Without the use of violence
...Unless, of course, I have the chance

Now you'll see, now you'll find, now you'll recognize me
Caught in my grasp as you gasp to try and feel the air
Now you'll see, now you'll find how my ways work
You can try what you can to seek to find the answer here

Society's wars means little to me,
I have my pleasures, I have my affairs
My own agendas are impossible to see
Before you find yourself exposed in my lair
I sting and stain your insane soul,
I sting where it is fatal
You won't feel a thing at all
Unless you cause my house of cards to fall...

Try and find me
You'll find yourself lost in my maze
Try and get free
But I don't think you'll find the way

Now you'll see, now you'll find, now you'll recognize me
You're caught in my grasp as you gasp to feel the air
Now you'll see, now you'll find how my ways work
You can try what you can to seek to find the answer here

[Solo]

Step not close to me, because I may bite
As soon as you're stepping into my sight
No use to run or to try for flight
If I've seen you and feel you're the right
Jigsaw-puzzle-piece I need
To fulfill my ongoing deed
Of spreading my little, infectious line
Of immortal, blood feeding breed

Try and run now
Because you don't know the power of the blood bond
You can't hide how
Ever hard you try to find a haven safe enough to sleep
You can't hear me
Before I sneak up next to your resting-place
Nor can you see me
Before you look into my yellow eyes and

Feel your hope vanish in the air
And my bite sinking into your neck

[Zetite - Comments]

[This song was at the brink of causing us trouble with a company in Atlanta, whose name I shall not mention. It is based, I guess some of you already know, on the roleplaying game Vampire: The Masquerade (personally, I like the Dark ages setting better). I was quite fascinated by the song Death Becomes All from the "Angelic Voices Calling" MCD, and by this I spent my chance to make another song, in which the narrator describes how neatly he can tear off your head and shove it up your ass. I like these kind of songs.]

[Yet, I feel the lyric piece did not come very close to what a Setite in the roleplaying game might be like. Given this music, i think it was deadborn in the first place. Maybe Baali or Brujah would have fitted better, maybe even Malkavians... but I like Setites...]
[- Narrenschiff]


2. Behind The Mirrors

The mirrors, the mirrors
That hides the hideous
Me, the others
Banned and forbidden
From of your world
Alone and cold
Watching in silence
So close, still aeons away...

Touch the surface, cold and smooth
You see me as I watch you...

When you move, I move too,
But is this you or me who moves?
Who are you and who's the reflection?
Crush a crack, feel the connection
I am you and we will win.
Crush the mirror. Let me in!

A little crack is all it takes.
Drop the mirror, let it fall
Because every time you smash a mirror,
I steal a little piece of your soul

The mirrors, the mirrors
That are between us
Me and you
Separated, delirious
You... beholder,
Seeing. We
Are watching, observing
You still when you are not
Touch the surface, cold and smooth
You see me as I touch you...

The borderline between me and you
Is a vast prison for both of us two
And you know what you must do
To get us out of this celestial's zoo

[Solo]

Crush it, crack it, smash it to pieces
Of your sick, pathetic world
Little fragments of yourself and me.
Flickering, see it twirl!

Destroy the pure, transparent shroud
Don't listen to your doubts
Let it break, smash it now
Let me in! Let me out!

The mirrors, the mirrors / are locked like doors
Me, alone / behind what's between us
Hidden, unseen / admired and adored
Aware, unknown / brinked with mistrust

Watch the mirror, broken and scarred
Seeing me as who you are
Your eyes are mine, and I look at your hand...
...and I see blood.

[Behind the mirrors - Comments]

[The Mirror-song-lyric was finished the same day as we recorded it, and with it's rather experimental way of writing, it delivers a punch I never thought it would do. As I wrote the lyric I wondered how short I could do each line. I wanted every line to punch like the little freeze you get down your spine when you see a mirror that you didn't know was there, or suddenly see something strange in there, so i wrote: "The mirrors / The mirrors / That hides / The hideous / Me / The others / Banned! / Forbidden!"]

[I think mirrors are one of the most spooky things in my house, and I never stop being fascinated by them. Horror movies like Poltergeist 3 and the Changeling was good inspiration and hard fuel for a spooky boost. I think the song has quite some good punchlines, and really enjoyed working them out.]
[- Narrenschiff]


3. Cast Into Fields Of Evil Pleasure

At the brink of Hell an island swims in lakes of fire by the darkened plains
Deserted and dead it declares its place
By spewing it's magma like blood from its veins and covering the island
In a black, poisonous haze

This was the first spot where the angel Lucifer set his foot
And claimed and declared this view as his home
He came from the north, and alone was he not
But joined by the followers from the roads he had roamed

Here he set his haven. Here where angels die
Here he baptise the newcomers in fire. On the Devil's own Sinai.

