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I thought I had never felt nostalgia in my life, but evidently, I was wrong. I also thought that a song would never have the same effect as a significant loss, but I was mistaken. Finally, I thought I feared nothing and no one, wrong again.
An album is the frame, or rather the backdrop of all this: "Heralding - The Fireblade." Vratyas Vaykas is its mind, its creator, as well as what it represents for the name of his one-man band, Falkenbach. It is an entirely his project, albeit with some collaborations, of course, but the vision and feelings are part of his world.
Honestly, I approached the CD intending to listen to music inspired by the famous (and great, NDA) Finntroll, but for the fourth and last time I was wrong. Yes, what emanates from Vratyas's spirit is a Black/Folk Metal, but light years away from bands like the one mentioned above, light years. The songs are not all brand new, yet they appear so; in fact, two or three of them were taken from the past when the author had decided not to record them due to the lack of truly clean recording quality.
The album presents itself as of remarkable craftsmanship, indeed excellent, and despite a hardening in sound compared to previous works, it maintains all its melody and sweetness, also due to the use of a variety of instruments like the flute, the violin, and obviously a wise dose of keyboards. To make the work even more appreciable, Vaykas adds something of his own not only spiritually, but also materially, and this is his performance as a vocalist: excellent. The singing ranges from the purest and nastiest black screaming to clean parts and evocative choruses, but the technique in both moments remains of the highest level. You will not find violent outbursts of icy north wind in this CD, nor terrible curses brought against Christianity
or hymns to Satan, but rather invocations to Germanic mythology and, above all, identification with situations, feelings, and reflections.
But why linger, the sea waves never do, and indeed "Heathen Foray" does not wait and begins right with the sea's backwash from which rises, grows a brief keyboard intro, and the horse sets off. A man on it rides towards the end of his fears, after numerous vicissitudes, towards serenity. Few well-placed notes, a clean voice, and a flute tell this to the listener. And you risk losing yourself in its melody, in a world that belongs to
no one, but is private. Yet everything vanishes, and the Black part of the album shows its head with the following "Of Forest Unknown" where the speed increases, but not uncomfortably or inappropriately, indeed, everything has its logic.
There is a bond and a pact between the songs. Indeed, here's a new slow chapter with simply sung voice: "Havamal" with its epic flavor that should not be misunderstood, but understood and absorbed. And the scent of battle could not be missing, the initial riff of "Roman Land" announces death and dark thoughts. We return to a cruel harsh voice, a real and true celebration of death with weapons in hand. The thought travels, continues among snowy peaks and a pagan autumn, the "Heralder" rides with golden weapons at the side and a horse as the only friend.
Nostalgia and melancholy in the gray autumn sky, distant lands and a far horizon await.
A final tear scratches even the strongest man. "Laeknishendr" is a track entirely in ancient Germanic language, verses to invoke the writings of the Sigrdrífumál, but if from the words one does not understand the meaning, it is the music that speaks, with a classical guitar interlude to break the inertia of a fast-paced drum, to then restart it and instead conclude in the style of the previous "Heralder", with nostalgia. "Walkiesjar" is the "folk" song that, despite being surrounded by the usual black structures now stands out more. The melody of "Skirnir" offers the last illusion of melody, taking up the initial song like a ring structure, but it is a short illusion. The scream takes over from the initial cleanliness; however, it does not end here. Alternating like spaces between mountains, the two types of singing continue until the end of the track. Horns from a remote position introduce the final word to the album "Gjallar". An entirely instrumental, dreamy, and melancholic song, compelling and yet elaborate. From the few riffs that characterized the previous ones, "Gjallar" instead consists of numerous different passages, but laden with the sensations experienced so far, of the same
simple, but not trivial reflections. The last notes crash against the walls of the white peaks. Everything is now silent.
Discovering the fragility of one's own soul is not easy to understand, nor to accept. With the listening of this work, thoughts and words recur continuously, but everyone has their own and only those. "Heralding-The Fireblade" is a Black Metal work with Folk shades, but for this, it does not stray from the predominant style and the atmospheres should not deceive. Letting oneself be carried away is sometimes not a weakness, but a strength to be alone with oneself. Falkenbach has fully achieved his goal with this.
Tracklist and Lyrics
01 Heathen Foray (07:15)
...In ancient times once rode across the land
A man unknown on a horse of untold grand,
Adorned his cape by thirty runes of gold
Of whom the tales since ages unknown told...
...The man arrived at the shore of sea
And gazed onto the nightly sky,
His ears could hear and his eyes could see
Two ravens dark as night passing by...
...In a distance far the thunder sounds
And lightnings reached the frozen grounds,
His breath ran fast, his heart pounded strong
As the day now came, awaited oh so long...
...Tears will fall and blood will soon be shed
When the dawn heralds the twilight of the day...
Then into battle they will ride with their swords in hand
For a heathenish foray...
...Countless miles he rode through ice and knee-deep snow
Over mountains 'till the landscape changed its face
So he at last arrived where winds blew strong and chill
Like a welcome to all those who trod this place...
