The Burning Centuries

by Protean

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1.	Hannibal 08:38	lyrics
Across the sea his ships set sail   The wind was sharp as dagger’s blade   Heart cold and dreadful, mind contemplating  The thoughts of vengeance and of conquest The frozen Alps, with many hardships  To challenge his unyielding army  His voice is roaring through the air:   Endure, withstand, don’t turn away! The mountain pass is steep and deadly   And savage blizzards blind the eyes   From cliffs, the men and elephants are falling   Their bones will freeze for centuries! Hamilcar Barca, the Suffet of Carthage, ordered his servants to summon his son to swear a solemn and terrible oath against the Roman enemies: When I come to age, I shall pursue the Romans with fire and sword and enact again the doom of Troy. The gods shall not stop my career, nor the treaty that bars the sword, neither the Alps nor the Tarpeian rock. I swear to this purpose by the divinity of our native god of war, and by the shade of Elissa. The son of Baal will turn the tide  Against the Jaws of Roman wolf   His legacy is graced with pride   His star of fortune glowing bright   The new day brings the rays of sun   Upon the armor, horses, weapons   Make haste, the lines must close!  The wolf awaits, his fangs are sharpened    The fight was hard and many died   The wolf was beaten, yet unbroken Withdraw he must, his country calling  To fall with him, to dust, to ruin…   The jaws of wolf have turned the tide  Against the son of Baal so mighty   Yet in their nightmares Romans shiver  Of dreadful name of Hannibal!
2.	The Black Army 06:02	lyrics
Dark days upon my dear kingdom   Rumors spread as fire in the reeds  My people stricken by cold anguish  The smell of burning floats above our fields   To crush the Turk with iron hands  Our knights will ride, when midnight strikes   The army gathering like storm  Sent by the Raven king to war They coming hateful in their bloody thousands With weapons sharp and deadly, (devoid of mercy!) And many nations have already fallen Before the might of Ottomans The enemy’s advance is to be halted Black ravens soaring high this day United under royal banners Earth shaking when they charge! The terrifying screams of both men and horses The clash of swords and commands shouted Many died this day and many fled the field Ambitions drowned in sea of blood and chaos The ravens soaring high this day! The Black army’s marching onward! Fear will darken the invaders minds Crying to the heavens, hope abandoned! This fight is over, let the weapons rest The sound of trumpets rings through air Blessed was this day with luck and glory Immortalized in chronicles of old Yet be not blinded by the splendor Of victories and mighty deeds of war For enemy is always there and watchful Their wounds will heal, they’ll come again! Yet ravens claws are sharp and swift with anger To face the Turks, the Poles, the Holy Romans On land and sea, with guns and armor Sent by their Raven king to war!
3.	Bringer of Fear 06:26	lyrics
The sound of oars in the darkness And of harsh voices from the mist Something is moving in the night Distant fires glowing from east  The sea-worm will rage and the ocean will rise The wolf will howl and the winter will come Those who have fought and died with warriors honor will stand with their gods for their final glory  The ship made of the nails of the corpses Naglfar, the bringer of fear Going to war, The final war To end it all in flames Strength and courage The final sacrifice of blood My vengeance is dreadful. The madness of fire will swallow the world and the chaos will come as the battle is fought Heroes and gods, monsters and giants, everything falls The age of great deeds will gone forever!
4.	The Longships are Burning 07:25	lyrics
The longships are burning and the flames go up high To the sky the smoke rises, and memories turn to ash The waves are silently mourning the fallen and lost Forgotten in foreign lands, not praised in the sagas The longships are burning and the age draws to a close Burning together with their gods, the heroes of old Deeds of valor and of cruelty are engraved in the rune stones Fading as the years pass, gnawed by the rain and the wind The longships are burning and shadows of fire are dancing Seen from afar upon the cold waters of darkness The black mountains stand guard to this funeral And the ghosts of the past howling among their spires The longships are burning, and soon it will all end A sorrowful parting, a fatal knowing of destiny Still grief is greeted with laughter, bravery not forsaken The glowing embers sink down but the song is lifted to skies.
