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 Второй альбом немецких хард рокеров. Командный состав доукомплектовался клавишником Харри Оллерсом, но на музыке в основном это никак не отразилось, так что группа продолжает нарезать классический хард рок, который мы могли уже наблюдать на предыдущем дебютном альбоме – то есть эдакая горячая смесь из Bonfire и Pink Cream 69. Что же нас ждёт здесь? К сожалению не то, что можно было ждать от такого успешного прошлого альбома «Kingdom Of The Night». Нет, конечно, в профессионализме ребятам не занимать, и качество записи очень хорошее, даже гитары стали звучать несколько жёстче, но есть один печальный факт – музыка приобрела стандартный и простоватый характер. Я не думаю, что на диске есть заимствования от других команд, но то что ребята записали материал не шибко отличающийся от своей первой работы – это уж точно. В большинстве своём музыка очень ровная, простенькая и без намёков на такие черты как цепляемость или хитовость, я уже не говорю о присутствии какой-либо атмосферы – всё чересчур прилизано, элементарно и несложно… И тут надо сразу сказать, что в дальнейшем, такая малоприятная ситуация будет наблюдаться нередко, ну разве что это усиленно будут забывать преданные поклонники. Чем порадовали мужики, так это появлением действительно мелодичных и интересных гитарных соло партий, а также такими замечательными песнями как мощная и скоростная «Save Me», средне темповая «Little Look Back» – с реально интересным текстом, о том, что нельзя вернуть прошлое, как бы этого нам не хотелось, и как продолжение гимна всех врёмен и народов «Livin In A World» является песня «Face To Face», нужно сказать также что она обладает красивейшим соло и бессмертным духом Аксиса. Другие же песни мне нисколько не понравились, слишком уж они безликие, что неоригинальная баллада «Hold On», исполненная в двух вариантах – акустическом и тяжёлом, что открывающий боевик «The World Is Looking In Their Eyes» с возвышенно помпезной и радостной мелодией (хотя ради справедливости замечу, что есть люди уважающие Аксис именно за положительные и светлые чувства и мелодии). То же самое можно сказать и о «Rolling Like A Thunder» – что-то подобное есть и у Пинк Крим 69, разве что здесь она выглядит веселей. Исключением является «Touch The Rainbow» - странноватый ритм вразвалочку и удачно скомпонованные вокальные партии (низкие, высокие – всё сплылось в одном хоре) перекрывают даже факт неприятного для меня сахарного веселья. В общем, несмотря на моё негодование, скажу непререкаемое объективное слово – альбом «Axxis II» - не так уж плох, чтобы поставить ему очень низкую оценку, но привлечь внимание всех любителей тяжёлой музыки вряд ли он сможет, поэтому и рекомендовать пластинку могу только поклонникам Аксиса и всем живущим мелодичным металом. |
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( 1 )
While the world is turning
Eyes have found a new sight
Lies have no chance
The dream of freedom
That is yet unknown
Is bursting out of their hearts
'Cause they wanne be free, baby
They wanna be free
They are livin' history
The world is looking in their eyes
And sees a fire burning
The world is looking in their eyes
While the world is turning
Hands were held together
Words were spoken aloud
Yesterday it was still forbidden
But now it's all allowed
Hungry for freedom
Hungry for peace
The hunger for freedom
Can only increase
The world is looking in their eyes
And sees a fire burning
The world is looking in their eyes
While the world is turning
2. Save Me
Save me
The earth was young
When I was sown
Deep inside this land
Save me
Helpless I stand here alone
Waiting for my end
Save me
Centuries have flown away
But I know my time has come
Save me
No escape - I cannot stay
Do they know what they have done ?
Save me
If you save me you'll save yourself
Why don't you understand ?
Save me
Your fate will be sealed
If you destroy me
You will live in a wasteland
My life is your life
And your life is mine
We belong together
Since the beginning of all time
If I were a man
I know what I would think:
"Life is a chain
and we're all its links!"
