684 lines
28 KiB
Plaintext
684 lines
28 KiB
Plaintext
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*=-- --=*
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{ "I'm not gonna lie to your readers. I choose to smoke pot, }
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and I like it." --
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{ Chuck Billy, vocalist }
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*=-- --=*
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*=-- --=*
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{ the }
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-=/*> Buzzz Bros. <*\=-
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present..
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TESTAMENT - HIGH TIMES Interview (May, 1991)
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and
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TESTAMENT - 'Souls Of Black' (lyrics)
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text entry by Havoc
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{ }
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*=-- --=*
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Combining the resounding of original hard-rock purveyors like Black
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Sabbath, Jimi Hendrix, and Led Zeppelin with the urgent sonic velocity and
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aggressive intent of early 80's hardcore a la Black Flag and Discharge,
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modern-day speed-lace heavy metal is arguably the most important force in
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music today. Spearheaded by the massive and seemingly-unlikely successes of
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bands like Metallica, Slayer and Anthrax, a second generation of speed-metal
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has evolved. Leading the way are Bay Area bad boys, Testament.
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Born out of teenage suburban boredom and a diligent fervor for playing
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frenetically brain-jarring hyper-riffs, these five merchants of mosh (slang
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for the often hazardous acts of stage diving and slam dancing by fans at
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concerts), vocalist Chuck Billy, guitarists Alex Skolnick and Eric Peterson,
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bassist Greg Christian and drummer Louie Clemente are soaring towards
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legendary status.
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Over the course of their four mind-blistering vinyl/laser efforts
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(1987's debut "The Legacy", followed by '88's "The New Order", '89's
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Practice What You Preach", and last year's ground-breaking "Souls Of Black",
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all released through Megaforce / Atlantic), Testament have built a reputation
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or unleashing no-frills, uncompromising music. Last year saw them touring
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European arenas (as part of the heralded "Clash Of The Titans" tour with
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Slayer, Megadeth and Suicidal Tendencies), similar-sized American venues
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(with Judas Priest), and most recently, in support of death-metal icons,
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Slayer. The tried-and-true rock success formula of non-stop touring and
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recording has paid off for the Testa-men, with significant radio and MTV
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airplay for their single "Souls Of Black," lucrative merchandising and some
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serious six-digit sales figures (over 400,000 units of Souls Of Black sold at
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press time). They've made their mark as keepers of the speed-metal flame,
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and don't plan to change anytime soon.
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"I think the main reson we've survived is that we do what we like, we
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never sold out," offers Chuck Billy, the band's imposing vocalist. "Not to
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sound corny or anything, but we've always played music from the heart. We're
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fans of the music we play -- which is hard, fast speed-metal and thrash
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music. It's all about playing music with lots of energy, and keeping it
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challenging. As far as I'm concerned, that's what heavy music should be. We
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don't wanna be like Metallica or Slayer -- but we're obviously fans of their
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style from over the years, and they've been a major influence on us.
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Testament is a heavy band, but we try to do something different from the
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average thrash band."
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A major part of Testament's essence is their bond with their
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somtimes-anarchic audience, and their fandom's extremely physical reaction to
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the music -- namely, "the pit," where participants mosh and otherwise get
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wild. "Yeah, we're into the action," Billy relates, "We get off and we get
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excited when the crowd gets into it. The wilder they get out there, the more
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hyped we get. A lot of bands may say something like that, but in our case,
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we need it. That's a major part of what Testament's all about. If they're
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not goin' crazy out there, I'm probably not going to be able to give the best
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performance, if you know what I mean."
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"Now that we've mover up to a bigger level -- playing arenas and big
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halls instead of the clubs -- we've been lucky that things haven't really
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changed. Sure, there's a barrier between us and the audience now [arenas and
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concert halls usually erect a wall between the stage and the front row, for
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photographers and/or protection of the artists], but as long as we can see
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the kids out there goin' wild, we're okay. We're glad that things are movin'
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on for us real well, but we don't wanna lose sight of what got us there in
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the first place. Our music's still heavy and in-your-face, and that's the
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main thing. We're not gonna get weird about things now that we're becoming a
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little more well-known. There's some people out there who think it's bad to
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make it big -- some kids think you've sold-out just because you start sellin'
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some records. And some bands think that you shouldn't go big-time. We're
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not into that. We want our music to become as big and popular as possible --
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that's what it's all about. We don't wanna be an unsuccessful underground
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band, we want people to remember Testament, and hopefully they'll be somehow
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influenced by what we do and say."
