Secondo capitolo per gli Strung Out e seconda ottima prova. Dopo un’ottimo debut-album a distanza di due anni gli Strung Out si ripresentano sulla scena più carichi che mai e anche questa volta centrano l’obiettivo: speed/punk e melodic hc velocissimi senza alcuna minima pausa.Il loro è un sound particolare, esce fuori dagli schemi di quel hardcore melodico monotono e ripetitivo e quindi fù difficile all’epoca apprezzare questo album anche se i palati più fini e le orecchie più attente capirono da subito che ormai questa band era sulla strada dell’affermazione sulla scena punk mondiale.Il batterista calamita l’attenzione perchè, senza nulla togliere agli altri batteristi punk, ha davvero una marcia in più, sembra proprio abbia tre mani e in una/due canzoni fà la comparsa il doppio pedale che rende ancora più potente il loro sound.La band in questo album ha cercato di fare più attenzione alla precisione di esecuzione e nelle pulizia del suono e anche dal vivo il tour riscosse un buon successoUn album che chi ama lo speed/punk e il melodic hc non può non avere.
Voto 8½ (Velocità e potenza la fanno da padrone!!)
Tracklist 01- Firecracker02- Better Days03- Solitaire04- Never Good Enough05- Gear Box06- Monster07- Bring Out Your Dead08- Rottin Apple09- Radio Suicide10- Somnombulance11- Six Feet12- Speed Ball13- Wrong Side of the Tracks TESTI
Firecracker – The other day I swear to God I got a letter in the mail that said register with us or you’re gonna go to jail you’ll be put inside a cage, and forced to enlist. Well I laughed out loud, said I won’t comply to be labeled as one of those who qualify to be shipped off to fight some fucking war. Cause war’s not about a policy religion, it’s about economy and I’m not dying to set your country free! I’ll never bow to your expectations, I never have I never will I’m not a puppet, pawn, or figurehead, I’m a man of my own free will our freedoms are slowly surrendered as they take more than their fill how much power is ever enough for the men, the men on Capitol Hill.They’re cutting back on welfare, Illegalizing harmlessness, am I the only one to see there’s something wrong with this I don’t have the answers, won’t pretend to say I will but to put my trust in government, I think I’d rather kill! Oh mighty word democracy spells freedom for you and me the books have all been written and the prophets denied little by little watch this state begin to fall as we awaken from this dream and find ourselves nailed to the wall. Oh firecracker patriotic lire, you were burning bright the day the country died, in all your glory in all your Pride. Light the way torch of Liberty,light the sky for the whole world to see, in all your glory in all your pride.
Better Days – Some days I’m up, some days I’m down, some days I don’t give a fuck about anything. Cause yesterday I gave everything now I want something back Wanna end it all, wanna save the world, wanna take what was never mine. I wanna shout it all out to the world, I wanna keep it all inside Here I am! I’m just looking for Better Days, the kind that never seem to come my way So here I am, I’m just looking for better days the kind that never seem to come just when you need em’ most.I remember a time, not too long ago when all my day’s would only start in one shade of black when all the thoughts that dragged through my head seem to wash away the sun. Always a dollar short and one split second out of time, exiled in a memory, tonight I’ll drink, drink myself to sleep.I’m just part of all the madness here I know, that anything I say or do won’t ever change a thing. When the words have all been spoken and intentions smoked away, I find myself in the same ole shit, The same ole shit again. Maybe today won’t be the same, maybe I’ll just stand my ground Maybe another time another place I’ll float myself right out of here under the influence of reality. Some days I drive myself insane, some days I’m all I’ve got Some days I’m tired of seeing the world take everything I’ve got It’s hard to get it right when doing wrong is all you know I’ll take my chance when tomorrow comes with a little luck I’ll grow
Solitaire – I hurt myself again today, feelin’ a little numb I could use the pain. I always find myself in this little bind. It’s been a few weeks since you’ve been around, so here I sit with my hands strapped down patiently awaiting our secret games we used to play alone. So here I sit all tied up, all alone with all my thoughts I do not mind if this goes on. I think about about what I’ll say to you when you finally decide to come my way, I’m sitting around all painted like a fool.I don’t know how I got this way, and I don’t know how much more I wanna take. But I know you’ll shoot me down and bury me before I get too high. So here I sit all tied up all alone with my thoughtswhen will I learn to walk away from the things I do that make me feel the way, I feel when I’m with you? Tonight it’s me, myself and I All this pain I seem to put myself through, all the ways I find to submit to you, cat o’ nine tails gettin’ old. And I don’t know how I got this way I don’t know how much more I wanna take. I got a millon ways to tame Myself and a million nights to try. When will you come around to do the things you do to me I hate this game of solitaire.
