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Rating:
Repeating a masterpiece is one of the major dilemmas for all rock musicians. There are those who choose the path of change, getting their audience used to stylistic imbalance right from the start. There are those who ride the wave of success, patiently adding new pieces to their proposal. “The Last In Line” certainly follows the second school of thought, theatrically coming into being as an encore.
The first among the new elements is keyboardist Claude Schnell, whose inclusion can be heard in the most classic “Ronnie Dio thought”: keyboardist strings and jingles used sparingly, just to add catchiness to bridges and choruses. The times (fortunately) are not yet ripe for the melodic turn that will follow with the next “Sacred Heart” (1985). The guitars deliver solos in classy progression: Viv Campbell’s compositional vein has not yet dried up, although in terms of ideas, “Holy Diver” remains unmatched in quality and quantity. This is why (the detractors) attribute the success of that album to the fact that much material was clandestinely pilfered from “Sweet Savage,” the band from which the Irish guitarist was picked. Whether it was just a few riffs or true incomplete pieces, we will never know; it is likely that some inspiration indeed flowed into Ronnie Dio’s first solo work.
“The Last In Line,” however, is proof that the band did not release a masterpiece through opportunism. Thus, still aggressive tracks, tight and pressing tempos, supported by the claws of Campbell’s Les Paul. Even before the hits, I allow myself to dwell on the less known pieces. The hard‘n’heavy riffs of “Breathless,” which travel on the aggressive sound of the verses, are indeed given breath by the mid-tempo of the bridges. “Eat Your Heart Out,” impetuous and evil, except for the solos, could easily be included in “Angry Machines” (1996). In “Mystery,” you can already hear the keyboardish sound to come, but it doesn’t displease, as it is included as an episode in the right context. The more famous songs (“We Rock,” “The Chains Are On,” and the title track) are the soundtracks of my youth, so I am unable to evaluate them with serenity.
Nevertheless, absolutely high-class rock. I cannot omit even that ride named “Evil Eyes,” a great song with adrenaline-fueled guitar parts. Having said that, I recall the unchallenged recording of the singing qualities of the little big Ronald Padavona. Considering the fashion of the time (the whole piece an octave above from start to finish), he never fully resorts to that falsetto that many fake virtuosos artfully mask today, often just to mystify their poor vocal qualities.
“The Last In Line,” in its genre, is another indispensable staple. The only downside, if you will, is that it is at times similar to its predecessor.
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
01 We Rock (04:35)
You watch their faces
You'll see the traces
Of the things they want to be
But only we can see
They come for killing
They leave and still it seems
The cloud that's left behind
Oh, can penetrate your mind
But sail on, sing a song, carry on
Cause We Rock, We Rock, We Rock, We Rock
We pray to someone
But when it's said and done
It's really all the same
With just a different name
So many voices
All giving choices
If we listen they will say
Oh, we can find the way
But we'll sail on, sing a song, carry on
Cause We Rock, We Rock, We Rock, We Rock
We Rock, We Rock, We Rock, We Rock
We Rock!
We Rock
You watch their faces
You'll see the traces
Of the things they want to be
But only we can see
They come for killing
They leave and still it seems
The cloud that's left behind
Can penetrate your mind
Sail on, sing a song, carry on
Cause We Rock, We Rock, We Rock, We Rock
We Rock, We Rock, We Rock, We Rock
Ride out - stand and shout - carry on
Sail on - Sing your song - carry on
Cause We Rock, We Rock, see how We Rock
We Rock
That's rock
We Rock
We Rock
02 The Last in Line (05:47)
We're a ship without a storm
The cold without the warm
Light inside the darkness that it needs, yeah
We're a laugh without a tear
The hope without the fear
We are coming - home
We're off to the witch
We may never never never come home
But the magic that we'll feel
Is worth a lifetime
We're all born upon the cross
The throw before the toss
You can release yourself
But the only way is down
We don't come alone
We are fire we are stone
We're the hand that writes
Then quickly moves away
We'll know for the first time
If we're evil or divine
We're the last in line
We're the last in line
Two eyes from the east
It's the angel or the beast
And the answer lies between
The good and bad
We search for the truth
We could die upon the tooth
But the thrill of just the chase
Is worth the pain
We're off to the witch
We may never never never come home
But the magic that we'll feel
Is worth a lifetime
We're all born upon the cross
The throw before the toss
You can release yourself
But the only way you go is down
03 Breathless (04:09)
You said a single word
But no one really heard
Sometimes we scream alone
It's always worse at night
When darkness kills the light
We're in the danger zone
You wait with pounding heart
You know it's just the start
Cause you're Breathless, ready to burn
Breathless, willing to learn
Breathless, the circle still turns
You're Breathless
Living inside your mind
Who knows the things you'll find
There could be hell or rainbows
But it's a funny thing
The more you feel the sting
You're just a leaf that the wind blows
You've been this way before
One step and you're through the door
And you're Breathless, ready to burn
Breathless, the circle still turns
Breathless, willing to learn
You're Breathless
07 Mystery (03:58)
Can you hear me
Can you see
There's a storm on the edge of the sky
Does it matter
It does to me, I can tell you why
When there's thunder, there should be rain
But it don't always follow the rule
And is the wise man always right? No he can play the fool
It's always a Mystery, not what it seems to be
It's always a Mystery, just like you and me
We are lightning
We are flame
And we burn at the touch of a spark
If there's fire, but no one sees
There's only the dark
Just imagine, will you try
I can see that you've opened your mind
Silver linings can disappear, but they always shine
It's always a Mystery, not what it seems to be
It's always a Mystery, just like you and me
09 Egypt (The Chains Are On) (06:57)
In the land of the lost horizon
Where the queen lies dark and cold
When the stars won't shine, then the story's told
When the world was milk and honey
And the magic was strong and true
Then the strange ones came and the people knew
That the chains are on
In the land of no tomorrow
Where you pray just to end each day
And your life just slowly melts away
Each day you hear the sand as it moves and whispers
Come and sail on my golden sea
Maybe one day you'll be just like me... and that's free
But still your chains are on
You've seen them walking on the water
You've seen flying through the sky
They were frightening in the darkness
They had rainbows in their eyes
Whe the world was milk and honey
And the magic was strong and true
The the strange ones came and the people knew
That the chains are on
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