more from
Magna Carta Records
We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Age Of Impact

by Explorers Club

/
  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      $10 USD  or more

     

1.
Impact 1- fate speaks Fred clarke(nylon string) (petrucci solos) When every word has been written When every line has been read When every person cries for justice And every partner drops dead When every loss has been suffered When every war has been fought When every son’s been laid to rest When every lesson has been taught There comes a time when you realize It’s all over - sooner or later All of us together - stop pretending it’s not It’s going down - it’s going down Nobody listens - i can’t believe it. (petrucci solo) There comes a time when you realize It’s all over - sooner or later All of us together - stop pretending it’s not It’s going down - it’s going down Nobody listens - i can’t believe it. When every breath has been drawn When every sickness has been shared When every soul has quit religion When every priest has run scared When all the actors take a last bow When all the big deals have gone down When every cynic’s crucified us When every mother screams out loud There comes a time when you realize It’s all over - sooner or later All of us together - stop pretending it’s not It’s going down - it’s going down Nobody listens - i can’t believe it. (murphy & guillory solos) (petrucci) Found asleep at the wheel Believing in things that are not real Our reasons more of the same Pointless encounters - endless cliches Things escape me time and again Running in circles while anarchy wins Not me - i’m not going down Refuse to sell out or lay down Fate speaks Fate speaks loudly Fate speaks Fate speaks Fate speaks loudly Fate speaks loudly..... (petrucci) Face my sentence in despair Pacing the floor - the enemy’s there I’m just so sick and tired of it all Nothing but commerce Makes my skin crawl Fate speaks Fate speaks loudly Fate speaks Fate speaks Fate speaks loudly Fate speaks Fate speaks Fate speaks loudly Fate speaks You think i’ve lost it For what i have said You’ve got the problem And it’s all in your head It’s just too dark It’s just too real Don’t take for granted This chance we have to feel Why do we take it? We’re out of control We’re getting worse now And we’re selling our souls It’s just too dark It’s just too real Don’t take for granted This chance we have to feel (sherinian key solo) (petrucci solo) Why do we take it? We’re out of control We’re getting worse now And we’re selling our souls It’s just too dark It’s just too real Don’t take for granted This chance we have to feel You think i’ve lost it For what i have said You’ve got the problem And it’s all in your head It’s just too dark It’s just too real Don’t take for granted This chance we have to feel..... (gardner key solo) (petrucci) (gardner to outro)
2.
Impact 2 – Fading Fast Matt Bradley-Lead Vocals (Garner Solo) (Petrucci Solo) In just a moment your life can slip away Wasting time by wasting chances When all that's left here is emptiness and hope It's always darkest before the dawn will show So I've got to stay right Just to see it I've got to rise up and be much more There's nothing's new here My impact fading fast Why seize the hour if I can not make it last The cynics laugh hard and the pundits write away The music's dying but it's epitaph will say It's not over yet Just to see it I've got to rise up and be And be so much more Believe I know it I've got to be right… (Petrucci Solo) There's a light at the end But a darkness begins As I take the task at hand For the glimpse that I see Is all that I need Just to try and understand Why my fate has let it stand Feel the meaning of power The meaning of fear But it's death that's chasing me fast So who really gives a damn If I make it at all I'm just another one that's passed The pain of a marathon that lasts… (Petrucci Solo)
3.
