1. |
Battle Scarred
05:11
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Childhood friends both starved for glory
Took whale roads to make our names
Tales of war, we’d tell ourselves
Would earn us all the maidens’ praise
Armed well with our swords and youth
We charged headlong into the fray
But our tales will not carry on
The Gray One’s ladies took my friend that day
Sing the tales of war
Sing that piper’s tune
Let the dooming lies resound
Into young and naive minds
Glory of the war horns’ sound
Leave the horrors they will find
Stunned, I watched the earthgrip take him
Dreams dashed on that distant shore
Mud turned umber, blade in hand
I charged into the deafening roar
A slavering beast, a weeping child
With tears in eyes, I killed and maimed
His dying face still etched in my mind
A tort’ring specter that shall never fade
Sing the tales of war
Sing that piper’s tune
Let the dooming lies resound
Into young and naive minds
Glory of the war horns’ sound
Buried horrors left for them to find
Blade brings forth a spray of blood
Or did that just come from my cup?
In a deep well of the mind’s poison
The memories I cannot crush
Liegemen brag of their past battles
Threads pull at my sanity
My facade cracks, curse the gods
I’ve lived the “glory”, so please tell me
Why can’t I leave from this hell?
No relief, I can never leave this fight
Can’t break free from this spell
Endless fog, will I ever see the light?
Sing the tales of war
Sing that piper’s tune
Let the dooming lies resound
Into young and naive minds
Glory of the war horns sound
Leave the horrors they will find
They will find
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2. |
Shieldbrother
06:35
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Kin by blood and kin by shields
Strong stones set in a fleshen wall
Ring oaths kept in foot torn earth
Blood binds sealed among thirsting dust
Hlystaþ! Andlangcempan!
Mægafehaþ þone scildweal!
Gebrodra!
Agenstendeaþ!
Woden oferwocande us a!
[Hear me, shield wall warriors
Hold strong the shield wall
Brothers, stand!
Woden watches over us all]
Bite of blades and hammered blows rain down
Gladly borne for our Æthelingas
Oaths sworn to hold safe the hearth and hoard
We stand strong with our Scildbroþors
Warrior’s bond and warrior’s blood
Bind strong splinter thin board lines
War wolves snap toward warriors’ throats
But stone strong bonds will break their slavering jaws
Hlystaþ! Andlangcempan!
Mægafehaþ þone scildweal!
Gebrodra!
Agenstendeaþ!
Woden oferwocande us a!
Bite of blades and hammered blows rain down
Gladly borne for our Æthelingas
Oaths sworn to hold safe the hearth and hoard
We stand strong with our Scildbroþors
Hare’s path swiftly sprints within our minds
But the boar’s heart beats within us
Fear’s destroyer stands within our lines
We stand strong with our Scildbroþors
Oh young sons, oh fathers gray
You’ll be strong links in your battered chains
The lone tree bends to the howling winds
But the forest stands strong against the wrath of the smith forged storm
Oh brave men stand strong as the ships home against the ever pouring wave
Let each man set his shoulders high and hew with all his strength
Bards praise shining helms and flashing blades we only need brave men this day
For Woden’s gaze will fall upon those who link their shields
Corpse birds’ feast and corpse birds’ joy
Shall not be our fate this day
Such goes to he who fights alone
But we fight with our brothers by our side
Hlystaþ! Andlangcempan!
Mægafehaþ þone scildweal!
Gebrodra!
Agenstendeaþ!
Woden oferwocande us a!
Bite of blades and hammered blows rain down
Gladly borne for our Æthelingas
Oaths sworn to hold safe the hearth and hoard
We stand strong with our Scildbroþors
Hare’s path swiftly sprints within our minds
But the boar’s heart beats within us
Fear’s destroyer stands within our lines
We stand strong with our Scildbroþors
Ic seon min gebroþa, Ic seon þe heáfodsegnes
Ic seon cyninge, blaces herewæd geberþ
Andstode eac mec, o Gesiþas anhydig
Hie afuhton anhagena, we afeaht swe anum
Niþerasettaþ þin fota, ne wancaþ
þæge for beadwe gewill, beadu wilfullioe we brengaþ
Hwone wil beo mæg? Hwone wil beo beornwigena? Hwone wil beo min Scildbroþra?