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What Testament offer that's different from standard metal fare are
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lyrics with significant meaning. While they're not exactly Jackson Browne or
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U2 (many of the band's lyrics are steeped on the darker side of life and/or
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fantasy characters), Testament have garnered considerable acclaim for songs
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with social significance -- like 1989's "Greenhouse Effect" or "Perilous
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Nation," which comment on various environmental / political issues. "We're
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not here to change the world; we're just a band," Chuck says. "We're not a
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political band, we don't wanna get ourselves stuck in that trap. But we do
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observe a lot of things that go on in day-to-day life, and as a band, we
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should be free to express ourselves as we see fit. As far as the kinda
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political songs we have got, there's a lot of fucked up things going on out
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there in the world, and we shouldn't not talk about them, just 'cause we're a
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metal band. The greenhouse effect is a universal thing, even thrashers are
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gonna have to deal with it. It's important for people to know what's going on
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in the world, and music should be just another place for them to learn. But
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like I said, that's only one small part of our music, and because of that, it
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does sometimes get overexaggerated."
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"Also, when we play live, the songs are a little bit different and
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faster, and it's pretty much there for the kids to mosh to, and let off some
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aggression. So, we don't really expect people to get the words we're sayin
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in our songs when it's live at a club or theater or somethin'. But when the
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fan goes home, and listens to the record and read the lyric sheet, that's
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where we're gonna make some impact. But we're not preaching either. We
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don't offer any solutions to these things -- after all, we don't have the
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answers ourselves. We do pose the questions, so the kids can go out and
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decide for themselves what should be done to help -- if they want to."
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To the casual outside obsever, a heavy-metal concert can be a violent
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experience. Metal fans ain't exactly angels, to say the least, and their
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collective reactions to their fave acts is usually rabid and out-of-control.
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Frontman Billy explains this unique artist-fan relationship: "Our music, and
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[that of] bands like us, gives the fans a chance to release some of their
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built-up aggression or frustration. When they come to a Testament show, they
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can go off and get really into it. Our music is heavy and we use it to let
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off some steam too. As a fan, I always liked metal because it was powerful
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and heavy, and that's what we try to do. But people have got to realize that
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while things get really crazy sometimes, it's all in fun. We're not trying
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to get people to kill themselves. We don't write songs that say 'Kill your
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mom.' We're not into that. The only times we've had any real problems with
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real violence is when gang members would come to a show and try to start
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fights -- that happened a few years ago when we played with Suicidal
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Tendencies -- and that was pretty much the only time. Those people should
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realize that if they wanna fight, they should stay away from the shows and go
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fight in the street. But yeah, luckily, we haven't had many problems with
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bad violence at our gigs, most people don't take it to that extreme. There's
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violence at our concerts, but it's friendly, and the fans know that. That's
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why you haven't heard of anyone getting killed at one of our shows, or
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anything like that."
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Another thing which seperates Testament from the mindless metal millions
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is that they're not one of those groups who are the real sell-outs, doing
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"Just Say No" propaganda/public service announcements for radio and
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television while privately feeding costly cocaine/heroin habits. Testament
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are proud weed smokers, who fight for their right to party. "It burns me up.
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I don't do coke or crank or any other shit like that -- I smoke pot. It's
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just a plant, and I get shit for that. They say drugs are drugs, which is
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bullshit. My manager always gives me shit whenever I say anything about this
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subject, but I'm just telling you the truth. I'm not gonna sit here and say
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I'm an angel when I'm not. I'm not gonna lie to the kids, and I'm not gonna
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lie to your readers. I choose to smoke pot, and I like it. I'm not tellin'
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people that they should smoke pot too -- that would be wrong and
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hyppocritical -- but I do support people's freedom to do what they choose.
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The way things are now in our society, you can get arrested for smoking a
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plant, and that seems ridiculous to me."
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Beyond Neanderthal metal and bullshit music-biz posturing, Testament are
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a band that simply makes hard rock that matters -- incorporating
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politically-conscious lyrics with fantasy metal tales, and mixing speed-laced
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power chords with memorable harmonies. Testament have stuck to their guns
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and are reaping the rewards of hard work.
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All this and mosh music too.
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____________________________
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HIGH TIMES May, 1991 - Steven Bush
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____________________________
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-=*/> TESTAMENT - Souls Of Black (lyrics) <\*=-
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1. Beginning Of The End
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--------------------
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Music: Peterson
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2. Face In The Sky
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---------------
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Lyrics: Billy
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Music: Peterson, Skolnick
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Shadows glow from the full moonlight
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Hear clouds cry, it's so insane
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Souls hold on to the key of life
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See how it's bleeding from the pain
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Chorus:
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-------
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When will they open up their eyes
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Stop to face our demise
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It's live or die
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Who am I?
