Now here’s a special one. Haunting vocals by Cali Beach trying to make the angels weep. Catchy riff and exciting sounds. Wandering spirits of John and George. A powerful layered lofi magical mystery tour if you ask me. Just love it.

After all
that conspired
we run on
under fire
will you drive away
have you something more to say
don’t you make a sound
we’ve gone back underground
and gone

You, you never change
so I’ll, I’ll try to re-arrange
a life of renegotiations
and on to seize our time

After all
that conspired
After all

(Lyrics by Cali Beach)

With a minimum of lyrics and a maximum of magic: Unleash the hounds. Featuring Steve Rice (vocals) and of course the one and only Sven-Martin Keil on saxes. Sheer class…

Into the dark I struggled
Flailing towards the sound
No light was there to help me
Footsteps all around
This would be my only chance
To get back above the ground
I could hear the barking orders
To unleash the hounds

(Lyrics by Steve Rice)

There are a lot of dangerous men around. But few of them actually become world leaders. That’s why B.K. Williamson wrote ‘Dangerous men’…

Tarjei Skarlund (vocals), Thomas Hjorth (guitars), Jon Garcia (bass), Bill McCarthy (drums) and Alice Minguez (choir/backing vocals) have been contributing on this statement. (This song appears to be recorded in front of an exuberant BBC audience:-).

I hope we get our message across. If you share our concern on the misuse of power by influential people, please spread the news. Sharing is caring.

Poke the bees nest
It’s all in the plan
Stroke the ego
of dangerous men

Echo blindness
Evanescence
Echo blindness
Evanescence
Welcome the darkness

My pawns…
My proletarians
In synchronization
No questions
Just leave it all to me

I’m the one
I’m here to stay
so clear the way
Dawn of a new day

Mark my words
however absurd
Elected King
of everything

Smile…
and wave…
Love me…
King bee

While…
you bathe…
in the light of your TV

(Dangerous men)
I’m at the top
Ratings are hot
The popular vote
What a joke
(Dangerous men)
It’s my machine
Shiny and clean
We buy and sell
on Capitol hell

It’s all in the plan
It’s all in the plan
Stroke the egos
of dangerous men

It’s all in the plan
It’s all in the plan
Stroke the egos
of dangerous men

(Dangerous men)
(are here to stay)
It’s all in the plan
(it’s in the plan)
Stroke the egos of dangerous men
(Dangerous men)

(Lyrics by B.K. Williamson)

The best of JustVera. One and a half hour of sheer power and excitement. Thanks to Alan Abernethy, Alex Zulaika, Andrea Spaziale, Andrew Boucher, Bryan Shoemaker, Caleb Anderson, Dan Rosati, Esther Bredius, Gustavo Abreu, Ian T., Jan van de Garde, Jarek Adamowski, Jean Lui Toudou, Joey Six, Lisa Dewey, Loek van der Knaap, Louis Marchena, Mark Alan Dooley, Martin Nilsson, Maurizio Marini, Michel Pilotte, Mike Mantecon, Monroe De La Vega, Nigel Robinson, Olivier Demaine, Oppy, Parmia Vaala, Peter Bomhof, Peter Hendriks, Serenn, Steve Rice, Sven-Martin Keil, Tarjei Skarlund, Tracy Hayden, Tracy Hutchison.
So f***, f***, F****** PROUD…

‘Losing it’ doesn’t necessairily have to be bad. In fact in some cases losing your resistance may account for the best experience ever. Parmia wrote about it and convincingly performed her lyrics.
You might want to think about it, but sometimes it’s better just to listen and get carried away…

I thought I was strong
I thought I had reason
I had it in order
and controlled all I was facing

You made my walls fall
they vanished in thin air

I thought I was strong
I thought I had reason
and now I am naked of my soul
you made your home there

and now I am naked of my soul
you made your home there
and now I am naked of my soul
you made your home there

I thought I was strong
I thought I had reason
I had it in order
and controlled all I was facing

and now I am naked of my soul
you made your home there
and now I am naked of my soul
you made your home there
and now I am naked of my soul
you made your home there
home there, home there

You captured my heart
you saw what I was hiding
I couldn’t escape your burning eyes
though I was trying

Another night falls
another day follows
I’ve lost my count
of todays, yesterdays or tomorrows

Losing it…
…I’m losing it…
… my heart.

I thought I was strong
I thought I had reason
I had it in order
and controlled all I was facing

You made my walls fall
and now I am naked of my soul
you made your home there

(Lyrics and vocals by Parmia Vaala)

Because Lisa Dewey wrote truly heartbreaking lyrics about a love gone down.
Because Serenn did the vocal performance like only she can.
Because Joey Six played one of his most original solos ever.
(That’s why ‘Nothing Left (Hwy 101)’ turned out to be a true JustVera gem.)

Can’t you hear the darkened sea growl?
We’re slippin’ ’round these bends,
I know we both feel the edge’s pull;
There’s barely room for breathin’.

Memories are just ashes now,
Blowing love out to sea in some littered grief.
So many miles we’ve dreamed down this route;
Lost in songs and laughs; this coast set us free.

Now there’s nothing left. Nothing left but leavin’.
Nothing left. Nothing left but leavin’.

This road took too long to get to nowhere;
A place so familiar we missed the glare.
Maybe the wrong time stands between us, lover,
Erasing the beginning from end’s dare.