...He in cape was wrapped, and with his hammer 'round his neck
He forced his way though he didn't saw the path,
But he did not rest, 'till he had crossed this land of chill
And the storm had calmed, when he stood alone on hill...
...His eyes could see the forrest shining bright
And it's trees reflected solens golden light,
The sound of horns then reached his ears
To welcome him and take away his fears...
...From all their lands the kings, they came
With their retinue of countless men,
And the maiden in full armour sat on their horses,
Winged, until the right began...
So he rested a while an recovered from his ride,
The horizon gleamed by the mighty northers light,
And the elder ones sang tales about the past,
Of their ancestors pride, that will forever last...
...As the darkness fell and gone was solens light
The silence ruled amongst the men of heathenpride,
Who gatheren in a mighty battle-line
And awaited their Gods to give the final sign...
04 Roman Land (04:18)
For Manalis en Velandur!!!
Mannen, t'leve ma nej evig duur....
Herjan vear et bluden naart.
Dounear daveirjent ab Roudenbaard.
There lurks evil round each bend of the road:
A long life you must not look to have,
So great are the hatreds grown.
For manalis en Velandur!!!
Mannen, t'leve ma nej evig duur....
Herjan vear et bluden naart.
Dounear daveirjent ab Roudenbaard.
Among kinsmen remain free from fault and reproach:
Be slow to wrath though they wrong you much,
In death this will do you good.
To battle is better than to be burned in the hall,
Although it gleams with gold
Foraan
Mannen!!!
Trekker
Vi Naar
Roman Land
Foraan kaempen
For manalis en Velandur,
Trekkar vi naar
Vear dej Wal'es kiest.
For manalis en Velandur!!!
Mannen, t'leve ma nej evig duur....
Herjan vear et bluden naart.
Dounear daveirjent ab Roudenbaard.
05 Heralder (05:12)
From beyond a twilight horizon where mountains were covered with snow,
Once a man on a horse came the way,
On an early autumnal morning, when dew lay chill on the ground,
And the sun's first rays heralded the day,
To rest at last after riding for more than three days and nights,
Through the woods and across the shallow landscapes,
To finally reach the village the rumours where talking about,
And where the heathen king lived for many years.
His golden armour was shining by the light of awakening sun,
And in his hand he held a bronzen shield
On which the runes all were written by a blacksmith of wisdom great,
To guide him on his way so long.
He had come to bring the message the king has given to him,
To be conveyed into all heathen countries,
And he told about their brethern, overtaken by christian men,
Now punished by the cross and christian laws.
So the man dismounted and his horse was taken by it's bridle to be brought into the stabling.
Meanwhile he was lead to the hall where the king sat on his greatseat.
Forthwith he told him the reasons for his coming,
And withing a few minutes all people were gathered by the king's mighty voice.
So he rose on his feet and began to speak about the greatest heathen host ever see,
Passing towards their brethern land....
After three days and nights of riding the frontier they finally reached,
With their hearths wholly determined,
And encountered the christian church in their once sacred woods
As the chaplain just chimed the bell.
At once they put the spurs in their horses,
Hearths were filled with rage and hate,
And in their hands they held the torches,
When Odhinn was amongst and Tyr was leading their hearts
Into a world of anciest mysteries....
The night the longswords where grinded
And the shields were forged in blood,
By the hands of most dextrous blacksmiths,
And sacrifices were given to the Goddesses and the Gods,
In the woods by the mighty tree,
Known in heathen kingdoms as the mighty Irminsul,
That was built as an immense landmark
Of heathen pride and honour
And a symbol of what shall be....
07 Walkiesjar (03:52)
The morning sun is rising,
The forest cloaked in gold.
And the mist surrounds the mountains,
The landscape calm and cold.
The hall of bronzen shields up high
In a distance far shining bright.
And the horns are sounding from afar
For Walkiesjar.
A gentle breeze caresses me,
While runes are warily cast,
Heralding fate and fortune,
My future and my past.
On supple wings two ravens fly
To lead us to ultimate truth.
And the horns are sounding from afar
For Walkiesjar
08 Skirnir (04:34)
Long is one night, and long the second one;
How can I.... how can I wait through three?
Once a month.... a month seemed less to me
Compared to this one night of waiting for her....
As dear to no man in days past
Was maid as she is to me:
But no elf, no god, will grant my prayer
That I may lie with her....
Hail to thee, Veraldur!!!
Long is one night, and long the second one;
How can I.... how can I wait through three?
Once a month.... a month seemed less to me
Compared to this one night of waiting for her....
Arise, Skirnir, now ride swiftly to Frey, my son,
And ask him this:
With whom is the Wise one so angry,
So sad at hearth?
Hail to thee, Veraldur!!!
To stake life on the luck of the dice
Is better than to be a coward:
The day of my death is by fate,
My time is fixed.
Night has fallen:
Now we must ride over the misty mountains,
The fells of the troll-folk;
We shall both arrive or both fall
....into the hands of Gymir.
Hail to thee, Veraldur
[Inspired by the Skirnismal]
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