5.	Swordwraith 06:32	lyrics
My voice is singing from the grave Upon the winds in autumn rain Can you remember me, do you recall How did I fight, how did I fall? I am no more, my flesh is dust My armor is adorned with rust As pale remembrance of days old The bony hands still grasp the sword The mortal glory, songs of praise Has laid me to my silent rest The wreath upon my chest will wither And farewell candles be extinguished I was your father, son and brother A noble man and nameless stranger My blood now feeds the earth below My spirit howls in Northern storms In darkness, fear is creeping from my tomb The writhes with swords there lurk in gloom And songs of mourning wont cease soon…
6.	Vella Reķis 04:52	lyrics
Uguns liesmu drūmais spožums atspīd pāri gadsimtiem Stāstot varas darbu teikas spoku stundās bailīgiem Reiz kas bija, kā vairs nava, bet kas aukstus sviedrus dzen. Zeme dreb zem zirgu kājām Mežus tumsa ieskaut sāk Bargais kungs no kara mājās Līdz ar savu draudzi nāk Pāri upei bēga zviedri Viļņu putās kvēlo asins Velna Reķa melnā rokā Zviedru karaļkronis mirdz! Gūstekņi tam treji simti Visus vergu gaitās dzīs Lai par saviem asins darbiem Atmaksā līdz mērs būs pilns Celt tiem šķūni pavēl Reķis Sausais koks jau nojauš galu Bailes virmo tā kā sveķi Šausmās aptumšojas prāts  Kliedzieni aiz slēgtām durvīm Bargais kungs vien ļauni smīn Šķūnis gaudo uguns liesmās „Redz kā manas peles pīkst!” Un pēc gadiem Jaunpils muižā Tumšās naktīs spoku stundās Melna ēna liesmu gaismā Atsauc senu dienu bailes Kliedzieni caur akmens velvēm Velna Reķis ļauni smīn Sirdis izdeg šausmu liesmās „Redz kā manas peles pīkst!”
7.	Sorcerer Baron 05:40	lyrics
He is riding again, the devil's apprentice Upon his black stallion, the mad sorcerer lord! His hand holds the whip, his voice mocking us Our suffering grows, our land weeps of his works The lord of our land has made a pact with! a pact with the devil himself! Through evil magic his power is strong, everyone fears him! Our sweat and blood he drinks as thirsty mad dog Beating and enslaving us, trading with our souls His wealth is great, gained by means unholy and evil Locked away in secret chambers beneath his walls The lord of our land has made a pact with a pact with the devil himself! Torture and death awaits those who rebel, everyone hates him! No good death awaits you, no peace in the afterlife As you made us suffer, you now will suffer forever! Those who serve demons will be devoured by them Those who drink blood, in blood will be drowned! Your screams of death will roar from your castle The sorcerer's agony is the most horrible torture Your ghost will haunt the halls of your home To bring fear to the living on dark Autumn nights The lord of our land has made a pact with a pact with the devil himself! Torture and death awaits those who rebel, everyone hates him! We will drive an iron spike through your possesed heart! Our prayers and curses will burn and prevail against you! Your accursed head will rest between your feet Your coffin we bind in strong copper chains! Bring the word to the people, the vengeance has come The lord of our land has been taken to hell by the devil

about

Protean are:

Jānis Krivāns - bass, keyboards, drums programming, backvocal
Edmunds Vizla - guitar, backvocal
Jānis Bušs - vocal
Edgars Gultnieks - guitar
Dmitry Suhanovsky - drums

Additional guitar on "The Longships are Burning" by Jēkabs Vilkārsis
Additional drums on "Bringer Of Fear" by Edgars "Mazais" Krūmiņš
Additional vocals on "Bringer Of Fear" and "The Black Army" by Edgars "Zirgs" Grabovskis, Andrejs Planders, Viesturs Āboltiņš, Jānis Krivāns, Edmunds Vizla

credits

released December 13, 2015

Produced by Jānis Krivāns
Reamped, mixed and mastered by Martins Platais, UxCx Productions.
All music by Jānis Krivāns and Edmunds Vizla
Arrangements by Jānis Krivāns
All lyrics by Edmunds Vizla
Artwork and layout design by Jānis Krivāns
Management and booking: proteanchaos@gmail.com

TAPE: handnumbered tape edition, limited to 100. Order: www.facebook.com/heathentribes/

CD: beverina.bandcamp.com/album/protean-the-burning-centuries-cd-2015