O Hlystaþ, min gebroþa, agenstendeaþ, mægafehaþ þone scildweal!
[I see my brothers, I see the banner
I see the king, wearing his shining mail
Stand with me, oh brave warriors
They fight alone, we fight as one
Set down your feet, do not waver
They wish for battle, we bring them battle willingly
Who will be strong? Who will be heroes? Who will be my shieldbrethren?
Hear me, my brothers, stand, hold strong the shield wall!]
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3. |
Mount Badon
04:06
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Onward, to that hill we marched
Bright banners flew
Shimmering strands rolled in the wind
And songs rang from the dales
Up that hill we charged
Spears in hand
Brave bodies fell like golden wheat
And cowards ran
Shattered
We fled that cursed mountain
The wounded cried behind us
Abandoned, like the shields we cowards cast aside
But we have not forgotten
The brave who fell at Badon
Their names forever spoken
To the ring of grinding axes
Backwards, from that hill we fled
Britons on our heels
Arrows still sought our backs
And we deserved them all
Towards our halls we ran
Their welcome cold
Emptied of their men
Their songs now silent echoes
Shattered
We fled that cursed mountain
The wounded cried behind us
Abandoned, like the shields we cowards cast aside
But we have not forgotten
The brave who fell at Badon
Their names forever spoken
To the ring of grinding axes
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4. |
Furor Teutonicus
04:42
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From beyond the Rhine they come
Wild men from wild lands
The Hercynian forest they call home
Hides a terror ‘neath its boughs
Furor Teutonicus
Terrors from beyond the Rhine
Furor Teutonicus
Hear their fearsome battle cry
Barritus
At Arausio they showed their strength
Cutting through the Roman ranks
At Teutoberg their cunning shown
Three eagles lost in Teutons’ woods
Furor Teutonicus
Terrors from beyond the Rhine
Furor Teutonicus
Hear their fearsome battle cry
Barritus
With bare chest and naked head
They plunge themselves into the fray
No fiercer foe have Romans faced
Than men with freedom in their breast
Furor Teutonicus
Terrors from beyond the Rhine
Furor Teutonicus
Hear their fearsome battle cry
Barritus
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5. |
Drink to Glory
02:44
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Across the frozen waves we sailed
Through frigid winds and on through daybreak
Land appeared and our spirits grew
Time grew short ‘til the dawn of battle
We shall win, we’ll make the gods proud
Or die in battle like true einherjar
Our numbers few, their armies vast
But in our hearts beats the blood of warriors
Axe in hand, clad in mail
We struck true, we struck hard
For our gods, for their lies
For brave deeds, take their lives
Now raise your horns and drink to glory!
We sent them running crying screaming
Tails tucked neat between their legs
Our shieldwall strong theirs manned by women
I can’t recall a better fight
So buy me a round and hear my story
Let’s celebrate battles old and new
Great victories and fallen brothers
Let’s toast them all if the drink’s on you
Axe in hand, clad in mail
We struck true, we struck hard
For our gods, for their lies
For brave deeds, take their lives
Now raise your horns and drink to glory!
Many years have gone since that victory
Many halls and men have heard my tale
Nothing have I done since that glorious day
It’s been long since I’ve cleaned blood from blade
Those who shared in the praise of our deeds
Gone to death or greater things
But here I sit telling all who’ll hear
Raising pints alone as I drink to glory
Axe in hand, clad in mail
We struck true, we struck hard
For our gods, for their lies
For brave deeds, take their lives
Now raise your horns and drink to glory!
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6. |
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In the deep dark wild you wander
Far from home amidst the trees
Suddenly you smell a stench that
Leaves you weak and on your knees
Soon recall a tale of creatures
Foul and large with gruesome tastes
Never did believe the stories
Now they stare you in the face
Flee the kings of the cold mountains
Slayers of men born of stone
Slow of mind but not of foot
if you believe they’ll smell your blood
Hurling rocks and smashing trees
They wreak a path of dead debris
Trolls will suck the meat from your bones!
