Beckum
Datum 06.04.2024

HOUR OF THE WOLF


TRACKLIST

Eye To Eye
Dead Night Misery
Rapophis
The Wheel
Dead Ringer
 Dance With The Dead 
Five Rules
How Mountains Are Born
Ashes 
Image

REVIEWS



...Jedes Album hat für sich seinen Reiz und jedem Fan von gutem deutschen, Gitarren orientierten Heavy Metal sei ELMSFIRE hiermit ans Herz gelegt.
Punkte: 8/10
...The use of strings for example on the excellent ‘Dead Ringer’ is really well thought out, and indeed on the Judas Priest esque ‘Dance With The Dead’, making it my album favourite (at the moment anyway). The use of Symphonic passages on many of the tracks is a great addition, helping to incorporate a great deal of imagery to the overall feel of the album. However, slice the album open and you see a definite Metal heart beating, solid and powerful riffs a plenty, a thunderous drum and bass powerhouse which drives everything along to perfection, top that all off with an excellent vocal performance by Lukas, and there really isn’t a bad word to be said about anything on show here
...Knackiger und direkter geht es dann wieder bei den folgenden Tracks zur Sache, „The Wheel“, „Dead Ringer“ und vor allem der Videotrack „Dance with the Dead“ sind Stücke bei den die Fans des Genre mit Sicherheit sehr zufrieden sein werden!
ELMSFIRE kehren auf jeden Fall sehr stark mit ihrem zweiten Album zurück!...Fans sollten sich dieses tolle neue Album der Band direkt über deren Bandhomepage nicht entgehen lassen! Für eine Eigenproduktion auf jeden Fall eine klasse Leistung!
WERTUNG:
7,5/10
SONGTEXTE
EYE TO EYE

Daylight...I try to fool myself that it will last forever
But it is just another way to torture me
The darkness of fear never really goes away, not even in plain daylight
In the morning she leaves and I remain exhausted and empty with the terror of her to return
Once more in the evening I will try and shut the door to keep her outside just to find her right behind me
The wolf and I, we know each other so well...she knows all of my tricks and beats me every time...
I'm sure she cheats...that bitch!


DEAD NIGHT MISERY

The light is fading, mists will rise
Creepy shadows left their hide
I silently pray: delay the night!
When all my demons come to life
Oh, she's waiting, laying low outside
I'm in the dark too scared to close my eyes
And count the stars that are not there
The constellations disappeared
In the darkness of my sky
The tiny dots- I watched them die
Oh, she's waiting, laying low outside
I'm in the dark too scared to close my eyes
Dead Night Misery - sweeping over me
When I give in to fear
Dead Night Misery - twisting reality
And I choke on despair
Dead Night Misery - the Wolf's already here
And I can hear her breathe
Dead Night Misery - she found her way to me
And I can feel her greedy teeth
Locked all the doors - shut all the windows tight
Called on my Saints - all candles set alight
Tried and prepared myself - thought it was worth a try
Did all I could - somehow she just did slip by
I drank a glass - it wasn't enough
I sipped a second - still she laughed
I drowned a third one - it wouldn't last
I toppled a fourth - still didn't work the craft
I'll finish up to the last drop to keep that bitch at bay
But no matter what I do, I can't cast her away
Oh, she's waiting, laying low outside
I'm in the dark too scared to close my eyes
Dead Night Misery - sweeping over me
When I give in to fear
Dead Night Misery - twisting reality
And I choke on despair
Dead Night Misery - the Wolf's already here
And I can hear her breathe
Dead Night Misery! she found her way to me
And I can feel her greedy teeth
Dead Night Misery the Wolf's already here with me


RAPOPHIS

I wake up, my lashes frozen sealed with ice
Bitter tastes this victory...but I am still alive
Stumble to my feet scream out defiance and provocation
to drown the silent promises of revenge

Spinning in circles in doubt who I am
Freezing at Zenith at Nadir I burn

Wipe away my indecision, carving out my clarity
Showing off my indolence, replace it with dexterity
I cover myself in bravery to negate my fear
Wrap myself in confidence to see my self-doubts disappear

Spinning in circles in doubt who I am
Freezing at Zenith at Nadir I burn
Two sides of one coin molten in rage
I am Rapophis and I never change

I'm the raw force of rage and I’ll raze
The raving rogue of disorder and rout 
Redemption's sole raider on the ridge that separates 
The reckless and ruthless from the righteous and brave

Now I stigmatize heaven with footprints of light
I'm cradle of gods, the essence of life
I am Sun incarnate destined to fight
Noon in my back, dusk in my eyes
Unnoticed at my feet my shadow does rise
As I hit the ground tasting the dust
My armor of arrogance crumbles into fists full of rust

I won’t yield - won’t you?
You will see not fear nor hear a cry from me
you won’t yield - would you?
Ra: the night is always darkest just before dawn arrives
Apophis: the fire burns bright ere it dies!

