Guests:
Mark Prator: Drums (ex-Iced Earth, Millenium, Ralph Santolla)
Jim Morris: Additional Lead Guitars (Guest: Iced Earth, Wicked Maraya, Pyramaze, Jon Oliva's Pain, Sons Of Liberty)
Jon Schaffer: Guitars, bass (1997-?) (Iced Earth, Sons of Liberty, ex-Purgatory)
Hansi Kürsch: Vocals (1997-?) (Blind Guardian, ex-Lucifer's Heritage)
---
1. Rites of Passage [Intro] 00:53
2. Heaven Denies 05:21
3. Poor Man's Crusade 04:02
4. Fiddler on the Green 05:56
5. Blood on My Hands 04:45
6. Path of Glory 04:59
7. Winter of Souls 05:47
8. The Whistler 05:15
9. Tear Down the Wall 04:48
10. Gallows Pole 05:22
11. My Last Sunrise 04:44
12. Chant [Instrumental] 00:48
Total 52:40
European digipack version contains a cover of Cream's "White Room" (5:00) as track #13. Also released as a double vinyl picture disc album.
Bonus tracks for Japan:
13. White Room (Cream Cover) (04:59)
14. The Whistler (Alternate Version) (05:20)
Argentina version contains the following bonus tracks:
13. White Room (Cream cover) (04:59)
14. Heaven Denies (Demo version) (05:06)
15. The Whistler (demo version) (05:20)
16. Tear Down the Walls (Demo version) (04:46)
Tip: The idea for the band arose in the spring of 1997 when Kürsch and Schaffer wanted to make music together, after being friends since Blind Guardian and Iced Earth toured Europe together in the early 90s.
The band name comes from the 1972 Uriah Heep album of the same name.
1. Rites Of Passage (Intro)
ResponderEliminar2. Heaven Denies
I've stained the land
Millenniums I've prayed
Now I know there's no release
Since paradise is lost
I hold a crown
I know your name
But I am just your
Fallen angel of doom
[Pre-chorus:]
Thus heaven denies
Refused for all times
I am not guilty at all
[Chorus:]
Deadlands, Wastelands
Darkness will cover my mind
And oblivion shall reign
I made up my mind
And oblivion shall reign through the night
Deadlands, Wastelands
Darkness will cover my mind
And oblivion shall reign
Still we are one, you and I
Realize, I did what you wanted me to
The lack of pure souls and the fading light
It's me you blame
First there was light
Then came the night
Cruel nothingness
[Pre-chorus]
[Chorus]
Hope turns to despair
There's no one in these barren lands
The lust for light
I'm sure that it will fade
It will fade
Spiritus Sanctus
The lust for light
I'm sure that it will fade
Spiritus Sanctus
Eternal hell
3. Poor Man's Crusade
The Holy Ghost can't save you anymore
Your souls are condemned to burn in hell
Damned for all time
So spoke the noble one
He convinced us all
He is a gifted man
Though he will slaughter in the name of Christ
Holy and bright
He's a devil in disguise
Protector of the cross
Beware of the snake
[Chorus:]
All in all it's just a poor man's crusade
Poor man's crusade
The Holy Land home of our blessed lord
Enslaved and stained by godless hands
They shall be damned
Jerusalem
Is waiting for you
To rise once again
So we will slaughter in the name of Christ
Holy father, holy father
[Chorus]
You'll shed your blood
Your bodies fall
That is the price you'll pay
To cleanse you of your sins
Vicious and cruel
Let's kill them all
Let's kill them all
So we will slaughter in the name of Christ
Holy father, holy father
[Chorus]
4. Fiddler On The Green
Sad voices they're calling
Our precious girl she can't be gone
How bitter this morning
When daddy's darling
Went out and started her day
Wasn't there a dream last night
Like a spring never ending
Still the water runs clear
Through my mind
On the field I can see a fiddler
The fiddler on the green and the sad boy
I took him too early
Would you mind
Would you mind
Would you mind
If I take you
To be with you
To be with you
To be with you
To be with you
The sun seemed bright
The air was clear
The air was clear
A trick of light
Turned red into green
She saw the light
Her face was pale
Her body smashed
Her beauty's gone
Isn't it a shame
The reaper said
He is quite alone here
And still waiting for you
Oh I really did fail for the first time
Spoke the fiddler, poor old fiddler
The fiddler on the green
The fiddler on the green
It would be nice:
Take my hand
Just hold my hand
I'll take you there
Your pain will go away
5. Blood On My Hands
ResponderEliminarAnd as I bear my inner soul
I've kept it hidden and safe
Fulfill the god's desire
To hold their waning flame
A sacred life
And what have started long ago
Is heading towards the end
There's no easy way out
There's blood on my hands
But I am sure in the end
I will prove I was right
Runes of a long forgotten time
Ancient spells in endless rhymes
Soon the other world appears
Roam to the ghostly river Rhine
Leave the misty shades behind
I can feel I'm getting near
[Chorus:]
By the ancient spirits' rites
The old ghosts proclaim their rights
Still they're lost in time
Lost in time
