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Второй альбом шведских пауэрщиков ощутимо добавил им популярности. Говоря откровенно, выпустив свою дебютную работу «The Battle On The Ivory Plains» ребята добились мало чего, поскольку её материал был качественен, однако не располагал к тому, чтобы добиться огромных результатов продаж и такой же высокой популярности. А вот следующий диск, а именно «Holy War» – это уже совсем другое дело. Пластинка записывалась в легендарной Studio Fredman, результатом чего стал очень мощный и сильный саунд, хоть и совсем не оригинальный. Клавиши в музыке приобрели теперь доминирующую роль и теперь вся музыкальная палитра выглядит очень богато и разнообразно, кроме того, появилось несколько элементов фолка, а скорость композиций в некоторых моментах приближается к более экстремальной, чем располагает пауэр метал! И в целом - чувствуется взросление группы, мелодический и технический прогресс. Музыка, несмотря на свою фэнтэзийную и эпическую заезженность радует приятными и цепляющими мелодиями и, хотя вряд ли вы сможете их быстро запомнить, но сам диск слушается на одном дыхании, оставляя за собой впечатление полёта на сверхскоростном самолёте! Впечатляют такие композиции как открывающий скоростной боевик «Majesty Of The Mithril Mountains», нечто наподобие прогрессив-фолк пауэра «Through Elven Woods And Dwarven Mines», заглавная вещь тоже получилась очень осмысленной и цепляющей. Как на первом альбоме, так и на втором музыканты продолжают хорошую традицию наличия одной, но очень хорошей баллады и теперь это «Forever Walking Alone». Также стоит заметить, что на альбоме полно действительно красивых и крепких гитарных соло партий, что в наше время тяжело даже для ветеранов стиля! В общем, с выпуском «Holy War» ребята поднялись на совершенно новый уровень своего творчества, а меня как рядового слушателя тоже радует новость о том, что эта неплохая группа добилась настолько впечатляющих результатов! Пауэрщикам мастхэв! |
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The time of wonders has come
The Dragons soaring high
To Dragonland this story takes you
Come, follow me to that world
The you will finally see
Who'll win, who'll lose this final battle
They live without light
They love without guidance
A hero to lead them they need
They fight without hope
They fight without glory
A lightbearing savior they need
A hero will come with the dawn
To give them the light and the spirit to fight
A hero to banish the darkness
And to bring balance to life
At last he meets his brothers
Down on the mountainslope
Majestic Mightsil mountains guide us
The time has come to strike back
To face the enemy
Once more upon the Ivory Plains
But now they have light
They know they have guidance
A hero to lead them has come
They now have the hope
To fight for their freedom
The son of the Dragons has come
A hero has come with the dawn
He's given them light
And the spirit to fight
They're fighting to banish the darkness
And bring back the balance to life
[Solo]
A story will unfold before you
A world full of magic and glory
A tale lasting through generations
Will finally end, end with this war...
3. Through Elven Woods And Dwarven Mines
[Music Magnusson, Holmild Lyrics: Heidgert]
Assembling our forces in our way to the plains
From the Mithril mountains dwarves join us from their mines
Through dwarven mines I lead an invincible army
Across Dragonland our warcries will be heard
As we journey inward heading for the home of the elves
A forest of magic a place of tranquil glades
Through elven woods nothing can stop us now
Across Dragonland we shall carry on
Axe wielding berserkers, the dwarves' might will serve the light
Arrowpoints of Mithril, elven scouts always hitting thei prey
Axe wielding berserkers, the dwarves' might will serve the light
Arrowpoints of Mithril, elven scouts always hitting thei prey
My knights, my dwarves, my elves will fight for our dream
The one, the twisted evil one will now be brought down to his knees
Assembled our forces, now we ride to the plains
With power and with magic there is no way we can fail
Through dwarven mines I lead an invincible army
Across Dragonland our warcries will be heard
4. Holy War
[Musik: Holmlid, Magnusson, Heidgert Lyrics: Heidgert]
We have to fight for our freedom and lives
Nigth and day for light we pray
Who'll stand victorious we are but a few
Riders of light vanquish the night
Holy War
As we thrown into the ocean of fear
Light shall subside to answer our pleas
Thus as we struggle through
This harsh winterstorm
Frozen and cold we will fight on
Soon we will face our foes
Thousands and thousands
They're coming towards us to slay
We will fight 'til the end if we can
Many will die by our hands
But will it be good enough?
This is our holy crusade of light
We have to fight for our rights to live
This is our golden crusade of light
We have to fight to survive
Holy War
[Solo]
We'll engage your blindind rage
And we'll fight like never before
We shall stand for Dragonland
And I swear yiu will die by my lightguided hands
With our powers we will save our world
Glorious light lend us your might
We ride towards the Ivory plains as we chant:
"For Dragonland! For evermore!"
