Pressed CD with full color booklet and "Saxon Shore" bonus track remastered by Dan Swanö!
Includes unlimited streaming of Shieldbrother
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
ships out within 7 days
$12USDor more
Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
Pressed CD with full color booklet and "Saxon Shore" bonus track remastered by Dan Swanö! Plus a 2"x4" (5cm x 10cm) Isenmor patch, two Isenmor guitar picks (one standard, one Jazz III size), an 11"x17" (28cm x 43cm) Shieldbrother poster*, and a 1.5" (4cm) diameter Isenmor button.
*poster may be folded for shipping
Includes unlimited streaming of Shieldbrother
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
ships out within 7 days
$30USDor more
Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
Pressed CD with full color booklet and "Saxon Shore" bonus track remastered by Dan Swanö! Plus "Shieldbrother" artwork T-Shirt!
Includes unlimited streaming of Shieldbrother
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
ships out within 7 days
$32USDor more
Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
Pressed CD with full color booklet and "Saxon Shore" bonus track remastered by Dan Swanö! Plus a Shieldbrother album artwork T-Shirt, a 2"x4" (5cm x 10cm) Isenmor patch, two Isenmor guitar picks (one standard, one Jazz III size), an 11"x17" (28cm x 43cm) Shieldbrother poster*, and a 1.5" (4cm) diameter Isenmor button.
*poster may be folded for shipping
Includes unlimited streaming of Shieldbrother
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
ships out within 7 days
$45USDor more
about
The unstable and violent nature of life in pre-modern Europe demanded that societies place a great importance on their ability to wage war. The Anglo-Saxons, like near everyone at their time, had a warrior culture, and much of their social structure was organized around military obligations. All free men with any measure of property were expected to maintain their own arms, and to be ready to provide military service, either in defending their own communities from raiders, or fulfilling their obligations to their lord for foreign service. The bulk of free men in Anglo-Saxon society were small landholders, with only a few acres to support their own family. The arms these men could afford usually amounted only to spears and shields, with few among them possessing any kind of body armor. The typical method of fighting for the Anglo-Saxons, was to form a shield wall, with men standing in a close group with overlapping shields, striking out from the formation with spears. Each warrior would be protected not only by his own shield, but those of his neighbors, giving even the unarmored warriors a decent measure of protection. Often those at the front though were the men that could afford armor, the warrior elite of society. The nobles, the Thegns and Æthelings, owed their position at the top of society to their ability as warriors. They were able to afford the best equipment, swords, coats of mail, iron helmets, for themselves and their retainers, and could spend their time training for war instead of working the fields. While idealized, the epic poetry of the time, such as Beowulf, gives us an insight into the culture of this elite at the time. The lord of the hall was a treasure giver, who armed and rewarded those loyal to him. Personal relationships, often tied to kinship, brothers and cousins, were of critical importance in these times, both in politics and on the battlefield. Warriors often sealed oaths to their lord over the giving of rings or other treasure. Whether a lightly equipped freeman levy, or a mail clad noble warrior, any man in a shield wall relied greatly on the men around him. While a shield wall maintained, the men within were relatively safe, but if even a few men succumbed to cowardice and fled, the gaps left could cause the entire formation to collapse, leaving all on their side vulnerable to slaughter.
lyrics
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
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
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!]
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.
A Pagan black metal masterpiece.
Folk and black metal elements fuse into one extremely catchy and awe inspiring album. This band does not disappoint from all the high praise sent it's way. Abyssius Murkraken
What an impressive piece of black metal. This one-man hurricane is pure art. Sgah‘gahsowáh creates an haunting atmosphere. He puts so much soul in his music. Sælzer Bub
Quickly turned into my favourite album and something I listen to nearly daily.
Looking forward to hearding what to comes next and seeing these guys again at the end of the year gibbygibson
The album as a whole is great, but the title track is phenomenal--one of the best melodic metal songs I've ever heard. 和美's ethereal voice is the perfect complement to vvildr's growling vocals and masterful instrumentation. More, please! Malcolm McCrimmon