[Female]
"Sinai roars as your frail brittle bones viciously torn, mutilated and
scorched.
Bleeding lava pulsating like blood, 'neath your skin as it withers and
burns"

Still the damned gather here to hail
Amidst burning smoke beneath black skies
Hellhounds bark at the northern pale view...
This is the common abyss for all alike
Where the red, melted stone fl ow a scorching river
Into the day in north, and in south... the night.

And here (Here you are) on the outstretching fields (On Elysium grounds)
Far away (Far away from life). God (God) is out of reach

Here they gather to spit and curse and bark
From the south of heaven where angels are told
Not to approach nor to look nor to set foot
Where the truth of Armageddon will unfold

Here they sacrifice the captured saints .
Here is where the torture awaits
Here is where you abandon your faith.
On the Devil's own Sinai...

They wait and wail in ghastly pain
While digging deep inside, insane.
Inflict a wound you heal in vain
As blood pours black from pierced veins
They crush and cut, the dark stone stained
A ribcage opens, a hole that frames
A soul unstained and struggling sane
Beneath the burning rain ...

...cast into the fields of evil pleasure.

Discovering the abyss' deepest hidden treasure
Bending borders of emotional measure
Cast far into the fields of evil pleasure...

[Solo]

It's always been there, and forever it will
Stay untouched by the tooth of time
Standing with majestic intimidation
Bat-winged creatures surrounding its peak,
High above Hell they all fly
Forever screaming in demonic celebration

And here (Here you are) on the outstretching fields (On Elysium grounds)
Cast into the fields (Cast into the fields) of evil pleasure
Forever (Forever) awaiting only to (die)

[Cast into fields of evil pleasure - Comments]

[If you can imagine a spot in between worlds where one side describes the positive (yin, summer, daytime) and the other describes the opposite. We take the basic elements: Heaven and Hell. Then you imagine that the hordes of Hell have conquered this spot, and that from here they can see Heaven again, but don't really dare to go any further. This was the borderline, and now they are standing closer than ever, maybe to break loose on Heaven's green fields, maybe ready to stay on stand-by forever.]

[I think the idea of the song was just to make the borderland, but then I tended to fill it up with all kinds of nasty figures. ("Here they sacrifice the captured saints, here is where the torture awaits, here is where you abandon faith: The Devil's own Sinai"). I liked the idea of the Devil's Own Sinai, and if I was the Devil and wanted to poke God in the ribs by making my own Sinai, where would I build it but the brink of Heaven, just to say: "Yeah? Well look what I've got!". But I think my favourite line in this song must be " This is the common abyss for all alike, Where red melted stone flow a scorching river, Into the day in north, and in south; the night." I kind of like that image.]

[And here, while being poked in your guts, you can still see Heaven shining north of where you lie strapped down. Quite depressing, huh?]
[- Narrenschiff]


4. Temporary Borders

Whispered words beneath the floating autumn leaves
Flying softly on the southern breeze
Fragments of light between the branches and trees
I wish I would stay here forever

The sun is sinking behind mountains of old
Brushing faintly clouds of red and gold

Night-time's flinging a vast veil of velvet across fields and forest
Trespassing the havens of daylight's temporary borders.
I knew my game could gain me but grief, the fairy tale was on though brief
Trespassing the havens of secrecy's temporary borders.

Scratching the surface of times seemingly forgotten
Of you who once were mine betrothen
Digging 'neath layers of emotions now rotten
I feel myself slip away
Nostalgic entertainment tingled by the past
You were the one to be mine at last
But now my memory's ever fading so fast
Keeping emotions at bay

Here I sit, and memories unfold
My feelings are hollow, I'm feeling so old

[Female]
"I feel it fade away and cry tears in solitude"
Trespassing the havens of night-time's temporary borders
As shadows collapse in the mating of day and night, crows are circling in
ominous flight
Trespassing the havens of my own temporary borders (temporary borders)

[Solo]

I tried... I tried hard to believe
Thinking of us has left me but grief
I cannot look ahead, the past is all I see
Moments together, but time's a thief

Shadows recurring from times long since passed
Our time and now in a perfect contrast