Roars and shrieks close hound your footsteps
Running wildly down the slope
They’ve got your scent and won’t quit now
Sunrise is your only hope
But how long till that globe ascends?
How long will your breath hold out?
If branches trip in darkened wood
Death will come, there is no doubt
Flee the kings of the cold mountains
Slayers of men born of stone
Slow of mind but not of foot
if you believe they’ll smell your blood
Hurling rocks and smashing trees
They wreak a path of dead debris
Trolls will suck the meat from your bones!
Trolls snarl with glee
Your flesh they will consume
They slobber, drool, and gnash their teeth
In their guts you’ll be entombed
You see the sun begin to rise,
Hairy claws cut short your breath
Before you reach the troll’s wide mouth
In stoney grip you’ll starve to death!
Flee the kings of the cold mountains
Slayers of men born of stone
Slow of mind but not of foot
if you believe they’ll smell your blood
Hurling rocks and smashing trees
They wreak a path of dead debris
Trolls will suck the meat from your bones!
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7. |
Wanderlust
03:49
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Far too long I’ve lingered in these
Old and fading wooden walls
Longing for the spring to come again
And bring about the thaw
It seems a lifetime, I’ve been confined
In this all too familiar hall
The winds have been a-calling my name
I must soon be moving on
The same old tree outside the door
The same old people drolling on
This place has nothing left for me
But a longing to be free
Wanderlust calls me on
To travel far and leave my home
As I travel winding roads I
Can’t help but let a smile form
An open sky is now the only
Roof a man like me could love
I’ve crossed seas and wandered mountains
But found no place to call my own
I guess a man stricken by wanderlust
Will never find a home
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8. |
Sigurd's Song
17:15
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Sigmund lay there dying
Bleeding in the field
In battle he’d been found
By the hooded stranger’s spear
Hjordis ran up to him
But he would not be healed
Revenge on Volsung’s killers
Would not be his to give
The son that Hjordis carried
Unborn but glory bound
Would wield the shards of Woden’s gift
Cast by Sigmund’s side
In disguise Hjordis was taken
With Alf to Hjalprek’s court
Taking Sigmund’s gold and arms
And there Sigurd was born
Hear of Sigurd, son of Sigmund
Known to all with northern tongues
Hear a mighty hero’s tale
The greatest of the Volsung line
Hail to the day! Hail to the sons of day!
Hail to the night and her kin!
With gracious eyes may you look upon us
And give victory to those sitting here
Hail to the Aesir! Hail to the Goddesses!
Hail to the mighty, fecund earth!
Eloquence and native wit may give to us two famous ones
And healing hands while we live
-Lay of Sigdrifa
To a mighty man Sigurd grew
Regin taught him well
Chess and runes and foreign tongues
As king’s sons need to know
And Regin spoke to Sigurd
Of a place called Gnitaheath
Where Fafnir lay and slumbered
On riches yet to win
A sword Sigurd would need
And he bade the smith to make
Two swords did Regin forge
And two swords did Sigurd break
So the shards of Woden’s gift
He gave him to reforge
The anvil and the wool were split
By the broken blade reborn
‘Twas named Gram, that shining blade
Brynhild’s waker, Fafnir’s bane
No better hand than Sigurd’s could
A blade find with a taste for blood
Hail to the day! Hail to the sons of day!
Hail to the night and her kin!
With gracious eyes may you look upon us
And give victory to those sitting here
Hail to the Aesir! Hail to the Goddesses!
Hail to the mighty, fecund earth!
Eloquence and native wit may give to us two famous ones
And healing hands while we live
Vengeance, Sigurd sought
From a longship’s prow
To Hunding’s land he went
And battle he began
With Gram he cut a bloody swath
Through horse and man and mail
He paid the sons of Hunding well
For Sigmund’s death upon the field
With his father’s death avenged
Regin bade him keep his vow
So to Gnitaheath they rode
To Fafnir’s desolate home
A hole Sigurd dug in that barren heath
To await the serpent
And strike him where he’s weak
That dragon crawled to water
Spitting poison at each breath
Over Sigurd’s hole he crawled
And the hero saw his chance
He plunged Gram in Fafnir’s heart!
