Insomnium Anno 1696 1. 1696 Far away from the citadels of God Far away from the court of the dying king Deep inside the shadows of the endless woods Here we all wander And here we fall Across the winter, across the night Across the frozen lakes we ride Beyond the twilight, beyond the cold Beyond the grace of the White Christ Year of the hunger, year of the wolves Year of the distress across the North Here we wander And here we roam astray Crescent moon is sharp Sharp like the Devil's nail Crescent moon is sharp (tonight) And winter winds they howl (tonight) I'm drifting in the darkness After the waning light I'm drifting in the darkness With wolves on my tail Hour of bloodshed, hour of lies The hour of murders and vile crimes No redemption and no pity No forgiveness of the White Christ World is crumbling, world is old This world is writhing in death throes Here we wander And here we all shall fall 2. White Christ In the name of our Saviour and Lord In the name of our Monarch and the Crown I've come to bring the law and justice to this land I've come to bring the light and grace of the Christ I'm the one who wields the sword of God I'm the one who holds the sacred rod I'm the one who finds the truth with iron I'm the one who finds the truth with fire Can you hear the whispers from beyond? Can you hear the calling now? No remorse upon the wicked No hesitation in my deeds No repentance in my prayers No unbelief will stain this soul I find the ones who mock the tenets of the God I find the ones who spite the passion of the Christ I find the creatures that are lurking in the dark I redeem this land I save us all In times like these we must not wander off the path In times like these we must resist the Devil's bait Foul spirits roam these ill-starred lands Foul thoughts will creep inside the devout sleep Can you hear the whispers from beyond? Can you hear the voices from the woods? Can you hear the howling of the wolves? Can you hear the Lucifer's call? No remorse upon the wicked No hesitation in my deeds No repentance in my prayers No unbelief will stain this soul I find the ones who mock the tenets of the God I find the ones who spite the passion of the Christ I find the creatures that are lurking in the dark I save this doomed land I save us all I hold the flame of the White Christ At the edge of the dark I hold the flame of the White Christ Here on the verge of damnation Here at the edge of the darkness I hold the flame Can you hear the whispers from beyond? Can you hear the voices from the woods? Can you hear the howling of the wolves? Can you hear the Lucifer's call? 3. Godforsaken Where is the light and the reason? Where is the mercy of God? Have we been cast to damnation? Have we been banished to dark? They say that the world freezes over They say the The Head Wolf has come Driving his forces to battle Driving his forces to war They await in the twilight They await in the shades They will come for the sinners They will come for our souls Chained in the cellar of vicar Chained by the shackles of Christ A maiden they accuse of witchcraft A maiden they blame for the kills I ask her to place her trust on me I bid her to open her heart For I'll find the light that has flamed out For I'll seek the truth in the night I wander in eternal darkness I wander on forsaken paths I seek for the light that has flamed out I seek for the truth in the night She confides to me; there is something inside Deep in her flesh there's a wound Bullet of lead, caught in her flank Aching there with every move I confide to her; there is craft that I know I could try to pull it away She looks into me with glistening eyes Lines on her brow disappear If hope, once dead, now awakes If hope, once gone, is reborn Deep in this forgotten realm Deep in the shadows that reign Far from the grace of the true God Far from the light of the Christ I wander in eternal darkness I wander on forsaken paths I seek for the light that has flamed out I seek for the truth in the night 4. Lilian Maiden at the lake shore Sunlight's dance on waves Lilies and heathers Sweet scent in the air And her hair is auburn Like the bark on pine In the wind it flutters Blazing in summer breeze I dare not even raise my voice I dare not even move or breathe I see a bare white shoulder A dark mark on her back Shape like a moth's wing Sign of the nightly paths I drift in twilight I stray into the dusk I'm lost in her eyes I drift in twilight I stray into the dusk I'm lost in her eyes And there I tremble before her There I stand without the words Bewitching eyes are staring Piercing right through me Deep into my wishes And deep into my soul I drift in twilight I stray into the dusk I'm lost in her eyes I drift in twilight I stray into the dusk I'm lost in her eyes I drift in twilight I