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Rating: Neal Morse is undoubtedly one of the most important composers in the prog scene, and his previous works have all been judged genuine masterpieces. This album with the enigmatic title "?" (it is said that for friends it's "Question Mark") is the essence of all the good things this artist has managed to do over the years.
Let's talk about the musicians featured on this album, serious stuff: Mike Portnoy on drums, Jordan Rudess on keyboards from Dream Theater; Roine Stolt of the Flower Kings, and the legendary Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett. Just by looking at the names, you get the desire to listen to it, and once you do, the result is guaranteed. There are many songs (12 in total), but most serve as glue for the slightly longer ones, yes indeed, because all the songs are connected, almost as if it were a single track. In this work, musicians play at their highest levels, and Morse's voice, which would be more suited for pop, sings the notes. The first song "The Temple In The Living God" is a beautiful track that opens the album worthily. After some "in-between" songs as I call them (very beautiful and well-played), we arrive at "In The Fire," a predominantly rock-toned song where we get a first taste of Portnoy and company's technique. Speaking of Portnoy, he doesn't seem to exaggerate as much as in Dream Theater but appears more of an accompaniment, although his repertoire is always showcased in an astonishing way! Rudess's keyboards play at breakneck speed as always, and Neal Morse's guitar emits very aggressive and powerful notes. "Solid As The Sun" is a beautiful song, where the guitar with particular sounds plays an important role, and the bass fills the empty spaces, making it a very interesting piece. Also noteworthy is the presence of the sax, played for the occasion by Jim Hoke. "The Glory Of The Lord" with its dreamlike contours acts as a bridge to the following "Outside Looking In" with its romantic and moving tones, appreciated for its not too difficult but catchy melody. "12" is the masterpiece of the album, especially appreciated in the instrumental piece that proves to be something truly incredible. Rudess opens with jazz-style keyboards, quickly transitioning to Portnoy's drums, and concluding with Hackett's unmistakable guitar sound. The result is a literally devastating piece that alone is worth the album. What surprises most about this piece is the execution speed combined with extraordinary precision. It literally makes you want to listen to it at least forty times, my goodness, what musicians! Having reached the peak, it descends a few steps while remaining at the top, to be clear. Following are "Enrance," which revisits themes from the first track, "Inside His Presence," a good song highlighting Morse's voice first and then his guitar. The album closes as it opened with "The Temple Of The Living God," which, as every closing track expects, pays tribute to the musicians by letting them literally exaggerate (in a good sense!) with their instruments and presents to the listener a true triumph of sounds that brings an end to a very well-crafted album played at excelling levels by great musicians.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 The Temple of the Living God (06:13)
And then after all, with our backs against the wall
We seek the temple of the living God.
And outside the gate the cripples sit and wait
To see the temple of the living God
To see the temple of the living God
Suffer, trespass, stranger redeemed
Leviticus 21:18
The blind, the lame, the flat nosed,
superfluous
Broken footed on burning sand
The Priest, the seed, the blood stained hand
The leper testifies and turns to dust
And then after all, with our backs against the wall
We seek the temple of the living God
And outside the gate the cripples sit and wait
To see the temple of the living God
To see the temple of the living God
Oblation, vows, the promise of faith
Atonement, the wine, oil and cakes
The sheep, the goats, acceptable in his eyes
The maimed, the blemished, the scurvy scabbed
The creeping things, the firstborn lamb
Avail his presence in the house of sacrifice
And then after all, with our backs against the wall
We seek the temple of the living God
And outside the gate the cripples sit and wait
To see the temple of the living God
To see the temple of the living God
03 The Outsider (02:21)
I am no one
I hide outside
I must stay in the darkness
’Cause the sun, it burns my eyes
The scapegoat leaves the people shout [Lev 16:22]
With songs of mercy ringing out
But I am lonely
And dead inside [Eph 2:1]
Clearly God doesn’t love me
So I’ll just wait outside
Watching the procession pass
The glory streams to earth at last
06 Solid as the Sun (06:12)
A million people in the sun
A million people waiting for the one [Lev 16:34]
One solid reason to go on
One star that’s solid as the Sun
