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С довольно-таки спорным альбомом немецкие металлисты Stormwitch вступили в 90-е годы. Из группы ушли гитаристы Штефан Кауфманн (не путать с барабанщиком Accept!) Харальд Шпенглер, а из старого состава остались заведующие ритм-секцией Мартин Альбрехт и Петер Лангер, ну и, конечно же, бессменный вокалист группы Энди Мюк. Релиз сведен и записан безупречно, саунд жесткий и в меру суховатый. Новые гитаристы играют отлично и едва ли уступают старому дуэту Тарот-Мерханц. Тоже самое можно сказать об ударнике, демонстрирующем очень техничное владение установкой и особенно бочками. Алдриан тоже стал превосходно, уж намного лучше, чем на предыдущем "Eye Of The Storm"! Хоровые распевки, как и акустика, также стали гораздо качественнее. В-общем, с технической стороны к альбому нет абсолютно никаких претензий, все инструменты отлично прописаны.
А вот сам материал до сих пор вызывает множество споров у всех, кто слышал старый Stormwitch. Нет, он ни в коем случае неплох, тут есть, например, классные боевики с налетом мелодичного хэллоуинского пауэра "Listen To The Stories", "Wooden Drum", неплохие хэви-композиции типа "A Promise Of Old", мелодичные размеренные "Magic Mirror", "Dragon's Day" и акустическая баллада "Fate's On Rise". Остальное же вполне обычного, нормального уровня, но ничем особенно не блещет, иногда, правда, немного уходя в сторону в сторону от Штормвитчевского звучания. Чего стоит, например, одна "War Of Wizards" с речитативом в куплете! Если бы не атмосферное начало и великолепный хитовый припев, песню можно было бы забраковать. Таких слишком рискованных экспериментов лучше не надо, а то черт знает что может получиться.
Что же сказать, альбом получился неплохим, и, самое главное, не ушел в самоплагиат а вышел довольно оригинальным, без влияний модного тогда гранджа. И все же объективно альбом проигрывает классике Stormwitch. Технически отшлифованный материал несколько уступает числом хитов и мелодичностью релизам 80-х. Хотя любому фэну и просто любителю немецкого хэви и пауэра рекомендуется ознакомиться с "War Of Wizards". По-крайней мере, твердую семерку я могу поставить этому альбому без всяких скидок. |
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Listen to the stories 'bout a little man
Who tried his luck
If only he'd known what's to come
Listen to the stories of a treasure
With a light that's dark
It will keep you wondering
It will keep you wondering
It will keep you on the line
You must understand
Things ain't the way they seem
Everything it has
It's good side and it's bad
Just like a scorpion
The evil hides it's sting
If only the little man
Had just known what he had
Now sit back and listen to the tales of Flix
Of greatest deeds and wars and magic tricks
Listen to the stories.
2. Theja
See the Hobbits, all holed up inside
A cave in the darkness but yet a wonderful view
And they never had a feeling of evil so shrewed
His Black Darkness upon his black steed
He's searching and seeking for those who try to hide
They can feel it, they don't understand
Black knight, flee from our side
Dark rider of night, you're not alive
Ride on back to nameless land
Theja - he's in a trance
Theja - the ring you have got
Theja - does not belong to you
He knows it too!
Now the Hobbits, they are holding breath
So their dark enemy stood in the air that they breath
But the sun still shines, there was light
And he could not see
He's paralyzed pulling inside
It was the ring he must try
Theja.
The ring was smithed from X?nteur, the darkest evil
of all free lands. Long did he believe that the ring was
lost in all eternity. But soon he found out, that
somehow it would survive the ages. So he sent out his
most horrible slaves to seek the ring - the Ringspirits
Distant crying was a warning
Another far sound and the darkness rode quickly away
With the one ring sparkling in his hand
Oh, lucky day!
Theja - the ring with eternal might
Theja - from the night
Theja - evil through and through
It will get you
3. Magic Mirror
Desire, born in the fire
I want to look into my future
No name, it's all the same
I know it's a horrible creature
That day, we seek the way
I hope that I will soon know more
Come now, he'll show you how
I will ask the magic mirror
The picture's flying by, rising higher and higher
Oh, tell me my Queen what I see now
Tell what I shall deem - talks in riddles
So say what you mean, he belongs to you
Hold on, my heart is gone
The magic has captured my soul
Free me, I can not see
He will find me in my hole
Her Majesty, she smiled, the magic's gone and left you
Oh, tell me my Queen.
4. Wooden Drum
The day turned night
Inside the mountain a dreary dwarf town
No sound at all
Companion's path leads steep way down
They found the place, the hall of past
At last their hope, their hope went west
They saw a corpse torn in shreds
All around shattered heads
A rotten hand
Was clung to words from a burnt diary
Go take the book
We're gonna hear 'bout this dark mistery
They're at the gate, Orks in the town
A fiery whip lash shakes the ground
The gost of living fire
I hear the beating of a wooden drum
Telling stories 'bout the Lost and Gone
I hear the beating of a wooden drum
Can you hear it too?
All eyes on him
A silent sting hit their hearts with fear
The sound is near
We're cought there's no way to get out of here
The wizard raised, his wand in praise
Flee out of here, escape the chase
This is my day, my fight!
I hear the beating.
5. War Of The Wizards
On the pinnacle stood the wizard
Looking down upon the open land
He saw darkness from the east
From the rival hand
Creeping slow across the meadow
Blackens the day, darkens the mind
With the wiseness in his vision
Pain of every kind
With the for came clouds of warriors
Ready to destroy the town
With their darkness they spread out fear
Fear that holds one down
So the foe starts the attack
Breaks their souls, it makes is hard
To stop the flow of evil foes
But what should I do?