Never Good Enough – She’s a big girl and she knows just what she wants She’s gonna get her shit together, and get out of Hollywood. Daddy’s little angel won’t be commin’ Home tonight. When your nowhere to be found I’ll know you’ve givin up the fight She can’t hold her own she says she’s gotta run away from here The city’s gotten the best of her just one too many times. When everything’s been said and done and the dust has finally cleared I’ll be your fool just one more time I’ll be waitin’ by the phone. Cause I don’t now, and I don’t care, I’ll do anything you want, Never good enough for you. Well she don’t need nobody anyway, that’s cause no one understands her She’s somewhere in outer space, knock knockin at my head again this time you won’t get in She’s in orbit now and I’m underground just waitin’ by the phone Everything she wants is everything she see’s there’s a riddle in her eyes sometimes I try to figure it out she’s got a mountain of toys reachin’ to the sky doesn’t keep her high So the needle and the spoon and the bottle and the pills are gonna make you feel alright
Gear Box – I remember you used to pray for me now you turn your head away Expectations that I never met, forgotten promises you never kept I know someday there’ll be a time when you can look me in the eye Now I write these words just to keep it clear in a jaded song you won’t ever hear I never wanted your forgiveness you did what you had to I did what I could now we’ve gone our separate ways. I never found comfort in your acceptance, if time’s a healer then I’ll sit and wait for your poison words to scar. A notebook filled with a million words sits quietly by my side. Like a loaded gun with the wrong intentions they tell me life is pain I forgot a long time ago, but everyday I’m reminded of the way You put me down, the way you put me out, the way you torched my fucking world I don’t need your lies don’t need your promises don’t want your open arms don’t need your sacred ways all I need is all I am today. What was once belief has now turned to grief and there ain’t nothin’ more that you could say Look to myself for everything I need, ain’t lookin’ back on anything. So you think you got me all figured outand you think you know what this hate is all about Don’t try to understand, don’t try to comprehend the answer is my words. When the world comes crashin’ down all around and I need a quiet place to hide. You’ll find me deep inside my head under a tree of thought in a world of pain. I never wanted you here, I never needed you here so when you think of me try to understandguide me through your maze of lies to guide me through your narrow world. I forgot a long time ago, now every day I’m reminded of the way you put me down the way you put me out the way you torched my whole world.
Monster – Time it makes you old, experience makes you wise. it’s only a fool who judges life by what he sees in other people’s eyes. The decisions that you cast effect the outcome of your game the only person who’s gonna think about you is the one that’s standing in your shoes Live by the sword die by the sword, I’m a weapon of my set. The only family that I’ve ever known Is the gun that’s by my side. Little big man he’s not alone now, he’s all grown up his stories written all along these city walls. Found unity, he’s gained a brotherhood as they gather to beat you down, the fists reign hard, the fightin’ never stops. There’s no mercy in this town And I don’t know when it’s gonna’ end for me, this side of town is all I know it’s all I see If I go on like this I’m gonna’ end it all myself one day, it’s my destiny it’s my reality, it’s society. I wear colors proud but dont stare me down I’ve got a million scars to prove my pain You think you know who I am try walking a mile in my shoes.Quick on the draw never walk alone know your enemy never be afraid, it’s what they always say Till they come around for you. Ghetto birds light the evening sky as the sun begins to fall Another night he’ll spend in this jungle with his back up against the wall.
Bring Out Your Dead – One brief recollection of all the people in my life that have come and gone One brief fleeting moment of people I’ve loved and people that I have wronged Long lost are loved ones gone but this bird cannot seem to mend it’s broken wings so the lust for life dissipates and a new greed rises for the needful things.Don’t wanna think about it, I Indulge myself distraction eases pain, bury my emotions to protect myself. Till I can’t feel a fucking thing I’ve dared to dream I’ve tried to live, but I’ve played it safe again Just another slave to my vices now, Bring out your dead Voices wither and crack then die ringin’ in my ear would sing me soft asleep Deathly silence now is all I hear has inspiration finally eluded me My addiction, my illness, my only trusted friend My addiction my illness my only childhood fiend.Your twisted warm embrace engulfing all I tried to be My body’s breaking under arms that will not set me free Locked in this cage that I’ve built myself constructed out of twisted cold reminders of a life once lost But I’ve found my way again.Here among the wreckage and the vampires I’ll play it safe again, just another slave to my vices now. My addiction, my illness, my only trusted friend My addiction my illness.
Rottin’ Apple – Hey tired man I see you walk alone.The wrinkles on you face, a map of all your pain. Your expression becomes an open book of time, filled with pages of forgotten hopes. Good intentions, regret, disillusion with Life, animosity, unbridled purity. All these things I swear I see and your eyes tell me all you could never be. So many times I’ve stared into the eyes of the young, the old, the lonely and the wise. Just to find a glimpse of all I have not seen just to find some peace for my jaded mind. Don’t wanna live my life by the second hand of a clock that’s long since past me by You say I’ve got to stay in line we’ll your line is going nowhere and so are you. Choices decisions made smokin’ away the pain inside, Sit back and watch it all go by We could never find the peace of mind we need, We hid it all away for another day Sit back everything’s gonna be alright. Rivers of pain map your agin’ skin your expression a journal of where you’ve been. All your dreams and your chances lost You walk along that dotted line do you remember a time when you used to dream? Do you remember a time when you used to live? All your dreams and chances they’re all gone. So you gave it all away unable to say all you wanna say Look at you now – turned our to be face of misery Look at you now a rottin apple’s all I see.
