Late last month, November 24th. was the start of the crowdfunding campaign for the fifth album of Slechtvalk. A new update follows below:
‘In this update I’ll share with you the lyrics of the new song ‘Where wandering shadows and mists collide’ (or ‘Wandering Shadows’ for short, haven’t made up my mind yet )’
‘Underneath the lyrics I’ll also give you an example of the Lyric Book’s contents and hope it’ll persuade you to get this perk as it’ll be a valuable book for anyone who wants to learn more about the (meaning of the) songs we’ve written during the years or wants to get an insight on how to write lyrics himself.’
‘Please note that the lyrics and the explanation that follows are not the final draft and may undergo some changes in the final product!’
Lyrics: “Where Wandering Shadows and Mists Collide
They stride forth slumbering, waiting for death to come.
What little hope they had left in them slowly fades away.
I remember the splendour, the towering halls of those once my kin.
I remember the maidens bright and fair.
I admired their wisdom, the strength of their arms, the glory of their king.
I admired the maidens bright and fair.
Though I departed on a journey to a distant realm unknown to me.
I felt inclined to return someday.
As shadows they wander, slowly dissolving into the mists.
Their beauty had faded, their strength had withered away
All that my eyes could see was death standing in front of me.
So cold, so cold were their eyes to me.
What was left of their splendour, was all but an ancient memory
There was no one left to answer the children’s cries.
I tried waking them from their lucid dreams, yet no one would heed the decay around them.
A man I woke answered my concern with a dagger between my ribs before he returned to his dream.
The dread that filled me, was naught compared to what I witnessed then.
As I died, I saw a mist engulf the man.
A laughter roared when he dissolved into the mist.
As shadows they wander, slowly dissolving into the mists.
Their beauty had faded, their strength had withered away”
‘Check the following updates for a draft of the explanation of this songs lyrics, which will be printed in the Lyric Book, which is available in 4 perks (Lyric Book, Signed Album + Lyric Book, All-in Goodie bag & Treasure Chest)’
UPDATE 2, part 2
Place of these lyrics in the greater story.
The city of Falaren was once the pearl of all Easternesse. Though it was tiny compared to the Royal capital, which high walls were visible from leagues away, Falaren’s natural hot springs and beautiful landscape were very popular by especially the rich nobles from Easternesse and beyond. One could drowse away in the hot springs while fair maidens served fresh fruits from the lands, chilled by the snow that was brought down daily from the mountain in which shadow Falaren was built. Many spared no expense on the homes they built for their families and the finest warriors of Easternesse were paid in gold for guarding the treasures they kept.
Until the great draught, the name of Falaren alone would soothe a travelers wearied heart for all were welcome to visit its springs, wether they were poorly clad, or immersed in the finest silks. But when the pools dried up and the land no longer wielded its fine fruits, the people of Falaren grew desperate and tried filling the dry pools with water from the Black Forest, but this water did not soothe the skin or soul and when it slowly vaporized an unusual mist covered the city streets. The people of Falaren discovered that breathing the damp vapors would take their mind into a world of dreams so vivid that all sorrow seemed to disappear.
When the borders of Easternesse were scorched by war and the high king called up all banners to his aid, the king of Falaren did not answer. Fearing that Falaren might have fallen under siege, the high king sent scouts, but only a few returned with tales so terrible that the name of Falaren invoked a black dread into the heart of whoever heard it.
Check the third update for the explanation!
UPDATE 2, part 3
What inspired me
This song is about the subject of addictive escapism and the dangers thereof.
The idea of this song initially came to my mind after a conversation I had with a friend of mine many years ago. He was was worried about his mother-in-law who had a gaming addiction and often skipped meals entirely just to keep playing. According to my friend it started to show in her physique and in the cleanliness of her house. I hadn’t seen her for a while and in my memory she was good looking for her age, but when I did see her a few months later she looked much paler and thinner than I remembered.
It caused me to reflect on my own gaming habits and although I didnt skip meals or anything, I didn’t spend as much time on creating music as I would have liked and there were times I hardly visited friends, because I’d rather stay home and play a game or watch some movie.
During the years that followed certain news articles started to draw my attention as well. Like one about an 8 year old boy who shot his father, because he didnt allow him to play a certain game at his friends place. Another was about a Korean baby which died when her parents were away playing video games and no one was left to look after the child, which died due to suffocation. Several years later I read an article about a father that shook his crying baby to death, because he didn’t want to be disturbed whilst gaming, another about a Chinese guy that killed a friend for stealing an in-game sword and selling it on ebay. And these were just the tip of the iceberg.
From my own experiences I know how addictive gaming can be and how some people totally lose their temper in online games when things do not go their way.
It also occurred to me that gaming is merely an example where escapism may generate extreme results, because whenever I cut back on my gaming behavior something else took its place, whether it was watching movies/series, reading books or whatever, things I’d rather do than studying, fixing a broken bicycle or creating new music or stories.
UPDATE 2, part 4
The message I meant to convey in this song
The first draft of the lyrics of ‘Wandering shadows’, was inspired by Ohtars lyrics for “Enthroned”. Although his song already deals with the dangers of addiction, the perspective in ‘Wandering Shadows’ is totally different. Whereas “Enthroned” is written from the perspective of the man who discovers he has been deceived by the addiction and suffers the consequences, because he is unable to free himself, “Wandering Shadows” is written from the perspective of a man who witnesses someone being trapped by the deception of addiction and how it damages his home, family and all he worked and (should have) cared for. But when he tries to free the addicted person, he gets killed for the person did not want to be freed, because in his mind he crossed the point-of-no-return.
One may now get the impression that I’m against any form of entertainment, which is obviously not true as I create music/stories for the entertainment of myself & others and I firmly believe that entertainment (in healthy doses) is a good way to recharge your internal batteries or as a brief distraction during a stressful time.
What I’m meaning to say with these lyrics and this explanation, is that something, what is supposed to be a brief distraction, should not become the focal point of your attention if it causes you to completely ignore issues you have to deal with, blinds you from the needs of the people around you or prevents you to do the (creative/productive) things you know you would wished you rather had done when you still had the time or opportunity.
***
The upcoming yet untitled album will be recorded, mixed & mastered with Lasse Lammert of LSD-Studio in Lübeck (Germany) during March – July 2015, with an expected release date of October/November 2015.
Slechtvalk latest album “A Forlorn Throne” album was released in the summer of 2010 through the German record label Whirlwind Records, and once and for all proved Slechtvalk’s dominance as one of the best Dutch Blackmetalacts, receiving excellent reviews throughout Europe.
To read our album review, for “A Forlorn Throne” click here.
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Video below ‘ Where wandering shadows and mists collide’, We Are’ (NEW SONGS)
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