With swords in the air they're facing the death
Death foes dressed up in red
They are breaking hard stone
Soon they will tear down the walls
To the town all men!
The inner lines! Fight for your lifes!
Let's turn the corners
They're too much over us by far
They're shooting arrows of tar
See them burning, here and there
Some may help us, the end is near
Horn in the distance!
Hail to our friends in arms!
Riders to the front
They're singing all the while they ride
They're singing all the while in bloody fight
They're singing knowing what they see
They're singing and dying but forever free
The fight it pendeled here and there
But who really wins a war
Soon they slowly gained back ground
Pushed the enemy to the sound
Now the battle's won
But the deeds we'll count with shame
Night under the sun
They're singing.
The day is left many with it
It was a day of bloody fight
When will it all be over
War will never end
6. Dragon's Day
In his home, a dark cavern
Lay Smash the Dregon, he is so sad
His whole life, no adventure
Lazily lolling in gold of bad
Then he hears, little creature
Creeping slowly towards his hide
Oh, don't worry, Smash the Dragon
Swallow the beast when he's in sight
Flix he loves deceit
With only the black stone in eye
Worth more than the eyes can meet
The ring he'll now apply
Smash he know, someone's near
Smash he is spying but he can't see
Where are you? What is your will?
When my breath lights you belong to me
Flix he loves deceit
The stone has flashed in his eye
Like a breath we can not see
Like the ring he did apply
Hear, I'll show you this
The ring and his might surely will use you
Hear, I'll show you this
The ring and his might slowly destroys you
Flix calls: Hey! Over here!
The echo it fools Smash's ear
The dragon he thinks he is near
Flix got the stone
Running fast away
I've got the stone! He did chant
Smash sent his fiery flame
Burned the thief's seat of his pants
7. Time
Throw the ring inside, Theja it's just right
Throw the ring and be free
It's just a headache, what's got in you late
Throw the ring and be free
Just can't, it belongs to me
No I won't, no matter what you see
The final deed is in your hand
Time to get free now
Time to be free now
My friend do what's right, you must now win
The fight, it depends on you
Think about Xanteur, make no surrender
At the edge of the dark
Don't cry, undrestand
Without ring I can not stand
Without ring my life is at an end
Time.
There - who's creeping upon on me?
Who - swipes the ring? I can't see
On the crater walls they fought
The brave one tried to make this stop
The foe fell in the fire slot
Time.
8. Fate's On The Rise
Aaron the Prince, the chosen one
And Arleen she's the last Elb in the sun
They strolled about there in Radon
In the ancient park of Tanalon
And Aaron spoke: My love is deep
But now my time has come, my love don't weep
Just as the nature in fall must fade
Now I feel my life will blow away
My love hold on for the deed must be done
You know that some time this day it must come
Through the times, through the joy and the cries
We lived in love but my fate's on the rise
Unmortal life, though beautiful
Unmortal your pain it won't leave your soul
A choice was yours, a choice for me
My heart cries for you, though I must leave
Arleen the light of Senthart
Sadness fades her heart
Though wise from many a life
This pain she can not describe
For all this fight you were forseen
Fight with your dignity, don't go from me
I'm begging you, please don't go alone
Words from Arleen he then spoke his own
All mortal life, soon lose the fight
9. A Promise Of Old
Oh! There you are dear, I've been looking today
Now come a bit near, I have something to say
I know how you're feeling you'd like to think in peace
But hear my speaking, take good news from me
Come give me this thing, I need it, I said
I would like to use the ring to defend the flat
Why do you want it? How can it help by destroying?
What do you think you're doing?
No good, so hand me the ring!
No, Denetyde, you know my mind
A promise of old, a promise of mine!
It's not what you say, your will can't be true
I'll just take, I'm stronger than you
Come listen to reason, more than you can bear
You don't want to listen, I 'll stop playing fair
No Denetyde.
As I swore this ring I would protect
With an aim the mountain I will treck
Then at last the fire I will find
My own past in this course of mine
Now I must go, I can't wait anymore
All alone in search for freedom's door
Must be done, at best will be done now
I must go as silent as I know right now
I know it better, alone I will be
Shall the ring be a gift for another? Will I be free?
10. The Way To Go
With the wise men in a secret round sits our hero, too
No matter how they tried to pass some advice
Not one dared to say: You!
You're the one, you must do it hold on to you liked and did
All the pharocees were suddenly still
Stared helpless in their eyes
Though they knew this was the only path
That the ring would go by
The path into the fire, to the mountain
That's what you think, then I'll just leave
But I don't know here to go
That's what you think, then I'll just leave
But I'm scared and I don't know here to go
The prudents took deep breath of relief
The Ringkeeper was found
Hear! Hear! Let us look for some friends
Who'll come and stand this ground
No ties at all that could hold you
Here we also must be true
In the end they were nine men
There shouldn't be many then
11. Wanderer
In the tavern of Beloui
Sat Theja with his friend of past
With brad and wine and hearts that feel at ease
Now the inn was warm with joy
Tables full of greatest lads
Telling old tales, singing songs of glees
In the shadow of the fire place
Sat Aaron the forestwanderer
No one inside noticed his face, he's a panderer
Wanderer, son of the kingdom
Wanderer unknown
Wanderer, a friend of those all in need
Wanderer, alone
They are feeling good at heart
At the table began to sing
A funny song about their old homeland
The song was called "Broken Cart"
Without a thought he took the ring
Then quickly disappeared, ring on hand
Aaron he left, he was surprised
He knew for sure now that the path was long
He knew that Hobbits were not that wise
He must now be strong
Wanderer.
All confused Theja listened to Aaron was the one
I'm your leader from this day
Tell me what you've done, what you've done
Aaron guarded, the night was long
The companions sleeping good and tight
Aaron he knows, he wouldn't be wrong
All things must be right