Shades of Memory (demo)

by ADESA

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1.	Ghosts In The Shade 06:53	lyrics	buy track
LOCATION: Shades Of Death Road, New Jersey, USA. YEAR: 2018 AD. PROLOGUE: There are many stories of how the ominously-named 'Shades of Death Road' got its sinister moniker. All seem to involve violence, death... and ghosts... LYRICS: The first to come is a shambling man – his neck is broken and the bone of his skull is stark – Life shattered for the handful of gold That spilled from his pockets in the dappling shade. Ambushed, brutalised, left to die… The second calls with a hideous echo – as his body weaves drunkenly in search of its head – Cleft by his wife in the middle of the night After years of abuse and a night at the whores. Murdered, decollated… Along this road walk the shades of violence Along this road walk the shades of vengeance. The third to come has surprise in his eyes – clutching at his chest with his sanguine fingers – Shocked by the bullet and the hole in his form Bill was buried in the mud and never then found. Unavenged, undignified… The fourth and the fifth and the sixth are all bloated – flesh sloughing off as they quiver and tremble – Killed and then tossed in the lake without thought Killed for the crime of the colour of their skin. Massacred, genocide… Along this road walk the shades of violence Along this road walk the shades of vengeance Along this road walk the shades of memory Along this road walk the shades of death.
2.	Fire, Ice, Oil, Salt 06:28	lyrics	buy track
LOCATION: Deception Island, South Shetlands, Antarctica. YEAR: 1931 AD. PROLOGUE: Deception Island is called thus because from the sea, it looks like a solid land-mass - but it is actually a flooded caldera. It was used as a sealing and whaling station, with predictably catastrophic results for the surrounding wildlife. Finally abandoned in the 1930s, this lyric tells the tale of one whaler, who travelled to the ends of the earth in search of oil-wealth, and instead found only misery and death. LYRICS: The caldera lies dormant But the fires of hell still burn these Southern skies; Prometheus devours with industrial greed As Vulcan lays his sorrowed head to rest. “Soot billows clouds that mar the frozen night And as I try to set my gaze upon the stars Grease-laden snow settles On to my blood-slick skin….on to my skin.” When the weary seas grow quiet and still of song And when our hold is full to bursting, we leave Behind us, on this acrid beach, the bones of giants lie Like the carnage of some demonic feast… “Full of hope, for our fortunes have been made We set to pass beneath The Convent As through Neptune’s Bellows we navigate, But for our effrontery The Sea God unveils his rage: The rock that cleaves from the cliffs Smashes timber and sinks us to the depths…” The cold is absolute as terror The water’s grip as sure as death And as oil and salt rush into my lungs Out is forced my final breath.
3.	Mountain Man 04:47	lyrics	buy track
LOCATION: Dashrath Manjhi Passthrough, Bihar, India. YEAR: 1966-88 AD. PROLOGUE: The incredible, and true, story of a man (Dashrath Manjhi) who literally set himself against a mountain... no further introduction needed - look this one up! LYRICS: My back My back is breaking, But I, I will not be broken! I pit myself against this mountain gladly and each day I dream of its defeat. All I have is my obduration All my sweat and determination. Each day I weather the storm of their scorn More implacable than the rock that is my enemy; Yes, the Gehlour may weather the storm of time But I, I have resolution! The sun, it burns my back and the haft, it burns my hand But I raise my hammer high And I bring my hammer down! The rain, it stings my eyes and the wind, it strips my skin But I raise my hammer high And I bring my hammer down… The years have numbered two and twenty The mountain has taken my wife, my youth and liberty But I have scarred its face to the bone With my hands and with my will I have cut it to the bone.
4.	By Sword...Or By Water 04:55	lyrics	buy track
LOCATION: Soldier's Leap, Killiecrankie Pass, Scotland. YEAR: 1689 AD. PROLOGUE: During the First Jacobite War, the Jacobites defeated the Government forces at Killiecrankie Pass. A short distance from the battle site is Soldier's Leap - an 18ft-wide gorge across the River Garry, famously said to have been jumped over by one redcoat, Donald McBane, as he fled for his life from the victorious Highlanders... LYRICS: In the name of William, we four thousand men To bring Dundee to heel, we marched into the pass Above us - lay the enemy in wait And below us - the River Garry ever raged. Hours we stood, while the Faeries soaked our bones like rain The cough of the cannons in the canyon did reverberate But ineffectual was their roaring strain For the summit was beyond their ken. The shadows grew, and then the sun slipped out of sight Anticipation rippled all across our redcoat ranks The sergeants barked to hold fast in our line Then like a waterfall they came… Three volleys Of musquet-balls we unleashed and hundreds dropped like flies. But hundreds more With sward and targe into us cut, and we were carved and we were broken. Towards the baggage train I fled – a horse to speed me to salvation… But panic rose within my breast There was but one route to escape: Across the gorge, a gap of 18 feet! Behind me Death drew his pistol And made my choice for me So I clutched tight to my courage…And I leapt into infinity. And I leapt...
5.	Blood Upon The Baltimore 07:15	lyrics	buy track
LOCATION: Murder Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. YEAR: 1735AD. PROLOGUE: The brig, 'The Baltimore', was found floating off the coast of Nova Scotia, abandoned except for a lone woman in the grip of madness and, like everything else on the ship, covered in blood...how this came to be, and what subsequently happened to the woman and the ship, is not clear... LYRICS: Across the sea, like spume upon the shore Violence lapped around the Baltimore Claiming lives, one by one Leaving only blood and mystery. There’s blood upon the Baltimore, and precious little else The lone survivor, a gibbering wretch… Alone she stands, see the light in her eyes A fevered veil behind which she hides What horrors lurk within the dark of her mind? What demons let her live and stole all other life? There’s blood upon the Baltimore, there’s madness in the waters This fell brig casts a shadow on our harbour The lashing rain castigates us for a week, For there’s blood upon the Baltimore… “Strap the lunatic to the mainmast; For cursed is this witch!” – Father decrees to exorcise these demons With tar and burning pitch. The flames illuminate the sky And her screams do scar my mind The stricken wreck of flesh and timber Returns each time I close my eyes… …every time I close my eyes..

