It’s week seven and time to Escape. Conveniently so, as the lyric video was released just recently.

This one dates back to our 1989-90 era. Metallica had ”Escape”, Stone had ”Escape”, we wrote one as well. The original version was reeeeeaaaaalllyyyy long and had a slow, arpeggio middle-part. And as the lyrics had something to do with ancient Egypt, you can imagine it was epic.

It’s hard to remember who wrote what, but the Egyptian verse riff was Janne’s, probably inspired by Gates of Babylon by Rainbow. The descending chord progression could be mine because I remember thinking I’m repeating myself, as it is somewhat similar to From Dust to Dust. The opening lines are as Assu sang them long ago.

Escape is the first song Kristian did with us. Mika gave him the demo to try out, and Kristian came up with stuff so convincing that he was in the band before he knew it. Apparently he liked the old school thrash feel of the song and the new, orchestral middle part Janne came up with in the demo phase.

Kristian turned it into a song about the hunger for control, the perils of power, and social mobility. Strangely enough, for us four Laplanders it’s also a tribute to the small-town angst and the feelings of being marginalized. Easy to relate, isn’t it?

ESCAPE

In the night I hear them calling
My servant name
In my dreams their throne is falling
And washed away

I was born to a dark damp place
Drenched in a rain forever and a day
Raised by a whiplash and ravenous creatures
Rejected for my disliked features

It’s time to strike back
Nocturnal attack

Breaking out from rage
Sign out from my fate

Swallowed in a belly of a venomous snake
Still alive and kicking, fighting to get away
In breezing winds of a dead cold winter
I reached out and tasted the fear

Stronger than before I held my fist in the air
I had found a way get out of this nightmare
Lessons learned the hard way, now you must beware
I had become from misfit to avenger

Breaking out from rage
Sign out from my fate

Countless days of sweat
I will not forget
Soon it is too late
It’s time to escape

Howling at the moon
Crawling out and soon
Whispering my rune
I have to find a way to get out there

There must be a way to escape
Saw off my chains and run away
See myself rising high
I am now alive!

In the night I hear them calling
My servant name
But today tables are turning
I rule the game

I held the chains that once held me down
Broken in pieces I got around
I am the king and I reign in blood
Down in the ground I can hear them shout

It’s time to strike back
Nocturnal attack

Breaking out from rage
Sign out from my fate

Countless days of sweat
I will not forget
Soon it is too late
It’s time to escape

Howling at the moon
Crawling out and soon
Whispering my rune
I have to find a way to get out there