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Dark Horse is the sixth studio album by the Canadian rock band Nickelback, released on November 17, 2008, in Europe and a day later elsewhere. It is the follow-up to their multi-platinum selling All the Right Reasons. It was co-produced by the band and producer and songwriter Robert John 'Mutt' Lange, known for working with such acts as Foreigner, AC/DC, Bryan Adams, Def Leppard and Shania Twain. Dark Horse sold 326,000 in its first week and debuted at number 2 in the US. More than a year after. A track from Nickelbacks album Dark horse.
Timeline: The Dark Horse, Around Chapter 14
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers apply. Still don't own the KH people.
A/N: I'd originally wanted this scene in TDH proper, but it never really fit. Anyway, this one is dedicated to White Haired Teen since the title of this series is from a review they left on TDH referencing the song The Black Horse and the Cherry Tree.
Fun Fact: TDH was originally named after the Nickelback Album of the same name, because pretty much all the songs on it give me AkuRoku vibes. It's my personal AkuRoku album. The fact that the name worked out so well... was a happy coincidence.
I have a few of these 'missing scenes' planned, but you're all free to suggest a few if theres anything you'd like to see more in depth that wasn't explored during TDH. If it involves the plot points that I'll be ecploring Reaching for the Sun, though, I won't be able to do it.
Luxord idly rolled a pair of dice between his nimble fingers. Over and under, and around, he even slid them up and walked them across his knuckles with an expert flick of his wrist. He was reclining against a wall his eyes hooded as he watched Xigbar, and beyond him, the empty plaza below.
The plaza of the old train station on twilight street was made all of warm brown colored stones laid out in whimsical patterns. Trees sat in massive urns to add a spice of greenery to the area. It was all very quaint, he decided and wasn't sure if he liked it.
A rustle of fabric drew Luxord's attention. He glanced down at Xigbar as the man fidgeted for a moment, then went still again. He couldn't say he blamed him. Xigbar had been in the same position for well around an hour now.
Xigbar on his stomach on the rooftop of the train station with his sniper rifle. It wasn't just any sniper rifle either: It was a sleek white thing that looked like no other gun Luxord had seen anywhere.
The gunman shifted again.
Luxord decided on a moment of kindness and put the man out of his misery by speaking, 'Do you not think this is going slightly overboard?'
Saix knew their orders well, and Luxord couldn't imagine what he was thinking. It wasn't like Saix to mess with the Superior's plans, after all.
Xigbar rolled his shoulders in a lazy shrug, 'I'm not gonna kill him, man, just wound him a little. Ya know, maybe knee cap him. A bit.'
'Knee cap him a bit?' Luxord echoed blandly. 'Yes that is a trifling wound is it not?'
Nickelback Dark Horse Vinyl
Xigbar sniggered, 'If he's a big man he can take it. I just wish Saix' pretty pony would show up already!'
As Xigbar descended into a slew of uncomplimentary and unprintable things he'd like to do with the no show Luxord smirked, 'I'll go see how our compatriots are doing, shall I?'
'You bastard. How can you leave a poor guy like me up here to rot in boredom all on his lonesome?!'
'Quite easily.'
Luxord stepped away from the wall, drifted across the roof top then headed down the stairs and into the building proper. The rest of the group was lounging around the station's central area. Larxene and Marluxia were whispering quietly back and forth to each other, though from the hand gestures Larxene was making she was getting bored. Marluxia was just keeping her from stirring up trouble. Not an easy task at all.
Saix was leaning against a railing staring at the glass doors like a dog on a scent trail, intent and focused as he waited for their prey to willingly stumble into their spiderweb. Vexen stood at his side, silent, cold, and aloof.
One of their number was in absentia it seemed. Luxord turned and made his way toward Marluxia and Larxene. She was the one who usually kept tabs on Demyx, that or Xigbar, and since Xigbar was otherwise occupied most of them just assumed Larxene would keep an eye on the newbie.
'Larxene,' he drawled to gain her attention. She shot him a glare full of vitriol that he ignored. 'Your ward seems to have gone astray.'
Larxene folded her arms over her chest and sneered at him, her pretty face contorting waspishly, 'I'd noticed that. He was getting on everyones nerves so we sent him out to 'stand guard.' As she spoke the last two words she made little air quotes with her fingers, shifting her face into a mask of mocking. 'So just go back to your cards and dice, old man.'
Luxord chuckled, taking her vicious attitude in stride. While many of the others deferred to her out of long standing habit, having learned Larxene to be someone to be wary of, Luxord enjoyed provoking her to a degree. She didn't scare him in the least.
'Oh, but I do so relish these little heart to heart confabulations we have, little girl, they make my days worth waking for.'
'Then maybe I should slip into your room some day and make sure you don't wake. It'd save me such a headache.' Larxene sung out sweetly.
It never ceased to amuse Luxord on some level how fast she could go from vicious to that sickly sweet attitude of hers. It was almost like a card; just flip it over and see something new. Luxord did so enjoy a good card game.
Marluxia had taken to ignoring them by now, used to the banter and chaos his little partner in crime caused where ever she went. Many people made the mistake of thinking Larxene and Marluxia were romantically involved, Luxord and a few others knew differently.