The Lord of Darkness must fall
Fall with my steel though his heart
I shall banish his night
You can run but you can never hide
I'll find you where ever you are
By my sword you will die
This is our holy crusade of light
This is our holy crusade of light
I'm gonna fight you for victory
This is my golden blade made of light
This is the war of a century
Glorious light...
5. Calm Before The Storm
[Musik: Morck, Magnusson, Holmild Lyrics: Heidgert]
We have journeyed for so long
Many seasons have passed by
Soon we'll there on the Ivory Plains
There we will fight for our lives
And to decide our own future
To protect the ones we hold so dear
But yet the worst part lies ahead
When we will fight for our world
Soon we'll be there on the Ivory plains
We shall grant no mercy
Nor show our fear
This time we'll win this war no matter the cost
The winter has passed and spring is upon us
To symbolize the dawn of the new time
This is just the calm before the storm
Begins Oh, for Dragonland we have to
Win Light give us strength The storm-
Draws near Brave men ride on
[Solo: O.M]
[Solo: N.M]
Now as we reach The boundary of the
Ivory plains We set camp and many
Drink their last ale Sharpening their
Swords Gathering their wits And
Waiting for the storm to begin
Soon we can live without fear, without
Darkness The glory of light will wash
Them away
This is just the calm before the storm
Begins Oh, for Dragonland we have to
Win Light give us strength The storm-
Draws near Brave men ride on
6. The Return To The Ivory Plains
[Music: Holmlid, Magnusson Lyrics: Heidgert]
The dawn draws near as we break our
Camp Wiping the dew from my hair
Gripping the hilt of the sword on my hip
Trying to brace myself
Will we break and fall apart?
No, we will crush the hordes once and
For all will we stand victorious?
Yes, we shall win this war in the name of
Light
The view before me seems familiar
Somehow But the memories aren't
mine
thousands and thousands of feet, the
ground's shaking The fate of all will be
decided, the charge begins
The dwarven berserkers charge the horde
Elves cover their backs with arrows
Our steelclad horsemen keep striking the
Flanks It seems we're gonna win
Heads are rolling on the plains
This time we'll end the threat of the
Orcish march The Ivory plains are
drenched in blood
Screams of the dying sends shivers down
My spine
The view before me seems familiar
Somehow Are these memories really
Mine? Thrust and then parry, endless
The battle seems Then finally they're pulling back
For a brief moment all is calm
I give the signal for the hunt to begin
No one of them must survive, stay
alive
They will die in the name of light
The view before me is so unfamiliar
It doesn't match my memories
Thousands and thousands of bodies
Lay still Now we will teach the Dark
Lord to feel fear
7. Forever Walking Alone
[Music: Magnusson, Holmild Lyrics: Magnusson, Heidgert]
Alson I travel though the wasteland in my heart As the grievance tears me apart
Thinking of you and the things you meant to me My heart is bleeding, I can't go on
If I could unwid the wheel of time I would have been by your side
If I could turn back time My precious love would be alive
The empty void inside my heart grows day by day I have nowhere to turn to ease the
Pain Remembering the smile you used to give me And your laughter that could light
My way home
If I could unwid the wheel of time I would have been by your side
If I could turn back time I never had a chance to say goodbye
I have cried and mourned my loss My heart keeps beating only for you
Am I strong enough to fight on? Without your love I stand, I stand empty and alone
[Acoustic solo: O.M]
[Solo: N.M]
So my love watch over me now My rage catches fire, I will strike them down
I will avenge you, oh, vengeance so sweet That's my last gift for you
I'm forever walking alone
8. Blazing Hate
"My beloved one, my heart's chosen, now lay buried among all of
the people I have truly cared for. While insane with grief and
hatred I honoured my lost love with a moment's peace, before
I called on my horse to ride away and seek the evil one.
I rode in rage for what felt like a day, when I came across a
pack of fleeing orcs. As I dismounted my horse and set my feet in
the rainy mud they came raging for me, wielding their axes in the
air. I slayed the two largest of the orcs, but the smallest, in
fear of my raging sword, told me of where to seek the Evil One.
As my failed predecessor I would find my foe on the highest
mountain, upon a throne of bones. My goal was now clear, and the
Dark Lord would soon suffer my beloved's fate..."
Finally I stand before my nemesis
Burning hatred's flowing through my veins
I raise my sword in a silent greeting
With fury my battlecry sounds
Spawn of darkness die by my hand, paint my sword red
You shall suffer my beloved's fate
Die now bastard you have destroyed all that I lived for
You shall suffer like my people have
What is there now for me?
