|
Уже довольно заслуженным швейцарским хард рокерам Crystal Ball все никак не удается вырваться из тени своих более именитых земляков Shakra или, уж тем более, Gotthard. А ведь замечательная музыка, которую играют эти славные ребята в последнее время, на голову превосходит свежие работы не только соотечественников, но и многих зарубежных команд. Хотя, стоит признать - первые три диска Crystal Ball были добротным и весьма незатейливым хард роком, во многом скопированном у тех же Gotthard. Но, начиная с диска "HellVetia", молодыми талантами занялся сам Штефан Кауфманн. Под руководством ветерана немецкого хэви творческие лидеры группы, вокалист Марк Суини и гитарист Скотт Лич, основательно пересмотрели свой музыкальный курс и теперь играют весьма интересную и небанальную смесь классического харда с самым настоящим мелодик металом, сразу вызывающим в памяти незабвенный Axxis. И на пятом студийнике Crystal Ball, получившим название "TimeWalker", эта смесь была доведена до практически идеальной консистенции. Хриплый и весьма харизматичный вокал Марка, отточенные гитарные партии Скотта и его коллеги Тома Грабера, красивые и всегда приходящиеся к месту клавишные партии (с большой долей обожаемого многими "Хэммонда"), крепкая ритм-секция - решительно не хочется искать на этом диске недостатки. Кто-то может ворчать про общую вторичность материала и это их право. Я же назову "TimeWalker" идеальным средством поднять себе настроение и заодно поностальгировать по ушедшим 70-ым, атмосфера которых воссоздана здесь очень хорошо. Да и чему удивляться - диск ведь полу-концепутальный и посвящен путешествиям во времени. Вроде бы такая простая идея, но с каким удовольствием она воспринимается! А уж здешние песни - это вообще кладезь позитива для всех любителей хард рока. Скоростные боевики "Falling From Grace" и "Tear Down The Wall", мощнейшие средне темповые номера "Talking To The Walls" и "Mozart Symphony", красивейшие эпики "Walk Through Time" и "The Eye Of The Storm", супер-позитивный гимн "Celebration", наконец, готовый хит на все рок радиостанции мира "He Came To Change The World" - я бы с удовольствием перечислил все 11 треков, слабых среди них просто нет. Но пора подводить итоги - несомненно, лучший диск Crystal Ball и один из самых задорных и просто-напросто радующих своей свежестью хард роковых дисков последнего времени. Девять баллов только потому что уверен - ребята могут еще лучше. Пожелаем же им этого! (Диск предоставлен компанией Irond) |
|
Digital world – cybernetic evolution
Digital world
All we want are virtual constructions
Living in computer wastelands
Red alert and panic reactions
The virus lives inside our dreamworld
2. Tear Down The Wall
[Music: Sweeney / Leach / Graber, Lyrics: Sweeney]
Hey you, are you the one to make our wish come true
Stand up and shout it out, the one thing we can do
Rise up – reality show us all what we wanna see
Hear the thunder roaring near, the power of insanity
Don’t deny the eye of the hurricane
The crazy ways – blown away
It’s time for freedom days
Tear down the wall – let us see it fall
Tear down the wall – ‘cause we want it all
1989 – We’re running out of time
Spokesman Mr. Schabowski, better throw away the keys
Glory - now it’s done, a hope for everyone
Rise up – reality show us all what we wanna see
3. He Came To Change The World
[Music: Sweeney / Leach, Lyrics: Leach]
Born in a stable – among the poor
A star showed them the way
The kings kneeled – before this child
Touching all their souls
The Judas kiss betrayed his life
Crucified for some silver
He came to change the world, he traded pain for love
He came to change the world, he tried to save us all
The not so holy wanted him to die
They tried to send out a warning
The torturers will always be cursed
His sadnes lives on today
He came to change the world
Alive – he arose – from the dead – to live forever
4. Walk Through Time
[Music: Sweeney / Leach, Lyrics: Leach]
Future to past, this is the march of time
Hearing the clock tick tock away
How the time screams a warning, wars scar the land
But we can’t turn the tide of blood
The walk through time, the years fly by
The walk through time, God only knows why
In the golden age the glory seasons came
But we can’t stop the hands of time
At the dawn of an era
Illusions were meant to last
But forever is a long and winding road
Tomorrow is gone, another change of life
Watch as the empires fade
Just like the sand – out of my hand
5. Mozart Symphony
[Music: Sweeney / Bormann, Lyrics: Sweeney, Intro by Graber]
Out of my mind - picture the scene
She’s alive – tonight
Need to know – will I fall or succeed, that’s all
It turns me insane
I wish I had not been charming you up
I call to the dreams in my head
I scream out and cry for falling in love