Impact 3 – No Returning James LaBrie - Lead Vocals Trent Gardner - Harmonies (Gardner Solo) (Bemesderfer Solo) Just call me Mr. Dark – Mr. Negative I'm pessimistic, fatalistic, with an attitude That's turned ballistic No rhyme or reason No symmetry and no excuse Let it go – flow with the chaos Hold tight 'cause I can 't refuse Fate speaks Fate speaks loudly Fate speaks loudly Can't you see there's no returning Once you've started down this road You've lost everything you have And life is over No impact 'til you make it stronger Can't you see there's no returning Once you've started down this road You've lost everything you have And life is over No impact 'til you make it stronger (Petrucci Solo) Fate speaks Fate speaks loudly Fate speaks Fate speaks loudly Fate speaks Fate speaks loudly Fate speaks Fate speaks loudly… Can't you see there's no returning Once you've started down this road You've lost everything you have And life is over No impact 'til you make it stronger Can't you see there's no returning Once you've started down this road You've lost everything you have And life is over No impact 'til you make it stronger Can't you see there's no returning Once you've started down this road You've lost everything you have And life is over No impact 'til you make it stronger… (Petrucci Solo)
4.
Impact 4 – Time Enough DC Cooper-Lead Vocals When every word has been written And every line has been read When every person cries for justice When every partner drops dead When every loss has been suffered When every war has been fought When every son's been laid to rest When every lesson has been taught Spoken: "and this is the moment when you will make your impact…An intensity found in your life when you make a real and profound difference…Seize it , seize it…Rise up." (Murphy Solo) When all the actors take a last bow When all the big deals have all gone down When every cynic has crucified us When every mother screams out loud… (Gardner Solo) (Sheehan Solo) (Bemesderfer Solo) (Howe Solo) There's nothing left to ask for There's nothing left to say The same old songs are playing again Just like it's yesterday There's nothing left to hope for There's nothing left to be It's all been done before But maybe I'll wait right here and see There's nothing left but boredom There's nothing left but pain There's nothing to do 'cause the suffering lasts As it keeps you in it's wake I'd like to make a difference Yes, I'd like to make one try But who the hell am I fooling? There's barely time enough to die…
5.
Impact 5 – Last Call James LaBrie - Lead Vocals and Choruses Trent Gardner- Lead Vocals from last chorus through outro and harmonies I've heard enough Let's make it happen Let's turn it over Make life a positive No more excuses I'm making progress I'm moving forward With new promises There's nothing left but boredom Nothing left but pain There's barely time enough to die It's all been done before There's nothing left here There's nothing I can say I can say… (Petrucci Solo) Don't think it's me I have no fear I feel it working There's something more here Let's make it worth it Still time to react We've come this far now To make an impact (Murphy Solo during choruses) Now wait here – can't you see I've just spelled out reality It's no fun But it's now or never It's now or never So wait here – can't you see I've just spelled out reality It's no fun But it's now or never It's now or never (Petrucci) (Guillory Solo) (Murphy Solo) Now wait here – can't you see I've just spelled out reality It's no fun But it's now or never There's nothing left but boredom Nothing left but pain There's barely time enough to die It's all been done before There's nothing left here There's nothing I can say (Murphy Solo) Now wait here – can't you see I've just spelled out reality It's no fun But it's now or never It's now or never So wait here – can't you see I've just spelled out reality It's no fun But it's now or never It's now or… Now or never. (Petrucci Solo) I've seen it I've lived it I know it I'll say this over again Again – again I've got it Last call – are you going down? I've seen it I've lived it I know it Last call are you going down? Down… Last call – last call Last call – are you going down? Down… Last call – last call Last call – are you going down…Down? I've seen it I've lived it I know it Last call – Are you going down, down, down, down Down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down..... Down…Down…Down…? …'cause I'm not. (Petrucci Solo) (Bozzio Goes Wild)

