This makes part 3 of his trilogy the culmination and pinnacle of a series of musical offerings which began in 2005 with the arrival of the purely acoustic Part 1 and was continued impressively in 2006 with the electric (and electrifying) Part 2. “This is not a continuation of part 2,” Dominici points out unequivocally. “It is the final part of three. Musically, it is obviously different from part 1, because part 1 was all acoustic and only performed by myself. Parts 2 and 3 are similar to each other musically in that they are both prog metal with a full band. Lyrically, part 3 is totally different from the other two parts because the story is finally concluded and much of the mysteries presented throughout the first two parts are finally made clear. Part 3 is the grand finale, both lyrically and musically.”
A truly furious finale, in which Dominici was supported by his technically outstanding band, which continues to consist of Brian Maillard (guitar), Yan Maillard (drums), Americo Rigoldi (keyboards) and Riccardo Atzeni (bass). An almost one-hour extravaganza of long instrumental parts, virtuoso solo passages and haunting vocals which repeatedly send shivers down the listener’s spine. Dominici reacts emphatically to the question whether the 03 Trilogy in general and the finale in particular have a specific moral, a message for their audience: “There is nothing but morals, lessons and messages. That’s the whole point of the story. You can call it ‘The DOMINICI Code’ if you like.”
Following the impressive chapters of the two predecessor albums, Dominici decided to try a new approach for the final part of his socially critical story. “Part 3 was done differently than both other parts. I decided I wanted to try something new and it worked as well as I had hoped it would. I waited to write a single word until I began writing the music with the band. The lyrics for Part 3 were not written, they were ‘grown’ like a garden. I separated eight blank word files and wrote the synopsis for each song at the top. I then went to each file as we were completing the music and completed the lyrics. I did it this way so the story had the best chance of being fully completed in the limited amount of time a CD can provide.”
This approach has produced some impressive results. Dominici has surpassed himself again, coming up with an awesome recording. This is certainly not what you’d call superficial background music! However, Dominici’s prognosis of his future recordings makes clear just how much energy and concentration this extremely demanding project has cost him. His answer to the question whether he is planning to tackle a similar project in the near future leaves little doubt: “Never again! I will never do another concept album as long as I live. This was the most difficult music and concept to complete although it was very rewarding and satisfying as an artist. Maybe I’m just a wimp, but I kind of feel the same way I feel about the recent loss of my beloved cat, ‘Tigger’. I loved the experience of knowing her, but I don’t think I would want to subject myself to this kind of pain again. No more cats, no more concept albums!”
Bio by: Matthias Mineur for "Inside Out Music, 2008
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Line-up:
Charlie Dominici - vocals
Brian Maillard - guitar
Yan Maillard - drums
Americo Rigoldi - keyboards
Erik Atzeni - bass
Check out the official DOMINICI website and forums at http://www.dominici.com!
The Dream
Dominici Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The Elders all were there
Cloaked in hooded garments
Electricity in their hair
They carried water candles
That flickered cobalt blue
And bedroom eyes could not disguise
The evil they would do
The silhouetted hills
Were hosting all the victims
And counting up the kills
The sunset streaked a vapor trail
Upon a water color sky
The night folded its wings around me
As I discovered I could fly
I soared above the houses
Through cotton candy skies
The frightened children watching
My image passed across their eyes
While screaming in their bedrooms
The women loved their pain
I lost my grip on heaven
And fell to earth again
The smell of fear engulfed me
It came down from on high
Although I tried to run away
My legs would not comply
I felt upon my shoulder
A bony lifeless hand
It churned a chill inside me
And made me understand
"Ignorance hides in the darkest places
And feeds its poison to its young
You'll wipe them from existence
You are the chosen one"
Somehow I escaped him
And headed for the sea
Across a field of broken mirrors
Reflecting everything but me
I walked across the water
And came upon a boat
Where Moses and Picasso
Were trying to stay afloat
One was painting flowers
The other skipping stones
When I asked them to explain
They cried, "Leave us alone!"
