Song Of The Week: Opiate For The Masses - Black Book

Cold wind's blowing at my cigarette,
No this can't conceal
I'm hanging like a marionette
Can you make me real?


See the world best I can
Through the smoke as its hand tries to choke me again...


Got my black book open and
I'm burning down at that hotel
A hundred thousand miles in my way
On the road to hell


Give me something to touch
something I can smell - of you
I'll take it to my grave as I burn for you.


Blind weight twirling in my skin that'll pass
Like only time can tell.


Guess this letter's gonna be my last
I hope it finds you well.


See the world best I can
Through the smoke as it's hand tries to choke me again...


Got my black book open and
I'm burning down at that hotel
A hundred thousand miles in my way
On the road to hell


Give me something to touch
Something I can smell - of you
I'll take it to my grave as I burn for you.


A hundred thousand miles away -aye
I've fallen -aye aye
I can feel my final day -aye
is calling -aye aye


I'm burning alive for you
Just reaching for something true
I'm burning alive for you
I need something to pull me through
to pull me through


I've got my black book open and
I'm burning down at that hotel
A hundred thousand miles in my way
On the road to hell


Give me something to touch
Something I can smell - of you
I'll take it to my grave as I burn for you.


Got my black book open and
I'm burning down at that hotel
A hundred thousand miles in my way
On the road to hell


Give me something to touch
Something I can smell - of you
I'll take it to my grave as I burn for you.


Burn for you.


Los Angeles, CA. Perhaps one of the few places in the USA that have produced some of the biggest, finest modern rock and metal bands of today, and complementing this roster of acts was Opiate For The Masses (they broke up in 2009, 10 years after they formed).

OFTM sounds just like Linkin Park, just a little more sparing with the synths, and definitely more stylish in terms of image. C'mon, how cool is it to see a Nu-Metal band dressed up as Commies?! By the way, for those who have never heard of Karl Marx, he once said that "Religion is the opiate of the masses." Yeah, now you know where this band took their name from.

You know, this song is one of those rare gems out there that actually has a bass line that is existent. Right from the very first second, the bass line makes its presence known by humming in to the catchy beats of the drums, with Ron's lulling voice accompanying it to great melancholic effect. Ron's voice is another one of those gems... no wait, a natural perfectly-cut diamond amongst the hordes of rough, uncut gems in the realm of rock/metal vocalists. The only person I can think of to compare Ron to, would be the legendary Chester Bennington of the titanic Linkin Park. One can never really forget Chester's talent for blending both harshness and clarity into a voice like no other, a voice that screams of all the angst within oneself, yet exudes an honestly clean feel that doesn't scare mainstream listeners off. Well folks, here is another talented vocalist who was in an excellent band for you to check out.

Opiate For The Masses were: From left to right - Anna Kjellberg (Bass Guitar), Jim Kaufman (Guitar, Synthesizers, Programming), Ron Underwood (Vocals), Seven Antonopolous (Drums)

In the words of Joey Jordison of Slipknot, "Opiate For The Masses is nothing short of hypnotic." Indeed, the band had named themselves appropriately during their active years. They have completely changed the atheistic flavour of the phrase they extracted from Karl Marx's famous quote, and instead, turned it into a phrase synonymous with good music for rock and metal fans.

Looking for a wonder drug to cure that occasional itch for a mainstream fix? Look no further than OFTM!