"Take The Black" is an epic cinematic symphonic folk metal song that has been inspired from fantasy role play games and medieval music. The pyromancer is back and brought his shady friends. Let's assemble, take the black and bring down a bloodthirsty tyrant! 
After writing "Pyromancer" in 2021, we wanted to create some epic battle music. Everything started with an arpeggio on my acoustic guitar, when I suddenly had the idea to try something with bagpipes. Jordan's comment about medieval villagers wielding forks and shields against a tyrant has been a great lyrical prompt, so we continued on that. The arrangement grew bigger, and bigger, and soon we had to summon the whole band. 

Credits:
Nadine de Macedo: composition, arrangement, classical guitar, clean electric guitar, lyrics, programming (bagpipe, brasses, drums), production
Jordan Hirsch: vocals, lyrics, composition
Stephan Kösters: bass
Simon Ashby: electric rhythm guitars
Tom Slatter: electric lead guitars, solo

Where to find us:
https://soundcloud.com/nadinedemacedo
https://soundcloud.com/tfish77
https://soundcloud.com/sphk
https://soundcloud.com/sdashby
https://tomslatter.bandcamp.com

==== LYRICS ====

High above the castle walls
Lives a tyrant drenched in blood
Drop by drop, we share our strength
Til this trickle is a flood

Cut by cut he bleeds us
Til we are drained and dry
But tonight I'll lead us
Our swords and knives held high

Gathering our strength now
Together we are one
In the black we'll do our work
Until the deed is done

Fighting back for what is ours
Fighting for our lives
In the black we'll find it
In the black we'll thrive

The blackness is where strength takes hold
It's time to save our souls

We are the children of the night
Sellswords, reapers and dark knights
Let us steal the night away
And stay hidden for the day

We are the children of the night
Sellswords, reapers and dark knights
Let's assemble and attack
Take the black, I'll take the black!

(Take the black)
(Take the black)
(Take the, take the black)
(I'll take the black!)

We'll take the hills
We'll take the land 
We'll take his life with our bare hands
We'll take the night
We'll take the day
We'll take the black, take it away

We've given all that we can give
We cannot let this evil live
So we will take a life tonight
We'll take the black, we'll take what's right!

The blackness is where truth unfolds
It is time to save our souls

We are the children of the night
Sellswords, reapers and dark knights
Let us steal the night away
And stay hidden for the day

We are the children of the night
Sellswords, reapers and dark knights
Let's assemble and attack
Take the black, I'll take the black!

(Take the black)
(Take the black)
(Take the, take the black)
(I'll take the black!)

We are brothers in arms
raise swords, prepare spells and charms
Let truth and virtues reign
Our fight won't be in vain
Prepare! Behead the king!

The blackness comes to take our toll
We've sacrificed our souls

We are the children of the night
Sellswords, reapers and dark knights
Let us steal the night away
And stay hidden for the day

We are the children of the night
Sellswords, reapers and dark knights
Let's assemble and attack
Take the black, I'll take the black!

(Take the black)
(Take the black)
(Take the, take the black)
(I'll take the black!)

Take The Black

LYRICS

Living times
Lifetime's gone,
Crisp at dawn
Mellowed by the sun.

Golden horizon, all at stake,
People arrive at the fray.

No one knows the roots of our past.
No one shows, we've given our best.

Times have come
Times have gone,
Past tense
Is the chosen form.

Till the plain, caught up surrounding 
Our heart, our soul, our own.

No one knows the roots of our past.
It goes to show it's gone too fast.

Shear moonlight through my window.
Riding sideline, drawn-out timeline.
Taste so quaint, virtuoso.
Hello blueprint: unchecked, untried.

See the way
Script what may,
Humbled by the song
Promises go on.

What is this, hold on exist,
Gotta love our land, our smile, our pain.

No one knows the roots of our past.
No one grows enliven the guest.
It goes to show it's gone too fast.
No one knows the roots of our past.

The Roots of Our Past

Bande originale d'un film jamais tourné 

The Bat Man

heck yeah

From the Album: "Arrhythmia & Blues" 2024

Lyrics:
Do you need some more cash?
A big old stack
Right there in your pants
Look at you, getting more than the next guy
A bigger slice of the pie
Do you like it like that?
Need more cash?
Look at your bad self out on that dance floor
Gucci sunglasses
A Louis Vuitton money belt
Fill your life with beautiful things
It gives you everything you need
But still you say:

I need something more
(Happiness is where you are)
I have nothing left
(Let the sunshine in your heart)
I feel emptiness
(Feel the magic of the earth)
What more can I get?
(Do you fill up with things where you hurt?)
Let me rhapsodize
I am happy with my slice
5% of paradise

You're getting a bigger bite at the apple
MMMM, it's coming soon
All these things, that gives you more
Va-va-voom
(Va-va-voom!)
Costco size it!
You've got more possessions
Then a Pharaoh
In an Egyptian tomb

But still you say:
I need something more
(Happiness is where you are)
I have nothing left
(Let the sunshine in your heart)
I feel emptiness
(Feel the magic of the earth)
What more can I get?
(Do you fill up with things where you hurt?)
Let me rhapsodize
I am happy with my slice
5% of paradise

Need some more cash?
A big stack in your pants?

