The Mist Of Vale

WONDER (NOT OF MY OWN) 

let’s pretend it’s you and me 
we offer no apologies
stand apart and openly
we’re falling in deep

take the opportunity
to close the space that’s in between
I feel the love inside of me
aching to be

not of my own
but all that I can
here in the wonder I hope, believe me 

innocence we’ve always been 
the two of us unselfishly
our hearts are one, are souls are free
unconditionally

without words, without a sound
you speak to me above the crowd 
we’re lifted up to higher ground
to never come down 

always and forever
always I will hold you near
always will remember 
see you smile and all is clear

always and forever
always I will hold you near
always will remember 
see you smile and all is clear

always and forever
always I will hold you here
always will remember 
see you smile and all is real 

not of my own
but all that I can
here in the wonder I hope 

not of my own
but all that I can 
here inside it’s burning like the sun

Wonder (Not Of My Own)

PLAY WITH SAND 

I – Awake  

three in the morning
there’s a light in the hall
the world is dark outside
misty and cold 
whispering voices 
in the still of the night
familiar shadows
coming straight to your bedside 

it’s a matter of moments 
undeniably nearer
indescribably clearer 
wake up baby, let’s walk in the woods 
tonight

II – Afraid

four in the morning 
now the car’s heading south
the world is silent 
though your heart beats so loud
all that surrounds you 
is the promise of fear
where are we going daddy
why are we here? 

it’s a matter of moments
undeniably nearer
indescribably clearer
let’s get out and take a look at all the stars 
tonight

oh won’t you say 
this is a perfect day
to drive away
and play with sand, my baby 

III – Asleep 

an early morning 
in the belgian rain
this sudden freedom 
leaves me dead and insane 
it’s filled with emptiness
just like the backseat 
the backseat of the car 

it’s a matter of hours
undeniably nearer
indescribably clearer
step outside, raise your hands above your head 
right now

oh won’t you say 
this is a perfect day
to drive away
and play with sand, my baby 
oh come with me
this is a perfect day
don’t you agree 
and play with sand, my baby

Play With Sand

INTERVALS 

I awake like the sunrise
in a vanishing haze
and I stand in your sunlight
how I want it to stay 
from the moment it feels right
until the moment it ends

yeah I know it will end 

who decrees its ebb and flow?
love is here in intervals
burning heat and then it’s gone
love is here in intervals
intervals

if I said that it feels right
if I said I could change
because I know that in your mind
that I’m fading away

yeah I’m fading away

who decrees its ebb and flow?
love is here in intervals
burning heat and then it’s gone
love is here in intervals
intervals

who decrees its ebb and flow?
love is here in intervals
burning heat and then it’s gone
love is here in intervals
intervals

love is here
love is here

Intervals

OPENLY 
	
long before I met you
you were standing by my side  
oh I tried to see but only 
with both eyes open wide

I used to hate you for hiding
for being silent when I cried
still your hands were reaching out
in the deepest of the night  

oh you never lost your patience
never put the blame on me
never saw you point the finger 
since you laid eyes on me	
openly
openly 

long before I saw you
you’ve been looking down on me
your death defying love
it took away my pain
my pain
my pain
my pain

forgive me for not listening 
forgive me for my fear  
I long to feel you here again     

oh you never lost your patience
though it took me way too long
you were never judging me
even when I was wrong 

oh you never lost your patience
no you never doubted me
say we’ll be forever
it will be you and me
openly
openly

Openly

Spiral Pt. II

ALL THAT MATTERS

so we tried to carry on
and we put ourselves together 	
and we slowly moved along 
across deserted roads
winter seemed to last forever 

an escape from all the lies we used to buy
an escape from all the walls 
we built around us

come away with me tonight
come away with me tomorrow 
all that we have ever seen 
and everywhere we’ve ever been 
is captured here inside of me
it’s all that counts 
it’s all that matters  

then you looked me in the eye 
a little stare that took forever 
and your whispers fell like rain 
upon this desert rose  
are we still in this together?

an escape from all the lies we used to buy
an escape from all the walls around us    
an escape from all the truths we used to hide
an escape from all the noise that still surrounds us 

come away with me tonight
come away with me tomorrow 
all that we have ever seen 
and everywhere we’ve ever been 
is captured here inside of me
it’s all that counts 
it’s all that matters  

an escape from all the lies we used to buy
an escape from all the noise that still surrounds us

come away with me tonight
come away with me tomorrow 
come away with me tonight
come away with me tomorrow 
all the things we’ve ever seen 
and anywhere we’ve ever been 
a treasure deep inside of me 
it’s all that counts 
it’s all that matters 

so we try to carry on

All That Matters

AETHER

here we are	
the bruised leading the blind
we try to see
and leave our doubts behind 

you lead me to light		
you lead me to light

look at me
don’t stare at the sun
we’ve come this far
there’s nowhere left to run 

you lead me to light		
you lead me to light
you lead me to light
you are the light

surrounded by the night 
a universe arcane
we suffer more from fear 
than we suffer from pain 

you lead me to light		
you lead me to light
you lead me to light
you are the light

you lead me to light		
you lead me to light
you lead me to light
you are the light