One pillar burning in the night [Num 9:16]
One man steps into the light
One went in with a mighty shout
All wait to see if he’ll come out [Ex 28:35]
It’s a sacrificial sojourn [Psa 50:5]
It’s the bomb, it’s all the rage
As the cloud fills the temple [1 Kings 8:10]
The wonder of the age
In a world filled with people
There was only One
Who could stand in the presence
Solid as the Sun
Solid as the Sun
Solid as the Sun
A stranger had no place to stay [John 1:11]
A stranger made it all the way
Not once a year but every day
Now we can go – he made the way [Eph 2:6]
But it’s a sacrificial sojourn [Psa 48:9]
With our God at center stage
As the cloud fills the temple
With the wonder of the age
In a world filled with people
There is only One
The High Priest of the kingdom [Heb 9:11]
Solid as the Sun
Solid as the Sun
Solid as the Sun
It’s a sacrificial sojourn
With God center stage
As the Spirit fills the people
The wonder of the age
In a world filled with temples
We can all be one [1 Cor 12:13]
As we stand in the presence
Solid as the Sun
Solid as the Sun
Solid as the Sun
But before you enter in
Nothing more can begin
All the darkness that we choose
Lay it down it can’t be used
Burn it in the fire
Burn it in the fire, burn it down
10 Entrance (06:22)
I see a man with hair as white as wool [Rev 1:14]
Whose tongue's a sharp-edged tool [Rev 1:16]
With feet like burning brass [Rev 1:15]
“Come”, he says, “I’ll be your guide of sorts [Psa 43:3]
Into the outer courts
I have made a way [John 14:6]
For the unclean ones
to come into the gate [Heb 9:24]
To the weakest ones
I will give my strength [Isa 40:29]
And the lowest ones,
they will be brought higher [Isa 40:4]
Let the unclean ones
be washed in the fire” [Mal 3:3]
I am afraid I’ll stay where I am
But the Spirit takes my hand
and gently leads me in [Rev 4:2]
There is the laver; He drops me in the bath
It’s like a sweet heart attack [Rom 8:11]
And I hear his voice again......
Let the unclean ones come into the gate
To the weakest ones I will give my strength
And the lowest ones, they will be brought higher
Let the unclean ones be washed in the fire
Sweet elation come on, come on
I’m part of the Holy Nation [1 Pet 2:9]
And the past is forever gone
Wash and see the looking glass [Ex 38:8]
Second heaven’s coming fast
Seven candles so bright, so right [Rev 1:13]
The incense burns on the mantle [Rev 8:3]
As we eat the bread of life [Num 4:7, John 6:35]
And in third heaven’s Holy Grail [2 Cor 12:2]
Awaits behind the final veil [Ex 26:33]
After all with our backs against the wall
We seek the temple of the living God
After all with our backs against the wall
We seek the temple of the living God
We seek the temple of the living God
11 Inside His Presence (05:30)
And in this place of gold [1 Kings 7:50]
The ancients walked this road
There is no death [2 Tim 1:10]
There is no time [Ecc 3:15]
There is a love unknown [1 Pet 1:8]
There is a scent of home
A rainbow wreath [Rev 4:3]
A blazing throne
From a grave of stone
to a world unknown
From the smoke and ash
comes true life at last [Isa 61:3]
Among earth and sod
the very life of God is here [Rom 8:11]
From a list of laws
seeing all our flaws [Rom 8:3]
To the blind, the lame,
we are all the same [Acts 10:34, 35]
Our High Priest has come
to make us all as one in Him [Gal 3:28, Heb 4:15]
The temple of his throne [Acts 7:48]
Is now not made with stone
Your very heart is now his home [1 Cor 3:16]
He will come and live if you’ll only give [John 14:23]
Him a place inside that the world can’t buy
And the Holy Place is now face to face in Christ [Heb 9:24]
When he died and was born
the temple walls were torn [Mat 27:51]
And God’s Spirit poured out to all the ones without
Now the temple of the living God is you [Eph 2:21, 22]
The temple of the living God is you [Rev 3:12, 1 Pet 2:5]
12 The Temple of the Living God (04:27)
And then after all, with our backs against the wall
We seek the temple of the living God.
And outside the gate the cripples sit and wait
To see the temple of the living God
To see the temple of the living God
Suffer, trespass, stranger redeemed
Leviticus 21:18
The blind, the lame, the flat nosed,
superfluous
Broken footed on burning sand
The Priest, the seed, the blood stained hand
The leper testifies and turns to dust
And then after all, with our backs against the wall
We seek the temple of the living God
And outside the gate the cripples sit and wait
To see the temple of the living God
To see the temple of the living God
Oblation, vows, the promise of faith
Atonement, the wine, oil and cakes
The sheep, the goats, acceptable in his eyes
The maimed, the blemished, the scurvy scabbed
The creeping things, the firstborn lamb
Avail his presence in the house of sacrifice
And then after all, with our backs against the wall
We seek the temple of the living God
And outside the gate the cripples sit and wait
To see the temple of the living God
To see the temple of the living God
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