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Rating: Since time immemorial, "innovation" is synonymous with "risk": those who take the trouble and the burden of making changes to their style and/or sound either emerge victorious or come out with a bad taste. The Death Angel were surely aware of this when, with their second work, "Frolic Through The Park" (1988), they took their first steps along the perilous path of musical evolution.
Already the intro of "3rd Floor," the opening track of the album, shows the listener how the Filipino-origin band wants to distance themselves from that concentrate of sonic violence and aggression called "The Ultra-Violence": a gentle chirping and some subdued voices are slowly overshadowed by the first guitar riff, and the show begins. Despite only a year having passed, Death Angel wants to demonstrate they are no longer just five rabid kids who want to smash everything, sacrificing the primal energy of their debut in the name of more elaborate structures (listen to the finale of "Confused"), which we will find in their subsequent albums.
Although it's the whole group that showcases that technical mastery that made them famous, a special mention must be made for the singer Mark Osegueda, who proves to be an excellent "thrash singer." Mind you, "singer," not "screamer": indeed, the beastly screams of the debut are almost entirely set aside (appearing sporadically, as in the Kiss cover "Cold Gin") to make room for a clean singing style always kept under control with expertise. Excellent also is the performance behind the drums by Andy Galeon, who manages to adapt admirably to each song.
"Frolic Through The Park" is a transitional album, commendable for the desire for renewal present in it, which sometimes leads to less convincing episodes (listen to "Bored," a track as fun as it is insubstantial). In conclusion, as a first approach to Death Angel, I strongly recommend the previous work, because with this one, you really risk wrinkling your nose.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Road Mutants (03:43)
[D. Pepa, R. Cavestany]
They didn't used to be this way
In the beginning
Not to put up a front
It's just the way they are
Enter the human race
But no one's winning
You do what you can
This is what they believe
[Chorus]
Road mutants crushing all
They rise while others fall
Laughing in your faces
They smell like death
So hold your breath
Their skin starts to peel
Sucking moisture off the surface
Causing wounds that wait heal
In the night there is no light
The time is right to have fun
Perspiration is no question
When you're caught by the sun
You feel their presence miles away
You feel them coming
Not too quick to arrive
That's their style
But when they finally hit the stage
There's nothing left to say
The real world goes away
Escape for awhile
[Chorus]
They smell like death
So hold your breath
It's time to get down
You can spot them from a distance
Cause they're not from your town
The road mutants love to
Have a good time
When we're gone
You can't erase the scar on your mind
[Chorus]
04 Bored (03:29)
[R. Cavestany]
Guilty of no crime
Not enough yet too much time
I'm burning in this hell
Plans to buy and dreams to sell
Sitting by myself
Living life and loving life
But something bothers me
What to do - I can't believe
I'm bored
Life it's not so fair
Nothing here and nothing there
I'm waiting constantly
It's not the way life's meant to be
Boredom starts to set
I try so hard but it's all I get
Keep waiting all the time
I think I've reached
The end of the line
I'm bored
09 Shores of Sin (06:28)
The crack of dawn fills the empty sky
We turn our heads towards the east
Between the hills
Walk the paths of love
Towards the caverns of the beast
A distant cry breaks the solitude
Of weary men who journey on
To see the sight horrifies us all
The magic wind blows and it's gone
Searching for answers
Another clue on the list
Searching for answers
To questions that cease to exist
Decipher the runes of earth
We travel forth to the lake of death
The guardian says that we must pay
The price is high for he demands a life
So it's he we must slay
Beyond the gates
Forests of the darkness
Without the key you'll not get in
We weave the spell
Of time and dimension
Which plants us on
The shores of sin
Searching for answers
Another clue on the list
Searching for answers
To questions that cease to exist
Searching for answers
Another clue on the list
Searching for answers
To questions that cease to exist
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