I hitchhiked back to Ixtlan
That painter stole my van
The locals in Atlantis
Were all working on their tan
And when I tried to warn them
My teeth fell from my mouth
A Snowstorm was approaching
So I headed south
The crowd had just descended
On the beach at Normandy
Where Hitler joined Queen Mary
To have a spot of tea
Now all of this confusion
Made perfect sense to me
It was a revelation
A truth I had to see
The Painter and the Prophet
Got married later on
And took their honeymoon
On the shores of Balaton
The water from the candles
Turned the Ocean cobalt blue
The burnt electric air
Gave my lungs a death tattoo
"The Dream" by Dominici is a song with surreal and enigmatic lyrics that depict a dream-like state of consciousness. The song begins by describing a dream in which the Elders, depicted as ominous figures cloaked in hooded garments and with electricity in their hair, hold water candles that flicker cobalt blue. The singer notes that their "bedroom eyes could not disguise the evil they would do." In the distance, the silhouetted hills are revealed to be hosting victims and counting up the kills.
The dream then shifts to a scene where the singer is flying through the air, soaring above houses and cotton candy skies. Children watch him as he passes by, screaming in their bedrooms, and women loved their pain. However, the singer loses his grip on heaven and falls to earth again, where he feels the overwhelming smell of fear engulfing him. He notes that "ignorance hides in the darkest places and feeds its poison to its young" and that he is the chosen one who will wipe them from existence.
The dream then takes a turn towards absurdity as the singer hitchhikes back to Ixtlan, and the painter steals his van. The locals in Atlantis are all working on their tan, and when the singer tries to warn them, his teeth fall from his mouth. The dream ends with the singer witnessing a crowd descending on the beach at Normandy, where Hitler is drinking tea with Queen Mary. The dream comes full circle as the singer notes that all of this confusion made perfect sense to him and was a revelation he had to see, ultimately ending with the water from the candles turning the ocean a cobalt blue and the burnt electric air giving his lungs a death tattoo.
Overall, the lyrics of "The Dream" appear to be a commentary on the nature of reality and perception. The dream-like nature of the lyrics suggests that our perception of reality is fluid and constantly shifting, and the surrealist imagery suggests that reality is not always what it seems to be. The juxtaposition of Hitler and Queen Mary having tea on the beach at Normandy highlights the potentially arbitrary nature of our perceptions and beliefs about historical figures and events.
Line by Line Meaning
I had the dream last evening
The song begins with the singer describing a dream that they had last night.
The Elders all were there
The dream shows various elderly figures dressed in ominous clothing.
Cloaked in hooded garments
The figures are dressed in clothes that cover their faces and details and make them appear insidious.
Electricity in their hair
The figures radiate power and danger.
They carried water candles
The figures are seen holding blue candles that burn with water.
That flickered cobalt blue
The candles emanate a blue light that illuminates the surrounding area.
And bedroom eyes could not disguise
Their eerie appearance could not conceal their malicious intentions.
The evil they would do
The figures in the dream have nefarious intentions.
While looming in the distance
In the background, there are ominous hills casting shadows and giving a sense of foreboding.
The silhouetted hills
The hills are portrayed with shadows with no visible features or details.
Were hosting all the victims
The background is suggesting that these hills are related to the victim or the reason for the victims in the dream.
And counting up the kills
The background indicates that there is something in the dream that is responsible for multiple kills.
The sunset streaked a vapor trail
The song moves into the next phase showing something in the sky described as a vapor trail.
Upon a water color sky
The singer is describing the sky as a watercolor painting.
The night folded its wings around me
The night envelops the singer.
As I discovered I could fly
The artist realizes they have the capability to fly.
I soared above the houses
The artist is flying above the houses rising towards the sky.
Through cotton candy skies
The sky appears to be of various colors reminiscent of cotton candy.
The frightened children watching
While the singer is flying, they notice children below looking up at them in terror.
My image passed across their eyes
The artist's figure is reflected in their eyes making them anxious.
While screaming in their bedrooms
The artist hears screams of horror coming out of the homes they flew above.
The women loved their pain
The narration brings to light that people, especially women, in the dream seem to enjoy their pain.
I lost my grip on heaven
Unable to maintain the flying, narrator loses the initial hold they had in the sky.
