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Rating: After the fair success of "Siege Perilous," the first album with new singer Roy Khan, the new album "The Fourth Legacy" was released in 1999; Kamelot have always distinguished themselves from other bands, especially with the voice of the very talented and gifted Roy Khan, who interprets each song in the best way, echoing the melody in the listener's mind.
To start the show, we have "New Allegiance", an entirely musical and decidedly convincing opener, which soon leaves space for the title track, "The Fourth Legacy", which decisively opens the real album triggering strong and fleeting sensations in the listener's mind; worth noting is one of the most beautiful choruses ever sung by Khan. The second track, "Silent Goddess", although powerful enough, doesn't leave - in my opinion - much to the listener beyond the chorus (at least, that's what happened to me!). But beware, because in no time, our power metallers transport us to the most boundless deserts at the unstoppable rhythm of "Desert Reign", the second musical interlude of the CD, which leads, after oriental melodies and rhythms, to what many have indicated as the best track of the CD: it's "Nights Of Arabia" which, masterfully interpreted by the prodigious singer, leaves (unlike the previous song) an indelible memory throughout the CD.
The next track, "The Shadow Of Uther", passes more slowly; it's listenable but not the masterpiece of masterpieces (it goes quite unnoticed), yet remains a good power ride: but the rhythm slows down for a moment in the following "A Sailorman's Hymn", a very slow, sweet, and beautiful ballad in full Kamelot style (just think of "Wander in Epica" or "Abandoned in Black Halo"), which tells of a woman who hopes for the arrival of her sailor ("so she lights up a candle for hope to be found, captive and blind by the darkness around, each wave a promise, new hope reborn, sunrise consoles at the break of dawn"). After this little gem settles in your mind (it gave me strange depressive effects, but I believe that is the desired effect), we come to another discussed song, not liked by everyone: "Alexandria", a song with little power and very Arabian, along the same wave as "Nights Of Arabia"; this song is immediately followed by the powerful "The Inquisitor", which has little in common with the previous song (the decision to place two such different songs even in terms of content wasn't appreciated by everyone!); the song stands out for the story of a Christian inquisitor who somehow tries to convince the listener to follow and trust him. Quite subdued compared to the previous ballad, "Glory" is one of those unassuming songs that flows smoothly but does not mark an important passage in the CD (as will happen in "Epica" and then in "Black Halo").
But here are the two masterpieces of the album: "Until Kingdom Come" and "Lunar Sanctum", two little gems that brilliantly close a CD that is overall very good. The first is a speed power ride like only Kamelot can do, with the best chorus of the album; the second is a completely new addition to the album and their production: after a classical guitar introduction and a truly exciting drum intervention, the song opens to a verse made of few words per line ("little do i know /little do i care /little would it help /if i knew and was aware") before leading into a truly catchy chorus, closing an album that, although it may not be Kamelot’s best, stands out convincingly!
MUST LISTEN!!!
p. s = excellent cover!
Tracklist and Lyrics
02 The Fourth Legacy (04:55)
settle for the journey
sail across the seven seas
carried by the spirit of the brave
join the New Allegiance now
and pledge your sacred heart
a history that no one can forsake
flying like an eagle from oblivion
guided by the rising morning star
you will find the New Allegiance
like a beacon in the night
if you're searching for salvation
reach inside
there's a new world approaching
a fire to be seen
in following The Fourth Legacy
once you find the passage
to another promised land
don't forget the ones you left behind
flying like an eagle from oblivion
rising in the mirror of the sky
you will find the New Allegiance
like a beacon in the night
if you're searching for salvation
reach inside
there's a new world approaching
a fire to be seen
in following The Fourth Legacy
there's glory in the distance
for the one's that pay the price
ignorance creates a subtle mind
keep the fighting spirit
never close your eyes
don't forget the ones you left behind
flying like an eagle from oblivion
rising in the mirror of the sky
you will find the New Allegiance
like a beacon in the night
if you're searching for salvation
reach inside
there's a new world approaching
a fire to be seen
in following The Fourth Legacy
03 Silent Goddess (04:15)
I rest my eyes
on the open field
a silver line
to heavens gate
my mind is blank
it's a state I know
a secret place
where all I see is hate
I raise my head
to retain my wrath
the savage force
that lives inside of me
foe to foe
one will die and one will be
and I pray she holds my soul
can you hear me calling?
silent goddess won't you
conduct my fear away
silent goddess won't you
be closer when I hate
the battle cries
and the sound of steel
another quest
for holy land
some true belief in each open wound
in Luna's light the lonely victor stands
and I pray she holds my soul
can you hear me calling?
