Track By Tracks: Angel Rising - Angel Rising (2020)

1. Pull The Trigger:

The song was composed after the album was digitally released to celebrate the deal with Music-records, as a bonus track for CD purchasers. Kevin Talley, who already played the drums on « from the grave to the light » years ago, was contacted last minute and he accepted to record the drum parts.

Hermyth and Mfox answered the call too and we all gave life to a song which mainly speaks about murder, the fact to take someone’s life, or your own life and the consequences we have to suffer, in this world or the next.

2. The Pain You Can’t Deny:

This track was composed and recorded by Listenangel alone, during the months of quarantine and it shows. Most of our pain, not the physical one, is buried deep inside ourselves, for the sake of our sanity but there is some pain, no matter how strong you try to ignore it, that will always come back to haunt you, and this is what the song is about, the pain you can’t deny ! 

3. Disgrace:

This is one of the songs inspired by the graphical universe created by Hermyth : « Dust! - The Cresthäal Chronicles ». The theme is the arrival on earth of an overpowered being which will pitilessly enslave the human race and rejoice in our desperation.

4. From The Grave To The Light:

It’s a song composed 5 years ago, starring Kevin Talley on the drums, but it sounds really different on the album. Mfox used to sing through the entire song in a style between Heavy Metal high pitched voice and screamo. For the album, the refrain was replaced by a more typical death growl whereas the verses stayed the same. As for the guitar solo, it is inspired by the mythical and probably best guitar solo of all time of Painkiller by Judas Priest. The song is about self accomplishment, fullfilling your destiny by finding your own way, your own style, your « stone ». 

5. Kneel:

This is the most progressive song of the album, almost instrumental besides the one and only phrase which hits you here and there. You can hear electronic elements in the background, combined with a dissonant and disturbing guitar tapping which acts as a leitmotiv joining the riffs together. There is also an atmospheric part in which you can hear the only acoustic guitar part of the album. 

6. Tears of War:

The title of the song refers to the famous video game « Gears of War », very appreciated by Listenangel as you can notice on his left arm. This track is about war of course, but through the eyes of this superior entity which came to sack the earth, taking pleasure in the process. But haven’t we deserved it ? This is probably the most brutal song of the album, despite a calm interlude before the solo in which you can hear battlecry samples from the movie « Braveheart ».

7. Rise:

Rise is the first song ever of Angel Rising. As« Disgrace », it was composed with Hermyth’s « Dust! - The Cresthäal Chronicles » in mind, a graphic novel which paints the violence and blindness of vengeance. Samples of authentic gregorian choirs add mysticism to the overall anger the lead vocals inspire. In itself « Rise » is a simplistic, pretty straightforward song, but it somehow helped define Angel Rising’s style and sound. 

8. Ordo Ab Chao:

This is the oldest composition and only « real » instrumental piece of the album. It was originally recorded for Listenangel’s youtube channel but still managed to find a place among the other tracks even years after. It depicts a more urban violence with the addition of sounds like sirens and gunshots which prepare for some old school thrash metal riffing. Despite the lack of lyrics, the music tells another story of our nefast inclination to self-destruction. Lead guitar is king here, with multiple harmonized solos attached together by hypnotic tapped arpeggios.

9. The Pain You Can’t Deny (Instrumental):

The last track is an instrumental version of « The Pain You Can’t Deny ». This song was not supposed to have vocals first and the structure was a bit different to fit the instrumental standards. It seemed logical to propose it in a version closer to how it was meant to be and a good way to close the album, kind of full circle.