I make my stand my lashes searing white with fire
Sweet’s the smell of triumph that’s almost at hand
Suddenly everything staggering my fortress falls into the mire
Shaking ground all around crashing down my own voice calls: this is the end!

Spinning in circles in doubt who I am
Freezing at Zenith at Nadir I burn
Leave the Horizon to reach it again
Starting to blaze and consume what I am
Two sides of one coin molten in rage
I am Rapophis and I never change
THE WHEEL

Roaring, cursing, lashing out
All thoughts are spinning out of control
Grind my teeth and clench my fist
I'm living in a berserker-skin
All stars are gone and dreams have fallen down beyond
The mirror breaks and shows me to the Gate of Hell
I brought this all upon myself
Drifting smoke surrounding me
And oily ashes whirling all around
Grinding, rattling, cracking sounds
While shades peel out of ragged clouds...
...torn shades...drop down!
I'm pulled into the gear-wheels
Caught inside this roaring maelstrom of steel
Moving on this rushing belt
At last I realize its endless reels
Riding on the wheels for so long / on and on!
Strapped upon its spokes / I’m spinning round, broken down!
Shoved under the pistons, stomping me / to the ground!
And the wheel keeps turning / chews me up, spits me out!
Heaven shatters, falls apart
Only darkness reflecting in its shards
A spark of bliss, a flash in the pit
In a prison of flesh I'm pushed to the rift
I doomed myself, now I face my faults
I'm a drop that falls from the sea of souls
Roaring, cursing, lashing out
The rage is taking over all control
I see it clear, I sank so low
But I’m not willing to let go
I'm pulled into the gear wheels...
I'm riding on these wheelworks...

DEAD RINGER

Fate - Sunken Away
Destiny - Why did you leave?
Fate - Why have you fled me?
Destiny - When did you disappear?

In the night of my mind
Keep the fire alive
Gobbling hours of my time
Swallow reason and rhyme
Pulled away from the light
The sweat burns in my eyes
Senses fade and then die
The heat biting my skin
While my will's wearing thin
All the walls closing in

Be, Feel, Breathe
Coming back

Ringing dead...I'm rising out of my grave
Leaving this cold embrace
From the casket of nightInto light and day

Fate - Carved in my hand
Destiny - Stretching before me
Fate - Purpose regained
Destiny - No longer written in sand
Be again - walk the earth
Drink the rain - quench my thirst
Leave the dirt - breathe the light
Feeding my greed for life

Clear as glass is my mind
I will seek you - I'll find
And take back what is mine
I will put out the lights
Leave you down in the night
You will now eat the soil
Drown in mud - Slick as oil
Go insane as I have
In the place you had saved
And made Carry my name
Beg, Cry, Die - Going Down

Ringing Dead...

DANCE WITH THE DEAD

Now follow me down winding slopes, past open crypts and fallen stones
No sleep for the dead tonight and no more resting bones
The Underworld holds open house, no tourist Halloween...
And if you find the guts you might come in!

In the ballroom underneath the corpses laugh and drum their feet
While on the dancefloor's edge they squeeze the warm and breathing pale and creeped
When on the parquet bones collide and scatter round in the dim light
from lanterns full of fireflies who's gonna know who's skull you'll find?

Dance with the Dead, no reason to be scared
Dance with the Dead, now why are you afraid?

Taken by the crossbone beat
Everyone head over heels
Joins the league of shaking knees
With banging heads while
Hell breaks lose in here!

See yonder under that oak tree a giant all in black and green
Tells stories of the living's land, makes zombie children scream
And when the ball is through, you see, on the boneyards, six-feet-deep
The party-table's set for thee with spiderwebs in musty breeze


Dance with the Dead, no reason to be scared
Dance with the Dead, now why are you afraid?
For one day soon or some day later everyone goes there!
Dance with the Dead, no panic if you're next...

