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Ours is the Kingdom (2017 re​-​issue with bonus track)

by Forefather

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1.
When the fiends have come there is nowhere to hide I must swing my axe, my brothers at my side Feeding on our own fear, passions running high Fleeing not a choice, better to fight and die In the shield-wall we stand to defend our land Holding on till the end Brace the storm and keep the shining blades at bay Fight to let our kingdom live another day Heed the old ones’ cries, we mustn't let them down We will slaughter them to keep them from the crown In the shield-wall we stand to defend our land Holding on till the end Flanas gesecaþ me Ecga beataþ me Beornas wieldaþ me Cyningas sind genered þurh me Iren gewundaþ me Wæpen deriaþ me Cempa teoraþ me Cynedom is gewered þurh me In the shield-wall we stand to defend our land Holding on till the end
2.
Our hearts lie not in heaven Nor eastern desert sands With eyes closed to your saviour Our fate is in our hands Great glass eyes look down on me So lofty and so great In your world we are filth Toys of your lord to dominate High spires reach for Đunor's sky A misfit court of stone Like flame upon the water It stands there all alone You say our ways are evil That devil’s seed we sow Yet we have greater wisdom Than you will ever know Your lodging here is ended Your welcome here is ceased No honour left bestowed Our open hand now iron fist Ours is the Kingdom On land, up high, on sea In jest we let you play But now's our time for victory The storm is ever brewing A power rising fast Lightning strikes our veins As we see the bridge at last As we ride the endless The truths seem only lies The few that faced the fire Honoured as the kings Now we ride the deathless Our kingdom has returned Of fallen kings and heroes Our children now have learned Your lodging here is ended Your welcome here is ceased No honour left bestowed Our open hand now iron fist Ours is the Kingdom And this we proudly hail Your teachings have no truth Our heathen land will now prevail
3.
When Offa spilled Myrging blood we were proud When Hengest routed the wealas we were proud When Penda withstood the cross we were proud When Alfred stayed the Danes we were proud Heroes passed unto ye we give hail Mighty men without fear, without shame Some will say that our pride is a sin But in their name we’ll unite and we're proud to be proud When victory was won at Brunanburh we were proud When Byrhtnoth raised his sword we were proud When Harold destroyed Hardrada we were proud When Hereward defied the bastard we were proud Heroes passed unto ye we give hail Mighty men without fear, without shame Some will say that our pride is a sin But in their name we’ll unite and we're proud to be proud Slowly with time the past slips away But deep in our souls their memory stays Weapons of guilt won’t conquer our minds Just strengthen our will to defy The ignorant void ever opening wide But we keep their names and spirits alive Arrows of fear won’t pierce our minds Just strengthen our will to defy Heroes passed unto ye we give hail Mighty men without fear, without shame Some will say that our pride is a sin But in their name we’ll unite and we're proud to be proud
4.
Papal banner, cross bears the red of the blood we shed Gave his blessing, leaving the heart of the nation dead Ancient sunwheel stolen and warped for a demigod Raised in our name, you will worship what you hate and fought Sign of conquest buries the past in the centuries Beast in slumber lurks in their deepest and darkest fears Restless dragon guarding the horde of our destiny Fuck your standard, watch in despair as we're breaking free Show them our sign, raise it up high Banish their symbol of conquest Tear it to shreds, burn it to ash Throw of the weight of enslavement Open your souls to our mark of old Don't let the false one deceive you Now is the time, we shall rule again Bring down the cross that subdued you The Golden Dragon flying high again... Dragon slayer, so goes the myth and the history With sword he severed, cut us adrift from our unity Drifting, wondering what is amiss, what it means to be Raise the dragon, find the answer to the mystery Show them our sign, raise it up high Banish their symbol of conquest Tear it to shreds, burn it to ash Throw of the weight of enslavement Open your souls to our mark of old Don't let the false one deceive you Now is the time, we shall rule again Bring down the cross that subdued you The Golden Dragon flying high again...
5.
Falling towers of stone, smashed by fate The giants’ craft declines, undermined by age Once shining and strong with celebration of men Until the mighty one swept them away Their warriors destroyed with war, the times of affliction came Their shining realms in ruin, deserted and decayed Where bold, proud-hearted men looked on riches bright Behold the power of fate at this crumbling site The earth's grip holds as eras pass We took what we wanted and claimed it as ours Many a storm these shadow kingdoms have seen Grey with lichen, stained with blood and misery Once they looked on riches, possessions, precious stones Everything must die, all that's left is echoes Legends fading day by day, cracks are gaping wide Till mighty fate will sweep away their ancient work and pride Their warriors destroyed with war, the times of affliction came Their shining realms in ruin, deserted and decayed Where bold, proud-hearted men looked on riches bright Behold the power of fate at this crumbling site The earth's grip holds as eras pass We took what we wanted and claimed it as ours Many a storm these shadow kingdoms have seen Grey with lichen, stained with blood and misery
6.
7.