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Face in the Sky
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Walk with me, my friend
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to a darkened place
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Welcome down to the abyss
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Caught between two worlds
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with no advocate
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The legions' army
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Hold on to your fate
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Chorus
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Screams from the night
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seem to intensify
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as the air shifts silent through
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ghouls crowded in the clouds
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on a misty night
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guarding secrets
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man has brought to you
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Chorus
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3. Falling Fast
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------------
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Lyrics: Billy
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Music: Peterson, Clemente
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Locked in a darkened world
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Made to never last
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That's where the dreams you seek
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are like stories from the past
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Sweet infant child's born
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Sweet mother of the womb
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Hope it is over soon
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Not much more I can take
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Help me lord
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I'm falling fast
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Bring me Back
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Nerves slip away from
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within your conscious mind
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Translucent hopes are now
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nothing but dismal lies
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You lived your life so down
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to the bitter end
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Better think it over now
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You life has just begun
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Help me lord
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I'm falling fast
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Bring me back
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From suicide
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Just show me life is how
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And not a bitter war
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The odds in favor now
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It's hard to live and learn
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Silence the sorrow
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and don't let it slip away
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Think of tomorrow
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as the future of today
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Help me lord
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I'm falling fast
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Bring me back
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from suicide
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I'm falling fast
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Locked in a darkened world
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Made to never last
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That's where the draems you seek
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are like storie's from the past
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Sweet infant child's born
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to the mother of the Womb
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Hope it is over soon
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not much more I can take
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Chorus
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4. Souls of Black
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--------------
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Lyrics: Billy
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Music: Peterson, Skolnick, Clemente
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Can't you see
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that in the world we live in
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political lies
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are just corporate decisions
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They'll take away
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all the hopes, not their promises
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They'll put an end to all this
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land of the living
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Chorus:
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-------
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Look at the lost souls
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They seem so black
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Look at the lost souls
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Souls of black
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The get control
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of the heart of a nation
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Their social bribes
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seem so graciously
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as time goes by
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'Cause time as you can see
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will slowly die for you and me
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Chorus
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So put an end
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to this idolization
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Antagonizing so commonly
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Open your eyes
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'Cause the lie's there so plain to see
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Life goes on
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There's no gaurantees
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Chorus
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They're bleeding so black
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5. Absence Of Light
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----------------
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Lyrics: Billy, Skolnick
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Music: Peterson, Billy
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Life, as we know,
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is full of gloom
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Oppress the massess
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We'll lead to our doom
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We want the right
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to live or die
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Can't take away
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What we feel inside
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Like empty shadows
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afflict our brains
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Envision our dreams
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just to ease the pain
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There's more to life
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than to satisfy
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I ask myself
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for the reason why.
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Chorus:
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-------
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If it were my way
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I'd deliver us from this hell
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If it were my way.
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If ever there comes a day
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Renovations blown away.
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Is there no end
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to this endless war
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The fear of man
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is now what's in store
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We look at life as a memory
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Long live the dreams
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That they took from me
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Chorus
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6. Love To Hate
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------------
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Lyrics: Peterson, Clemente & Billy
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Music: Peterson, Skolnick
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Hail to the new leader now
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Ruler of this land,
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with plans that follow
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to demonstrate
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Fear the blackened band
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So horrid
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and deathly true
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Dishonest and powermad
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Unspoken, sealed fate
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Bursting so desolate
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Chorus
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------
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His love to hate
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He'll murder souls like you and me
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But along the way
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He'll have you to dwell
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in his own hell
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Clear the streets
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See them marching
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while columns take a stand
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Time provoked, their mirrors of hatred
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with dark uncanny plans
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to take out
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and follow through
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Just following their orders
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with death rates
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and death's tolll
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Those poor unfortunate souls
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Chorus
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Twisting and turning
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through the mazes in your head
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But in a time like this
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you're better off dead
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The time has come now
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Put up or shut down
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The feelings that you have
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were lost and never found
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Chorus
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7. Malpractice
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-----------
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Lyrics: Skolnick, Billy
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Music: Skolnick, Peterson
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We all will go and stay sometime
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Soon to be a victim of a crime
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Loss of blood and death is near
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Take a number, can you wait right here
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Chorus:
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-------
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Check in - to the place
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Reduce you life into disgrace
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Isn't there some kind
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of better way
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When it's time to operate
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fatalistic figures hold your fate
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Just relax you'll feel no pain
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Hope they put you in the right domain
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Patients helpless to defy
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Negligence is why
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Chorus
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Within the laws
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they'll rip you off
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then write you off
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Malpractice!
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And in the end
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they'll let you in
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Please come again
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Malpractice!
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Suffer until you get well
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Bleak exsistence like a prison cell
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If you find your life is lost
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Dedicate the world to pay the cost
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Patients helpless to defy
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Negligence is why
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Chorus
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Within the laws
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they'll rip you off
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then write you off
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Malpractice!
