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 Музыка Forefather, кажущаяся весьма простой и даже местами наивной, ближе к концу альбома заставляет крепко задуматься: что это было? Что особенного кроется за этими обычными, скоростными, кажется, уже сто раз слышанными риффами, за изрядно утопленном в общем миксе скримингом и достаточно средним, пусть и весьма "молодцеватом" чистом вокале, за уже весьма приевшейся лирикой о викингах и битвах? Наверное, то, как это все оформлено и подано, да и в отсутствии композиторского таланта англичан упрекнуть точно нельзя. Сочетание быстрых отрезков сменяется средним темпом, а бодрые риффы, например, в песне "Proud to be Proud" невольно заставляют кивать головой в такт. Англичанам удалось заложить в свою музыку, не обремененную вниманием крупных лейблов, что-то особенное, что-то волшебное, трудно выражаемое словами... Причем альбом нравится уже с первого прослушивания, в него не требуется долго вникать, как в иные непризнанные шедевры. Материал диска, на удивление, достаточно разнообразен. Здесь вам и скоростная, насыщенная интересными риффами "Smashed by Fate", и заглавная, пышущая задором "Ours Is the Kingdom", и пронзительная "The Golden Dragon", и тревожная "To the Mountains They Fled", и массивные шестиминутные "Threads of Time" и "Keep Marching On", и весьма интересный инструментал "The Sea-Kings", подкупающий своей простотой, и в то же время, очень органичный и уместный в контексте концепции альбома. В целом, о песнях можно сказать, что каждая из них представляет собой своеобразный неограненный алмаз, еще не переливающийся от лучей света, но уже притягивающий взгляд, и от которого впоследствии будет не оторваться... Клавишная подложка звучит очень пронзительно, и весьма успешно нагнетает атмосферу, которой и так переполнен этот альбом, заставляя сопереживать, и более того, даже сказать: "Верю!". Верю в ваш талант, в ваши истории, в вашу музыку... Огромное спасибо музыке братьев за те эмоции, ту меланхолию, горечь и боевую целеустремленность, которую им удалось заложить в эти двенадцать быстро проносящихся песен. Если вам кажутся слишком тяжелыми и монолитными Enslaved и Thundra, то обратите внимание на группу, да и ценители black metal в целом, желающие знать, во что может мутировать их любимый стиль, должны послушать этот альбом. |
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Fight to let our kingdom live another day
Heed the old ones' cries, we mustn't let them down
We will slaughter them to keep them from the crown
In the shield-wall we stand to defend our land
Holding on till the end
Flanas geseca me
Ecga beata me
Beornas wielda me
Cyningas sind genered urh me
Iren gewunda me
W pen deria me
Cempa teora me
Cynedom is gewered urh me
In the shield-wall we stand to defend our land
Holding on till the end.
2. Ours Is The Kingdom
Our hearts lie not in heaven
Nor eastern desert sands
With eyes closed to your saviour
Our fate is in our hands
Great glass eyes look down on me
So lofty and so great
In your world we are filth
Toys of your lord to dominate
High spires reach for Thunor's sky
A misfit court of stone
Like flame upon the water
It stands there all alone
You say our ways are evil
That devil's seed we sow
Yet we have greater wisdom
Than you will ever know
Your lodging here is ended
Your welcome here is ceased
No honour left bestowed
Our open hand now iron fist
Ours is the Kingdom
On land, up high, on sea
n jest we let you play
But now's our time for victory
The storm is ever brewing
A power rising fast
Lightning strikes our veins
As we see the bridge at last
As we ride the endless
The truths seem only lies
The few that faced the fire
Honoured as the kings
Now we ride the deathless
Our kingdom has returned
Of fallen kings and heroes
Our children now have learned
Your lodging here is ended
Your welcome here is ceased
No honour left bestowed
Our open hand now iron fist
Ours is the Kingdom
And this we proudly hail
Your teachings have no truth
Our heathen land will now prevail
3. Proud To Be Proud
When Offa spilled Myrging blood we were proud
When Hengest routed the wealas we were proud
When Penda withstood the cross we were proud
When Alfred stayed the Danes we were proud
Heroes passed unto ye we give hail
Mighty men without fear, without shame
Some will say that our pride is a sin
But in their name we'll unite and we're proud to be proud
When victory was won at Brunanburh we were proud
When Byrhtnoth raised his sword we were proud
When Harold destroyed Hardrada we were proud
When Hereward defied the bastard we were proud
Heroes passed unto ye we give hail
Mighty men without fear, without shame
Some will say that our pride is a sin
But in their name we'll unite and we're proud to be proud
Slowly with time the past slips away
But deep in our souls their memory stays
Weapons of guilt won't conquer our minds
Just strengthen our will to defy
The ignorant void ever opening wide
But we keep their names and spirits alive
Arrows of fear won't pierce our minds
Just strengthen our will to defy
Heroes passed unto ye we give hail
Mighty men without fear, without shame
Some will say that our pride is a sin
But in their name we'll unite and we're proud to be proud
4. The Golden Dragon
Papal banner, cross bears the red of the blood we shed
Gave his blessing, leaving the heart of the nation dead
Ancient sunwheel stolen and warped for a demigod
Raised in our name, you will worship what you hate and fought
Sign of conquest buries the past in the centuries
Beast in slumber lurks in their deepest and darkest fears
Restless dragon guarding the horde of our destiny
Fuck your standard, watch in despair as we're breaking free
Show them our sign, raise it up high
Banish their symbol of conquest
Tear it to shreds, burn it to ash
Throw of the weight of enslavement
Open your souls to our mark of old
Don't let the false one deceive you
Now is the time, we shall rule again
Bring down the cross that subdued you
The Golden Dragon flying high again...
