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Engla Tocyme (2017 re​-​issue with bonus track)

by Forefather

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1.
Men of the sea, on the waves they did ride Drifting toward their new dawn Sailing forth with the wind as their guide Fathers of a kingdom to be born Their blood flows in me Through their eyes I see With their spirit I shall bring down my blade I speak with their words Their callings I have heard For their honour I shall bring down my blade Offa’s sons, by the waters they fared Gliding beyond Angeln’s plains Swiftly on to their fortunes ahead Masters of a land to be claimed OE: Hruron and feollon cynelicu getimbru somod and anlipie, and gehwær sacerdas and mæssepreostas betwuh wibedum wæron slægene and cwielmde; biscopas mid folcum buton ænigre are sceawunge ætgædre mid iserne and lige fornumene wæron NE: Kingly buildings tumbled and fell, together and singularly, and everywhere priests and clergymen were slain and killed among their alters; bishops with their folk without regard to any mercy were destroyed with iron and fire together.
2.
Intensity - A fire does burn in us Adversity - Nothing can hinder us Fervency - Strong enough is no enemy Victory - Eminence is our destiny Mortality - We’re not afraid of the other side Bravery - From our fate we refuse to hide Ignominy - In our hearts is no room for shame Prosperity - What is ours we shall now regain To the battle we’ll storm and fill the souls of our foe with fear Crush their towers and their rule until all signs of them disappear Supremacy - Redeeming our dignity Liberty - free of nonentity Mastery - toward our own ends we go Eternity - into the forever we flow
3.
A dark cloud descends on our domain The storm of dread, the wielder of pain Pounded by the iron rain up high Now an onslaught of terror is nigh A war has begun The war must be won Fortress so tall to oppress her Lord of enforcement, aggressor Founding a war that will run For a thousand years to come Born to rule with an iron hand Waging fire throughout the land Work the machine, blood, sweat and tears This war will run for a thousand years Baron ways bring barren lands Feuding for power, blood on their hands Overlords with ambition deranged Ruthless rule, a kingdom up in flames
4.
In times of old beyond the sea When Wærmund ruled the Angelcynn To him was born a worthy son That would in time a hero become Raiders from the borderlands English blood on Myrging hands The time would come for swords to shine The time would come to draw the line Fifeldor! Where Myrging blood was poured Fifeldor! Where Angeln was secured Fifeldor! Where Offa made his stand Fifeldor! To hold the English land Dishonour plagued his youthful mind A shameful act by his own kind And spoke he not a single word But still with time he would be heard Across the Eider Myrgings came Demanding that tribute be paid (to their Swabian overlord) The time had come for swords to shine The time had come to draw the line At Monster-Gate the duellists met A kingdom’s fate in Offa’s hands With Stedefæst prepared to strike Steel would soon shine bloody wet Around the Eider saw the crowds A nation saved - a hero made Knelt Offa at the Eider’s flow And cleansed the blood from on his blade OE: Ane sweorde merce gemærde wið Myrgingum bi Fifeldore; heolden forð siþþan Engle ond Swæfe swa hit Offa geslog NE: With his lone sword he fixed the border against the Myrgings at Monster-Gate; ever since, the English and the Swabians have kept it as Offa won it.
5.
6.
Walls surround me as the years pass slowly by Wonder I might have been Battle-slaughter and a kingdom overthrown Are only shadowy tales for me My kingly blood, it has condemned me to this fate I’ll never see the light of day again How I long to have fought with my brothers side by side Only death shall end my pain While kings and men are slain As royal buildings rise and fall These walls shall be my home I’ll be forever in chains Darkness fills me but my dignity prevails Prison walls are all I know History unfolds as I am left behind Trapped within a web of time "The nobility of his forebears, his simple manners His sound views and honourable judgements The strength of his body and the fire of his intellect All these glorify the Earl Wulfnoth Exile, prison, darkness, inclosure, chains Receive the boy and forsake the old man Caught up in human bonds he bore them patiently Bound even more closely in service to God" - Epitaph of Wulfnoth Godwinson (1036-1094)
7.
8.
Steadfast and bold, toiling through centuries Nameless they are but through us prevail Faithful and true, our lives are their gift to us Through fire and ice, our ancestors strove Our seed spread deep in the soil Sown with our own stubborn hands To this is our loyalty bound Far from wavering lands

about

2017 re-issue of the 2002 album featuring the bonus track "Loyalty Bound".

credits

released January 15, 2017

Performed, recorded and mixed by FOREFATHER at “The Croft” September - November 2001
Remastered 2016
All songs written by Athelstan and Wulfstan between August 2000 and September 2001
All vocals by Wulfstan
All keyboards by Athelstan
Produced by FOREFATHER

Cover art by Chrille Andersson

“Loyalty Bound” recorded and mixed 2005 by Forefather at “The Croft”

license

all rights reserved

tags

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