By Inheritance
| By Inheritance | ||||
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| Studio album by Artillery | ||||
| Released | May 29th, 1990 | |||
| Recorded | Sweet Silence Studios, Copenhagen, Denmark, January - February 1990 | |||
| Genre | Thrash metal | |||
| Length | 47:38 | |||
| Label | Roadrunner, R/C Records, Metal Mind Productions [limited to 2,000 copies] | |||
| Producer | Flemming Rasmussen | |||
| Artillery chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
By Inheritance is the third studio album by the Danish thrash metal band Artillery. It was released in 1990 by Roadrunner Records. It was Artillery's last album before they disbanded in 1991 and the release of their next album, B.A.C.K., in 1999.
Songs
7:00 from Tashkent / Khomaniac
"7:00 from Tashkent" is an instrumental introduction, employing a sitar and an Arabic style of melody. "7:00" most likely means 7 AM or 07:00 in military time, which is logical considering "Khomaniac"'s subsequent lyrical content. Tashkent is the capital and largest city of Uzbekistan, which was not a sovereign state at the time of the album's release. "Khomaniac" continues the prelude set in "7:00 from Tashkent" and utilizes the same angle of melody. It's the longest song on the album (6:42 by itself, 7:36 when combined with the intro) and remains a staple at Artillery concerts. The title "Khomaniac" is a play-on-words reference to Iranian supreme leader Ruhollah Khomeini, merging his last name with the word "maniac". The lyrics refer to Khomeini's dictatorship from 1979 to 1989 and the nearly 8 year Iran-Iraq War. Artillery released a demo of the song without the intro in late 1989 along with the song "Don't Believe", and the cover depicts a crude drawing of Khomeini.
Beneath the Clay (R.I.P.)
"Beneath the Clay (R.I.P.)" explores criminal behavior. The lyrics are from the perspective of the affected, law-abiding members of the criminal's society. The criminal himself may be a serial killer or some other description that implies a career of crime. It's unclear as to who has died or if the death in question is figurative of the criminal's freedom.
By Inheritance
The album's title track concerns natural ability. The lyrics distinguish the subject from the whole of society as one with a great and coveted gift that can only be inherited genetically.
Bombfood
"Bombfood" places the listener into the mind of a low-ranking soldier. The lyrics depict his volunteer process and subsequent deployment, after which he regrets his decision to join the military. The man's idolization for soldiers purportedly blinds him from understanding their lifestyle, and his realization does not come quickly enough to save him from death. The song marks a decrease in tempo in the album that is continued on "Don't Believe", but the faster tempo is restored at certain points in this song.
Don't Believe
First appearing on Artillery's 1984 Shellshock demo as "Blessed Are the Strong", this song was heavily re-written and recorded again for their 1989 Khomaniac demo as "Don't Believe". The 1989 demo version is very similar to the final studio version that appears on By Inheritance. The lyrics are far more abstract than the rest of the songs on the album. What is clear is that the subject is a naive human who is taught to hold skepticism and seek rational reasoning in what he truly believes. The lyrics are from the perspective of the teacher, who seems to be supernatural. The song's tempo is similar to that of "Bombfood", but is relatively more consistent.
Life in Bondage
"Life in Bondage" restores the album's fast-paced tempo. The lyrics depict someone who feels held in bondage by the rules of his society and is doomed to obey his superiors and work for the rest of his life. The song is similar to "Bombfood" in vein of obedience. The lyrics are from the perspective of some outside omniscient character who is telling the subject that he is weak and doomed to the slavery of "sticking to the rules". The subject appears to be a stereotypical "corporate drone" with no real value to his superiors.
Equal at First
This song concerns the learning experience of youths and is somewhat of an antithesis to "By Inheritance". The subject is a young student in school who is originally bewildered with the world that he lives in. However, he reaches adolescence and finds himself unable to learn at the pace that adults demand of him. He is unsettled with his lack of knowledge and eventually becomes delinquent. The song explores the idea that before the learning process, everyone is perceived as equal, but as they learn that equality is broken.
Back in the Trash
The album's closer is the second installment of the "Trash" trilogy, the first of which was "In the Trash" on Terror Squad. "Back in the Trash" is a sequel to the themes addressed in "In the Trash", but is much longer and more technical. The song begins with a clean intro and ends with the same riff. The subject is a poverty-stricken individual who is struggling to survive in a world that does not offer him assistance. He is told that he gives excuses for his shortcomings and that if he becomes a responsible person, he may be able to thrive. The lyrics are from the perspective of someone who knows the subject.
Track Listing
- "7:00 from Tashkent" – 0:54
- "Khomaniac" – 6:42
- "Beneath the Clay (R.I.P.)" – 4:49
- "By Inheritance" – 5:43
- "Bombfood" – 5:44
- "Don't Believe" – 4:40
- "Life in Bondage" – 5:26
- "Equal at First" – 4:24
- "Razamanaz" (Nazareth cover) – 3:14
- "Back in the Trash" – 6:01
Credits
- Flemming Rønsdorf - Vocals, Lyrics [Tracks 2-6, 8, 10]
- Michael Stützer - Guitar
- Morten Stützer - Guitar, Bass [Tracks 2, 3], Lyrics [Track 7]
- Peter Thorslund - Bass [Tracks 1, 4-10]
- Carsten Nielsen - Drums
References
- ↑ Rivadavia, Eduardo. By Inheritance at AllMusic
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