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And in the end
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they'll let you in
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Please come again
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Malpractice!
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8. One Man's Fate
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--------------
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Lyrics: Billy
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Music: Peterson, clemente
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Time is nothing but life's decay
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Pitch your reverend path
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This is the path you paved
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What you will find
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is life's only way
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There's no looking back
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There must be a better way
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Lightning skies
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Prayers from an open grave
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A dead man's day
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Black skies fade to shadow grey
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The darkness is so deep
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Prayers for the light of day
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What you will find
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is life's only way
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There's no looking back
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back to a better way
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Lightning skies
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Prayers from an open grave
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A dead man's eyes
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Must be a dead man's day
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that leads to one man's fate
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There ain't no better way to die
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Fate, there's no compromise
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Hate leads to suicide
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Trapped in a crystal haze
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Hail to a dead man's day
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Time is but a passageway
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trying to believe
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your life was sanity
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A matter of time
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is all that you need
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Life's not coming back,
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back to those better days
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Lightning skies
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Prayers from an open grave
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A dead man's eyes
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Must be a dead man's day
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9. The Legacy
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----------
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Lyrics: Skolnick, Billy, Peterson
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Music: Peterson, Clemente, Skolnick
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We're gonna take you back
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through the pages of the past
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Just another lonely boy
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I could laugh and play
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and live in any other way
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Then the devil took my soul
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The fortune and the fame
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I knew I was not the same
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and I know I'd never return
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Looking at the sky
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I knew I would never die
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And forever shining through
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Wish the sky would say
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that blue would turn to grey
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and I know I'd be there
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Chorus:
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-------
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Life was like a fantasy
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taken by reality
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Does anyone remember me
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Flashes of the sky
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I knew I was here to stay
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But no one stays the same
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Turn the pages back in time
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||
through the chapters in my mind
|
||
Life's too short to leave behind
|
||
It's too late now
|
||
|
||
Chorus
|
||
|
||
Flashes of the day
|
||
I knew I was here to stay
|
||
But no one
|
||
knows my name
|
||
|
||
|
||
10. Seven Days Of May
|
||
-----------------
|
||
|
||
Lyrics: Skolnick, Billy
|
||
Music: Peterson, Skolnick
|
||
|
||
|
||
Put your life on the line
|
||
To hesitate is a waste of time
|
||
No giving in to repent
|
||
unto the system of the government
|
||
|
||
It's called the Peoples Republic here
|
||
The propaganda so sincere
|
||
Oh, what a joke and a blatant lie
|
||
from criminals ranking high
|
||
|
||
|
||
Chorus:
|
||
-------
|
||
Born a political prisoner
|
||
Raised outside the law
|
||
I'm gonna keep on fighting
|
||
until I die for the cause
|
||
|
||
Put an end to hipocracy
|
||
Lead the way to Democracy
|
||
No longer will we play the fool
|
||
to brutalized military rule
|
||
|
||
They started forty years ago
|
||
We never could say yes or no
|
||
Million souls made our voice
|
||
We want the right to make a choice
|
||
|
||
Chorus
|
||
|
||
Freedom, freedom calling
|
||
out from the pain
|
||
Freedom, freedom calling
|
||
seven days in May
|
||
|
||
They tried to show a peaceful path
|
||
then it turned into a blood bath
|
||
In the Square they plan the game
|
||
That's when the tanks of the army came.
|
||
|
||
They called the murders minimal
|
||
Described their victims as criminals
|
||
Dead souls like you and me
|
||
who only wanted free society
|
||
|
||
Chorus
|
||
|
||
Freedom, freedom calling
|
||
out from the pain
|
||
Freedom, freedom calling
|
||
seven days in May
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------
|
||
|
||
All melodies by Chuck Billy
|
||
All arrangements by Testament
|
||
|
||
All compositions (c) 1990 COTLOD Music (adm. by
|
||
Zomba Enterprises Inc.) Zomba Enterprises Inc. (ASCAP)
|
||
All Rights Reserved. Used without permission.
|
||
|
||
____________________________
|
||
|
||
Special Thanks to:
|
||
____________________________
|
||
|
||
Kilbourn
|
||
Alannah and Vanessa at Kroozin' Music
|
||
HIGH TIMES
|
||
|
||
(c) MCMXCI -=*/> Buzzz Bros. <\*=-
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
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|
||
|
||
Another file downloaded from: NIRVANAnet(tm)
|
||
|
||
& the Temple of the Screaming Electron Jeff Hunter 510-935-5845
|
||
Rat Head Ratsnatcher 510-524-3649
|
||
Burn This Flag Zardoz 408-363-9766
|
||
realitycheck Poindexter Fortran 415-567-7043
|
||
Lies Unlimited Mick Freen 415-583-4102
|
||
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||
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