about

CONCEPT:
The history of the world is recorded in many ways. One of these is through the naming of places, the study of which is called Toponymy. Each of the songs on this recording is inspired by the history of a specific place in the world, where the name given to it reflects actual, or imagined, events. Thus some of the lyrics are based more upon the 'truth' of its toponymy than others - though in some cases what truth occurred is now much obfuscated by time, mystique and legend, anyway. Join us on this exploration, and let your imagination travel through the ages and across the continents...

Shades Of Death Road, New Jersey, USA - 2018 AD.
Deception Island, South Shetlands, Antarctica - 1931 AD.
Dashrath Manjhi Passthrough, Bihar, India - 1966-88 AD.
Soldier's Leap, Killiecrankie Pass, Scotland - 1689 AD.
Murder Island, Nova Scotia, Canada - 1735 AD.

credits

released December 10, 2018

CREDITS:
All music written by Arroll Kelly. All lyrics written by Graham Harris.

All guitars, bass and drum programming by Arroll Kelly except on Track 5, bass by Ally Kelly, drums by Ryan Shepherd.
All vocals by Graham Harris

All music recorded by Arroll Kelly except Track 5 recorded by Ryan Shepherd at Strait Up Studios, Dundee, Scotland.
All vocals recorded at Goldfinch Studios, Calgary, AB, Canada by Vinnie Cardellini.

Art and logo by www.fishtailedgoat.com

license

about

ADESA Calgary, Alberta

Forged across a 20 year friendship, Adesa brings together two Scots, now living in Canada and the US, continuing a personal exploration of crushing, groove-based heaviness, guttural, attacking vocals and epic storytelling.

Expect the heaviness of Crowbar, the aggression of Pantera, the evocation of Gojira and the rawness of Raging Speedhorn.

THE RIFF IS DEAD.

LONG LIVE THE RIFF. ... more