So all that you can do is to...
Save me, save me, save me
Save me, save me, save me
Wars and pain and misery
I've survived - I still exist
I've lived through your history
And watched you through the mist
My life is your life
And your life is mine
We belong together
Since the beginning of all time
If I were a man
I know what I would think:
"Life is a chain
And we're all its links !"
So all that you can do is to...
Save me, save me, save me...
3. Touch The Rainbow
You watch the clouds and dream
Follow the flight of birds
Try to describe the feeling
But you can find no words
If you could be a bird
Then you'd be really free
Fly into the light
On to the rainbow - that you see
[Chorus:]
Touch the rainbow
And all dreams come true
Spread your wings and
Feel the breath of the wind
Touch the rainbow
And all dreams come true
Fly high - To breath the air of the sky
Colours of endless beauty
Painting the deep blue sky
Stairway to heaven
Where only eagles fly
Do you see its beginning?
Do you see its end
Only birds know the secret
As they come flyin' across the land
[Chorus:]
Touch the rainbow
And all dreams come true
Spread your wings and
Feel the breath of the wind
Touch the rainbow
And all dreams come true
Fly high-To breath the air of the sky
4. Rolling Like Thunder
I feel the sweat
And I'm trembling all over
Minutes before the show
Stage-fright tonight
My hands are wet and cold
Now it's time to get ready
I have to go
I can hear the people shouting
My blood pressure is rising
Time after time
Rolling like thunder
Feeling a storm deep inside
It's like a fire
I wanna explode in the night
Sweating in the light
Exhausted every night
My heart is beating
And the drum beats in my ears
Dancing in the heat
Stamping with my feet
The music drives me
High and higher
And we do all that we can
To make you feel alright
Exploding in this sound
It's like a trance
Turning round and around
Rolling like thunder
Feeling a storm deep inside
It's like a fire
I wanna explode in the night
5. Hold You
I see my life like a ship in the rain
sometimes lost in the ocean
There's no aim - it's drifting away
There's no wind to set it in motion
Silence spreads its wings in the air
I can hear the waves whispering
And then I know what life means to me
- the endless waiting for a sign
Huh...when the wind turns to you
You feel a fresh breeze hits your sails
The voice of life whispers and sings...
[Chorus:]
I wanna hold you in my arms
I wanna hold you in my arms
Sea of hope - in the ocean of life
You can hear the voices singing
I search alone to find my way
To the shoreline of beginning
Huh...when the wind turns to you
You feel a fresh breeze hits your sails
The voice of life whispers and sings...
[Chorus:]
I wanna hold you in my arms
I wanna hold you in my arms
Through the storm Through thunder and rain
With hopes and dreams I search for an aim
Journeys beginning - Voices are singing...
[Chorus:]
I wanna hold you in my arms
I wanna hold you in my arms
6. Ships Are Sailing
The wall has fallen down tonight
I can't believe this dream
Tears of joy - everywhere
We celebrate this day
I hope we'll always be free
I pray on my knees
Paper ships sailing
Just as a sign
To show the world now
There's no borderline
Ships are sailing 'cross the water
All the white lights shining bright
Ships are sailing 'cross the water
Burning candles in the night
Dance, dance and we dance around
On both banks of the stream
We are all together now
Now, now, now
Now the wall is broken
Will all dreams come true?
We feel the freedom
We know what we have to do
Ships are sailing 'cross the water
All the white lights shining bright
Ships are sailing 'cross the water
Burning candles in the night
Our lights expel the darkness
Sailing into the night
Together we are fearless
Our eyes are open wide
Ships are sailing 'cross the water
All the white lights shining bright
Ships are sailing 'cross the water
Burning candles in the night
7. Little Look Back
When I hear your voice in my loneliness
I look back and see my memories
I take a little look back
Just a little look back
Remember she's fire and water in one
A hunter who kills or a prey on the run
It's just a little look back
Just a little look back
Everytime my thoughts
Bring me back to you
It always hurts me, baby,
whenever I do I take a little look back
Just a little look back
[Chorus:]
What I need - I'll never get
All that you've left me is just a little look back
What I need - I'll never get
All that remains Is just a little look back
Why don't you come back?