Radio Suicide – Two silhouettes stand tall against a gray November sky Utopian suburban teenage wasteland blues. You turn to me and sigh, the boredom growin’ in your eyes as a voice sings songs of splendor from the radio I hear that voice again submerging from the stereo Invisible electric life flows right through me, Then for a moment I forget about what’s going on and the world fallin’ around loses urgency. It’s just another transmission from a place we all want to be. It takes control then its spits me back to reality.I hear the music then I close my eyes It’s just another radio suicide on the airwaves. I turned it on-invisible electric life. Then the song comes on the radio The signal takes control-heartbeat starts to slow, you hear the words reverberating in your mind Twisted electric waves pulse from the stereo as a voice screams out loud Everything is not alright forget about the static pulsing in your ear Forget everything you see and hear it’s just another radio suicide
Somnombulance – I lie awake again no sleep tonight, I find no peace in the quiet absence of the light A million thoughts floatin’ through my head A million seconds has passed me by in my bed One two three now it’s four in the morning as the emptiness swallows me on more time I grow a little older with every second that passes I die a little every time I close my eyes No sanctuary in my dreams, no quiet place to hide, every night I swear it’s the same And I don’t know where I’ll be tonight but I know sleep will come if I walk all night It’s been a thousand hours maybe even more since I fell victim to all the thoughts I tried to ignore Nameless faces and sounds, voices screamin’ in pain, huddled shadows And sirens voices calling my name. Well I can’t sleep but I’m not Awake to this hazy dim version of reality. Hypnotized by everything I can’t control Desensitized by everything that controls me Well I can’t sleep so it’s here in the dark I’ll make my peace with all that I’ve learned Sanity’s just another dream away maybe with time it’ll be alright Every night I swear it’s the same, I walk all night and never ever get anywhere It’s taken all my strength, it’s taken all the life that used to flow deep inside of me All my dreams are filled with no peace All of my days are filled with no rest Maybe with time it’ll be alright
Six Feet – A family man in the midst of a total breakdown seeks refuge inebriated state As he thinks to himself how did life pass me by somewhere down the line I forgot how to live now every day is just another chore, Another day, another week, another year. The world slowly turns, but this rut never ends one blink of an eye then it’s gone. So he puts his faith in the Almighty Lord up above he’s told for all good men Heaven awaits Well I can’t wait any longer when’s it my turn to see the light that’ll come and take my troubles away?” Now he spends his days preaching what he does not believe, to a world that’s forgotten how to live and he can’t understand the empty feelin’ inside that seems to grow every hour, every day. What’s it take to be a man, when everything I’m taught I can’t believe and everything is thrown right in my face? I wake up everyday, I live here amongst the dead and I am one of them. Is this how it’s gonna be? For you and me Open your eyes take a look around think nice thoughts then it’s off to work I go!” Now it’s back to the hustle and it’s back to the beat It’s back to another forty hour week. Soon that weekend will come I’ll get to have a little fun then it’s back to my forty hour grave
Speed Ball – No miracles gonna save you now, no profound word’s gonna show you how No revelation’s gonna change the way you live no wise man’s gonna come and take your hand No awakening lies in store for you, no effort you submit will deliver you. No picture worth a million words, no Salvation worth a million lives Will ever open your eyes so that you could really see You’ve come this far doing what you do so why change now, your doing fine I’ll candy coat another rhyme for you.You’re on a speedball , and it’s goin’ straight to hell, and I don’t wanna get in your way You’re on a rocket and it’s goin’ straight down, you’ve lit the fuse set the fire now there’s no one left to save you. Someone pulled the chair right under you, now you’re swingin’ by the neck and still you continue to smile Step right up and get your fix climb back to your crucifix we’re burnin’ the world down tonight. No new improved better lookin’ god, no antiestablishmentariant? punk rock song will save the world tonight We’re on a speedball goin’ to hell, a one-way trip to Candy land and you ain’t got no reason to fight. You don’t have the answers, you don’t have the solutions Somehow it always ends up working out.
Wrong Side of the Tracks – Tell me what you want from me, cause I don’t know exactly what you want me to be There’s no place left for me to go now so why don’t you come kick me around for a while Down here you won’t see me cryin’ ain’t got no time for that I’ve planned a million ways to sacrifice myself now Seems every time I try to gain a little ground I wind up right back where I never thought I’d be down here it feels alright Plenty of time to find another way, self-destruction’s the only way I know how to Maybe another time, maybe another day, I’ll be strong enough to leave this place behind me like a clown I’ll raise my glass to the sky and toast another night serenadin’ my reflection Down here it feels alright, plenty of time to find another way to seize the day without this bottle of redemption So tonight I’ll stumble my way home, maybe tomorrow I’ll find myself a job but tonight I got the moon and the stars and a song in my head and a pocket full of nothin’ well I got no plans got no peace of mind I gotta find a way outta here Took a little more than I gave away Now it’s up to me to get up and try to get it right
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