‘Cause you’re not the love I can win
She’s like a Mozart symphony – She’s like a hot sweet harmony
She’s lika a Mozart symphony – She’s just vision in my memory
Broken inside – heart is on fire
Nowhere left – to hide
For so long... your shadow it haunts me... no
Don’t turn me away
6. Powerflight
[Music: Sweeney / Leach, Lyrics: Sweeney]
Lindbergh flew the plane
Through thunder, storm and rain
“Spirit of St.Louis” was the name
There was no limit
To do what should be done
The time was right
The feeling was so strong
He took the chance
To spread his wings
To ride the heavens high
The sky was open wide
Power flight
Was the first Atlantic
Psycho ride in history
Paris was the goal tomorrow and today
3.500 miles away
We salute the hero
For now and tomorrow
Hail the victory that was won
7. Fallen From Grace
[Music: Sweeney / Leach, Lyrics: Sweeney]
Legions of darkness – They have killed
The fallen ones – Burn in hell
End of days – Dreams unfilled
Glory and death – The innocent fell
Again they lost the fight
Free from all lost pride
So many people died
Each day – Each night
War – and all the flames got higher
War – fallen from grace
War – and all the thieves and liars
Touched with blood – on this day
Soldiers are dead
They die on the ground
No mercy inside – To be found
Out in the field
They lost their lives
Armed with a gun
And a killer knife
Now look to the skies
The wind of change
Blowing through
Uhhh, don’t be afraid to see
The dark clouds above disappear
8. Celebration
[Music: Sweeney / Leach, Lyrics: Sweeney]
Goodbye tyranny, it was time to break free
There’s no pain – anymore, no more empty smiles
It was just a waste of time
So tell me that it’s done – it’s over
Can’t you see the sun, it shines for everyone
Again for you and me – on and on
Celebration all over the nation
The fight for freedom and the right to defend it
Celebration all over the nation
You’re free from fear and oppression
Nowhere quite like home, you are king on your throne
We keep the faith and independence
The sunbeams light the sky, don’t let it pass you by
You’re living your own – paradise
9. Sensational
[Music: Sweeny / Leach, Lyrics: Leach]
We raised our sails
With wind in our hair
Leaving all our worries behind
It’s a state of mind
Addicted to the rush
No longer a slave to the grind
We crossed the point of no return
The stakes are high, enjoy the ride
Sensational – we’re riding the storm
Sensational – the ultimate thrill – to go
The passion’s building up
It’s coming our way
Adventure is what we will find
Now we’re on the move
Screaming to the sky
Chaos and madness combined
We crossed the point of no return
The stakes are high, enjoy the ride
Sensational – we’re riding the storm
Sensational – the harder we fall
Sensational – we’re riding the storm
Sensational – the ultimate thrill – to go
Sensational – we’re riding the storm
Sensational – we don’t stand alone
Sensational – we’re riding the storm
Sensational – the ultimate thrill – to go
10. The Eye Of The Storm
[Music: Sweeny / Leach / Matteo, Lyrics: Leach]
It was a mission
Back in ‘15
Flight number 19
Would not arrive
The tower’s calling
To guide them home
Instruments gone crazy
They were all alone
From the deep blue sky
They flew right
Into the eye
The eye of the storm
The great unknown
The eye of the storm
The eye of the storm
No navigation
High above the sea
Eyes turned to heaven
Would they survive
With no more power
Into the night
No more transmissions
They were out of sight
11. Talking To The Walls
[Music: Sweeney / Leach, Lyrics: Leach]
He led life like the lonely
As he swam against the stream
Science was his best friend
As he fought the whole regime
They tried to break his will
Change his mind
They didn’t want to hear the truth
They were all afraid
‘Cause we’re not
Center of the universe
Talking to the walls – no more
Got to have some balls standing tall
Talking to the walls – no more
Gonna make them see – they’re all wrong
The church felt frightened
As he fought against the grain
He was torn by torture
As they promised hell and pain
They then made him recant
His iron will
They didn’t want to hear it all
They were all so blind
12. Crazy
[Bonus Track]
[Britney Spears Cover]
Baby, I'm so into you
You've got that something, what can I do
Baby, you spin me around, oh
The earth is movin, but I can't feel the ground
Everytime you look at me
My heart is jumpin, it's easy to see
Loving you means so much more
More than anything I ever felt before
You drive me crazy
I just can't sleep
I'm so excited, I'm in too deep
Crazy, but it feels alright
Baby thinkin of you keeps me up all night
Tell me, you're so into me
That I'm the only one you will see
Tell me I'm not in the blue, oh
That I'm not wastin
My feelins on you
Loving you means so much more
More than anything I ever felt before