好的歌词总是能让歌曲锦上添花. 最佳范例就是铁娘子受柯勒律治的诗歌启发而创作的”Rime of the Ancient Mariner”: Generals gathered in their masses / Just like witches at black masses is seared into my consciousness…几十年来, 随着金属乐的演进, 即使没有了音乐的映衬, 好的词作家的影响力已经可以和作家媲美了.
第十名: Chris Barnes (Cannibal Corpse, Six Feet Under )
Barnes不算是名单里最出色的文人, 不过也许会是最具影响力的. 几乎每一支死核, gore, 色碾都曾试图超越Cannibal Corpse 的专辑Tomb of the Mutilated. 他最好的作品收录在The Bleeding里面, 包括了“Force Fed Broken Glass” : Wounds too deep to heal / In me / Torn trachea / Splintered skin / Down the throat / Choke/ Lungs fill with blood / As vocal chords collapse / Oral sex, with broken glass.
第九位: Glenn Danzig (Misfits, Samhain, Danzig)
每个金属乐迷都能唱出几句Misfits的合唱或是”Mother”的歌词, 不过Glenn写的最好的还是在朋克/金属/哥特风格混合的乐队Samhain的作品. “Kiss of Steel”是一首关于一次高速公路车祸和“a love affair with a Chevy in midair: Car crash / The pressing of two lips / Hard steel and an accidental death / One action does you up / Kiss of steel.”
第八位: King Diamond
King Diamond的文字游戏玩的不算最出众, 可是他的叙事能力确是无与伦比的. 而Demonaz of Immortal显然就是Diamond的追随者. “Abigail”正是他那著名的概念唱片Abigail里面的佳作: “Abigail, I know you’re in control of her brain, Abigail / And I know you’re the one that’s speaking through her, Abigail / Miriam, can you hear me?”
第六位: Cris Jerue (16)
Jerue把他的彷徨和挣扎转化成对于歌曲的狂热. 在” Zoloft Smile”里面, 他写了关于他服用抗忧郁剂的经历: Changes in the brain, depressed mood all day / Sexual dysfunction with ejaculation delay / Trapped between the good and bad / A world that does not exist / Now I’ve got control of it / The mind that cannot rest.
第五位: Quorthon (Bathory)已故的Quorthon为人称颂的拿手好戏, 就是描写金属乐的最具代表性元素: 撒旦, 战争, 维京以及来世. 比如说Bathory描写地狱的经典曲目“Enter the Eternal Fire”: “Leave the world of mortals to walk / Into the mist to stalk unto the other side / Plains of otherness / The utter emptiness / Where time has ceased and dark and light collide / Crossing the river of death and water cold / Slowly walking up the bridge / The jeweled bridge I walk for what seems a lifetime”. . .
第四位: Jon Chang (Discordance Axis, Gridlink, Hayaino Daisuki)Chang写的短小精悍的诗歌既诚挚又不偏激. 他的歌词坦率直接一如硬核, 但同时又非常深刻感人. 比如这首 “Use of Weapons”: Battered arrays and jagged contours / A scaling box that beseeches me / Chamber a round into my head / From the breach.
第三位: Lord Worm (Cryptopsy)
虽然Worm的演唱方式引人诟病, 但是他写的歌词却是备受推崇的. Worm长于赋予恐怖的元素以美感, 因而被称为金属乐界的达里欧阿基多(<西部往事>剧作家). 一个典型例子就是“Defenestration”, 歌词描述了他向一个女子表白心迹, 继而把她扔下窗户: Ordinarily, I’d not wish to frighten her or hurt her / But such beauty inspires one to give the gift of murder / She’s the kind of girl you want to / Run up and tackle through a window some floors up.
. 第二位: J.R. Hayes (Pig Destroyer)
Hayes是新世纪最佳金属乐词作家. 他创作的都是零星但是极富感染力的散文诗. 他最佳的作品收录在专辑Prowler in the Yard中. 其中讲述了自杀的“Girl in the Slayer Jacket”也许是最动人的: …the truth is her eyes / Has been dead since she was five / She just hadn’t disposed of the body.
第一位: Mike IX Williams (Eyehategod)
Williams在他的全盛时期, 曾经是Metal Maniacs的编辑, 并且出版过自己的书. 他擅长把绝望, 癖嗜, 哀恸用极简的故事来讲述. 他的灵感部分来源于Charles Bukowski 和 William Burroughs, 前者为美国极富盛名的后现代主义诗人, 后者是后现代和垮掉的一代(beat generation)的领军人物, 一个范例就是“Sister Fucker”, 其中用寥寥数笔描述了一个他假想的只有感觉和图像的世界: Screw mommy, mommy screwed / Lick golden sky like rain / My sight sees storm weather / Weathered like wood and dust / Peer into glass yellowed / Curtains are stained with smoke / Melancholy crush / In love with hurt and dust / Burn her.
