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Rating: Let's be honest: when a metal fan hears their genre blend with classical music, they can't help but go into ecstasy (or, at least, that's what happens to most metalheads).
Apocalyptica, since their debut, have nailed it with the "cello-metal" formula, starting as cover artists of Metallica and then gradually distancing themselves from being just a cover band to achieve artistic and experimental maturity. That is, the phase where the band offers a mix of classical music performed rigorously on cellos but with gothic, sometimes sorrowful and funereal tones. But this has never been a bad thing, even when they were assisted in their performances by illustrious figures like Dave Lombardo (just to name one) in what I consider their best work, namely "Reflections". From then on, Apocalyptica seem to have lost their way, trying to vary and experiment more and more, attempting to write songs not only instrumental but also songs where the singer's voice blends with their cellos and classical music.
Which, let's be honest, some may have liked, while others not. But these are matters of personal taste just like, much more simply, a review of a band that, having reached their sixth studio album, seems to have practically lost their bearings along the way.
The album alternates, as has become customary, instrumental songs with sung songs which, to tell the truth, are really the worst that Apocalyptica could have written. The best pieces are always the instrumentals or, at least, the solos in the sung songs where the flavor of classical music, the keyboards, the cello strings can be savored.
But songs like "Helden" (sung by Till Lindemann, the singer of Rammstein) should be thrown in the trash, and the other compositions, particularly where the voice takes center stage, like "I'm Not Jesus" (sung by Corey Taylor, perhaps the best of the batch) or "I Don't Care", are really gaudy and ugly. There is also room for our Cristina Scabbia in "S.O.S. - Anything But Love", which does nothing but further sink the album. A prayer.
Only the instrumental pieces remain then. But even these, this time, are deadly dull. They no longer captivate the listener; I can no longer feel those transcendental emotions that captured me, that were alive and kicking in the previous works. And this is even though the compositions feature and will always feature the usual names deserving of an A+, trying to make a difference, like Dave Lombardo or Moikko Siern (the latter, now a permanent member, on drums) and the Japanese Tomoyasu Hotei on guitar.
Mere decoys. Decoys that, this time, got fooled but will learn next time not to go blindly on Apocalyptica, a band I see reaching the end of their rope with this "Worlds Collide".
Avoid like the plague.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
03 I'm Not Jesus (03:35)
Dirty little secret
Dirty little lies
Say your prayers and comb your hair
Save your soul tonight
Drift among the faithful
Bury your desires
Aberrations fill your head
You need a place to hide
And I am
Do you remember me?
And the kid I used to be?
Do you remember me?
When your world comes crashing down
I want to be there
(Your God is looking down on me)
I'm not Jesus
Jesus wasn't fair
You confess it all away
But it's only shit to me
(Your God is looking down on me)
I'm not Jesus
I will not forgive
No I won't
No I won't
I thought you were a good man
I thought you talked to God
You hippocratic, messianic
Child abusing-turned-satanic
Do you remember me?
Do you remember me?
And the kid I used to be?
Do you remember?
Do you remember?
When your own world comes undone
Let me be the one to say
(Your God is looking down on me)
I'm not Jesus
You can't run away
And the innocent you spoiled
Found your way to live
(Your God is looking down on me)
I'm not Jesus
I will not forgive
I will not forgive
I won't do whatever you want to
I will not forgive
I won't do whatever you want to
Do you remember me?
And the kid I used to be?
Not the same as I used to be
Oh, do you remember me?
No
When your world comes crashing down
I want to be there
(Your God is looking down on me)
I'm not Jesus
Jesus wasn't fair
You confess it all away
But it's only shit to me
(Your God is looking down on me)
I'm not Jesus
I will not
I'm not Jesus
I will not forgive, yeah
Oh, I will not forgive, yeah yeah
No, I will not forgive
05 Helden (04:23)
Du, könntest Du schwimmen
Wie Delphine, Delphine es tun
Niemand gibt uns eine Chance
Doch können wir siegen,
Für immer und immer
Und wir sind dann Helden
Für einen Tag
Ja...
Ich, ich bin dann König
Und Du, Du Königin
Obwohl sie so unschlagbar scheinen
Werden wir Helden
Für einen Tag
Dann sind wir Helden
Für einen Tag
Ich, ich glaub das zu träumen
Die Mauer im Rücken war kalt
Die Schüsse reißen die Luft
Doch wir küssen, als ob nichts geschieht
Und die Scham fiel auf ihre Seite
Oh wir können sie schlagen für alle Zeiten
Dann sind wir Helden an diesem Tag
Dann sind wir Helden
Dann sind wir Helden
Dann sind wir Helden
Nur diesen Tag
Dann sind wir Helden
Nur diesen Tag
10 S.O.S. (Anything but Love) (04:22)
Bound to your side and trapped in silence
Just a possession
Is this sex or only violence
That feeds your obsession
You send me to a broken state
Where I can take the pain just long enough
Then I am numb
Then I just disappear
So go on infect me
Go on and scare me to death
Tell me I asked for it
Tell me I'll never forget
You could give me anything but love
Anything but love
Does it feel good tonight
Hurt me with nothing
Some sort of sick satisfaction
You get from mind fucking
Oh stripped down to my naked core
The darkest corners of my mind are yours
That's where you live, that's where you breathe
So go on infect me
Go on and scare me to death
Dare me to leave you
Tell me I'd never forget
You could give me anything but love
Anything but love
Without any faith
Without any light
Condemn me to live
Condemn me to lie
Inside I am dead
So go on infect me
Go on and scare me to death
I'll be the victim
You'll be the voice in my head
You could give me anything but love
Anything but love
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