Det første først: låttittelen – et av de mektigste navnene vi har på Gud. Dette gir en viss forventning i det låten marsjeres i gang. Umiddelbart kan man lure på om det er elektronika man har satt på, men man skjønner raskt at det er en annen sjanger Theocracy bedriver i det et kraftig riff river i filler den litt forsiktige starten. Aha, Metal! Men så ytterligere forvirring, i det man får en kort periode med sitar og fløyte. Det hele strippes så ned, og vokalen kommer i gang. Metal, med folkemusikk-preg, altså. Vi rekker å nyte det kraftfulle refrenget et par ganger før låten igjen gjør et krumspring, med taktskifte og noen sekkepipe-toner som fenger. Fem minutter ut i sangen går går det altså opp for meg at det er prog metal vi hører på. Enda tydeligere blir dette fra rundt syv minutter og utover. Ja, for låten er faktisk ca elleve minutter lang!
Med ovennevnte oppskrift er det rett og slett en kunststykke at låten ikke blir pompøs og pinlig. Men låten treffer midt i blinken med sin daramtiske kraft og sine sine skifter i stemning, stil og takt at den er en fryd å høre på. Det er modig, fremoverlent, storslått og spennende.
Og så er det teksten. Det skal jo noe til å matche det musikalske her, men det har Matt Smith virkelig klart, med tydelig inspirasjon fra Bibelen. Det er tydelig at teksten er skrevet til Guds ære, og den kan med fordel leses uavhengig av musikken. Det er en mektig, bibelsk og bånnsolid stadfestelse av hvem Gud er. Og vokalisten fremfører den glimrende. Kanskje er det nettopp tungvekteren av en tekst som gjør at låten ikke mister fotfestet.
Les hele teksten under (skrevet av Matt Smith, fremført av Theocracy, gjengitt av LyricFind):
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I am the light upon your path
When you have lost your way
I am the footprints in the sand
The ocean’s tide can’t wash away
I am the shelter from the storm
That rages on and on
The incorruptible foundation
That the wise man builds upon
I am the bread that feeds
A starving man upon the street
I am the bounty on the table
In the palace at the feast
I am the rain upon the earth
After a scorching drought
I am the quenching of the thirst
You never thought you’d be without
I am the melody that weaves
Its way inside your soul
I am the symphony, the masterpiece
The actor’s greatest role
I am the poetry that speaks to you
With every rhyme
I am the songwriter who seems to write
Your life in every line
I am the simple truths
That shaped your world from your birth
I am the vast volumes of knowledge
Spanning all across the earth
I am the whisper of the wind you feel
But cannot see
I am the alpha and omega
First and last, eternally
I am
You cannot see me
I am the resurrection and the life
The doorway and the vine, I am
I am You cannot touch me
I am The bread of life
Light of the world
Long before Abraham, I am
I am the trusting child
Whose simple faith is ever sure
I am the parent’s love, unchanging
Unconditional and pure
I am the loyal friend
Whose heart will never let you down
I am the hand that pulls you back
Into the boat before you drown
I am the thunder and the glory
And the blinding light
I am the still small voice that tells you
What is wrong and what is right
I am the sacrificial lamb a guilty world reviled
I am the father ever waiting
For his lost and wayward child
I am the heart of the righteous desire
And the fourth man you see in the midst of the fire
I am the giver of life and promise of Israel
I am the hope of the lonely and lost in the blood
Running down to the foot of the cross
I am the breaking of chains
And the tolling of freedom’s bell
I am the notes that eternally ring
In the music too holy for angels to sing
I am the fire on the altar
Consuming the sacrifice
I am the three and yet I am the one
In the grace of the Father and death of the Son
I am the one who redeemed you
By paying the highest priceI am grace and mercy, I am sacrifice
I am endless glory, I am light and life
I am long-awaited hope of Israel
I am longing sated, prophecy fulfilled
I am from the beginning of time
And I am sustaining the system of life
I am symmetry, reason and rhyme
And I am conviction that cuts like a knife
I am the author of order and flow
I am the Father of Lights
Watch me put on a show
I am the seeker of all gone astray
I am the keeper of souls
’til the end of all days
I am power, I am glory
I am love’s unending story
I am justice, I am honor
I am hope and living water
I am righteous, I am holy
I am three and one and only
I am sovereign, I am faithful
Everlasting, I am that I am
I am humility, the one who laid it all aside
Traded a crown of kings for a crown of thorns
Betrayed by human pride
I am humanity, took on your curse and all your pain
I am divinity, eternity, forever I remain
I am your guilty scars
As Roman soldiers tear my back
I am the crimson stain that washes
All the souls faded to black
I am the one who bled in silence and endured it all
I am the Word who spoke no word
With a thousand angels waiting for my call
I am your covenant, your hero
In these bloodstained pages
I am your guilt, your sin
Your debt fulfilled for all the ages
I step into your shoes, your substitute
Your sacrifice
Your raison d’etre
Your second chance
Your breath of life
I am
I am the joy of angels dancing
In the streets of heaven
I am the sinner’s prayer for mercy
And a past forgiven
I am the lamb upon the altar
Dying willingly
All hope that was
All hope that is
All hope to be
I am
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FOR EN LÅT!