The latest “Song of the Day” comes from those metal gods who make up the power metal band, Blind Guardian. It’s a song which begins their latest full-length album, At The Edge of Time, and also a reworking of the song the band created for the console rpg title, Sacred 2: Fallen Angel. The song I’ve chosen this time around is “Sacred Worlds”.
The song was originally titled “Sacred” and was introduced in the game the band made it for during a quaint sequence where virtual, fantasy versions of the band do headbanging show in your typical fantasy inn populated by orcs, goblins, trolls and other find gentle creatures. While the original song was great on its own when the band reworked it with a brand new orchestral intro and outro the song took on a more epic sound.
It’s a pretty long song at a running time of 9:17 and is one of the better songs in Blind Guardian’s latest album. It’s also one of thew songs in my Skyrim playlist which I listen to nonstop while playing in Bethesda Softworks’ latest epic rpg title.
Sacred Worlds
The realm’s bleeding It suffers Old and weak
No further arguing There is war at hand The system’s failing Engines running
Then after all I sense the end is dawning These lunatics deny the truth
I know I will not fail There’ll be
War it’s now or never We shall stand together One by one This world is sacred (I’m coming home) War it’s now or never We shall stand together One by one This world is sacred I’m coming home
Coming home
You chase in twilight And you know You will be on your own On your own
The misery shown I’ll be alone in this hour I’ll face the unknown Witness the end
I’m bleeding, I’m fading Here in my final hour When long-lost memories return And a voice keeps calling “All dead and gone It’s out of hand Life is in motion” I’m wishing, I’m fading “Time to wake up Face the truth”
I’m sinking I’m drowning There’s no doubt, no regret “Time to reveal now” This is no illusion It is real Carry on the flame It’s not over now Watch me, I will rise Time to reveal now
I know I will not fail Anymore
I’ll go on forever All that really matters Blessed realm This world is sacred (I’m coming home) War it’s now or never We shall stand together One by one This world is sacred (I’m coming home)
Yesterday’s gone There’s no today, no tomorrow I’m raised from the dead The ritual failed
There at the gates I’m left alone in this hour Driven insane I am left alone
And now I drown in deepest shadows While the golden hall is sealed I’m wishing I’m fading And I’m part of the machine
My eyes are the eyes of a dead man And I feel the unholy stream The source of my power T-energy I’m in control
I will live forever All that really matters Find the one This world is sacred (I’m coming home) War it’s now or never We shall stand together One by one This world is sacred I’m coming home
I spread my wings But keep on falling I should have known I can see it coming The war is over There’s whispering in the wind Just let me out of here There is no way There’s no end While all the suffering goes on All that I know Is that I’m not insane It’s not over
The latest pick for Song of the Day is a song that’s literally worshipped by some people I know. For them this is the greatest song ever made or, if not, as close to being the greatest song. Today’s pick for Song of the Day is Blind Guardian’s “And Then There Was Silence”.
The song runs an epic 14 minutes long and comes from this German power metal band’s 2001 album, A Night at the Opera. The song is pretty much based on the events spoken of in Homer’s The Iliad and Virgil’s Aeneid. Think about what I just said. It’s a power metal song about the Battle of Troy, specifically the final days of Troy. There are many with misconceptions that metal is all about growling, guttural noises by singers who can’t hold a note or even know the definition of melody. This song will disabuse such notions as Blind Guardian frontman Hansi Kürsch does more than just hold a melody but actually hit notes than only the most accomplished sopranos can accomplish.
“And Then There Was Silence” is the song which finally got me hooked into power metal, or as I call it, nerd metal since this subgenre of metal takes much of its songwriting influences from fantasy novels, films and games in addition to well-known legends, myths and folklore. This particular song uses the final days of Troy as seen through the eyes of Cassandra. The song plays just like an epic poem on its right and I’ve compared it to the ending of Peter Jackson’s The Return of the King with the many endings. Just when one thinks the song is about to hit it’s climactic end another section begins, but one that just adds to the awesome awesomeness of the song.
Yes, I said awesome twice. That’s just how awesomely awesome this awesome song is.
I think even non-fans of metal would find something to appreciate in this song once they hear it. Even if just once.