I wonder why they're lost in time
Lost in time
The curse lives on
Still chasing me
It's always been there by my side
And it won't let me out
A treacherous leaf
And a secret unsealed
It will cause deadly wounds
Roam to the ghostly realms at nights
To cleanse the dark shades of my mind
Leave the mortal world behind
Float to the endless streams of time
An eternal ray of light
Leave my mortal shape behind
[Chorus]
Lost in time
I wonder why they're lost in time
Lost in time
The blood on my hands you see
Cannot be washed away
I am chosen by destiny
To dwell in misery
[Chorus]
6. Path Of Glory
For ages now
I've often faced the fear
It's hard to see
Old memories are clouding my mind
It's beyond this life
I know the secrets are within me
Wonderin'
In a world of broken dreams
Depressed and haunting me
No way out
So many times it's hopeless dark and gray
No way out
And other times it's hope that saves the day
Many moments of my life I pray tomorrow
Inner peace will find its way and set me free
There's a light beyond the dark (darkest day)
There's a light beyond this life
And painful memories will all wash away
Painful memories will all wash away
No longer struggle with the fear of
The end and what's beyond
I live a life of loyalty
True to myself and my own
The way out
A sea of life so peaceful and serene
The way out
The path of life lies open wide for me
[Chorus:]
Come join the path of glory
Leave all your fear behind
Come join the path of glory
Leave all your fear behind
Many moments of my life I pray tomorrow
Come join the path of glory
At last eternal peace will set me free
Come join the path of glory
Leave all your fear behind
Come join the path of glory
Release me set me free
7. Winter Of Souls
ResponderEliminarFacing the storm
And there's no one by my side
The curse will take its toll
Is it justice or a foolish pride
As the wind is blowing cold
And the winter takes control
How can I survive
In higher lights we seem to drown
We hold the key but not the crown
In higher lights we seem to drown
We hold the key but not the crown
Look into my eyes and see
For all the wisdom I still bleed
And only willow trees will bring
Oblivion
[Chorus:]
Haunted by the lust of my father
Revenge is mine and down falls the kingdom
Conceived of his greed and a harsh reality
Haunted by the lust of my father
Revenge is mine and down falls the kingdom
Your ill-gotten son
Your flesh and your blood
Faith fools the day
The honest man will fail my don
Facing another wound
Can't hold back the storm
Soon the winter reigns my heart
We're both caught in agony
In higher lights we seem to drown
We hold the key but not the crown
Oh I wish that I could turn back
Reach out for the grail and find it
I would offer soul and life
Feel the emptiness my dark son
[Chorus:]
Haunted by the lust of my father
Revenge is mine and down falls the kingdom
Conceived of his greed and a harsh reality
Haunted by the lust of my father
Revenge is mine and down falls the kingdom
The sorrow he feels shall last forevermore
Feel this cold winter night
Frozen spirits in ice
Can't wash away the misery
The dark
War will take place at dawn
There's no choice it's all fate
I'm not strong enough
The path lies clearly ahead
There's no way out
Can't hold back all the greed
And all the good deeds
They are past
There's no choice it's all fate
It's so hopeless
Too long I was blind
[Chorus:]
Haunted by the lust of my father
Revenge is mine and down falls the kingdom
Conceived of his greed and a harsh reality
Haunted by the lust of my father
Revenge is mine and down falls the kingdom
By spilling our blood we are one bound
Forevermore
Haunted by the lust of my father
Revenge is mine and down falls the kingdom
Conceived of his greed and a harsh reality
8. Whistler
Beloved mother
There is no guilt
In what I have done
It's far too late
To turn it back
To turn it back
Slowly they move
One by one
Food for the clan
Your kingdom will come
Slowly they're marching
One by one
Follow my magic tune
It is so easy
Her eyes
Her pale cold eyes
Are watching over me
I've never felt alone
All the children
For her glory
A fair price and
The deal was fixed
I did my part
And they betrayed
I cleared their problem well
But I trusted lies
[Chorus:]
All your children went astray
Pay the price for ignorance
Praise and glory to the clan
Watch your step I'll bring the end
Rats prepare their feast
Queen will be quite pleased
All your children went astray
Pay the price for ignorance
Praise the glorious race of rats
One by one they'll join their dance
Hungry souls they shall be fed
Praise the wisdom of the rats
All the children went astray
Pay the price for ignorance
Now you know fear
Face the unknown
Dwell in tears
The story's told
You may have learned
Dare not to betray
The whistler
You should consider