Dragon slayer, so goes the myth and the history
With sword he severed, cut us adrift from our unity
Drifting, wondering what is amiss, what it means to be
Raise the dragon, find the answer to the mystery
Show them our sign, raise it up high Banish their symbol of conquest Tear
It to shreds, burn it to ash
Throw of the weight of enslavement
Open your souls to our mark of old
Don't let the false one deceive you
Now is the time, we shall rule again
Bring down the cross that subdued you
The Golden Dragon flying high again...
5. Smashed By Fate
Falling towers of stone, smashed by fate
The giants' craft declines, undermined by age
Once shining and strong with celebration of men
Until the mighty one swept them away
Their warriors destroyed with war, the times of affliction came
Their shining realms in ruin, deserted and decayed
Where bold, proud-hearted men looked on riches bright
Behold the power of fate at this crumbling site
The earth's grip holds as eras pass
We took what we wanted and claimed it as ours
Many a storm these shadow kingdoms have seen
Grey with lichen, stained with blood and misery
Once they looked on riches, possessions, precious stones
Everything must die, all that's left is echoes
Legends fading day by day, cracks are gaping wide
Till mighty fate will sweep away their ancient work and pride
Their warriors destroyed with war, the times of affliction came
Their shining realms in ruin, deserted and decayed
Where bold, proud-hearted men looked on riches bright
Behold the power of fate at this crumbling site
The earth's grip holds as eras pass
We took what we wanted and claimed it as ours
Many a storm these shadow kingdoms have seen
Grey with lichen, stained with blood and misery
6. The Sea-Kings
"Across the flood to eastern shore
Riding the wind, steady with oar
Forty strong, fifteen score
They come upon the eastern shore"
7. To The Mountains They Fled
From beyond we sailed the sea
Seeking new prosperity
We came for the victory
On the fields we cut them down
Stole their pride and burned their towns
These lands held our destiny
Routed and shamed to the mountains they fled
Soundly defeated they sadly abandoned their homes
A new force had arrived to remain
Covered with glory we conquered and settled our land - Englaland
From foreign soil they saw us come
They new the fight could not be won
We offered them no mercy
Ruthlessly they felt our might
In fear they ran into the night
We shattered their dignity
Routed and shamed to the mountains they fled
Soundly defeated they sadly abandoned their homes
A new force had arrived to remain
Covered with glory we conquered and settled our land - Englaland
8. The Folk That Time Forgot
A withering flower without its roots
Sadly passing away unloved
Songs to sing and tales to tell
Vanishing into obscurity
A dwindling power bereft of soul
Quietly leaving the world behind
Names to praise and sacred sites
Drifting away to nothingness
But we'll resist until the end
Till the last of us shall fall
And we will love you to the end
Our folk that time forgot
A withering flower without its roots
Sadly passing away unloved
Songs to sing and tales to tell
Vanishing into obscurity
But we'll resist until the end
Till the last of us shall fall
And we will love you to the end
Our folk that time forgot
9. Threads Of Time
Wise are the weavers who carry our destiny
Golden threads are the tales of our lives
Worlds entwining, a journey eternally
All as one are the earth and the skies
Three are the goddesses, pillars of wisdom
Spinners of what is, what has and will be
There is no escaping the web
You cannot defy them, you cannot break free
Enter the world and the sisters are with you
An energy knot in the fabric of time
To rulers of gods death's the debt we must pay
For creating the pattern of our life's design
Few are the shamans who look upon everything
For this great gift sacrifice they must pay
They will know our choice at the crossroad
The strings of the universe will lead the way
Never-ending river flowing
Threads of time unfold
10. Keep Marching On
Now is the time, to the battle we go
The enemy's waiting, much blood will soon flow
But fear ye not death, no such honour so high
To fight with your brothers and die
Think not of failure and be strong of mind
Remember our women and bairns left behind
Dawn is now breaking, be ready to fight
We'll feast our triumph tonight
For our kin we must win
Never stop struggling
Never give in
Show them our might!
Show them our pride!
Our culture and creed confined to history
Such a sad tale to tell so my warriors keep marching on!
The sun is now rising, the birds are in song
Set thoughts of your families spur you along
Smiling they'll greet you, a hero's return
Fame and renown to be earned
Gather your weapons, lock pity away
We shall be drinking as night follows day
Boasting of victory, praising our dead
And glorious times that lay ahead
For our kin we must win
Never stop struggling
Never give in
Show them our might!
Show them our pride!
Our culture and creed confined to history
Such a sad tale to tell so my warriors keep marching on!
11. Rebel Of The Marshlands
Wyrd has woven our path, now a tyrant rules our land
A beheaded people we are, our power in a dark one's hand
A final hope remains for those with the will to resist
To rally behind his name and defy the bastard's rule
The joy of a battle won like lightning swept away
Our kingdom seized by those with the serpent's eye
Rebel of the marshlands, banished to the shade
Defender of our honour, a prisoner of time
Forgotten freedom fighter, outlaw of the fens
The spirit of the warder shall rise in us again
12. Wudugast
For centuries roaming among these beams
My ghostly voice haunting and whistling through the trees
Rarely seen but always my presence felt
A lonely soul trapped between life and death, condemned to dwell
In this wood my spirit shall stay
Until time will take this forest away
A man of war, wearied and battle-stained
Then came my fate, by an arrow felled but here remained
A sorry heart, my thoughts my only friend
Wandering on, and I fear my pain will never end
Some say they've seen me floating from tree to tree
Hooded and clad in green, shrouded in mystery
Some say they've heard me singing my mournful song
Crying for anyone to set my spirit free
In this wood my spirit shall stay
Until time will take this forest away