•
Rating: Typically power artwork for a completely Hard Rock\Heavy Metal album. An album that, upon first listen, I immediately defined as incredibly mediocre. It's not that they don't know how to play; to deny their technique would be risky, as twenty-five years of career and success are not insignificant. But I wondered, for what reason should a young person buy 1996 Hard Rock music that cannot even remotely be compared to the now renowned pioneers of the genre? That was my first thought.
But listening to it again today, with the passage of time, I think of one thing, that Heavy rock is still a genre, and who knows how many enthusiasts it welcomes. So what's wrong if they want to offer their favorite genre? There's instrumental skill to spare, and the fact that they don't offer anything original (apart from a few faint rock'n roll nuances hidden among the solos...) can't mean that, in context, the album is bad. Actually, putting myself for a moment in the shoes of someone who isn't like me, therefore not inclined to sophisticated and innovative music, but a fan of hard rock from the '70s, USA Jeans, and cola style, this CD could be defined as really cool. In short, what they want to offer is presented well, with some allowed lapses here and there, but overall: enjoyable.
To begin with, "Down From The Mountain" would be the more than perfect song to have playing in a convertible speeding across the Arizona deserts at dawn, really giving the idea of cut-up denim jackets and sunglasses. The atmosphere is increasingly closer to the source, hence more directed toward hard rock than Heavy Metal. Nice solos... but sometimes a bit tiresome... Lots of grit, that's for sure... but then it becomes monotonous, the choruses in the refrains are very fitting but it's the voice that doesn't hold up for the duration of the whole CD, because it's extremely "sufficient" and doesn't hint at any particularity, not even a hoarse shout or a scream. "Rolling Thunder", for example, is too predictable but equally cute for its filling of dynamic and overwhelming solos, even keyboard ones with a piano effect. The title track "Devil's Canyon" is definitely not the best song of the album, but it's appealing for the sweet rhythm and the unrestrained guitar solos in the final part that seems to never end. "Heartless Land" is another example, in this song the solos always and only stand out, thus more than adequate technique, here melancholic. But "Never Say Never" is really beautiful because it's very rock with beautiful Deep Purple style keyboard plays. "Tatanka" hints at a bit more nastiness and grit and reminds me a lot of Skid Row and similar bands back in the day. The best and also the most recommended in my opinion is the danceable "Come Hell Or High Water" which, while connecting to hard rock canons, takes many cues from '60s rock'n roll.
I think I have fairly conveyed the idea; the album presents music that you listen to while shaking your head up and down and then also a little right and left to shake your hair, perhaps wielding a broomstick in hand. A genre better known as Southern Rock. I don't even know if the presence of a ballad in an album of this kind is inevitably expected, but "The Look in your eyes" though a bit too sweet maintains its grace. Maybe it's a necessary interlude, but the tension returns with "Eat Your Heart Out" which seems to be too similar to the seven previous songs. It concludes with "The Journey" with a melodic and gritty rhythm and "Dreams I'll Never See" sweet and with plucked acoustic guitar.
Final thoughts: borrow it from someone who has it but don't buy it unless you are very passionate about the genre. If, however, you are a fan of this '70s and American country blues rock metal style, it might even prove essential for you, but I don't take responsibility just for being too kind toward them. I also think that 90% of the questionable subjective quality is composed of the singer's voice, too inexpressive, perhaps if the singer from Twisted Sister were there it would have turned out to be a real masterpiece.
Tracklist and Lyrics
06 Tatanka (05:02)
Seven seas seven skies
Lightning strikes and brave men die
Tatanka great, Tatanka small
When darkness comes they kill them all
Tatanka
You take what you want but you don't ask
You're future doesn't lie with things of the past
The search for freedom will never be found
As long as we stand upon this sacred ground
The curse of the curses upon the land
One day Tatanka will make a stand
Take back the soul of mother nature
Give back the spirit of a world endangered
Tatanka comes, stand and deliver
The souls of the brave lie on forever
The tale of tears is a tale of courage
Tatanka comes from across the river
Chorus repeat
The battles were fought and the damage was done
The wars not over its just begun
The debt that's owed will never be payed
The promised land will never be saved
The curse of curses fire on the land
Today Tatanka has made a stand
Their forefathers dreams, hopes, and vision
Through children's eyes has it been forgiven
Chorus repeat
Le Lakota tolowan yelo
Channi tatanka oyate ki
icic' upi nahan taku un
umnipi nahan unkotipi kte k'un
lepa unk' upelo
wasicu ki ahi nahan
wicakasota pi tka
tatanka tawowakan ki lena
hecenanhgluhapelo
This is a song for the Lakota
Long time ago the buffalo
nation gave themselves
so we can survive and
have shelter
The white man came
and wiped them out
but we still have the spirit
the power of the buffalo
Tatanka comes, stand and deliver
The souls of the brave live forever
The trail of the rears is a tale of courage
Tatanka comes, Tatanka comes
10 The Journey (07:22)
I was born one rainy morning in a little house across town
Daddy liked to roam leave Mama alone
She just couldn't tie him down
He liked his gamblin and whiskey
And mama just liked to cook and sew
It made me a man before my time
I felt many a cold wind blow
Worked real hard most all of my life
Bought a farmhouse out in the sticks
Set by the fire most every night
Working on my guitar licks
Before too long I was on my way
Playing from town to town
I guess I'm a little like Daddy was
Gotta keep on moving around
Chorus:
>This journey takes me far away from home
Sometimes it makes me feel so alone
So alone
Now I look back on yesterday
Wondering what I'd done
Did I help somebody along the way
Or did I just look out for number one
I know I can't change a thing
So don't put me down
Cause I didn't cling to your heart
Oh I feel like dying when we're apart
Chorus:
This journey takes me far away from home
With nothing left to hold on to
But a voice from the telephone
It's taken me away from every love I've ever known
Sometimes it makes me feel so alone
So alone
11 Dreams I'll Never See (07:22)
Just one more morning, I have to wake up with the blues.
Pull myself outta bed, yeah, put on my walkin' shoes.
Climb up on a hilltop, baby, see what I can see, yeah.
The whole world's fallin' down oh babe, right down in front of me.
Cause I'm hung up, on dreams, I'm never gonna see, yeah.
Lord help me baby, dreams get the best of me yet.
Pull myself together, gonna put on a new face, yeah.
Gonna climb down from the hilltop, baby, Lord, get back in the race.
Cause I got dreams, I got my dreams, to remember, the love we had.
I got dreams, I got my dreams, to remember, the love we had.
Cause I'm hung up, on dreams, I'm never gonna see, yeah.
Lord help me baby, dreams get the best of me yet.
Loading comments slowly