Now there’s nothing left but leavin’.
Nothing left but leavin’. Nothing left.
Nothing left but leavin’.
Nothing left. Nothing left but leavin’.

Headlights are white curtains in this fog
Highway 101’s a misty, diving tilt.
I am nothing now but blanched knuckles,
Honey, you are the slippery wheel.

Now there’s nothing left. Nothing left but leavin’.
Nothing left. Nothing left but leavin’.

(Lyrics by Lisa Dewey)

Unmistakeably Steve Rice: let his magical lyrics and passionate performance lead you through this JustVera fairytale.

Freedom never let her stay

She never had enough,
she never found that crown.
She let her jesters play
with all the gold she found.

Freedom followed her,
freedom never let her stay;
Freedom never let her stay,
freedom never let her stay

Through her window she’d watch the servants play
As the sun would set their laughter soon would fade.

Their wispers echoed through the empty halls.
Dawnlight’s silence would hold nothing at all.

She never told her tale,
no ones ear could hear
Of the dragons breath that filled eyes with tears

Freedom followed her,
freedom never let her stay;
Freedom never let her stay,
freedom never let her stay

As the moon does rise, it’s fullness does reveal.
A light in the night, the darkness can’t conceal.

(Lyrics and vocals by Steve Rice)

New lyrics and vocals on a 4-year-old gem. My initial explicit lyrics replaced by Tracy Hutchison’s view on fear. And convincingly performed by Mark Alan Dooley. With special thanks to Peter Hendriks for panting, screaming and backing vocals.

‘Everything you dream will never be fulfilled.’

Open your mind
You’re lost
Living a dream
Under a scream
It triggers you
On all you do
When the last day
Fades grey and sheer
It’s under control
Except your fear
A shadow crawls
Up darkened walls

A vision screams
At sights unseen

The dead will rise
With living eyes
When the last day
Fades grey and sheer
It’s under control
Except your fear

A spider spins
Those webs of sin
A books lost pages
Written by sages
But knowledge lasts
The die is cast
When the last day
Fades grey and sheer
It’s under control
Except your fear

Everything you don’t ask becomes your favourite nightmare
Open your mind
Everything you dream will never be fulfilled
You’re lost in time
Everything you don’t ask becomes your favourite nightmare
Living a dream
Everything you dream will never be fulfilled
Under a scream

It triggers you
On all you do
When the last day
Fades grey and sheer
It’s under control
Except your fear
The dead will rise
With living eyes

It’s under control

(Lyrics by Tracy Hutchison/Justus)

Typically JustVera: powerdrums & powerbass. But it would be nothing without the contributions of Alan Abernethy. His lyrics and vocals make this one stand out. Plus Jarek Adamowski’s brilliant solos ofcourse.
I estimate I listened at least 500 times to the entire track over the past six months. And I still dig it. Which is quite remarkable.

I wonder how many plays you need to discover its full potential…

Looking out of the window at a desolate place
What was an eden now is turned into a waste
Trying to find religion to explain all of this shit
I pray to the man, but he’s not having any of it
He says: “You can only blame yourself
And your petty lack of faith
Don’t ask me to provide you with a cure…”

Deep in the mire where the dirty mothers rise
I see the root of all my earthly desires
Maybe a demon has got hold of my soul
Once there was completion now there’s just a black hole
He says “I’m moving on, from this hopeless case
Ain’t gonna listen to your prayers no more…”

And there it is
All of a sudden
We’re too late on the panic button
We’re on our own
A long long way from home
Out of reason, out of time
Stuck behind these enemy lines
Save yourself for the battles to come
Your faith is gone…
And you’ve lost your halo

Looking to the future I see more of the same
greed corruption envy hate, it’s all a game
Taken for granted by our leaders full of sin
Lost the advantage even ‘fore we begin
No more to gain
Emptiness & despair
tryin’ to find a way to end this pain…

And there it is
All of a sudden
We’re too late on the panic button
We’re on our own
A long long way from home
Out of reason, out of time
Stuck behind these enemy lines
Save yourself for the battles to come
Your faith is gone…
And you’ve lost your halo

(Lyrics by Alan Abernethy)

To be honest: I didn’t expect my instrumental track to transform into this awesome song. Fortunately some talented musicians -online, whereelse?-)- made it happen. First of all Tracy Hutchison came up with the powerful lyrics. Then Caleb Anderson surprised me with his distinctive tasty vocals. And finally Louis Marchena took the lead and blew us all away with his convincing vocal performance. Hear all about it: Change Ahead.

Tear down the walls
Of separation
Put out the fires
Of conflagration

Tear down the walls
Of separation
It does not matter
Your place or station

There’s a change ahead
A change ahead
There’s a change ahead
A change ahead

We live in a world
Where truth don’t matter
We ignore the cold
And wet blood splattered
Do we want it to
End this way
Will history reflect
All we did was pray

Will our children
Pay the price
Because we blindly
Blindly rolled the dice

How can you sleep soundly
In your bed
When you can feel
A change ahead

A bright new world
Or Armageddon
Will it be hell
Or will it be heaven
Change change change

There’s a change ahead
A change ahead
There’s a change ahead
A change ahead

Change change change

(Lyrics by Tracy Hutchison)