With ALTURA, Prog Metal was given a new face: although their style is very similar to DREAM THEATER, it is less heavy and more melodic - something like a lighter, more mellow version of FATES WARNING but heavier than ENCHANT. There is power to this music, which features lots of technical prowess and heavy outbursts (the vocalist will undoubtedly remind you of James LaBrie of DT). Their only CD, which has a very polished sound for a debut album, alternates between intricate, technical passages and melodic choruses, with heavy riffs and softer, sometimes a bit jazzy or spacey interludes. You'll hear lots of chops but also feeling and intelligence through out.
Fans of DREAM THEATER (circa "Images & Words") as well as SHADOW GALLERY and QUEENSRYCHE buffs will definitely enjoy this music, but so will those of you who normally shy away from typical, heavier Prog Metal stuff.
Influences John Bonham, Steve Vai, Neil Peart, Jeff Berlin, Yngwie Malmsteen, Keith Moon, John Myung, Sir Millard Mulch, Virgil Donati and other sick players!
Band Members:
Franklin Ervin-guitar,
Chad Gibson-drums,
Rain Irving-vocals,
Jeremy Osbourne-bass guitar,
Jason Lingle-keyboards, vocals.
MySpace
Mercy
Altura Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I could never
Never erase them
More than an impulse
That I have
So much more than
Anger and rage
Being caught in the dream sometimes
Leaves compassion constrained
As the clock slows down
I would wait for this to fall
To the feet of your guilt again
Mercy, falls from your eyes
Giving truth to this
Observance, I've come to realize
Leads to it all
I felt so empty
And grew tired of pretending
Turning angry
As the rage breathes in me
Burn pages burn
Like lessons I've learned
That only lead to bitterness
It's getting hard to remain
Detached from the pain
I can turn no more from this
Water rise above my head
Take me away
Away from this
More than an impulse
That I have
So much more than
Anger and rage
Being caught in the dream sometimes
Leaves compassion constrained
As the clock slows down
I would wait for this to fall
To the feet of your guilt again
Mercy, falls from your eyes
Giving truth to this
Observance, I've come to realize
Leads to it all
The lyrics of Altura's song Mercy reveal a complicated emotional state where the singer is struggling with their conflicting feelings of anger, hurt, and compassion. The opening lines, "I remember the words you said, I could never, never erase them," suggest a theme of regret and an inability to forget the past. As the lyrics progress, the singer acknowledges that their reaction to the hurtful words has been more than just anger and rage, and that they are capable of feeling compassion too, but sometimes it is harder to access due to being caught "in the dream," perhaps meaning being caught up in their own suffering.
The chorus, "Mercy, falls from your eyes, giving truth to this observance, I've come to realize leads to it all," offers a moment of hope, where the singer acknowledges that mercy and compassion are the true path to healing and growth. However, the struggle to remain detached from the pain is evident in the lines, "Burn pages burn like lessons I've learned, that only lead to bitterness. It's getting hard to remain detached from the pain, I can turn no more from this." The closing lines, "Water rise above my head, take me away, away from this," suggest a desire to escape the emotional turmoil and find peace.
Overall, the lyrics of Mercy are a poignant and honest reflection on the complexities of emotional healing, struggling to balance anger and compassion, and ultimately finding the path to forgiveness and growth.
Line by Line Meaning
I remember the words you said
The singer recalls hurtful words said by someone.
I could never
The singer cannot forget the words said.
Never erase them
The singer cannot make the memory of the words go away.
More than an impulse
The feeling is not just a fleeting thought.
That I have
The feeling is within the artist.
So much more than
The feeling is greater than just anger and rage.
Anger and rage
The singer feels more than just anger and rage.
Being caught in the dream sometimes
Occasionally, being lost in thought can keep someone from showing compassion.
Leaves compassion constrained
Being lost in thought can stop someone from expressing kindness and understanding.
As the clock slows down
In moments of silence and waiting.
I would wait for this to fall
The singer waits for something to change.
To the feet of your guilt again
The artist wants the guilty person to acknowledge their actions and feel remorse again.
Mercy, falls from your eyes
The guilty person sees the hurt they caused and shows mercy or empathy.
Giving truth to this
Their show of mercy confirms the singer's feelings.
Observance, I've come to realize
The singer has come to understand through careful observation.
Leads to it all
This understanding explains everything.
I felt so empty
The artist felt hopeless and despondent.
And grew tired of pretending
The singer was no longer able to keep up a facade of being okay.
Turning angry
Their emotions turned into anger.
As the rage breathes in me
The artist is consumed by their own anger.
Burn pages burn
Destroying evidence of past hurts in an attempt to forget.
Like lessons I've learned
The past pain taught the artist a lesson.
That only lead to bitterness
That lesson only left the singer feeling resentful and unhappy.
It's getting hard to remain
Staying positive and hopeful is becoming increasingly difficult.
Detached from the pain
Keeping a distance from the emotional pain is a challenge.
I can turn no more from this
The singer cannot ignore or move on from the pain.
Water rise above my head
Feeling overwhelmed and hopeless.
Take me away
Wanting to escape from the pain and emotions.
Away from this
Leaving the situation and pain behind.
Contributed by Jake F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.