Ancient Rites "Dim Carcosa" 2001 DIM CARCOSA - infosheet Format: Digipack (ltd. to 10.000 copies), CD, LP Label: Hammerheart Records (Holland) Line-up: Gunther (vocs, bass) - Walter (drums) - Erik (guitar) - Jan (guitar) - Domingo (keys) Studio: Spacelab - TÃnisvorst, Germany Producers: Oliver Phillips & Christian "Moschus" Moos Coproducers: Jan Yrlund & Ancient Rites Engineer:: Christian "Moschus" Moos Mastering: E.M.C - Brecherfield, Germany Additional Muscicians: Oliver Philipps (vocs, piano), Ciara (vocs) TRACKLIST 1 - The Return 2 - Exile (Les Litanies de Satan) 3 - Victory or Valhalla (Last Man Standing) 4 - ...and The Horns called for War 5 - North Sea 6 - GÃtterdÄmmerung (Twilight of the Gods) 7 - (Ode to Ancient) Europa 8 - Remembrance 9 - Lindisfarne (Anno 793) 10 - On Golden Fields (De Leeuwen Dansen) 11 - Dim Carcosa The Return No house stood there but straight Its walls must crack In full mid-day The darkness was so grand And no light was in the land... Fatherland Exile (Les Litanies De Satan) O Satan, prends pitiÊ de ma longe misÉre ! Oh Thou, the most savage of angels God only judges mild Those who chant songs to his praise Oh Prince of exile... To whom in every tale done wrong (but who) after defeat, always redresses more strong Like a patron saint of Heavens rejected souls Distinctively closer to Humanity Thou art Connected to Mother earth more profound Oh Thou fallen angel of gloom, joyfully I join thy side Even if this means eternal fire, I embrace thy kingdom of night Exile, exile!!!!! Wandering in Thy wastelands Far away from the heavenly autocrat Close to Thee I chose to repose Liberated from God's wrath Exile!!! A temple raised for the ones like us With plentiful room for science A shelter for creative minds To dream away in silence... Oh Thou fallen angel of gloom, joyfully I join thy side Even if this means eternal fire, I embrace thy kingdom of night Victory Or Valhalla (Last Man Standing) Last man standing Last man standing Victory! Last man standing! Valhalla!! Last man standing! Shattered and mortally wounded On the battlefield they lay Farewell my fellow companions Thy souls have gone away (we shall not behold the green fields nor hear the birds sing in may to defend we have fought and won though with our life we paid) Victory or Valhalla Must again be the rallying cry Ancient pride restored Let the ancient banners fly high Broken hilt in my hands I saw my last break of day Here and now we found our graves Our bodies vultures prey If our folk ever doubts Or their souls have gone astray Then lead the way to this place Where our bones still lay Stand strong with clenched fists Withstand with all thy might Stand strong with clenched fists Until they are silenced right Let the glory shine on thee Lift thy ancient legacy... into light! Lift thy legacy into light, so their spirits will Shine on bright... shine bright! Stand strong with clenched fists Withstand with all thy might Stand strong with clenched fists Until they are silenced... right!!! Victory or Valhalla must be Again the rallying cry Ancient pride restored Let the ancient banners fly high When the cause is noble and justice at thy side To hold what is thine and the fight is right Victory! Last man standing! Valhalla! Last man standing! Victory! Last man standing! Valhalla! Last man standing! ...And The Horns Called For War And the horn called for war! The Franks strike on, their hearts are good and stout Moors are slain, a thousandfold, in crowds Left of five score are not two thousand now No man on earth has more nor better found In chronicles of Franks is written down What vassalage he had, our Emperor (Charlemagne) And the horns...called for war! Marvelous in the battle now and grand The Franks here strike, their good brown spears in hand Then had you seen sorrowing of clans So many a slain, shattered and bleeding man! Biting the earth, or piled here on their backs! The Saracens cannot withstand the attack! And the horns.. called for war And the horns... called for war!!!!!!!! No house stood there but straight Its walls must crack In full mid-day The darkness