The Traditional metal sound is in many cases similar to that of hard rock, and as previously mentioned some authors even consider as synonymous to hard rock. However, others such as Paul Dunoyer, in his encyclopedia of music, although recognizing many similarities between both genres, considers that heavy metal tends to depart from the original blues roots of hard-rock. A view also shared by Garry Sharpe Young. According to this view, original heavy metal is characterized by mid-to-fast-tempo riffs, by thumping basslines, crunchy riffs, extended lead guitar solos, and clean, often high-pitched vocals and anthemic choruses. One of the most important and innovative concepts of traditional heavy metal was the use of the double lead guitar pioneered by bands like Scorpions and Judas Priest. And although, this concept was sparingly used by earlier hard rock bands like Uriah Heep and UFO, it was wholly developed as a heavy metal element during the traditional heavy metal era. This concept of dual lead guitars would reach more profound heights during the late 1980s when other bands like Accept would also use it. Another musical concept that was developed was galloping rhythmic patterns which were extensively used in Iron Maiden songs, but also in certain Accept's songs ("Restless and Wild", "Metal Heart"),as well as Judas Priest ("Diamonds and Rust"), Dio ("Holy Diver") or Trust ("Varsovie/Uptown Martyrs").
When The Screams Come
Pentagram Lyrics
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Is not usually worth itself
Developin' a real "How to get by"
And polishing all it's wealths
Have you ever felt pain
When the screams come you know
That you're dying in vain
Right
Don't say I didn't warn ya
You had it coming anyway
Now it's just a revelation
You pushed me too far
AND NOW YOU HAVE GOT TO PAY
Why don't we look at all the fools
Witness their greedy drools
You've entered hell I guess and weren't so cool
NOW SATAN MAKES YOUR RULES
In this song, Pentagram speaks on the subject of consequences that come with one's actions. The opening lines suggest that investing too much time and effort into understanding life might not be worth it in the end. The following lines suggest that it's better to focus on learning how to navigate life and all its challenges while amassing wealth along the way. The chorus seems to shift gears a little bit as the singer describes feeling immense pain when screams come. This imagery is likely meant to represent the regret that comes with realizing the consequences of one's actions were dire. The singer seems to feel that they are dying in vain, indicating that whatever mistake they made was a significant one.
The bridge of the song deals with issuing a warning of some kind. The singer suggests that the person on the receiving end of this warning had it coming, and there's little they can do to avoid the forthcoming consequences. The following line "Now it's just a revelation" implies that the person being warned has had an epiphany of some kind- possibly realizing that they are about to face consequences for their action. The second half of the bridge seems to be directed towards the person who has made the mistake, and it is suggested that they have crossed a line that shouldn't have been crossed, leading to the need to pay for their mistake. The final verse speaks on how we should look at the "fools" who pursue wealth at the expense of their souls. The imagery of greedy drools seems to suggest a loathsome character. The dramatic final line delivers the ultimate gut punch as the singer suggests that the afterlife has been reached, and Satan is now in charge.
Line by Line Meaning
The time that you take to find out life
The amount of time it takes to understand life
Is not usually worth itself
Is often not valuable enough to justify the effort
Developin' a real "How to get by"
Creating practical strategies for survival
And polishing all it's wealths
And refining one's possessions and resources
Have you ever felt pain
Have you experienced suffering
When the screams come you know
When intense agony is felt, one is aware
That you're dying in vain
That the agony is without purpose
Right
Agreement with a previously stated idea
Don't say I didn't warn ya
Don't claim that you weren't cautioned
You had it coming anyway
You brought this upon yourself
Now it's just a revelation
Now it's simply knowledge that has been uncovered
You pushed me too far
You went beyond what I could tolerate
AND NOW YOU HAVE GOT TO PAY
And now you will face the consequences
Why don't we look at all the fools
Let's examine all of the foolish people
Witness their greedy drools
Observe their excessive desire for more
You've entered hell I guess and weren't so cool
You've found yourself in a terrible situation and are not handling it well
NOW SATAN MAKES YOUR RULES
Now you are under Satan's control
Contributed by Asher A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.