FIVE RULES

Ah...But I won't force you into deed or belief
Taught yourself already how to walk and to breathe
Go find out yourself now how to proceed
I can give you directions, can offer you keys
But it's up to you, how to use these
I can't keep you from falling- if it's what you wish
Burn, if you want to and bleed if you need
It's from experience only that you will be freed...

BURN! If you want to
BLEED! If you need to
LOSE! All there is to
LEAVE! Be free now to proceed!

FEAR - Chain that holds me down
You promised safer ground
But froze me in my doubt
I could have long been gone

I wasted time to question the decisions I once made
The milk I spilled, the blood I shed - now things that can't be changed

And through my life's lost battlefields
I synthesized my lasting truth
Count down the fingers on my hand
While reciting these five rules:

One: Don't turn your back to what scares you!
Two: Don't let the same flame burn you twice!
Three: For mistakes no regret!
Four: Forgive but don't forget!
Five: Find your way and never look back!


RAGE - Either quick or late
I turned blind with hate
When needed to be saved
You went away - I'd still wait...

I allowed trust, hope and mercy to be almost destroyed
Left innocence in ignorance for others to exploit
I’m sick and I’m tired to wait for you to change

I learned my lesson in the end
It cost me more than I wanted to spend

And through my life's lost battlefields
I synthesized my lasting truth
Count down the fingers on my hand
While reciting these five rules:

One: Don't turn your back to what scares you!
Two: Don't let the same flame burn you twice!
Three: For mistakes no regret!
Four: Forgive but don't forget!
Five: Find your way and never look back! 

HOW MOUNTAINS ARE BORN

Ah...But I won't force you into deed or belief
Taught yourself already how to walk and to breathe
Go find out yourself now how to proceed
I can give you directions, can offer you keys
But it's up to you, how to use these
I can't keep you from falling- if it's what you wish
Burn, if you want to and bleed if you need
It's from experience only that you will be freed...
BURN! If you want to
BLEED! If you need to
LOSE! All there is to
LEAVE! Be free now to proceed!
FEAR - Chain that holds me down
You promised safer ground
But froze me in my doubt
I could have long been gone
I wasted time to question the decisions I once made
The milk I spilled, the blood I shed - now things that can't be changed
And through my life's lost battlefields
I synthesized my lasting truth
Count down the fingers on my hand
While reciting these five rules:
One: Don't turn your back to what scares you!
Two: Don't let the same flame burn you twice!
Three: For mistakes no regret!
Four: Forgive but don't forget!
Five: Find your way and never look back!
RAGE - Either quick or late
I turned blind with hate
When needed to be saved
You went away - I'd still wait...
I allowed trust, hope and mercy to be almost destroyed
Left innocence in ignorance for others to exploit
I’m sick and I’m tired to wait for you to change
I learned my lesson in the end
It cost me more than I wanted to spend
And through my life's lost battlefields
I synthesized my lasting truth
Count down the fingers on my hand
While reciting these five rules:
One: Don't turn your back to what scares you!
Two: Don't let the same flame burn you twice!
Three: For mistakes no regret!
Four: Forgive but don't forget!
Five: Find your way and never look back! 

ASHES

So this is the end
That's how I'm going down
The fire has gone out
But the heat lingers in the ground
This is the calm after the storm
Seems even the sun's closed her eye on us all
This is the calm after the storm
The sky sank away, swirling dust all around
My life fades away
Ashes covering me slow and grey
Flake by flake suffocate me:
This place where I fell is my grave
This is the calm after the storm
When thunder's roar has died in the far
This is the calm after the storm
The light has gone out-now heaven's no more
Hope is no more
Crusted with anger, buried in hurt
The harvest of my deed and word
Layers and layers hide everything:
The crimes of my passion, the acts of my empathy
This is the end
Now my world has come down
This is the silence after the call
The sun turned away, closed her eye on us all
This is the calm after the storm
When thunder's roar has died in the far
This is the silence after the call
The sky sank away leaving dust all around
This is creation made undone
The light has gone out-now heaven's no more
Hope is no more
The battle's done
All has gone wrong
The die is cast
The field is lost
It's overrun!
This is the end
I have gone down
The fire is out
Only cold in the dreary ground