[Female]
"As I see you sitting by my grave
I feel your presence, but can't say a word
Your heart and love, patient and brave
But my soul is too late for you to save"

I am probably a fool still thinking of you
Night after night...
There's not much else I can do
For neither myself nor you
Maybe I should leave and never come back to this place...
But I know too surely that I'm only fooling myself
I'm only fooling myself

[Temporary borders - Comments]

[I had just joined illnath, got their lyrics and listened through all the music which was going to be on the CD. I was like a kid in a candy-store, and got to work that very evening at Tobias place with a lyric piece (which Tobias also participated strongly on). The lyrics I had received had some qualities, but mainly, I thought, I could do them better. The guys had already read some of my lyrics and pointed out 'Frozen constellations', 'Bring down the witching hour' and 'By the hands of violent winter' as the only songs they did not want to change.]

[I guess the idea of a gothic romance in a moody black metal song is not very original. I assume I wanted to make a presentation of our own gothic romance song, and at the same time I enjoy writing these kind of lyrics, even though, as mentioned, they do not give much to the black metal scene today.]

[Partly based on the coming summer (it was written sometime in may, I think), partly based on my poor lovelife and strange feeling of suddenly being in another country doing music with people I didn't know a week ago. I alone, yet somehow welcome and at calm here. Just like the narrator in the song. It was also a good possibility to use Lena's vocals.]
[- Narrenschiff]


5. The Creators Biggest Pride

The sun sets at last, sliding slowly and silently down
'Low the horizon in the west, where a small house lies...

The puppet-man is ending his workday, as the starlight peak through the
clouds
He's worked all day and says goodnight to his dolls before he close the door
He lives alone in this house, and it's his home and a way of living
Though he thought he knew all the secrets of his house, there's more...

'Cause tonight... the puppets are roaming the room
In spite... of being creatures of iron and wood
They live as well as you and I
Though driven by other forces inside
And tonight the creator's biggest pride
Will make his way through the door and charge to take the puppet-man's life

Now the doll runs through the living-room
And he's hiding in the dimly faded gloom
Now he's approaching the bed
And won't leave until the body is dead

But the creator awakes before the doll can fulfill the task
And he's paralyzed in amazement as he sees his hand-made mask
Of the horrifying devil he made
Once so many years ago
And he cannot even scream as the knife
Rips through his throat

He'll never again be put back on that shelf
"Kill the flesh! Kill the flesh!" screaming to himself
The doll is standing above the puppet-maker's corpse
The devil-mask covered in blood and gore
Silently standing, looking down
With the dripping knife still in his hand

Now he turns and he sees the door
He's tasted blood and is thirsty for more
The rain is cleansing his mask as he runs through the night alone
He's shaking in tension as he's heading for the town.

[Solo]

'Cause tonight... the puppets are killing in town
And the villagers are lying in bloodstained nighting-gowns
And now as they all have become alive
They are immortal and cannot die
And tonight the creator's biggest pride
Will run into the world and try to take mortal men's life

He's hunting at night. Watch out for open windows
He's hunting at night. Perhaps you should stay inside?
He's hunting at night

[The creator's biggest pride - Comments]

[A most funny song to work on. It turned out quite infant and childish, with the sheer wickedness and evil which are found in classical King, Fulci and Argento movies and with a pinch of Tales from the Crypt. I don't really have a clue why the lyric turned out like it did, but I have a sneaking feeling that the song made me do it. It's just perfect how the doll sneaks trough the living-room and hides in the dimly faded gloom...]
[- Narrenschiff]


6. Gloomy Gathering



7. Bring Down The Witching Hour

Pools of black eternity
Sweeping down on brightly burning fires
When comes the righteous ones
Bringing the servants of leechy throngs

Angels, remembering every promise
Black vise crushing the feathers white
Come pain deliver us in darkness
Unknown, the promise of their demise

Intercepting a world
Dwelling in disbelief

Were able to exterminate
You Down-to-Earthlings
With truth that would toss you into suicidal grief
What renaissance this hour will bring

Dark grimoires of sorceries
Filled with spells of cursed conjurations
Bring down the witching hour
From earth to ashes we all shall fall

Those eyes, ebony enchanted
Pass on the undenying truth
Of youth there isn't any left
What came from this insanity?