5% Of Paradise

July 8,2024, Anyone else besides us enduring Hurricane Beryl right now?
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" Matthew11:28-30

Verse 1
Walk the street alone
 Remembering photos on the wall 
The memories crush the inner soul
Turn away facing everyday eternity
Tag1
Swallowed by the shadows whisper
Grief remains where peace shall linger
Pre chorus
If only for a moment if only for the night
If only for a moment send Your peace in the Night
Chorus
The mind is racing, racing fast
A lot of years wasted tears dwelling on the past
Sometimes it won't shut down
Give me peace, shut it down?
Verse 2
Send Your peace tonight
Tonight remember me
A little sleep it's all I need
Relinquishing control shy away afraid of letting go
Tag2
Covered by the Spirit's whisper
Solace comes in sweet surrender
Pre chorus
If only for the moment
Of only for the night
If only for a moment
Send Your peace in the night
Repeat Chorus
Last Corus
My mind is racing, racing fast
My only Peace Jesus Christ
Sometimes it won't shut down
He gives me peace and shuts it down

Shut It Down

Shut it Down

Real Good trouble

Massive thanks to Magic Mike Fox  for his musicianship, producing, production and most of all just for being a top bloke.
And Nat Daniels for her massive contribution with her incredible vocals.
I have done many duets with Nat and every time it’s been a pleasure we have created many special moments.
Marry Me In Vegas was part 1 this is part 2 after Vegas with Real Good Trouble. 
Months after the non event of the grand marriage. He missed her after jilting her and not making the flight he felt like he needed to explain he just wasn’t ready for what she wanted. 
He never had the chance as she disappeared, shutdown her socials, changed her number and left.
Months passed without contact and then this phone called happened.

REAL GOOD TROUBLE (After Vegas)

I can’t believe you’re back in the city 
We called called our own
You wouldn’t recognise my number 
When I was calling,  calling on your phone
You said I’m sorry it’s been too long now 
And too many stones thrown 
I changed my number then picked another 
It was a stagecoach to Basingstoke 

Chorus 
So if you wanna get into 
Some real…. real Good trouble 
And leave our past behind
Then I’m ready & primed
For real good trouble 
For real good trouble….. Every Time! 

(every time.. oh baby baby baby... every time)

2nd Verse
After Vegas I needed to leave 
I should of worn my heart on my sleeve
Every minute of everyday 
I thought of you and what I would say 
I got a job found a place 
And for a while I was the new face.. 
And all the great moments that got us through 
Were never the same without You! 

Chorus 
So if you wanna, get into
Some real…. real good trouble 
And leave our past behind 
Then I’m ready & primed
For real good trouble 
For real good trouble … Every Time!

Every time.. oh baby baby baby... every time..
Real good trouble... 
Real good trouble... 
Real good trouble... 
Every time.. Every time!

Real Good Trouble (After Vegas) Fox, Brownie & Daniels

Guitar Track without beats using Echo effect to keep time.
The Grail could mean the reaching of wisdom and peace.

The Grail (2002)

CAST OF CHARACTERS:
J.J. Terrell-- @j-j-terrell—JJ-- electric piano, synth, seed idea
Mistermark-- @user-432503709 -- Mark –  vocals, lyrics, mix, and production
Llanpsych-- @llanpsych -- Tez – guitar
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen–banjo, guitar, sitar, and final mastering
K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken–drums, seed idea
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – four-string fretless bass

Composition – The Eclectic Collective
This song started in probably the most effective way our group writes them. Ken had a spectacular drum beat that was unused in a previous project, so JJ composed and recorded  a chord arrangement with his magical keys. Once we had a beat and a chord structure, Josh came along and added his foundational bass. 
     Now that the rhythm section was complete and the chord structure was in place, Stephen added his unique melody line that you hear at the beginning and every other verse on his magic banjo. He also plays all the initial guitar until around 1:40, where Tez takes over. Stephen also added some really trippy sitar in the vocal section. Then it was time for Tez to add some spice to the mix with his fiery guitar solos from about 1:40 on, eventually building up to a crescendo towards the end. 
     Once we had all the music down, we realized that we had a big gap in the bridge without much going on in it. So, Mark came through with an old poem he had written on his fridge with word magnets for his daughter more than a decade ago, and expanded on it for this song. (the poem is loosely based on the idea that our dreams exist in a digital environment/universe) The young girl's voice you hear echoing Mark's filtered voice is his daughter, in her first appearance with the EC. 
     The song was now finished, except for Mark using his production skills to trim and move a few things, then mix it. While we usually defer to Tez or Stephen for the mix, Mark did such a great job, we decided to keep his mix. Stephen did, however master and EQ it to make it a finished product. 
     This song was truly put together as a whole band effort, showcasing what the Eclectic Collective can do. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed creating it.  

Original lyrics by Mistermark:  

The moon flickers on
and rises and dances
across a celestial stage
as dreamers paint the pixels of their mind 
like an infinite canvas 

Sleep away tiny egg
and leave a delicate thread 
of memory behind 
but never log out 
you are in the elaborate web
always

-------------------------------------------
here's a photo of the original fridge magnet poem from years ago:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mark_boucher/2257994722/in/album-1495769/

and here's some collections of photos I took over the years:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mark_boucher/albums/

Dancing Moon (The Eclectic Collective)

good morning

Dancing Water feat. Arne Roden on Bass

These are my musical compositions since I began recording on 4-track tape, and later on with laptop, have been adding new compositions in the last few years here and there.
Mostly instrumental recordings, and tracks with vocal, adding extra musical Dimensions and athmospherics.
I have many musical influences, there are special bands and musicians I grew up listening to, Gong, Steve Hillage, Jimi Hendrix, Santana, Ozric Tentacles, Pink Floyd, Soft Machine, John Martyn (ecoplex guitar master), Return to Forever,  Zappa, and from my own country, Thin Lizzy, Rory Gallagher, Gary Moore, CLannad.

link to a short jam video, with cool visuals effects from Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/DH2T4SfSzviHGy8P/

The Grail (2002)

Dave Bayes