Roots of Eternity

No link because the album is just too perfect for youtube to do it justice. My new favorite album of all time comes from an odd band: Manticora. This band is a hybrid combination of progressive power, speed, and thrash metal. This is their 1st full length album and it does everything right. 1) From Far Beyond: It's an intro, can't really rate it. Very creepy and cool, sets the mood for the album. 2) When Forever Ends: Solid opener, if it were any other band this would be the ending track, the one to finish on a great note. But no, they pull this one out for the intro. That's how much confidence they have in their abilities. Awesome solos, cool slow section, 10/10 3) The Vision: Starts out dark and menacing then goes through an amazing breakdown that builds to a happy ending 11/10 4) Intoxicated: this one is a bit odd, but still awesome. Love the fast sections that come out of nowhere. 10/10 5) Beyond the Walls of Sleep: The ballad and a good one at that. No slow guitar solo in the middle to make it cliche and no 8 minutes of boring. No. Just a short well-placed ballad to add some contrast to the album. Perfect 10/10. Also awesome bass lines. 6) Nowhere Land: Now's where this album starts to pick up even more somehow. This and the next song are based on the 1981 novel "The Many-Colored Land" and it works. This is a shorter thrashier song that exudes awesomeness. And the chorus oh man the chorus, it's just cool. 11/10 7) The Flood: 9 and a half minutes of amazing. The intro riff. MOTHER OF GOD THE INTRO RIFF IS -blam!-ING AWESOME! (and doesn't overplay itself thank goodness). This song goes through many developments and reenters themes from earlier in the song. And ends "The Many-Colored Land" themed songs. Lots of cool solos, riffs, melodies, and a power metal band with bass lines? yep. It has everything. 11/10 8) Pale Faces: Spoken word part underneath the versus is a cool idea that works well and adds some depth. This band can do no wrong. Good melancholy theme with some awesome guitar work. 10/10 9) Private Hell: The shortest track lyrically but still has the power of 1,000 suns. The chorus is amazing to. And the melodic guitar in the middle followed by a cool solo. 11/10 10) Roots of Eternity: MOTHER OF -blam!-ING GOD THIS SONG IS THE GREATEST SONG OF ALL -blam!-ING TIME NO CONTEST DO NOT PASS GO DO NOT COLLECT 200 DOLLARS MOTHER-blam!-ER. 11 minutes and 46 seconds of perfection. It has guitar solos out the -blam!-ing wazoo, it has beautiful lush verses and piano parts. Choruses? IT DOESN'T -blam!-ING NEED THEM! PROGRESSIVE AS -blam!- AND UNAPOLOGETIC ABOUT IT! That acoustic part near the end? BETTER GRAB A BOX OF TISSUES YOU WILL CRY YOUR -blam!-ING HEART OUT AT THE BEAUTY! Everything in this song is perfect. It never gets boring. Not even for a second. The guitar work is perfect. A power metal band with deep and meaningful lyrics? YOU BETTER -blam!-ING BELIEVE IT! I'll post them at the end and you can judge for yourself. Words cannot describe how awesome this song is. And the ending. The ending. That last minute and a half guitar solo is enough to bring a tear to even the most rigid man's eye. You haven't lived until you've heard this song. Please. Please do yourself a favor. DON'T WASTE YOUR EARS ONE MORE -blam!-ING MINUTE LISTEN TO THIS SONG!!!!! LISTEN!!!!!! YOUR LIVE -blam!-ING DEPENDS ON IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please. 12,567,900,534.87/10 The lyrics(with guitar solos added): [Part one] [ETERNITY] [instrumental] [PART TWO] [ROOTS] I can't see whether it's me or my blood that drags me down Thoughts in my mind tell me I'm not even around I can't see no solution to the suffering of the weakest creature of all One for me is the rope around my neck but I don't want the curtain to fall Illusions of the better days - ignored Buried in a state of mind - absorbed Illusions of the better days - ignored Buried in a state of mind - absorbed I don't care anymore cause my world is gone No hope for you - no hope for me No hope for anyone How can I tell the truth when I don't even know if it's the truth I tell Damn it, my friend, I don't care if you won't help But would you please then put me into my shell Draw a line in the sand to keep me knowing where your boundaries explode I don't wish to die but if I had the choice I'd rather not corrode I will always cry inside - profane Inapproachable, yes - insane I will always cry inside - profane Inapproachable, yes - insane I don't care anymore cause my world is gone No hope for you - no hope for me No hope for anyone [Mini break] [Guitar Solos] Carved in me to make it last, read the world through the splintered glass Swallowed whole my only hope to lift the grief hiding from the past Dare not look into these eyes all too aware of the pain I'll find But I can't resist the temptation search for my soul to leave it all behind All locked doors inside my head - betrayed Shadows haunt my loneliness - depraved [PART THREE] [LAST CRY] [Break] I quite don't know why I smiled back then It must have been a memory Of a place that I have been Sorry if I said too much and now you know my name It's just a way to hide myself Can you tell me why I came [Acoustic Guitar Solo] There's no miracles no more and life it goes it's ways Water feels like fire In my hands I'll find my face For much to long I had my conscience on the floor Been drifting in a circle till I smashed my head Into the door [PART FOUR] [THE END] It's because the Roots are no longer below They're dead and it's easy to show Take my hand let's walk through the night Wait for the end - There's no reason to fight [Guitar Solo]