And fell to earth again
The artist fell from the height again and comes back to reality.
The smell of fear engulfed me
The singer senses an intense feeling of fear as if they are overwhelmed by it.
It came down from on high
The fear arrives from a higher place or from above the singer's position.
Although I tried to run away
The singer tries to escape the fear but can't seem to do so.
My legs would not comply
The artist's body is not willing to offer cooperation.
I felt upon my shoulder
Something touched the artist's shoulder.
A bony lifeless hand
The touch was of a lifeless bone hand that lacked flesh.
It churned a chill inside me
The touch gave the singer an uncomfortable chill.
And made me understand
The touch was so powerful that it altered the artist's understanding of the world around him.
"Ignorance hides in the darkest places
The touch came with a message, warning about the presence of ignorance in ominous places.
And feeds its poison to its young
This ignorance poisons and affects those who are innocent.
You'll wipe them from existence
The message warns the singer about a future moment where they'll have to take action and destroy ignorance.
You are the chosen one"
The message confirms that the artist is the one who is responsible for cleansing ignorance.
Somehow I escaped him
The singer was able to get away from the entity that touched them.
And headed for the sea
The singer decided to leave the situation behind and head towards the ocean instead.
Across a field of broken mirrors
This is a metaphor for a flawed and imperfect surface the singer is walking over.
Reflecting everything but me
The mirrors reflect everything except the artist's true self.
I walked across the water
The artist walks on the water.
And came upon a boat
The singer stumbles upon a boat in the water.
Where Moses and Picasso
On the boat, the singer sees the figures of Moses and Picasso.
Were trying to stay afloat
Moses and Picasso are seen trying to keep the boat above water.
One was painting flowers
Picasso is seen painting flowers on the boat.
The other skipping stones
Moses is seen throwing stones in the watery area around the boat.
When I asked them to explain
The singer asks both of them to explain what they were doing.
They cried, "Leave us alone!"
Instead of answering, Moses and Picasso tell the artist to leave them alone.
I hitchhiked back to Ixtlan
The singer moves to the next part of their journey where they're hitchhiking back to Ixtlan.
That painter stole my van
On the way, the singer's van is stolen by a painter.
The locals in Atlantis
The singer reaches Atlantis and encounters the people there.
Were all working on their tan
The people there are focused on working on their tan instead of other important things.
And when I tried to warn them
The artist tries to warn the people of Atlantis about something ominous.
My teeth fell from my mouth
The singer's teeth fall down from their mouth, rendering them unable to speak and warn the people.
A Snowstorm was approaching
The singer sees a snowstorm coming towards them.
So I headed south
The artist decides to head down south to avoid the storm.
The crowd had just descended
The next scene shows the artist noticing a crowd descending on the beach at Normandy.
On the beach at Normandy
The scene locates the incident at the beach at Normandy.
Where Hitler joined Queen Mary
Two completely different historical figures, Hitler and Queen Mary are brought together in this chaotic scene.
To have a spot of tea
Both of these figures gathered for a calm drink which is quite paradoxical.
Now all of this confusion
The dream ending concludes by making a reference to the overall confusion and chaos.
Made perfect sense to me
Despite the contradictions and chaos, the singer seems to have gained a profound understanding of everything in the dream.
It was a revelation
The dream has turned out to be a life-changing moment for the singer.
A truth I had to see
The artist wanted to see the truth that the dream revealed.
The Painter and the Prophet
In the final scene, the painter, mentioned earlier in the dream, is seen married to yet another figure called the Prophet.
Got married later on
The two figures of the Painter and the Prophet are bonded together through marriage.
And took their honeymoon
They moved on to their honeymoon after getting married.
On the shores of Balaton
The place where they decided to spend their honeymoon is located on the shores of Balaton.
The water from the candles
The blue candles seen earlier in the dream come into play towards the conclusion.
Turned the Ocean cobalt blue
The water from the candles is mixed with the ocean, and it changes the color of the water to cobalt blue.
The burnt electric air
The electric air surrounding the blue candles causes damage to the lungs and has left a death tattoo that's marked on the singer's lungs.
Contributed by Aiden N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.