And Then There Was Silence
Turn your head and see the fields of flames
He carries along
From a distant place
He’s on his way
He’ll bring decay
(don’t move along cause things they will go wrong
the end is getting closer day by day)
in shades of grey
We’re doomed to face the night
Light’s out of sight
Since we’ve reached the point of no return
We pray for starlight
We wait for the moon
The sky is empty
Alone in the unknown
We’re getting nowhere
We have been betrayed
By the wind and the rain
The sacred halls empty and cold
The sacrifice made should not be done in vain
Revenge will be taken by Rome
We live a lie
Under the dying moon
Pale faced laughs doom
Indulges in delight
It’s getting out of hand
The final curtain will fall
Hear my voice
There is no choice
There’s no way out
You’ll find out
We don’t regret it
So many man have failed
But now he’s gone
Go out and get it
The madman’s head it shall be thine
We don’t regret it
That someone else dies hidden in disguise
Go out and get it
Orion’s hound shines bright
Don’t you think it’s time to stop the chase
Around the ring
Just stop running, running
Round the ring
Don’t you know that fate has been decided
By the gods
Feel the distance, distance
Out of reach
Welcome to the end…
Watch your step, Cassandra
You may fall
As I’ve stumbled on the field
Sister mine
Death’s a certain thing
Find myself in darkest places
Find myself drifting away
And the otherworld
The otherworld appears
Find myself, she dies in vain
I cannot be freed
I’m falling down
As time runs faster
Moves towards disaster
The ferryman will wait for you
My dear
And then there was silence
Just a voice from the otherworld
Like a leaf in an icy world
Memories will fade
Misty tales and poems lost
All the bliss and beauty will be gone
May my weary soul find release for a while
At the moment of death I will smile
It’s the triumph of shame and disease
In the end
Iliad
Raise my hands and praise the day
Brake the spell, show me the way
In decay
The flame of Troy will shine bright
The newborn child would carry ruin to the hall
The newborn’s death will be a blessing to us all
Good choice?
Bad choice?
Out of three
You’ve choosen misery
Power and wisdom
You deny
Bad choice
War is the only answer
When love will conquer fear
So the judgment’s been made
To the fairest
The graceful says
Badly he fails
Warning
Fear the heat of passion, father king
Don’t let him in
Don’t let her in
Desire, lust, obssession
Death they’ll bring
We can’t get out
Once they are in
She’s like the sunrise
Outshines the moon at night
Precious like starlight
She’ll bring in a murderous price
In darkness grows the seed of man’s defeat
Jealousy
I can clearly see the end now
I can clearly see the end now
I can clearly see the end now
The thread of life in spun
The coin’s been placed below my tongue
Never give up
Never give in
Be on our side
So we can win
Never give up
Never give in
Be on our side
Old moon’s time is soon to come
Nowhere to run
Nowhere to hide
Nothing to lose
Like one we’ll stand
We’ll face the storm
Created by man
Troy, Troy, Troy, Troy
And as the lion
Slaughters man
I am the wolf
And you’re the lamb
Hallowed Troy shall fall
Round the walls
Faith is shattered, bodies fall
Nowhere to run
Nowhere to hide
Nothing to lose
Like one we’ll stand
It’s all for one and one for all
All we live for will be wiped out
I feel that something’s wrong
Surprise, surprise they’re gone
Full moon your time goes by
And new moon’s still kept out of sight
We live
We die
Misty tales and poems lost
All the bliss and beauty will be gone
May my weary soul find release for a while
At the moment of death I will smile
It’s the triumph of shame and disease
In the end
Iliad
Raise my hands and praise the day
Brake the spell, show me the way
In decay
The flame of Troy will shine bright
Roam in darkness
Spread the vision
We will be lost if you truly believe
Troy in darkness
There’s a cold emptiness in our hearts
That they’ve gone away
And won’t come back
They’ll tear down the wall to bring it in
They’ll truly believe in the lie
With blossoms they’ll welcome the old foe
The vision’s so clear
When day and dream unite
The end is near
You’d better be prepared
The nightmare shall be over now
There’s nothing more to fear
Come join in our singing
And dance with us now
The nightmare shall be over now
There’s nothing more to fear
The war it is over, forevermore
No hope
The blind leads the blind
Carry on
Though future’s denied
Mare or stallion
There’s far more inside
We are in at the kill
We’ll cheerfully die
Misty tales and poems lost
All the bliss and beauty will be gone
May my weary soul find release for a while
At the moment of death I will smile
It’s the triumph of shame and disease
In the end
Iliad
Raise my hands and praise the day
Brake the spell, show me the way
In decay
The flame of Troy will shine bright
Its holy light shines on
So the judgement’s been made
We’re condemned though the trial’s far ahead
The crack of doom
Father
Your handsome son is heading home
Heading home
Still the wind blows
Calm and silent
Carries news from a distant shore
Out of mind
Can’t get it
Can’t get it out of my head
Through the Shattered Lens 