Why did you leave me alone?
only have memories to call my own
I take a little look back
Just a little look back
[Chorus:]
What I need - I'll never get
All that you've left me is just a little look back
What I need - I'll never get
All that remains Is just a little look back
8. Face To Face
A lot of memories fade away
But not those awful days
When you're a man without grace
A soldier without a face
No one really knows the truth
About blood on glorious shoes
About a million killing hands
About lonely dying friends
And every night you hear them cry
And in your dreams you see them die
Up to this day you see their eyes open wide
[Chorus:]
Face to face with their death
And with only memories left
In those moments full of pain
You feel like you're goin' insane
Your memories still exist
The bad dreams still resist
No one can imagine this-you know
When their thoughts are as white as snow
But in a war all the snow is red
Red with blood of all the dead
Only one thought lets you live on
through those days
[Chorus:]
Face to face with their death
And with only memories left
In those moments full of pain
You feel like you're goin insane
9. Get Down
My name is the devil
I'm playing a game
With what you call mankind
But now things have changed
Your good and my evil
Have covered the world each day
It was to be a never-ending fight
But look at the world today
Forget your hostility
Join together with me
Now it's time for a fight against
The people - we see
Get down - from the throne in the light
Get down - to stay right by my side
The good old times are gone
When we used to live in their hearts
But they've forgotten their beliefs
They live in a house of cards
I've always trusted in our might
That I'm the dark and you're the light
I see their future - you see it too
Oh god, oh god, what will we do
Get down - from the throne in the light
Get down - to stay right by my side
10. Gimme Back The Paradise
I feel the hot rhythm
I feel the hot beat
Of the wild life of rock 'n' roll
Travelling on roads
I've never seen before
And I feel the music in my soul
Every day another town
Every night another gig
And so many people to get to know
But you get no time for rest
'Cause you wanna be the best
You give everything
Tonight in the show
This is a rock 'n' roll paradise
And I hope it will never end
But when we finish our tour
And the last day has come
I will cry again, again, again and again
Gimme back - gimme back the paradise
Gimme back - gimme what I want
Gimme back - gimme back the paradise
Gimme back - gimme what I want
So many different places
So many different faces
Things are strange and new
And when I look behind
The pictures in my mind
Makes me feel
As if I drank a witches' brew
Gimme more from this drink
It's a help for me to think
About all that I've seen
And I've learnt this time
Music changes every mind
Everywhere I've ever been
This is a rock 'n' roll paradise
And I hope it will never end
But when we finish our tour
And the last day has come
I will cry again, again, again and again
Gimme back - gimme back the paradise
Gimme back - gimme what I want
Gimme back - gimme back the paradise
Gimme back - gimme what I want
11. Hold You (Acoustic Version)
I see my life like a ship in the rain
sometimes lost in the ocean
There's no aim - it's drifting away
There's no wind to set it in motion
Silence spreads its wings in the air
I can hear the waves whispering
And then I know what life means to me
- the endless waiting for a sign
Huh...when the wind turns to you
You feel a fresh breeze hits your sails
The voice of life whispers and sings...
[Chorus:]
I wanna hold you in my arms
I wanna hold you in my arms
Sea of hope - in the ocean of life
You can hear the voices singing
I search alone to find my way
To the shoreline of beginning
Huh...when the wind turns to you
You feel a fresh breeze hits your sails
The voice of life whispers and sings...
[Chorus:]
I wanna hold you in my arms
I wanna hold you in my arms
Through the storm Through thunder and rain
With hopes and dreams I search for an aim
Journeys beginning - Voices are singing...
[Chorus:]
I wanna hold you in my arms
I wanna hold you in my arms