From beyond we sailed the sea Seeking new prosperity We came for the victory On the fields we cut them down Stole their pride and burned their towns These lands held our destiny Routed and shamed to the mountains they fled Soundly defeated they sadly abandoned their homes A new force had arrived to remain Covered with glory we conquered and settled our land - Englaland From foreign soil they saw us come They new the fight could not be won We offered them no mercy Ruthlessly they felt our might In fear they ran into the night We shattered their dignity Routed and shamed to the mountains they fled Soundly defeated they sadly abandoned their homes A new force had arrived to remain Covered with glory we conquered and settled our land – Englaland
8.
A withering flower without its roots Sadly passing away unloved Songs to sing and tales to tell Vanishing into obscurity A dwindling power bereft of soul Quietly leaving the world behind Names to praise and sacred sites Drifting away to nothingness But we'll resist until the end Till the last of us shall fall And we will love you to the end Our folk that time forgot A withering flower without its roots Sadly passing away unloved Songs to sing and tales to tell Vanishing into obscurity But we'll resist until the end Till the last of us shall fall And we will love you to the end Our folk that time forgot
9.
Wise are the weavers who carry our destiny Golden threads are the tales of our lives Worlds entwining, a journey eternally All as one are the earth and the skies Three are the goddesses, pillars of wisdom Spinners of what is, what has and will be There is no escaping the web You cannot defy them, you cannot break free Enter the world and the sisters are with you An energy knot in the fabric of time To rulers of gods death's the debt we must pay For creating the pattern of our life's design Few are the shamans who look upon everything For this great gift sacrifice they must pay They will know our choice at the crossroad The strings of the universe will lead the way Never-ending river flowing Threads of time unfold
10.
Now is the time, to the battle we go The enemy's waiting, much blood will soon flow But fear ye not death, no such honour so high To fight with your brothers and die Think not of failure and be strong of mind Remember our women and bairns left behind Dawn is now breaking, be ready to fight We'll feast our triumph tonight For our kin we must win Never stop struggling Never give in Show them our might! Show them our pride! Our culture and creed confined to history Such a sad tale to tell so my warriors keep marching on! The sun is now rising, the birds are in song Let thoughts of your families spur you along Smiling they'll greet you, a hero’s return Fame and renown to be earned Gather your weapons, lock pity away We shall be drinking as night follows day Boasting of victory, praising our dead And glorious times that lay ahead For our kin we must win Never stop struggling Never give in Show them our might! Show them our pride! Our culture and creed confined to history Such a sad tale to tell so my warriors keep marching on!
11.
Wyrd has woven our path, now a tyrant rules our land A beheaded people we are, our power in a dark one’s hand A final hope remains for those with the will to resist To rally behind his name and defy the bastard’s rule The joy of a battle won like lightning swept away Our kingdom seized by those with the serpent's eye Rebel of the marshlands, banished to the shade Defender of our honour, a prisoner of time Forgotten freedom fighter, outlaw of the fens The spirit of the warder shall rise in us again
12.
For centuries roaming among these beams My ghostly voice haunting and whistling through the trees Rarely seen but always my presence felt A lonely soul trapped between life and death, condemned to dwell In this wood my spirit shall stay Until time will take this forest away A man of war, wearied and battle-stained Then came my fate, by an arrow felled but here remained A sorry heart, my thoughts my only friend Wandering on, and I fear my pain will never end Some say they've seen me floating from tree to tree Hooded and clad in green, shrouded in mystery Some say they've heard me singing my mournful song Crying for anyone to set my spirit free In this wood my spirit shall stay Until time will take this forest away
13.
See, my son, how the king's men come Great is the clamour for spear and shield We must go straight where the foemen wait Blacksmiths, ploughmen, woodwrights Brothers one and all Fighters of the Angelcynn Heed the holy standards Fyrdmen, defend this sacred soil Boldly he beseeches you Brave, beloved by all Heads high, go now (we) gladly Spear tips gleam (shine) in the morning light Hear, good thegn, we pledge to thee Our undivided loyalty In times of weal and times of woe Our duty only we shall ever know Kinsmen side by side Sturdy warriors bound in bravery Praise and fame to find Noble deeds sing through eternity Veiled in the mist he stands Fighting lord, bedecked in majesty Master of these lands Guiding light bathes us in victory Hark, my son, how the field was won Great were the efforts of spear and shield We sent them straight to their dismal fate Blacksmiths, ploughmen, woodwrights Honouring the call

about

The classic 2004 album remastered, with bonus track "Fighters of the Angelcynn".

credits

released November 28, 2017

Performed, recorded and mixed by Forefather at “The Croft” October 2003 - January 2004.
Remastered 2017
All songs written by Athelstan and Wulfstan between March 2002 and December 2003.
All lead vocals by Wulfstan.
Extra backing vocals on “Keep Marching On” chorus and “Wudugast” chorus by Athelstan.
Solo on “Rebel of the Marshlands” played by Athelstan.
All keyboards by Athelstan.

Cover art by Chrille Andersson.

“Fighters of the Angelcynn” originally recorded 2004 at “The Croft”. Remixed, including new lyrics and vocal performance 2017 in “The Hallowed Hall”.

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