You might fail
You should consider
You might fail
All your children went astray
Pay the price for ignorance
Praise the glorious race of rats
One by one they'll
Join their dance
All your children went astray
Pay the price for ignorance
All your children went astray
Pay the price for ignorance
Food for the clan
Praise to the rats
9. Tear Down The Wall
ResponderEliminarDeep in the void
My heart still bleeds
Azrael
I am the only one
Here on the edge of life
Leaving this world behind
Dance on the edge of time
I think it is time now
To take what is mine
It all turns to black
A prophet or fool
Who's acting like god
As wicked and cruel
Follow my sign
As the mad gnome says
And now I'll dance
Into the sun
[Chorus:]
Tear down the wall
Let silence and madness reign
There is no future nor the past
Let us dwell in agony
Tear down the wall - I'll wipe out starlight
Let us tear it down - Let us tear down the wall
He can't hold it back
Afraid of himself
The pain in his eyes
He is lifeless inside - Nothing is real
As the old gnome says
I think it is time now
To take what is mine
[Chorus:]
Tear down the wall
My madness you will follow
Tear down the wall
And don't look back
Tear down the wall
There is no future nor the past
Let us tear down the wall
The void seems like a cold asylum
I search for the last leaf
Hope, how I can find the answers
If all guardian angels are gone
10. Gallows Pole
Endless stairs
A guiding light
It seems to shine bright
But it's cold
Wicked signs will mark our way
Wicked signs will mark our way
Mark our way
Mark our way
Call me Messiah - I am god
A true lord but alone
Call me a liar - oh I won't deny
That I'm mad
Am I evil am I good
Mad existence, faith and greed
The universe a gallows Pole
Extinction of the living soul
Towards the sun we'll keep moving
Fate I hold in hand
Dancing 'til the end
I am condemned
Oh I bring all mankind's end
The end
Oh I've seen
All life die
A shattered heart an empty soul
Just one false move and it took its toll
The rising of an evil seed
I can't describe the pain I feel
Outside it's dark inside it's cold
The sun still shines bright
But its time is short
Endless stairs
A guiding light
That once was warm
But now it's bitter cold
It's freezing hearts
It's freezing souls
Soon icy shades will cover all
It pretends to be alive
It pretends to be alive
Be alive
Be alive
Be alive
Collapse of the mother
All will die
The void it frightens me
I've faced the demon
And he dwells inside
And when I laugh it's tears I hid
And when I cry it's joy inside
A foul disease has stained the land
The bitter harvest of a dying bloom
And when I cry it's joy inside
A wicked smile for all the tears I hide
It hurts to hold all the pain I feel
The bitter harvest of a dying bloom
Nothing is real
Nothing but him
11. My Last Sunrise
ResponderEliminarThe lamb, the rose
They don't exist
The lamb, the rose
They don't exist
These are my last words
I need to rest
In fear and anger
I'll lay down my head
A faithless spirit in a broken man
Everything is burning
Rotten flesh keeps burning
It's MY LAST SUNRISE in fear
The grail's in pieces
All the bliss is gone
The rose has dried out
And the lamb got slaughtered long ago
The hope became another lie
Like the non-existing father god
I'll close my eyes, goodbye
Don't wait for me on the other side
Everything is burning
Rotten flesh keeps burning
It's MY LAST SUNRISE in fear
Don't wait for me on the other side
Golgotha - had seen nothing else but
A carpenter's death
Golgotha - not more maybe not even that
Suffer, grief and pain
Have driven me insane
Can't you see
There's nothing real
But you and I
And I say goodbye
Hear no evil, speak no evil
See no evil, feel no evil
Dream no evil, fear no evil
Touch no evil, taste no evil
All I see and hear is evil
All I think and feel is evil
12. Chant (Outro)
13. White Room (Bonus) [Ceam Cover]
In the white room, with black curtains, near the station
Blackroof country, no gold pavements, tired starlings
Silver horses run down moonbeams in your dark eyes
Dawnlight smiles on your leaving my contentment
[Chorus:]
I wait in this place - where the sun never shines
I wait in this place where the shadows run from themselves
You said no strings could secure you at the station
Platform ticket, restless diesel, goodbye windows
I walked into such a sad time at the station
As I walked out felt my own need just beginning
[Chorus:]
I wait in the cue - where the trains come back
Lie with you - where the shadows run from themselves.
[Intro]
At the party she was kindness in the hard crowd
Consolation for the only now forgotten
Yellow tigers crouched in jungles in your dark eyes
She just dressing goodbye windows, tired starlings.
[Chorus:]
I sleep in this place with a lonely crowd
Lie in the dark - where the shadows run from themselves