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Rating: I find myself reviewing one of the most loved and at the same time most hated bands in the modern rock and metal scene. There’s nothing to do: the four Californian guys have grown up, they had to overcome the painful and heartbreaking loss of their friend and then drummer, The Rev; they embarked on a path of artistic maturation that led them to modify their sound and yet to evolve... but they are still not taken seriously. Many forget that we are dealing with a band that has been active for more than ten years, yet no member is over 29 years old..
And yet there are many who criticize them beyond their music, stopping at the persona and not the artist, the appearance and not the substance of a group that doesn’t improvise music... The business around this band is undeniable and causes many rockers or metalheads to wrinkle their noses as they can hardly tolerate their predisposition to success and spotlight... And it couldn’t be otherwise given the recent sales figures that amaze.
I then try to put myself in the shoes of a fierce detractor and do not deny that there can be different reasons for criticism: excessively melodic choruses, Mr. Shadows' nasal voice that may not be pleasing... often syrupy choirs and falsettos... But I urge you to look further. Meanwhile, we should be happy to see some healthy rock in American charts dominated by pop and hip hop..
Because the single "Nightmare", as effective and impactful as it is, is not that digestible, indeed I’d say that it’s a good punch to the stomach supported by a production that saying excellent is an understatement... I was struck by the maturation of this Band... Everything is perfectly connected; in the past, some tracks were a jumble of poorly connected ideas that often puzzled the listener... Surely I won’t have convinced most, but I ask you to listen to this CD as if you were a blank page, without preconceptions..
And let’s give them a chance, in my opinion, they truly deserve it!!!!!!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Nightmare (06:14)
Nightmare!
(Now your nightmare comes to life)
Dragged ya down below
Down to the devil's show
To be his guest forever
(Peace of mind is less than never)
Hate to twist your mind
But God ain't on your side
And old acquaintance severed
(Burn the world your last endeavor)
Flesh is burning
You can smell it in the air
Cause men like you have
Such an easy soul to steal (steal)
So stand in line while
They ink numbers in your head
You're now a slave
Until the end of time here
Nothing stops the madness,
Turning, haunting, yearning
Pull the trigger
You should have known
The price of evil
And it hurts to know
That you belong here, yeah
Ooh, it's your fuckin' nightmare
(While your nightmare comes to life)
Can't wake up in sweat
'Cause it ain't over yet
Still dancing with your demons
(Victim of your own creation)
Beyond the will to fight
Where all that's wrong is right
Where hate don't need a reason
(Loathing self-assassination)
You've been lied to
Just to rape you of your sight
And now they have the nerve
To tell you how to feel (feel)
So sedated as they
Medicate your brain
And while you slowly
Go insane they tell ya
"Given with the best intentions
Help you with your complications"
You should have known
The price of evil
And it hurts to know
That you belong here, yeah
No one to call
Everybody to fear
Your tragic fate is looking so clear, yeah
Ooh, it's your fuckin' nightmare
[M. Shadows laughing]
Fight (fight)
Not to fail (fail)
Not to fall (fall)
Or you'll end up like the others
Die (die)
Die again (die)
Drenched in sin (sin)
With no respect for another
Oh
Down (down)
Feel the fire (fire)
Feel the hate (hate)
Your pain is what we desire
Lost (lost)
Hit the wall (wall)
Watch you crawl (crawl)
Such a replaceable liar
And I know you hear their voices
Calling from above
And I know they may seem real
These signals of love
But our life's made up of choices
Some without appeal
They took for granted your soul
And it's ours now to steal
(As your nightmare comes to life)
You should have known
The price of evil
And it hurts to know
That you belong here, yeah
No one to call
Everybody to fear
Your tragic fate is looking so clear, yeah
Ooh, it's your fuckin' nightmare
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Other reviews
By Son Art
Not everything appeals to me. The singer’s voice is too nasal, the riffs feel like déjà vu... but... certain grooves do grab me.
This album has a reason for being. Compared to the past, they have developed a fair taste for melodic compositions.
