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
The Calling
Altura Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We draw the line
Between sympathy
And what we choose to believe
Thoughtless again
The burden that we bare
Ignore guilty eyes
I feel there is
Something that I must do
In a world whose eye's have grown cold
With no hands bound
I'll make a promise
To wait for the new
Vision that's calling me
Memories in the distance
Brought into view
Voices are calling me
A passionless voice
Lost in the rain
Reflections of out lives
In an emotionless face
A child is born in rage
All carried in vain
Your guilty eyes
Are all that remain
I said that I'd never fall
Into the trance of delusion's rage
Oh father I swear
I'll make a promise
To wait for the new
Visions are calling me
Memories in the distance
Brought into view
Voices are calling me
Altura's song "The Calling" is a powerful statement about human nature and the way we choose to see the world. The first stanza speaks to our tendency to be "selectively blind" and draw lines between our sympathy and the beliefs we choose to hold. It's a reminder that we can often ignore the things that make us uncomfortable and turn a blind eye to the suffering of others. The second stanza speaks to the burden that we all carry and the guilt that we often feel, even when we try to ignore it. The singer knows that there is something that they must do in a world that has grown cold and distant. The chorus speaks to a promise that the singer has made to themselves, that they will wait for a new vision that is calling them. The memories in the distance and the voices that are calling them are a sign that change is coming, but only if we are willing to listen.
The third verse of the song is perhaps the most powerful, as it speaks to the themes of anger and despair that run throughout the lyrics. The passionless voice lost in the rain is a metaphor for our own emotional numbness and inability to connect with the world around us. When we are "carried in vain," it's a reminder that we are not alone in our suffering. The child that is born in rage is a symbol of the anger and despair that we all feel when we face an unjust world. And yet, the singer remains committed to their promise, telling their father that they will never fall into the trance of delusion's rage.
Overall, "The Calling" is a powerful statement about the human condition and our struggle to find meaning and purpose in a world that often seems cruel and indifferent. The song is a reminder that change is possible, but only if we are willing to listen to the voices that are calling us.
Line by Line Meaning
Selectively blind
Choosing to ignore certain truths and facts
We draw the line
Setting boundaries between what we accept and reject
Between sympathy
Emotional concern for others
And what we choose to believe
Accepting only what aligns with our beliefs
Thoughtless again
Acting without careful consideration
The burden that we bare
The weight of our responsibilities and problems
Ignore guilty eyes
Refusing to acknowledge one's own guilt and wrongdoing
All is learned in refrain
We learn from our mistakes and choose to avoid repeating them
I feel there is
An inner sense of intuition
Something that I must do
A sense of duty or purpose
In a world whose eye's have grown cold
Living in a world where people have become uncaring and indifferent
With no hands bound
Having complete freedom to take action
I'll make a promise
A commitment to take action
To wait for the new
Being patient for new opportunities
Vision that's calling me
A calling towards a new goal or ambition
Memories in the distance
Recollecting past experiences
Brought into view
Being reminded of past memories
Voices are calling me
Feeling a sense of calling or purpose
A passionless voice
A detached and unemotional voice
Lost in the rain
Feeling lost and uncertain
Reflections of out lives
Looking back at our past experiences
In an emotionless face
Interacting with someone who lacks emotion or feeling
A child is born in rage
A new beginning born from anger or frustration
All carried in vain
All efforts have been in vain
Your guilty eyes
Eyes that show shame or regret
Are all that remain
The only thing left after everything has been lost
I said that I'd never fall
Making a promise to oneself
Into the trance of delusion's rage
Avoiding the temptation and allure of false beliefs and desires
Oh father I swear
Making a solemn oath or promise
To wait for the new
Being patient for new opportunities
Visions are calling me
Feeling a sense of calling or purpose
Memories in the distance
Recollecting past experiences
Brought into view
Being reminded of past memories
Voices are calling me
Feeling a sense of calling or purpose
Contributed by Gavin T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
pandotterito
One of the many great bands from Magna Carta back in mid 90's.
1980'sRareAndUnreleased
Would of been good but the production sucks it's hard to listen too