. Темы для альбома взяты масштабные, что, в общем-то, в стиле Manilla Road, тут придраться не к чему.
Запись. Все сделано неплохо. Жесткий сухой звук, отдающий 80-ми. Сейчас так не пишутся, но и группа начинала еще в конце 70-х. Это уже почерк.
Музыка. Альбом длинный, около 73 минут, и третья часть мне кажется, уступает первым двум. Диск начинается с чертовски заводного быстрого трэка «Riddle оf Steel», где становится понятным, для чего пригласили в группу второго вокалиста Брайана Патрика. Его низкий вокал, близкий к гроулингу, резко контрастирует с голосом Марка Шелтона и добавляет песням жесткости. Первую трилогию считаю наиболее удачной в плане музыке, «The Frost Giant’s Daughter» слушается на одном дыхании и буквально влетает в разум слушателя. Вторая трилогия «Out of the Ashes» уже несколько сбавляет темп, но берет своей мощью и жесткостью в купе с драйвом (пик энергетики – «Imperious Rise»). А вот последняя трилогия «Gates оf Fire» мне показалось откровенно скучной и нудной. Возможно, в таком построении мелодий и есть главная задумка музыкантов, только я вот, например, не особо охоч до третьей части. Мне обидно, что восьмую вещь «Betrayal» несколько подпортили тяжелыми гитарами, там по идее и акустики хватает за глаза. И как-то все излишне успокоено и однообразно. Я бы сократил песни третьей трилогии по времени наполовину. Но я не Марк Шелтон. А ему можно выразить огромный респект за то, что на третьем десятке лет существования группы, он еще может радовать слушателей интересной и неординарной музыкой высочайшего качества. |
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This day we shall solve the riddle
You shall feel my steel
Your brethren in Valhalla
My name you shall tell
To some I’m known as Amra
Many men I’ve felled
Across all of Hyborea
Tales of me are told
T’is Conan of Cimmeria
Whom shall reap your soul
[chorus]
The riddle of steel
The truth shall be revealed
With sword my hand wields
This day we shall solve the riddle
You shall feel my steel
The clash of steel does echo
Through the snow packed waste
We both unleash our deathblows
Blood drawn by both blades
Though wounded I’m the victor
Blood pours from my head
I am the one survivor
On this field of death
[chorus]
The riddle of steel
The truth shall be revealed
With sword my hand wields
This day we shall solve the riddle
You shall feel my steel
Behind The Veil
Here I kneel amongst the dead
My mind a clouded haze
Dancing o’er the field of death
A vixen calls my name
Behind the veil of gossamer frame ivory white
Voice like a harp with cruelty in its’ chime
The northern lights begin to dance the sky’s alive
Her haunting laugh echoing off the ice
I’d die just to find what’s behind the veil
She lures me through the snow-clad peaks
This wench in gossamer
My smoldering heart she hopes to reap
The Frost Giant’s daughter
She beckons me with body white and golden mane
To follow her across the icy waste
She taunts me on, entices me, to violent rage
My frozen limbs fed fire from the chase
I’d die just to find what’s behind the veil
I’d die just to find what’s behind the veil
When Giants Fall
My body aches from the chase
Nothing about this is sane
I can’t get over her face
I’m like a moth to the flame
I’ve fallen into her trap
To face her two brothers’ wrath
Delivered unto their path
The red haired giants attack
[chorus]
Fight thee well amongst the gods
Death and honor for Valhalla
Deadly merchant son of Crom
Hear the thunder of Ymir’s call
When giants fall
I run headlong to the fight
Cleaving with all of my might
Their axes frosted with ice
So nearly taking my life
Atali’s brothers are bold
They seek to harvest my soul
Sword singing death to my foe
I spread their blood on the snow
[chorus]
Fight thee well amongst the gods
Death and honor for Valhalla
Deadly merchant son of Crom
Hear the thunder of Ymir’s call
When the ice giants fall
I claim the wench as my prize
Her skin is cold as the ice
I see now fear in her eyes
Oh father save me she cries
The Borealis ablaze
When she called out Ymir’s name
Enveloped in icy flame
She disappears from earth’s face
[chorus]
Fight thee well amongst the gods
Death and honor for Valhalla
Deadly merchant son of Crom
Hear the thunder of Ymir’s call
When the ice giants fall
When giants fall
When giants fall
Lightning strikes, Thor’s hammer
Thunder roars through the sky
When giants fall
Vanaheim’s gates open, light the funeral pyre
When giants fall
Demigods hear me well, comes a son of the night
When giants fall
I would face any hell just to gaze in her eyes
When giants fall
The Fall Of Iliam
Comes the thunder – To Iliam’s shore
Dreams of plunder – The Grecian hordes
Menelaus – Brings forth his rage
Upon Paris – And the Trojan race
[chorus]
Harken the tale of Aeneas – Last hero of Iliam
Mortal born son of Venus – Destined to Latium
Prophecy’s promise of saving – The last of the Trojan line
Spoiler of ethnic cleansing – Who fathered the Roman Empire
Comes the lightning – The ten year war