Bring on pain and suffering
The answer for crimes
Plead as much you can
You liar, you fucking liar

Pools of black eternity
Sweeping down on brightly burning fires
Bring down the witching hour
From earth to ashes we all shall fall

Free men, shall come as the unwanted
Forcing the old ones to leave in vain
At last denial bringing justice
Cruel fate, they are forever slain

[Bring down the witching hour - Comments]

[This lyric was done as a sort of homage to all the witches that died at the stakes in medieval Europe. The lyric was done some time before Narrenschiff joined the band, but it was a lyric that both he and I liked a lot so we decided to keep it as it was.The lyric is all about how the righteous people of the church killed all these women and the masses loved them for it. But now, today the witches are returning in great numbers and today we have no hallowed men to slay them for their knowledge. In the studio we found that it could do with a couple of lines and Narrenschiff added the final touch, so it's basically a joint effort. The title itself is partly inspired by Anne Rice and her Mayfair Witches.]
[- Tobias]


8. By The Hands Of Violent Winter

By the hands of violent winter, his fate was sealed
Crawling on the icy slopes with limbs frozen cold
Memories of untold torture, in his mind
Waking from the endless slumber leaving him numb

Creeping worms they eat his mind
Feelings blind this clouded time
They took his soul, so they could find
The truth

Feeling hate for usurpers gone mad
Reaching in for the power he had
Wanting more than he could give
But they would never falter
In his mind only memories of hate
Planted there by the monger's of fate
Reaching out for sanity
But hope is ever fading

Looking for the answer
Why did they do this to me?
Leaving me deserted
I never asked for this hell

Reaching out for fires burning, in his eyes
Hope is still a trusty friend but fires burn low
Snow keeps falling all around him, as he screams
Seemingly the only answer is from the void

Defeated and forsaken, he lies in fields of snow
Only sign of life his eyes, in panic seeking solace
Sun, rising high
Bringing, warmth and energy again

Waking up from a steady state
Of suspended animation
Blinded by these rays of light
Hailing from the sky

Senses now return to him
Tribulations feeling dim
Now a sordid memory
Impeding doom approaching

As he run, try to shake off the vice
No one hearing his desperate cries
The usurpers are hunting him
Hounds barking and wolves closing in
His escape was a futile attempt
He is hunted by common consent
Now returned to the bleak white cell
I hope that dying is the end of this hell

[Solo]

Looking for the answer
Why are they doing this?
What is it I have done?
To deserve this living hell

By the violent hands of winter, his fate is sealed
Dying by the hands of strangers leaving him cold
Memories of untold torture still in his mind
Never more awakening, this time it's the end
Defeated and forsaken, his peers would not let go
The trial was an endless one, and death did not yet show
Come, reap my life
Now, it's the time of my departure

Afore of him a shadow stands
It's glowing with eternal might
"I am one of many names
And one of them is bringer of light"

[By the hands of violent winter - Comments]

[The idea for this lyric came from and old horror-movie, that I can't remember the name of. But it was about a guy who had his memories shared with those of a cat. He got away from the scientist guys and ran and ran but they caught up with him in the end nevertheless, and all the time he had these flashy images running through his mind that he knew wasn't his own.I wrote it because I found it a scary though that you were being experimented upon and you could do nothing about it. And in the end dying is not even a relief.The lyric was written together with Tyr, before Narrenschiff joined the band.]
[- Tobias]


9. Frozen Constellations

Frozen constellations, now we are,
Forever trapped by illusions of fate
Arising from the ashes of fires,
Burning low in the shadows of hate

You and I, we are blinded by,
Hatred flowing from years of denial
As we cry, forever asking why,
The blind is following others in vain

Scorn these jubilations, by blinded ones,
They are a picture of bruteness and pain
Mourned by bygone years of exclusion,
Are forever the loss of our sin

Cursed, by shame and suffering
Our lives are but a memory of reason
Now it's time
Time for us to come crashing,
Down the broadening lanes of life
Trailing froth and illusion,
Showering others in the truth of their condemning lies

You and they, shall forever pray,
The common wish for a leader of man
Now and then, changed forever when
The old and powerful, slain was by man

Flowing tears, showing the world
All the pain and the fears
The old is here, and this time
There'll be no one spared

Frozen constellations, now you are
Forever trapped by delusions of pain
Real life breaks again bringing foolishness
You never know what tomorrow will bring

[Frozen constellations - Comments]

[One of the last songs I wrote, this one is about the Old Norse gods coming back to life and sending the Christian god running like hell... Not much to it, but a fun little lyric that I enjoyed writing. Don't think too much about this one.]
[- Tobias]