stray into the dusk I'm lost in her eyes I drift in twilight I stray into the dusk I'm lost in her eyes I drift in twilight I stray into the dusk I'm lost in her eyes I drift in twilight I stray into the dusk I'm lost in her eyes 5. Starless Paths Cruel is the winter's might Dreadful the howl of wind Beyond the pathless treks we roam Where the church bells never toll The bloodhounds thrash and moan A raven takes flight and caws Shadows glance behind every tree The forest is watching our way Through this moonless night Through these starless paths We roam For the hunt has begun Deeper we march into the unknown Deeper into the hidden womb of the woods There is no return A lonely hut at the edge of a cliff A lonely hut waits there at the end of the world A house deserted and cold Wind-watcher and healer A woman of might Keeper of the secrets Of worlds above and below Hear how the spirits ride across the nightsky Christ will scour this squalid land Christ will hunt down the heretics and foes So they say Devils lurk among the shadows of the trees Demons wait outside the fences of Lord's church yard They wait for our souls Through this moonless night Through these starless paths We roam For the hunt will go on Enlightenment prevails Over surmise and hate Over pastors and zealots Over gallows and stocks I draw out the lead I stitch her wound Outside in the coldness I'm gasping for air I carried the torch here Brought reason and hope I'm the herald of new dawn Harbinger of light But then there's a scream in the night And flames they rise And winds they blow She's gone Into the dark 6. The Witch Hunter "To great heights has the power of Satan risen in this country The Antichrist is like a wolf on the prowl, hunting the weakest" Foul creatures roam these lands Murderers and blasphemers Devil's work has been done here well Unchastity and heresy Light of the morning star Shines there upon her brow Consort of the Evil One Sorceress of deceit Thou shalt not let the witch live Thou shalt not mock the God's name Thou shalt not let the witch live Thou shalt not mock the God's name All shall fall All our towers break For all shall end If I will fail "Affection and envious neighbors... Were those your words? As if Lucifer didn't have his hand in these acts of horror happening in this country" Final hour to make a stand Final hour to turn the tide Lord's work is to be done here now Retribution of the one true God If my hand won't falter If my will won't hover I will chain this werebeast I will shackle her kin If my faith won't weaken If my heart won't give in I will redeem this land From the Devil's dark maw Thou shalt not let the witch live Thou shalt not mock the God's name Thou shalt not let the witch live Thou shalt not mock the God's name All shall fall All our towers break For all shall end If I will fail Thou shalt not let the witch live Thou shalt not mock the God's name Thou shalt not let the witch live Thou shalt not mock the God's name Thou shalt not let the witch live Thou shalt not mock the God's name Thou shalt not let the witch live Thou shalt not mock the God's name Thou shalt not let the witch live Thou shalt not mock the God's name Thou shalt not let the witch live Thou shalt not mock the God's name 7. The Unrest When the twilight slowly sets upon the land You stand on the front steps, stare at the trees When we wander past the will-o-the-whisps You walk there as if in a dream Stay here by my side Heed not the night's call Stay on the path we chose Wait for our firstborn Hear not the cries in the wind Ward off the darkness Mind not the whispers within The songs of the unrest When the moths waver behind the window pane You lay by my side, wide awake When the child inside you moves and turns You let out a disquiet sigh Stay here in my arms Stay here forever Heed not the voices from dusk The wail in the treetops 8. The Rapids Kosken pauhu korvissani soi... Merciless the break of dawn Desperate this encounter Teeth are out, backs are raised Wolves await in the tree line Darkest mysteries revealed Truth is plain for us to see Bullet in her burning flesh Kept her from turning to beast By the side of the rapids Here on the verge of the fall I make peace with my maker On this icy brink I make peace with my God Everything she ever did Every cut and every bite Every bit of blood spilled Everything was for her child Righteous men who read the law Pious men who use the rod They will never set her free The stake and the fire await The roar of the rapids calling my name The roar of the rapids awaits The end of the path here The end of the trek I redeem this soul of mine May Lord in his mercy forgive my deeds May Lord in his mercy absolve The roar engulfs us Death's embrace I redeem this soul of mine We fall We lunge Still fall To abyss