Heroes fighting – By the score
Thrice round Troy’s walls – Achilles drew
The corpse of Hector – Whom in fight he slew
[chorus 1]
Harken the tale of Aeneas – Last hero of Iliam
Mortal born son of Venus – Destined to Latium
Prophecy’s promise of saving – The last of the Trojan line
Spoiler of ethnic cleansing – Who fathered the Roman Empire
Comes the fire – Out of the steed
Minerva’s nightmare – Of greek deceit
Priam’s chambers – With blood are splashed
Trojan towers – Are turned to ash
[chorus 1]
Harken the tale of Aeneas – Last hero of Iliam
Mortal born son of Venus – Destined to Latium
Prophecy’s promise of saving – The last of the Trojan line
Spoiler of ethnic cleansing – Who fathered the Roman Empire
[chorus 2]
Stealth and destruction have come to Troy’s walls
Unto Aeneas Hector’s ghost doth call
Save whom you can and make way to the sea
Trust in the fates you are Rome’s destiny
Troy’s last fleet sails – Italia bound
Aegean storms gale – Ships run aground
Tempest blow them – Across the Main
To a new friend – The great Carthage
[chorus 2]
Stealth and destruction have come to Troy’s walls
Unto Aeneas Hector’s ghost doth call
Save whom you can and make way to the sea
Trust in the fates you are Rome’s destiny
Ships of Iliam – Again set sail
Unto Italia – Trojans prevail
Venus’ son – Fulfills his fate
Forefather of – The Roman race
[chorus 2]
Stealth and destruction have come to Troy’s walls
Unto Aeneas Hector’s ghost doth call
Save whom you can and make way to the sea
Trust in the fates you are Rome’s destiny
Imperious Rise
Romulus and Remus
Ancestors to the forefather Aeneas
Son of mortal man and the goddess Venus
Raised the Roman clan chosen one to lead us
To the promised land
Come before the altar
Give your praise to the gods and the two brothers
Through their blood carries the founding father
Through the archaic songs of death and honor
The Trojan race lives on
The winds doth blow
Romulus ploughs the furrow
Out of control
For jest blood of Remus flows
T’is harvest time
For festival tribes unite
The Sabine plight
The women raped the men die
Led by the fates
Seven kings raise the gates
The Trojan race
Lives on in Rome today
The city wall
To this day still stands tall
The trumpets call
In memory Rome’s heroes live on
Rome
Rome – Italia’s shining light
Rome – Empire of power and might
Rome – From Egypt to northern Gaul
Rome – Conquerors of all they saw
[chorus]
The fire of Mars have burned
Temples raised to Jupiter
The Ides of March have turned
The course of history
Rome – Feared and honored state
Rome – Product of Trojan fate
Rome – Hear the trumpets call
Rome – Glorious unto the fall
[chorus]
The fire of Mars have burned
Temples raised to Jupiter
The Ides of March have turned
The course of history
Harken the tale of Aeneas – Last hero of Iliam
Mortal born son of Venus – Destined to Latium
Prophecy’s promise of saving – The last of the Trojan line
Spoiler of ethnic cleansing – Who fathered the Roman Empire
For all of time – Forget not the Trojan line
Imperious rise – The birth of Roman fire
Unto the sky – We raise our swords this night
Until we die – We praise the gods on high
Through bardic rhymes – The ancient tales still survive
Inside my mind – The eagles banners still fly
On Neptun’s tide – Ghost ships sail on through the night
Unto the fight – For Jupiter the legions ride
Troy’s holocaust – Vision Cassandra saw
Aeneas brought – Rebirth from what was lost
The legions fought – For Rome and ancient gods
The tale is taught – Know ye now more or not
Stand Of The Spartans
In the wake of the sea
Victorious the Athenian fleet
Stand at Thermopylae
With King Leonides
[chorus]
The Persian horde is come
Stand of the Spartans
Oracle’s prophecy
Sparta’s life for the death of a king
Between mountain and sea
Hold defenders of Greece
[chorus]
The Persian horde is come
Stand of the Spartans
Sparta, Athens and Thebes
Send their warriors to meet destiny
Persian blood on the beach
Only death brings defeat
[chorus]
The Persian horde is come
Stand of the Spartans
Betrayal
The mighty horde of Persia
Could not break the Greeks
The three hundred Spartans
Accept no defeat
Even the Immortals
Xerkses’ pride of war
Die in bloody battle
By spear and sword
[chorus]
Betrayal by one of our own
Betrayal of gods and the throne
Anopaia pass found
From a traitor’s tale
Immortals doth surround
The Spartans through betrayal
Arrows block the sun out
The three hundred die
Here courage did abound
In the gate of fire
[chorus]
Betrayal by one of our own
Betrayal of gods and the throne
Betrayal by one of our own
Betrayal of gods and the throne
Betrayal
Betrayal
Betrayal
Betrayal
Epitaph To The King
The battle-roar is over
No Spartan left alive
The fallen king is silent
His spirit’s taken flight
Rest in peace my king
Heroic were your deeds
He stood his ground with honor
In spite of certain death
Three hundred gave for Sparta
A glorious last breath
Rest well now my king
Heroic were your deeds