Marluxia, Luxord thought, was too caught up in his own vanity to be interested in anyone else. As for Larxene, well, she liked Marluxia after a fashion just not in that way. The two used each other as a means to an end, and that was as far as it went for them he figured. Marluxia needed Larxene because she was a vicious little creature and would help him out in his goals. Larxene let Marluxia use her as a tool of violence because she enjoyed the thrill of it.
If it helped her get ahead while she was at it, so much the better.
He still wasn't sure what drove her, not really. Larxene was unpredictable. Just like the lightning she so favored, and that was what made her so much fun to toy with. A wild card in a well ordered deck he'd already figured out and played so thoroughly the game had grown boring.
Luxord was the type of man who liked to have his fingers in everyones pie, just because he wanted to know. It was like being able to count cards in blackjack.
The thought brought his mind around to a brand new wild card that had been added to his hand, and now that the barbs and banter were aside he decided to venture the territory, so to speak.
'That aside, what do you think of Saix' so named dark horse?'
Larxene gave a snort and flounced over to a bench which she tossed herself down upon. Marluxia's head tilted slightly to show he was tuning into the conversation again, obviously this interested the duo.
With an airy wave of her hand Larxene spoke, 'I think he's well named if you think of the term like a horse race,' she drawled. 'He might even come out and win this race.' Her grin was vicious and shark like, all teeth and no kind emotion.
'He has... potential.' Marluxia spoke up, picking out his words delicately.
'Ah?' Luxord wasn't fooled by any of it. He could see these two scheming a mile away. Though, point of fact, he didn't have any real proof... Just his own thoughts on the matter.
'Larxene.' A calm cool voice broke into the discussion and they all turned to see Saix standing nearby. 'I want you to go and see what is keeping our guest. The time has passed.'
Larxene scowled minutely, flicking a glance at Marluxia. Marluxia gave a tiny nod and with a mocking bow Larxene stalked off.
'Might want to collect your duckling while your about.' Luxord called after her, and got an irritated snarl in return. Glancing over at Saix for a second he then turned away, 'I'll go collect Xigbar, I think the dice have rolled a bad number today.' That said he tossed his dice pointedly in the air before catching and pocketing them.
Saix curled his lip at him, but Luxord ignored him as well and sauntered off to do just as he'd said. He did so find it amusing when their plans went astray... Poor dear Saix never liked it, he took it as a personal affront to his beloved Superior it seemed.
Biography
The band Nickelback was formed by three relatives - Chad, Mike and Brandon Kroeger along with Ryan Peake in 1995 in a small Canadian town of Hanna. The name was offered by Mike, who worked earlier in a fast-food cafe and often had to give a change in nickel coins to the clients. At first they were a cover band, but soon got tired of it. Besides, Chad wrote songs himself. Later the same year they were joined by percussionist Ryan Vikedal. In 1996 Nickelback moved to Vancouver and recorded their debut attempt, Curb, after which Nickelback went on a tour across Canada. In 1998 the band members decided to manage the project themselves, distributing the duties among each other.
In 1999 Nickelback released the sohpomore work, The State, which saw the light just in time. At that period there were no new Canadian rock groups, and Nickelback filled the vacant niche with the post-grunge single Leader Of Men. As a result of the supporting tour The State sold about 500,000 copies in Nickelback's home country, which was an undoubted success.In 2001 the band recorded the follow-up Silver Side Up. It was their breakthrough album that made Nickelback known all over the world with the hit single How You Remind Me. The album became 6 times platinum, throwing the band's songs on the top of Canadian, North American and British charts. At the same time Chad Kroeger collaborated with Josey Scott from Saliva on a powefull and romatic Spiderman soundtrack Hero. In 2003 the more sophisticated album The Long Road appeared. It became three times platinum with a hadful of alt-rock melodic singles - Someday, Figured You Out, Feelin' Way Too Damn Good, Because Of You and, at last, See You At The Show. The album saw a successful international support tour.
Nickelback Black Horse Full Album
In the beginning of 2005 Nickelback's drummer Ryan Vikedal left the band and was soon changed by Daniel Adair, ex-3 Doors Down. The same year the band released All The Right Reasons. This record also generated a whole buch of successful hits, such as Photograph with the deeply personal lyrics, winding Animals, humorous Rockstar, hard rock Side Of A Bullet and a tender ballad Savin' Me. All The Right Reasons added the first Nickelback's World Music Award to their stock of awards on November 15, 2006. Getting this prize for the best rock group of the year became a descent present for Chad Kroeger's 32nd birthday. The album was sertified seven times platinum and became the 16th disc in this century to reach such level of sales. Nickelback planned to release their new work in 2007-2008, but evetually they decided to take a rest from touring before coming back to the studio. So the release date was transmitted to 2008-2009, though in spite of career pause Chad did not refuse to record Into The Night, a duet with inimitable Carlos Santana. This wonderful song can be found on Ultimate Santana by Santana.
The sixth studio album by Nickelback Dark Horse was released in November, 2008. Dark Horse was constructed entirely from the group's standard power ballads and hard rock templates. Dark Horse featured songs about love, meaning of life (If Today Was Your Last Day) and drugs, such as the track Just to Get High aimed at a friend who became a drug addict.
Studio Albums
Here And Now
Dark Horse
All the Right Reasons
Singles
Compilation albums