silent goddess won't you
conduct my fear away
silent goddess won't you
be closer when I hate
silent goddess will you
forever be the same
silent goddess can you
feel this heart pulsate
you know that I die for belief
I swear by the sword in my hand
the sum of the pain and the grief
is nothing compared to
the wealth I obtain and the spirit of god can expand
05 Nights of Arabia (05:26)
came across the waters
a kingdom in the sands
unfaithful to the sultan
a killing was at hand
challenged to survival
a legacy of fear
eternal mystic legends
one for every tear
nights of Arabia
the queen has lost her right to life
nights of Arabia
her destiny in story lines
nights of Arabia
a thousand tales and one for life
these are nights of Arabia
whispers in the moonlight
a gathering of vales
circled round the fire
to hear this evenings tale
standing on the threshold
the crest of darkened nights
seduction of the hunter
the slave regains her might
"lost inside a shadow
erase the sins I've made
heavenly reward me
with mercy on my fate"
nights of Arabia
the queen has lost her right to life
nights of Arabia
her destiny in story lines
nights of Arabia
a thousand tales and one for life
these are nights of Arabia
Sheherazade will never die
the sultan relents his feeble hear
this love for the queen is greater than he'll ever know
"it's easy to let you feed my nights
someone to touch, someone to hold,
someone to feel, someone to love"
"here I am to die alone
voices from heaven above
hear my call awaken my soul
forgive me for what I have done"
challenged to survival
a legacy of fear
eternal mystic legends
one for every tear
06 The Shadow of Uther (04:45)
due to the legend a new king will come
rise in the morning horizon
brave and believing
for wars to be won
born with the heart of a lion
he will fight for a country unite
till the last drop of blood confines the oath
till all will respect him wherever he roams
deep in the wood
she can hear she's alive
lost in the dark of a dragons lament
searching the highlands
in trying to find
trace of Morgana
the Princess of Hate
he will be holding
the sword in the stone
knights of the kingdom will join him
bring back the honor
of Pendragons name
from where the cauldron is boiling
but the shadow of Uther restrains
all the efforts to reunite the realm
a witch of his own blood from heaven expelled
deep in the woods there are prints in the sand
leading towards
where the angels repent
king of the ocean
king of the land
nothing can save him
from Merlin's consent
coming of storms
battles of war
knights of thunder are fearless
thus goes the legend
the tale I was told
now we await his appearance
but the shadow of Uther remains
there is no way the king can break the oath
the shadow will follow wherever he roams
07 A Sailorman's Hymn (04:05)
can you hear the sirens resound?
from the coastline of Ireland tonight
it's the song of a promising heart
of the souls that the ocean unite
and she stands by the window alone
staring into the rain
she is trying to guide his way home
from the waters that keep them apart
so she lights up a candle for hope to be found
captive and blind by the darkness around
firm as a mountain, she never will mourn
timeless awaiting the break of dawn
can you hear the sailorman's hymn?
as it comes with the rise of the tide
it is sung where the rainbow begins
as a comfort for tears she has cried
she remains by the window alone
staring into the rain
she is trying to guide his way home
keeps on praying for god to protect him
she lights up a candle for hope to be found
captive and blind by the darkness around
each wave a promise, a new hope reborn
sunrise consoles at the break of dawn
08 Alexandria (03:53)
far across the sea
a piece of history
in Egypt's land
I'll build a city
beautiful and strong
beyond belief
a new metropolis
to redefine my destiny
rise and shine Alexandria
under protection of my name
pure, divine, and imperial
a place to watch the stars
the center of the earth
I see it all...my worlds converging
and to guide a king's armada through the night
I raise the seventh wonder to delight Poseidon
rise and shine Alexandria
under protection of my name
pure, divine, and imperial
make me the city of a living angel
casting shades all over Babylon
hailing me, a holy son of god
as a monument of time
and the goals that I achieved
make a sculpture of my mind
09 The Inquisitor (04:35)
I am a cleric
serving god the king and queen
I claim confession
and true belief by any means
purification heal heretics
burn the demons out
and god's behind me
watch my each and every move
you know I'll find you
in the shadow of a shattered moon
come all you witches
my procedures are approved
won't you let me ease your sorrow
let me guide you through the night
all my methods clean and thorough
don't you fear the light
I reassemble
broken souls and wasted lives
I raise my head and see
my father through the blood red skies
and in my dreams I know he holds my sanctuary
so all you witches bow to the auto-de-fe
just close your eyes and listen to my holy say
you disbelievers
little do you know
won't you let me ease your sorrow
purify your poisoned veins
there is yet a new tomorrow
I will ease your pain
ease your pain
the fire's burning wild
ease your pain
the inquisition
has drained the demons
like I said it would
11 Until Kingdom Come (04:11)
in the black of the night she appears
I can see that she's trying
to relocate the source of my fears
I've been searching her high and low
in this dream she will show me the door
to a new revelation
and I know that I've seen her before
that she'll bring me salvation
I remember when she was still alive
always there by my side
every day is a fight to survive
every minute a shattered memory
like the sun shining down on me
like the breeze on the ocean
you're the path of my destiny
I know you will follow me until Kingdom Come
when I watch from the tower at night
into fading horizons
I can see her shade in the twilight
dressed in silver she's dancing
I remember as if it was today
always there by my side
you are reason, and relief to my pain
and one day we will reunite
like the sun shining down on me
like the breeze on the ocean
you're the path of my destiny
I know you will follow me until Kingdom Come
like the sun shining down on me
like the breeze on the ocean
you're the path of my destiny
I'll follow my heart until Kingdom Come
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