A.C.T - Last Epic... DARK AS HELL
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Recommendations/Featured albums
Forum Description: Make or seek recommendations and discuss specific prog albums
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31773
Printed Date: March 09 2025 at 09:03
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Topic: A.C.T - Last Epic... DARK AS HELL
Posted By: Man Overboard
Subject: A.C.T - Last Epic... DARK AS HELL
Date Posted: December 02 2006 at 02:20
 I've had this album for years... I've always loved it, especially for the music and melodies, but I never completely understood the lyrics (my ears and the singer's accent didn't always match up). Tonight, I sat down with the lyrics to analyze it... oh dear god! This story is so DEEP! So incredibly DARK! There's rape, and kidnapping, and suicide, and all sorts of terrible things... the MUSICAL approach may be light-hearted, but the LYRICAL approach is incredibly dark, especially in contrast to the music.
If you have this album, give it a closer look... the concept is a lot deeper and tightly-woven than most prog concept albums... it brought me to tears... ------------- https://soundcloud.com/erin-susan-jennings" rel="nofollow - Bedroom guitarist". Composer, Arranger, Producer. Perfection may not exist, but I may still choose to serve Perfection. Commissions considered. |
Replies:
Posted By: NotSoKoolAid
Date Posted: December 02 2006 at 03:49
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If what you say is true, why then, would this vocalist (or any vocalist) appear so lighthearted, happy, etc.?
And I've never really paid attention to A.C.T's lyrics, but you make them seem very lopsided, hah. I will check it out sometime. |
Posted By: Man Overboard
Date Posted: December 02 2006 at 04:06
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It's an odd sort of duality. Furthermore, A.C.T have asked people not to print the lyrics on the internet, so that people would actually buy the album.
What I find REALLY disturbing is that out of the 45 reviews on progarchives, not a single one mentions the darkness of the lyrics, and many go as far as to say that they're upbeat and happy. How could we have ALL missed this? ------------- https://soundcloud.com/erin-susan-jennings" rel="nofollow - Bedroom guitarist". Composer, Arranger, Producer. Perfection may not exist, but I may still choose to serve Perfection. Commissions considered. |
Posted By: Moatilliatta
Date Posted: December 02 2006 at 12:33
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Haha, well, I have noticed that the lyrics do get pretty dark in a few places, but I've actually never taken much time to look at the booklet and fully realize what you speak of. I don't doubt it though. I should take a look soon, besides, I'd like to understand the story too.
The Smiths did this very some thing pretty often. I'm glad these bands do it; it prevents the music from being extremely depressing.
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Posted By: el böthy
Date Posted: December 02 2006 at 12:44
I should listen to ACT, but normally I dont like thouse bands that are dark yet play light music...like the Cure, WTF?!?! That is not dark! Boys dont cry, Friday Im inlove, Just like heaven??? Cmon, the only thing dark about them is Robert Smiths hair.  But then again, they might be lyrically dark, in, maybe the songs that dont come out as singles...but its just bothers me when they give this kind of...false look ------------- "You want me to play what, Robert?" 
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Moatilliatta wrote:Posted By: Moatilliatta
Date Posted: December 02 2006 at 16:07
Have you heard Disintegration or Bloodflowers? The muic on those albums are quite dark. But yes, The Cure also did that stuff, mostly on their earlier records.
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Posted By: Man Overboard
Date Posted: December 02 2006 at 16:41
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I've transcribed the lyrics to The Effect... it doesn't make -too- much sense outside of the context of the rest of the context, but yeah.
The Effect: Narrator (Apartment): From the stairs, through the door With the wind A sudden atmosphere Woke her up and made her realize A dream it wasn't, no that was a call From a floor, through the wall, to her room A desperate cry arrived Stuck in bed, she could not move at all She wished the dream Was still inside her head And everyone knew who he was But no one did a thing And the building appealed; There's no time to be selfish tonight! Ted: "Your question would be 'why' But now I say goodbye Figure this out for yourself, let's try The answer's in the sky This is my final day And soon I'll fly away Something to learn You might see that soon What did I have to say? Remember me now, you will Your memory of me will not fade away" Narrator (Apartment): Could he feel what they thought? Had he known they did not care at all? Was his crying all because of that? Who is he to bother them at night? Morning came, brought no light to a life That had begun to fall He would never walk this earth again His final words are still inside their minds ------------- https://soundcloud.com/erin-susan-jennings" rel="nofollow - Bedroom guitarist". Composer, Arranger, Producer. Perfection may not exist, but I may still choose to serve Perfection. Commissions considered. |
Posted By: Man Overboard
Date Posted: December 02 2006 at 23:03
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I'm bumping this... this needs to be exposed!
Not that it was ever meant to be hidden. ------------- https://soundcloud.com/erin-susan-jennings" rel="nofollow - Bedroom guitarist". Composer, Arranger, Producer. Perfection may not exist, but I may still choose to serve Perfection. Commissions considered. |
Posted By: WillieThePimp
Date Posted: December 03 2006 at 15:12
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I will give "Last Epic" another listen. I love Herman Saming + the
other vocalists in the band, but I always felt that their lyrics did
not make sense in many places; too many fragments. Have you heard the
album "Silence" yet? Same dark lyrics to it?
------------- You can't possibly hear the last movement of Beethoven's Seventh and go slow. ~Oscar Levant, explaining his way out of a speeding ticket |
Posted By: Man Overboard
Date Posted: December 03 2006 at 16:24
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I've got Silence, yes. The first half of the album is more song-oriented, but from "Silent Screams" onward, it's a conceptual piece called "Consequences: The Long One", and those lyrics are pretty dark, dealing with a woman who's killed by a drunk driver whilst pregnant, a young girl who kills another, and other such themes.
So yes, it's got some darkness as well. What doesn't make sense about Last Epic? I'm writing an analysis, I'll share that when it's done. ------------- https://soundcloud.com/erin-susan-jennings" rel="nofollow - Bedroom guitarist". Composer, Arranger, Producer. Perfection may not exist, but I may still choose to serve Perfection. Commissions considered. |
Posted By: WillieThePimp
Date Posted: December 04 2006 at 02:21
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My mistake, I have listened to the album again and even found some
lyrics printed out online. I have never been very good with lyrics and
I misunderstood a fair share of them. Ahh this makes me want to buy "Silence". A little off-topic, but that cover art freaks me out everytime I look at it! ------------- You can't possibly hear the last movement of Beethoven's Seventh and go slow. ~Oscar Levant, explaining his way out of a speeding ticket |