As burning blood touched barren earth
The terror helmed could taste his death
Words came with his breath’s escape
What mere boy could bring his end?
Cursed rings bought with a father’s blood
Brought the hoard-guard judgement of Norns
As the clouds covered his eyes
Warning words became his final cry
Spiteful words one would expect to flow from a serpent’s tongue
But traitorous mouths sometimes speak with truth
Motherless son, that cursed gold, will only bring your doom
That bright and glowing treasure, those rings will be your death!
Oh serpent, by a young man slain
Cleared vision as blood runs from your veins
Know now cursed gold your ending
Your last breath’s a wasted warning
The coward Regin emerged from hiding, with Ridil he opened the beast
Brother’s blood he drank and took his brother’s heart to make his feast
As Sigurd cooked Regin lay plotting death for Sigmund’s son
But by fire’s bite and speech of birds Sigurd learned of the traitor’s mind
What more could one expect
From one who brought his brother’s death?
Sigurd took up his mighty blade
And took the head of the smith
He took the rings and the shining gold
And with them bought his doom
He left that land on Grani’s back
To Hindarfell he rode
A burning mountain with a rampart of shields and behind a sleeping maid
With Gram he cut the flesh binding mail, and the shieldmaiden awoke
A daughter and a slayer of kings, gave battle’s ruler to Sigmund’s son
Runes she taught him and rings they gave to seal their tragic vows
Sigurd rode out from that place
Glittering gold made rich his vestige
A dragon blazoned on his arms
So serpent slayer all would know
To Heimir’s home he came
Men marvelled at such a figure
A place they offered in their hall
So he might make their glory greater
The battle maiden won by Sigurd
Bore the dragonslayer’s son
But lust for glory ever called him
And he left for Gjuki’s land
Sword strife strong were Gjuki’s sons
But all could see Sigurd was stronger
Grimhild sought Sigurd as a kin
With cursed tricks, forgetful ale she brewed
Gudrun served that memory poison
Sigurd drank it deep, forgot
So he took the hand of Gudrun
None knew what great doom they’d wrought
Grimhild thought Gunnar should marry
Brynhild past the wavering flames
Sigurd took his form to cross them
And Grani carried back his master’s bane
Brynhild still loved only Sigmund’s son
But she could not tear him from young Gudrun
A maiden scorned, consumed by revenge
A heart of malice, she planned Sigurd’s death
Guttorm took his sword
As Sigurd lay in sleep
He stood over the Volsung
And plunged life’s taker deep
The mortal blow woke Sigurd
He gave Gram his last work
Guttorm’s torso left the room
But his lower half did not
Fire made ashes the final bed of Fafnir’s bane
Wood eater consumed the greatest man of any age
The life so strong that dragon’s breath and battle could not claim
Could not escape the cursed fate that Otter’s gold had gave
And as he burned already bards began to sing his lay
Kvasir’s gift keeps living, he who treachery has slain
For northern tongues will always praise great glory that was earned
And all true sons of northern lands remember Sigurd’s name!
Sing of Sigurd son of Sigmund
Let northern ears hear his name
Sing a mighty hero’s tale
The greatest hero man has made
Hail to the day! Hail to the sons of day!
Hail to the night and her kin!
With gracious eyes may you look upon us
And give victory to those sitting here
Hail to the Aesir! Hail to the Goddesses!
Hail to the mighty, fecund earth!
Eloquence and native wit may give to us two famous ones
And healing hands while we live
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Isenmor Baltimore, Maryland
ISENMOR is dual-violin-fronted Gewyrdelic Folc Metal. Combining elements of folk metal greats ENSIFERUM, HEIDEVOLK, ELUVEITIE, FALKENBACH, and TÝR, ISENMOR fuses the heart of the Old World with the spirit of those who sought out new shores.
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