What is “Gutter Ballet” about”?
Jon Oliva said, “The title song ‘Gutter Ballet’ deals with the contemporary reality in the streets of every major city. The song is more or less the opposite of “Of Rage And War”, both musically and lyrically speaking. The musical aspect seems obvious to me. After the brutal power of “Of Rage And War”, the quiet piano intro surprises you. And, as the problem of “Of Rage And War” is evident, there’s nothing you can do about it. It’s not touchable. The probems out on the streets, on the other hand, are; you see them in front of you daily. It’s especially about how unfriendly the streets can be, how confusing and how violent. But on the other hand, the streets can also be very beautiful, cosy and moving. The lyrics come forth from the mind of someone walking through a major city. Whether it is New York, Detroit or Chicago really doesn’t matter. While writing the piano intro, I was thinking of a sunrise above a skyline of skyscrapers. Very peaceful. Until the city comes to life, and that’s