Aether

THE SPACE BETWEEN THE WAVES 

if love is an ocean what are we
just a couple of drops beneath the surface of the sea

I know you’re longing for so long
for something to happen like a breath, a breeze 
a ripple through our lives 

the space between the waves
all our highs where did they hide
the space between the waves

I’m watching the sunset from ashore
shallow and pale compared to many times before 

I know you’re waiting for a while
for something to turn into a raging storm 
awakening our lives  

the space between the waves
all our highs where did they hide
the space between the waves

the space between the waves
all our dreams we put aside
the space between the waves

the space between the waves
all our highs where did they hide
the space between the waves

the space between the waves
the space between the waves

The Space Between The Waves

AMSTERDAM (THIS CITY) 

an empty house was all I left her 
when I drove away that day  
and I cancelled my subscriptions 
way too cowardly to say

promise me, don’t follow me
I’ll disappear completely now
leave this town without a single trace 
gonna find another way 

it’s not that I don’t like you baby
it’s not that I don’t miss our nights
but you just scare me so much lately 
when I stare into your lights

don’t look for me, you’ll find me gone 
faded memories remain  
and much like the rain you brought
the thought of you evaporates
eventually gone   

this city it gives and then it takes
this city it sleeps and dreams and wakes
suddenly a part of me 
my heart is aching and hands are shaking

this city it builds and then it breaks
it’s pulling you in with cold embrace 
gradually it’s drowning me
void of feeling and thoughts are reeling

I know it hits you hard
like the crash of a car
you think that I will come back to you 
I think I’ll never come back to you
despite the demons within
I’m driving further from sin
and all the comfort it gave me

and I will never get back to you

this city it gives and then it takes
this city it sleeps and dreams and wakes
suddenly a part of me 
my heart is aching and hands are shaking

this city it builds and then it breaks
it’s pulling you in with cold embrace 
gradually it’s drowning me
void of feeling and thoughts are reeling

amsterdam I hate you
amsterdam I’ll miss you  
amsterdam I love you

Amsterdam (This City)

DILEMMA - RANDOM ACTS OF LIBERATION

Who would have thought, the last time we talked 
We’d be standing right here today...

It’s this phrase from their new epic song The Inner Darkness that probably best describes the remarkable comeback of Dutch progressive rockband Dilemma. Since their last gig in april 2012 they kind of disappeared from the public eye, but only to write the best new material they could come up with for their massive upcoming album Random Acts of Liberation.

This extensive piece of work, featuring British vocalist Dec Burke (Frost*, Audioplastik, Darwin’s Radio), was produced by drummer Collin Leijenaar and mixed by audio genius Rich Mouser at The Mouse House studio in Altadena, LA.

Apart from drumming in Dilemma, Collin Leijenaar is also well known for his solid drum contributions to albums and live shows by acts like Neal Morse, Kayak, Dave Bainbridge and Affector. The Dilemma line-up is completed by founder Robin Z (keyboards), guitarist Paul Crezee, bass player Erik van der Vlis and the aforementioned Dec Burke (vocals, guitars).

So here we are, the start of our new destiny 
A picture of the world that yet awaits...

As said, Dilemma is no stranger to progressive rock’s landscape. Singer Butler and keyboard player Robin Z formed the band in the mid 1990s. After writing a large body of work, the EP ‘Trapped’ came out in 1993 and featured three very diverse tracks. The quality of these songs and Dilemma’s distinctive sound quickly led to a recording contract with SI Music/Roadrunner Records.

Following the worldwide release of their debut CD Imbroccata in 1996 (an album that received enthousiastic reviews and sold very well, especially in Japan) the band played at famous Dutch venues like 013, De Boerderij, Baroeg, Ijsbreker and Nieuwe Pul. Dilemma also toured with Swedish neoclassical metal band Narnia. Their last gig dates from 2012, when they appeared on stage with quite a memorable show during the iO Pages Festival in Zoetermeer, The Netherlands.

One year later, frontman Danny Butler and the rest of the group parted ways. This decision led to an even more progressive and diversified sounding band, and to new material that really comes from the heart of its remaining members.

The more we change, the more we stay the same 
The more we die, the more we stay alive...

In 2015 new vocalist Dec Burke joined Dilemma. Together they kept working on the new songs and recorded most of the vocals in the well-known Down Under studio’s in Hilversum. Bit by bit the outlines of Random Acts of Liberation (RAOL) became clear. All pieces of the puzzle fell into place.

Now that the mixes and mastering are finished, we’re proud as a monkey with seven dicks to share the results with you. RAOL contains 14 various tracks, varying in length from 3 to over 12 minutes. It’s packed with surprising time signatures, enchanting guitar solo’s and pleasant melodies. 

Total running time of the album: 72 minutes!

A few of the highlights that we’d like to mention here are energetic opener Amsterdam (This City), that talks about remembering things you once chose to forget. Aether, an atmospheric, melodic track about wandering souls. The 12 minute epic The Inner Darkness (a work of fiction, though inspired by actual events). Pseudocomaphobia, a metalesque rocksong on the fear of losing touch in relationships. And last but not least the progrock anthems Play With Sand, (a haunting horror story that really took place), Openly and Prodigal Son that capture the signature Dilemma sound like never before.