about

A letter From Trent Gardner:

For me, it always seems that every good fortune I've ever had comes at the eleventh hour and fifty-ninth minute. Perhaps I'm obsessing, but it seems to happen in the fifty-ninth second as well.
However, my experimentation within this genre over the past few years seemed to be improving, albeit in incremental fashion and not necessarily apparent to anyone but me. It was near the end of recording "Test Of Wills" that I became intensely aware of the notion that it was "OK" NOT to put every musical idea I ever had into every song, every time. In fact, this had surely been to my detriment as I was just discovering that a few spaces and rests thrown in at the right place were highly effective.
I also resigned myself to the fact that despite my other musical interests and tastes, this "progressive" stuff was not only in my blood, but actually in the structure of my musical DNA, which of course meant that my disease (i.e. music career) was as nearly a terminal case as one could have without actually being pronounced dead. Maybe it would be more accurate to say, "the fat lady was singing the intro." Of course I still want to shut her up.
Enter Magna Carta. The endless combination of enemies that stood in the path of its very formation makes me shudder. What they have accomplished thus far is truly an astonishing feat in both commercial and artistic terms. In just a few short years, MC has not only served as the primary catalyst in an emerging "progressive revival" of sorts, but has also become a new gateway for bigger and better things to come.
There is no need to provide details. Anyone even remotely familiar with this style of music and who still has a pulse well knows the plight of progressive rock and the challenges involved in bringing it to the REAL marketplace.
By 1991, my brother, Wayne, and I were at a crossroads. Ultimately, I had already decided to
dedicate myself to an already established law enforcement career when the newly formed flagship company of Pete Morticelli and Mike Varney called inquiring about our demo of "Union Jack". Two months later, "Hour Of Restoration" was done and the rest is…well, nevermind. This was one of those special moments to which I referred earlier.
But a strange thing began to happen. A revival of sorts was indeed in the works that had "prog" bands coming out of the woodwork faster than a snare roll from Buddy Rich.
And as a natural by-product of this newly found plethora of time signature activity, a network of musicians began to emerge. Aided by e-mail, web servers, A-DATS and general midi files it was time to get to work!
As a teenager I can remember continually listening to all the "classic prog" artists in this "club". The "rolling public address system" that trumpeted from my '75 Lemans courtesy of a cheesy cassette machine (at far above 90 decibels) forced every last riff possible upon the unsuspecting and oft unappreciative ears of passing motorists with albums such as "Thick As A Brick" or "Close To The Edge". I considered this more of a religious or sacred duty than I did immature, juvenile prank.
I even fantasized about how fun it would be to work with these musicians one day and have them execute a few of my own humble compositions, but with their blazing virtuosity. Anyway, back to the present...

After mastering the third record I was left feeling a bit depressed and misunderstood, almost like being cut off in the middle of a sentence right when you're about to deliver the crux of your point on the table with sterling silver place settings.
Magna Carta knew what I was going through, AND may I be so bold as to say "felt" that the timing was right for the first Explorer's Club project which had up until that point, only been the subject of very brief "pie in the sky" scenarios jokingly referred to over the past three or four years.
But for many personal reasons the timing was exquisite and most definitely qualified as one of those "special moments" I keep referring to.
However, I feared that writing for musicians beyond my own level of expertise and clout was going to be an ever so slightly intimidating experience.
Even though getting "fired" from Magellan wasn't likely (given my good rapport with the keyboard player), taking THIS project on could definitely put a major dent in the memory of my '75 Lemans should I come up with some lame or pathetic material that made us all look, well…less than awake.
But in the end ,this project turned out to be the most "musical" fun I've ever had.
Milking my "creative juices" so to speak, turned out to be an experience that I would highly recommend to others, although I would much prefer you milked your own and not mine.
My most heartfelt thanks goes to those involved.
I hope it will serve many purposes for the participants and perhaps even set a precedent for future compositional endeavors to which I might attach myself.
Now please excuse my delusionary ramblings of grandeur with the kind dispatch of your funds, not only to pay for multiple Explorer's Club, Magellan and other Magna Carta releases , but to inspire the belief of a fighting chance at drawing loyal audiences to prog shows in which the spectators are not only friends and relatives, but complete strangers who actually outnumber the respective band members on stage.
…Of course, all being drawn together for one of those brief special moments where commerce and music aren't at each others throats.

Trent Gardner

credits

released July 28, 1998

All songs and lyrics written by Trent Gardner in June 1997

Rhythm Section :
Terry Bozzio : Drums
Billy Sheehan : Bass
Trent Gardner : Keyboards
Wayne Gardner : Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Additional Bass

Lead Vocalists:
Bret Douglas
Matt Bradley
James LaBrie
D.C. Cooper
Trent Gardner

Soloists:
John Petrucci - Guitars
Steve Howe - Acoustic Guitar
Derek Sherinian - Keyboards
Trent Gardner - Keyboard and Trombone
James Murphy - Guitars
Michael Bemesderfer - Flute and Wind Controller
Frederick Clarke - Nylon String Guitar
Mat Guillory - Keyboards

Additional Percussion:
Brad Kaiser - Midi Percussion

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Explorers Club Oakland, California

contact / help

Contact Explorers Club

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like Explorers Club, you may also like: