Ok, to start this off, a little background Info.
Lord Tim Is the founder of DUNGEON, Leading heavy/power metal band in the Australian Metal Scene for a few years. (Check For Gregs Dungeon reviews at http://www.sputnikmusic.com/bands.php?bandid=1817 for them)Starting in 1989, Lord Tim (Or LT as we shall know him) started Dungeon, and during that time (and even '88), wrote many songs that he thought was unfitting or "too personal" for the band.
So he left them out, and recorded them onto tape and such.
Started recording in 1992 on a 4-track cassette recorder, then an 8-track, where he re-recorded all but most of the solos "which were something magical I could never hope to recreate".
Originally Released in 2003 and re-released and digitally re-mastered in 2005 (Ibelieve) through Metal Warriors.
Track list:-
1) The Dreaming.
Starts out cool, guitar theme starts, takes you on a journey, not much to say except its an instrumental.
2) Footsteps In The Sand
Starts with what sounds like ticking of the clock and a keyboard theme (that goes with the chorus) starts, then its gets into the song.Great first riff, and I love how it turns into the first verse.
(LT Notes "It's been said that subconciously we can travel outside of our linear existence to any point in the past, present or future. That would explain a lot about how precognition and Deja Vu works as well as past life experiences")
Great solo, nothing over the top, but fits perfectly.
3)Reflections.
Another instrumental, Very cool... Have to listen to appreciate it (And im not too great at putting words to the way I feel about songs) and i really like this song.
4) Freedom
Starts out with Lead over chords, sounds almost anthem-y. This song is about Self Belief, with one of the lines going "Call it ego, I call it self self-respect. I believe I deserve much more than this", It really calls to me as a greatly Inspriing song.
Again, great solo with this one showing a bit of tapping and awesome squeals :).
5) By George!
Another Instrumental, really quite upbeat, sounding almost Joe Satriani-esque with the solos.
Great track, and inspired by George Lynch of Dokken, and as LT put it "so it was an interesting excercise if nothing else!" as he realised that none of his standard licks were in a Lynch style.
6) The Richest Man.
Put as " who are we without our memories?", this song is about whoever you are, whatever you have done in your life, you are who your memories are, past experiences count for alot.
Lyrics:
"He had it all and lost it all,
But the memories remain
To you and me he may not seem a wealthy man
(But) If this is all we're really worth
He'd be the richest man on earth.
7) Journey Through Hell
Longest song on the album, and yet another Instrumental, This song takes you on an 8 and a half minute journey though hell and back, moods ranging from "aggressive, to dark to brooding and anywhere in between."
Starting With a dark sounfing slow sorta riff, then into a hell sorta sound, with alot of evil sounding cadences.
Filled with amazing LT solos, some really speak to you, some sounding like they are filled with despair.
Great song
8)The Traveller
Starting with a sweet sounding type of keyboard and guitar comes in.
This song is to do with the Australian music scene at the moment, set in medieval times, about a man who has been shunned for being " A singer of songs, a teller of tales
The bringer of light"
This song is fairly mellow, with a very medieval solo which, again, fits magnificently with the song and its theme.
Really like this song.
9)One World
Outside of our lives is a world of famine and death, disease and neglect, where no one cares.
Quite a hard hitting song, another "hear to understand" kinda song.
Outstanding Lyrics:
" Our world is crying
Our children die in our arms
A life of hunger and disease
So are we trying?
A million miles away
Another day and no one cares... "
10) Behind The Mask
People wear masks to hide who they are or how they feel. " when someone asks you 'how are you today' and you say 'good' even though you've had a totally crap day"
Awesome song with a great lead line to it and a great (What sounds like) 12 string intro.
Outstanding Vocals:
"Behind the mask is where you'll find the real me
It's true for every one of us
Behind the mask you'll find me crying in the night
Shut out the world, I close my eyes..."
11) Rainy Nights
Instrumental, starting with Thunder and light rain and another (whats sounds) 12 string intro. VEERRYY mellow. Leads you into a false sense of security... lulling you off to sleep, pulling you in, deeper and deeper, until BAM a horrible car crash, metal against metal and screaching tyres Snaps you out of it, leading into LAST RITES
12) Last Rights
Said to be about "loneliness and frustration" of looking down on your body, after you have been in a car crash (linked from Rainy Night), and are now in a coma, linked to machines to keep you alive, where no one can hear you, and you cant make any connection to them.
Solo kicks out with themes from the song, ***ing awesome solo, love it to bits, ending with a single harmonic note.
Outstanding lyrics:
" Pull the plug, flick the switch
Let me leave this life of hell
Let me die in my own way - it's my right"
Ending with a very cool Fade out/warp sound, with what sounds like other songs "Warping" in and out.
Then the clock ticking, and it almost sounds like you are waking up from a dream.
13) The Duel
This song is only on the re-released "A personal journey" album.
Instrumental, very ***in awesome, with alot of sweet shredding and crazy stuff all over.
Also includes Keyboard solos (I think LT did them also, could be very wrong though)
All up, I personally give this album 8 thumbs up and 2 thumbs parallel (theres nothing BAD about this album)
Thanks for reading guys.
(All Lyric snippets and parts of review from www.lord.net.au )
