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Versione 1
Rating: So, yes, the dream is dead, but they try again. Without innocence, it's true, but it's a self-referencing that oozes nostalgia. Without keyboards and new wave, because, come on, we're not those posers from TSOL (if only).
The only problem with this 1987 is that it has to face that 1981 written impulsively, directly in its best form. Hypnotic, mesmerizing black hole that everyone has to contend with. And with which everyone loses.
"Brats In Battalions", the title is beautiful. The triumvirate Agnew-Soto-Cadena (with Sandy Hansen and Alfie, Rikk's brother, joining), cynical and mocking as ever, spews curses at a trot, giving us yet another beach punk anthem. A sort of carefree and irreverent de profundis: the hardcore scene, mortally wounded by crossover and "Reign In Blood", is at its swan song. But they don't care at all. In fact, they move convulsively between punk rock and power pop, diligently copying the latest Descendents (listen to "I Love You", or Steve Soto's sobs in "Skate Babylon") and churn out a useless, manneristic, and superfluous record. In a word, wonderful.
The quintet's formula this time records a certain hardening at the expense of speed which, however, has never had a deep alliance with the Adolescents. Although heavier and more martial (read: the excellent "Welcome To Reality"), they still sell their skin dearly: the two-speed slamdance in "The Liar" is a torrid pogo machine, "Losing Battle" is a splendid "No Way" with controlled detonation, and "Peasant Song" is the polyphonic epitome of the perfect kids from Fullerton (with oozin-ahs ante litteram). And that's fine, come on. Sure, the real Adolescents are no longer there. These are more technical, but also self-referential and cloying. They play it safe, yes, but in a horizontal line. They can't see the goal.
And the comparison becomes sometimes merciless when you listen to "I Got a Right". The Stooges, filtered through Cadena's repressed hormonal aspirations, give life to a visceral, broken, alive punk. Nosebleeds, vomit, exoskeletons of sunburnt suburbs. Finally, you can breathe. The original pieces? By comparison, stifling cloaks of rhetoric.
But then you listen to Rikk Agnew. You hear his guitar fly. Winking at "Amoeba", at the good old times. And then, little by little, you realize that "Marching with the Reich" is a heartfelt restyling. That, with a pinch of Christian Death, "Kids of the Black Hole" vol. 2 has been made: the epic and theatrical "Things Start Moving".
Emphatic and superfluous, but full of nostalgia. Go on, you are forgiven.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
03 The Liar (02:00)
Watch the skies light up Lybia tonight
Last whispers come bleeding from lips
They stole your freedom for military might
Prostituted like the whores of the apocolypse
[Chorus:]
Reagen plays the liar - power's his desire, theres nothing for the world we can do!
Reagen plays the lyre - the flames are burning higher, while the world burns down around you!
They say they're telling us the honest truth,
Then they stab us in the back and lie to our face.
They say they're building a new free world,
But it's just the empire of a new master race.
They say "It's not our policy to kill civilians,
But it's to make the world safe for democracy..."
The fact they're still lying while our children are dying
Only stands as proof of man's insanity.
[Chorus]
Do you wave the flag, can you support a man
Who'd rather arm the world than give it food.
As the new master twists the nuclear screw,
He laughs as Kiev burns on the six o'clock news.
[Chorus]
They say they're telling us the honest truth,
Then they stab us in the back and lie to our face.
They say they're building a new free world,
But it's just the empire of a new master race.
They say "It's not our policy to kill civilians,
But it's to make the world safe for democracy..."
The fact they're still lying while our children are dying
Only stands as proof of man's insanity.
Reagen plays the liar - power's his desire, theres nothing for the world we can do!
04 Things Start Moving (03:12)
Things start moving that never did before
The blue and purple dragones have me rolling on the floor
I look the other way and I see a cat-fight
But I don't mind cos I'll be flying for the rest of the night
[Chorus:]
Things start moving but tell me what happens
When everything around me starts laughing
Things start moving that never will again
But now I need to know where last night was spent
Things start moving and they never will again
The windowpanes open and close, my head's in a spin
Red and blue flashes from cars black and white
Point guns at the rocket for speeding 85
[Chorus]
Things start disappearing and to rearrange
Mickey Mouse with his wizards's wand and another change
Trolley car makes a turn and now we're lost
Foot by foot, another great trip, never want to stop
06 Losing Battle (01:36)
Can't handle this life anymore
Point in the mirror and I ask what for
Just a miserable monster or part
Dangling at ropes' end good start
Crumbling down - into a mess
I've got too many problems - that tell me I'm less
Than the good god - who watches above
Who'll damn you to hell - and then tell you to love
Now suicidal, caught in a trap
Can't get out don't want to fight back
Now the firing squad is set
To give me the bullet to help me forget
Thinking smart but I'm acting dumb
So come on tell me which side has won?
Just one message before my head explodes
You can't win the losing battle but I didn't know!
Now suicidal, caught in a trap
Can't get out don't want to fight back
Now the firing squad is set
To give me the bullet to help me forget
Crumbling down - into a mess
I've got too many problems - that tell me I'm less
Than the good god - who watches above
Who'll damn you to hell - and then tell you to love
10 Welcome to Reality (02:02)
[Verse 1]
blood so deep the horse must hold his head up high
in the valley of decision third of the world will die
beat your hoes and plows into axes and spears
as the armys meet in a battle they predict for years
[Chorus]
let the weak say im a warrior
bring down the warrior
let the faithless regain faith
your faith is hopeless
[Verse 2]
the prophets and the psychics and the military agree
continual world war crisis leads us straight to world war three
roll the red carpet let the angel of death ride in
to the valley of the valley of decision let the mayhem begin
[Chorus]
[Verse 3]
apocalyptic madness two thirds of the world in sadness
the other third is gone but sadness lingers on
troubled citys and an aftermath of hate no way to stop them cause now its too late
the antichrists mission done
the dead are the only lucky ones
your decision make a decision the decision in the valley its too late
welcome welcome to reality
welcome welcome to reality
make a decesion cause you've got no choice
12 I Got a Right (02:47)
Anytime I want I got a right to move -
No matter what they say!
Anytime I want I got a right to move -
No matter what they say!
Honey, I got a right, a right to move
Anytime I want - Yeah any old time!
Honey, I got a right, a right to move
Anytime I want.
Anytime I want I got a right to sing -
No matter what they say!
Anytime I want I got a right to sing -
No matter what they say!
I got a right, a right to sing
Anyway I want - Yeah any old way!
Honey, I got a right, a right to sing
Anyway I want.
Anytime I want I got a right to sing -
No matter what they say!
Anytime I want I got a right to sing -
No matter what they say!
Honey, I got a right, a right to sing
Anyway I want - Yeah any old way!
Honey, I got a right, a right to sing
Anyway I want.
I say "Hey, alright!" [x3]
I got a right! [x5]
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