Originally titled Against the World, the first version of this song was written in early 1990. Again, a rehearsal recording from April 1990 has survived, preventing the tune from getting lost in time.

Personally I liked the dark and oppressive feel of the verses and the explosive chorus from the get-go. Probably because of the way these riffs are, the re-arranged album version has the exact same atmosphere, but in a lot more effective and powerful form. It’s the most aggressive track on “Remote Control”.

Mika Rytilahti: “To me, the theme of the song is about being an outsider and marginalized, like we were back in the day as long-haired metalheads. They used to call us ‘rap-haired fags’, which still makes me laugh.”

The small-town redneck mentality certainly was an inspiration, but the original lyrics also had some dystopian ideas about the world being destroyed in the hands of evil leaders, and this side of the theme made it in the album version, albeit in a more sophisticated form.

Kristian Herkman: “It’s a song about the oppressed uniting for a revolution. If people want to make changes, they have to join their forces.”

There’s a lot of creativity in the album version. Janne had some brilliant lead guitar tricks for the intro and outro, and It was Mika’s fantastic idea to turn the chorus vocals around for the latter part. A.T.W. is one of the two songs on the album that have some small traces left from the original vocal lines. Mostly it’s Kristian’s work, though, and the lyrics are by him, me and Mika. Collective work!

A.T.W.

Violent past of youth seeks someone to blame
People cheer for anger and shame
Call to arms to hunt a scapegoat to slit throat

Welcome to this lifeless place
Welcome to these lightless times
Searching for saviour, eyes all ablaze
Divide and conquer, rule in the shade

Change it all, fighting on, Against the world!
Bring it on, duty calls, Against the world!
Against the world! We all unite
Against the world! We all arise

Quiet words of truth seek someone to hear
Feeble voice gets louder and clear
The fire burns all down and we all breed its flames

Human waste for the machines
No one knows our names
We write the future to come
We are the fuel of rebellion

Change it all, fighting on, against the world!
Bring it on, duty calls, against the world!
Against the world! We all unite
Against the world! We all arise

Kill with power! Arise one stronger!
Destroy the system of power addicted!
Empires fall but we stay connected
Fear no more, unite the legions
Standing tall, and rule the regions
The only possibility is now our victory!

Out in the open, in for the kill
If we don’t lead them, then no one will
New world order and king of the hill
It’s time to lead them, not stand still

One for all and all for one
Stand and fight until kingdom come
And now the change begun
Stand and fight! While others run

Change it all, fighting on, against the world!
Bring it on, duty calls, against the world!
Against the world! We all unite
Against the world! We all arise

Against the world! Against the world!
Against the world! Against the world!