was so grand And no light was in the land And many said, We in the judgement stand The end of time is presently at hand They spoke no truth, they did not understand t was the great day of mourning for Roliant And the horns.. called for war And the horns... called for war!!!!!!!! Marvelous in the battle now and grand The Franks here strike, their good brown spears in hand Then had you seen sorrowing of clans So many a slain, shattered and bleeding man! Biting the earth, or piled here on their backs! The Saracens cannot withstand the attack! And the horns.. called for war!!! North Sea Once there sailed the North Sea The North Sea wide and cold A ship heavily loaded With the world's most precious gold The enemy ship was floating To steal our precious gold Floating on the North Sea Our North Sea wide and cold Our youngest comrade, the bravest of us all Volunteered to sink the boat loaded with gold He jumped into the North Sea Our North Sea, wide and cold Our valiant friend, approached the ship's hold With his fairest knife he gouged out a hole Down! Down! And down! Down went the boat!! Our valiant friend, approached the ship's hold With his fairest knife he gouged out a hole Down! Down went the boat!!! North Sea! Swallowed by the waves North Sea! They found their seaman's grave! North Sea! Swallowed by the waves North Sea! They found their seaman's grave! But not before a hostile archer Had aimed at our youngest friend Who got hit in the chest and also down he went We pulled him onto deck And on our deck he died A seaman's grave became his part The message (delivered) to his bride Our youngest comrade In his young pride Now he embraced the North Sea The North Sea as his bride! North Sea! Our comrade young and brave North Sea! Down in a seaman's grave North Sea! Our comrade young and brave North Sea! Down in his seaman's grave GÃtterdÄmmerung (Twilight Of The Gods) Wir sind GÃtter (We are gods) Gott ist der Mensch (god is man) Sein ist die Hand die schaft (his is the hand that makes) Sein ist die Hand die verletzt (his is the hand that wounds) GÃtterdÄmmerung! We are gods, God is man His is the hand that makes, his is the hand that wounds! As I behold your crucified lord It is pity I feel not a sign of purification And yet it are millions taught by his word Die GÃtterdÄmmerung ist hier! (the twilight has come) Die GÃtterdÄmmerung ist hier! A universal message of love Lessons for the world to be clear But I sense megalomania in his word Dogmatic, based on fear Die GÃtterdÄmmerung ist hier! Die GÃtterdÄmmerung ist hier! Like the word taught in that other book By some other prophet born in the East Screaming jihad!! Lifes they took On the non believers corpses they feast Not that Jahweh offered the other cheek As he so firmly told his followers to do Too many sacrifices in His name Far too many lies not to look through And here I stand alone in the night No god or master above me Do I suffer from this lack of divinity Faith, my dear friend, can be splendid indeed A force to hold on when the feeble soul bleeds Religion served to the masses Might be a dangerous seed Forced down your throat The last thing a free man needs I walk a lonely path Am I so blind to see? At least I can say my soul is free And my only god is me... We are gods, God is man His is the hand that makes, his is the hand that wounds! We are gods, God is man His is the hand that makes, his is the hand that wounds! (Ode To Ancient) Europa (from Gallia to Germania) I still hear the ancient warcry (Roma to Brittania) I still hear the ancient battlecry The great old European heroes, the proud old European names Like snow now melted for sunlight, today their lustre gleams Gone are the great old empires, the proud old names are low That shed a glory over the ancient world, a thou sand years ago But wandering the medieval cities beholding our ancient lands Albion, Saxonia, land of Franks constructed by our ancestor's hands (from Erin to Caledonia) I still hear the ancient warcry (Ellada to Helvetia) I still hear the ancient battlecry (from Lusitania to Hispania) I still hear the ancient warcry (Mycenae to Macedonia) I still hear the ancient battlecry In the country of our fathers on the land and sea Can you hear a million voices? Thy forefathers summoning thee! Summoning thee! Many centuries ago, beyond the hazy space In Brittany, Eire and Caledonia there dwelt a mighty race Celts they were called, like their holy oaks, they had a giant grace (fierce was the Byzantine empire Spread over the Balkans, Asia, Minor and Greece Combining eastern and western tradition A gateway to the East) Slavonian kingdoms, empires and tribes Defending their ancient lands and rights >From invading hordes from the East Thousands slaughtered (fair) men and beast (from Byzantium to Phoenicia) I still hear the ancient warcry (Etruria to Cymru) I still hear the ancient battlecry!! Remembrance (Instrumental) Lindisfarne (Anno 793) All heaven and earth were still As if God's paradise never lost None could foresee the silent (approaching) chill (in the shape of raging heathens) Through Durham monks experienced at high cost Martyrs made Christians fallen in this Pagan attack No shrine left untouched, sacred loot on their back Lindisfarne, Odin rides! Lindisfarne, down in flames! Lindisfarne, Odin rides! Lindisfarne, down in flames! Martyrs made Christians fallen in this Pagan attack No relic left untouched Hear the sound of the Norsemans laughter Behold their rise, sacred loot on their back Saint Cuthbert lowering the head The head for Odins sons Lindisfarne, Odin rides! Lindisfarne, down in flames! Odin.... rides over the Nordland again Odin.... rides over the Nordland again! Desecration of the holy island! All heaven and earth were still As if God's paradise never lost Through Durham monks experienced at high cost Lindisfarne, down, down in flames! Saint Cuthbert lowering the head The head for Odins sons As for now the heathen still prevails Pagan warriors mocking God Witness their fury, hear the victory hails Hear the victory hails!!! Lindisfarne, Odin rides! Lindisfarne, down in flames! Lindisfarne, Odin rides! Lindisfarne, down in flames! Lindisfarne, down, down in flames! On Golden Fields (De Leeuwen Dansen) We ask not the pleasure that riches supply Our weapons shall regain What betrayers must buy Throwing back the invaders Reigning our land and waves And finally teach these nobles What it means to be slaves Far more large in numbers Better armed they came But are it not our cities That these rascals claimed? A victory rather certain They held within their hands But courage, craft and justice Gave us a stronger hand Bloodstained flags Hear our men roar But under foreign rule Bloodstained flags Hear our men roar We shall suffer no more We shall suffer no more! Het Vlaamse heir staat immer pal Daar t winnen of daar t sterven zal Alhier, aldaar aan lange lansen De leeuwen dansen, de leeuwen dansen Oh, land of the Flanders >From field to shore Shall view us as victors Oh, land of the Flanders >From field to shore Shall view us as victors Or view us no more! For victory was ours against all odds Truly a miracle in a world without gods Bloodstained flags Hear our men roar But under foreign rule Bloodstained flags Hear our men roar We shall suffer no more We shall suffer no more! (I close my eyes. A voice from a century buried by time and dust teaches my ears. And the troubadour sings:) Het Vlaamse heir staat immer pal Daar t winnen of daar t sterven zal Alhier, aldaar aan lange lansen De leeuwen dansen, de leeuwen dansen En de leeuwen dansen+ Dim Carcosa Black stars shine on the ancient fortified town The sun invisible or since long down? Over the dismal landscape Above Carcosa No sound, only the wind sighed Behind mysterious moons, strange towers hide But even more sitant is Lost Carcosa Tales that the Hades will sing Vague stories of a yellow king Must die untold in Strange Carcosa Mysteries hidden by lake Hali s nebulous depths A presence of bizarre beauty and dread Remains unrevealed In Carcosa Above the desert high Twin suns circle the sky Nevertheless dim still Is Carcosa My voice turns weak, lost is my mind I see, but I am blind And no sign of life in Dim Carcosa