My foe lie slain before my feet
I see dark shadows flee
But still the rage possesses my heart
It feels like I'm on fire
Blazing hate has now consumed my mind
Still I'm searching for a foe
The hordes has broken their ranks
In chaos they're retreating
I'm gonna hunt them down one by one
The lastremains of the once so mighty horde
Now lie bleeding in the soil
I throw my, I throw my hands up in the air
And howl for the pain I have to bear
What is there now for me?
I see the horde lie slain before me
The taste of victory's so bitter-sweet
My rage turns into sorrow in my heart
The fury so hot has left me
Blazing hate is scattered in the wind
Now I'm searching for the Gods
Cold determination
I set into my mind
One task remains
I shall seek them out to slay them
I seek the spiritworld
A land not travelled by mortal men
From where the Gods control our lives
Now it will end
[Solo]
Towards the light I have to go
To make this peace last forevermore
And, ha, now I'm almost as mad as them
I see a thousand points of light...
9. A Thousand Points Of Light
"AS the hordes of the night finally were defeated, nature was
beginning on it's task to restore Dragonland to it's former
grandeur and beauty. The sun reached the surface for the first
time in a hundred years, revealing the scars the evil reign
had bestowed upon the earth. But alas, we could yet again live
as the free people we once were. Thus, fulfilling all of the
lost saviour prophecies on but one aspect, I knew my quest
was far from finished. As I kneeled in the bloodslaked soil of
the battlefield, the sky itself seemed to open up an reach for
me, call for me. After a moment of hesitance all was clear..."
As this eternal struggle has come to end
The light of life now shines upon us once again
But can we truly be free of tyranny and grief?
I see a thousand points of light reaching for me
Now nature grows and blooms
and people live again
Yet this is not the end I feel it
This power given to me is more than I can bear
Unbidden flowing through my mind
Divine it is but it could ruin this world
I see a thousand points of light reaching for me
Now nature grows and blooms
and people live again
Yet this is not the end I fear it
I am the one to end this game
This world will never be the same
I have the power in my hands
The Time has come to save all life
I'll do what it takes no more lies
I'll choose the destiny of Dragonland
A thousand points of light
the madness now have to end
I've yet to destroy the ones, the Gods,
responsible for this
A thousand points of light
my final quest is at hand
To let people live their lives in peace
without Gods and without me
[Solo]
With great reluctance I reached into the light
I rise up to the skies enraged and full of might
They stand before me radiating azure-blue
I'll fight them till the end, yes, that's what I must do
And I shall rid this world
of Gods to rule our lives
So now the end is here I know it
With all my force I strike them down
They scream in anguish as they drown
In fire they now turn to sand
They beg for mercy I give none
My live is over my quest done
I've saved all living here in Dragonland
A thousand points of light
the madness now it has end
I've yet to become one with
all one with universe
A thousand points of light
Dragonland is at peace
A thousand points of light
is reaching for me
10. One With All
"Ascending through time and space
Oh great cosmos, hand me the key
Contemplating the fabric of your architecture
Oh great all, I see the key you hold
Unreachable for me... now
But I know, I know...
Your eternal ocean of infinite blazing lights
The stillness of your empty motions
Waves of eternity soothes unto my shell
Calming me as I see the reflection of my earthly leave
Entwining me with the continuous structure of time
Knowledge of ages compressed into my state of being
Rising into a higher stream of consciousness
Crowning me into the corestones of "heaven"
Facing me with old, embittered entities
Higher beings, driven insane in the mighty river of eternity
Pitiful creatures, I wash them away... falling down they are
No more tyranny,
No more games,
No more... No more
But despite this freeing of the kingdoms of Dragonland
Emptiness I feel, hollow inside I can't take on the throne alone
The sorrow of my dear still rages in my heart...
I'll end my existence, let me pass unto the other side
Where my bleeding heart will find peace in your loving embrace
Thou art my angel, my only one... together we are the KEY
And thus eternity's saga ends..."
11. Neverending Story
[Bonus Track]
[Limahl cover]
Turn around,
and look at what you see
In her face,
the mirror of your dreams
Make belive i'm everywhere,
living in your eyes
Written on pages
is the answer to our
Neverending story
Reach the stars,
fly a fantasy
Dream a dream,
and what you see will be
Rhymes that keep their secrets,
will unfold behind the clouds
And there upon the rainbow
is the answer to our
Neverending story,
Story
Have no fear,
for she may fade away
In your hands,
for each a new day
Rhymes that keep their secrets,
will unfold behind the clouds
And there upon the rainbow,
Is the answer to our
Neverending story,
Neverending story,
Neverending story