Amorphis Halo 1. Northwards Ice it shattered into shards Gave away under our feet Many men did lose their lives Taken by Tuonela's river In the blue frost of the night In the icy waters of death Stifled were both wail and whisper Frozen were the living hearts The days they followed each other Nights defended our dreams With the seasons grew our circle And we knew we'd found our place We would start from the beginning Make it with our meager means Crouching, cowering companions Journeying ever northwards Waking in the dead of night My eyes opened in the darkness I saw the sign of the red hand Marking the mouth of a cave On the sordid, stony ground On a field of frozen grass I found my spirit kith and kindred My sisters and my brothers Game is good and plentiful here Happy is the life, the life of man It was not in vain we came Strayed from the silent waters The days they followed each other Nights defended our dreams With the seasons grew our circle And we knew we'd found our place We would start from the beginning Make it with our meager means Crouching, cowering companions Journeying ever northwards 2. On The Dark Waters On the dark waters of Tuonela Sailed a ship hewn out of bone Clambering against the current Swiftly sailing the black waters No water gushed around its fore No trail left behind its aft No oars there were to be seen No sail hoisted on its mast Who did sail that boat of bone Steer the silent ship of death? As it flew and dove And made its way upstream? Waiting at the dark headwaters Were a people sullen, silent Baying for that ship to take Their dead downstream A ship of bone rose from the river Called the dead aboard its deck Through the fiery gates of life It took its silent passengers The black waters of that river Turned to blood, bubbled and boiled As the boat of bone was blazing Dead, dry veins ran red with life Who did sail that boat of bone Steer the silent ship of death? As it flew and dove And made its way upstream? Waiting at the dark headwaters Were a people sullen, silent Baying for that ship to take Their dead downstream Into a dark bend of the river Were cast the nameless unborn On top of a barren outcrop Naked bodies of the elders The dead were squinting their eyes As they once more saw their shadow They were born to a life of tears In the light of a forgotten sun Swiftly on the sable waters Sailed back the boat of bone To the dark waters of Tuonela And the people woke astounded To the dawn of their new life (Tuonela's dark water) Saw the day once more a-breaking (Tuonela's dark water) Knew the night would be descending 3. The Moon On a rock like a tree The one-eyed figure stands Dauntlessly time and again Breaking the salty wave I guard this mountain You circle me in the night If you bow to the eye of stone You'll hear a distant song A story carried by the restless wind Forevermore The subdued silence of your lips It commands only me Unwavering my sinewy frame The cold night it will endure On this towering mountain Your love even higher above If you bow to the eye of stone You'll hear a distant song A story carried by the restless wind Forevermore If you bow to the eye of stone You'll hear a distant song A story carried by the restless wind Forevermore If you bow to the eye of stone You'll hear a distant song A story carried by the restless wind Forevermore You're the moon You are my light You're the moon My guiding light I guard this mountain On a rock like a tree I guard this mountain 4. Windmane I roamed too far with heavy burden Darkness swallowed the road behind me Light ahead faded, I stumbled down Only to loose my heart and give in I took a tin bell from my treasure-pouch Summoned the one blacker than night Fire and calm in its eyes Its mane was flying its fire and spirit Rider, messenger Hurry, go like the wind On the misty meadows of spring On the parched roads of summer On the chequered paths of autumn On winter's snowy trails Its mind the tongue of burning flame Swiftly carries its heavy burden Under its hooves stony ground Touching my heart, its timid strength Its speed the sister of storm and wind Its fearsome might it bestows upon me It takes me home from lands of night From killing fields it delivers me Rider, messenger Hurry, go like the wind On the misty meadows of spring On the parched roads of summer On the chequered paths of autumn On winter's snowy trails Rider, messenger Hurry, go like the wind On the misty meadows of spring On the parched roads of summer On the chequered paths of autumn On winter's snowy trails Its mind the tongue of burning flame Carry me across Its mind the tongue of burning flame The lonely lives of night 5. A New Land We wandered through strange lands Traveling ever northwards Crossing valleys, over mountains To the shores of distant seas As the world grew frozen and pale Flowers withered, grass was dying The thickest trees has lost their leaves Wind brought in the scent of winter In the cold night of the north Our life was lodged by the pole star Showing us the path to follow Hammering down destiny Forever And as dawn shone over the ice The morning star showed us the way To our new homeland Deer were wailing in the woodland Grunting fiercely in their fervor Bears clambered back to their caves Grouses slept under the snow Blackened was the sea a-storming Raging white flew freezing foam As the day sank to the west Moon came out and froze the waters In the cold night of the north Our life was lodged by the pole star Showing us the path to follow Hammering down destiny Forever And as dawn shone over the ice The morning star showed us the way To our new homeland The black-throat divers and the swallows Dove deep down into the waters In the cold night of the north Our life was lodged by the pole star Showing us the path to follow Hammering down destiny Forever And as dawn shone over the ice The morning star showed us the way To our new homeland And as dawn shone over the ice The morning star showed us the way To our new homeland To out new homeland 6. When The Gods Came As worms upon the forest floor Swarming were they and a-stirring Twisting upwards and a-swirling As eagles soaring to the sky With the eyes of dragonflies Ears of eager leather wings On the wings of black-throat divers By the honeyed paws of bears Telling us what it means to be Chanting us into being Came the Gods to our people Told us how a man should be They taught us how to live our lives Came the Gods to our people Chanting us into the world They taught us how to live our lives They lead us to a woodland spring To show us our shining reflection There they attuned our senses And fit us with ability In the winds of the unknown We heard the swan being to sing The stars were our sure guides Dreams showed us the way to go Telling us what it means to be Chanting us into being Came the Gods to our people Told us how a man should be They taught us how to live our lives Came the Gods to our people Chanting us into the world They taught us how to live our lives In the daze of the unknown By the winds of distant heavens Beckoned by the unknown skies By the winds of distant heavens Beckoned by the unknown skies 7. Seven Roads Come Together Stepping out in to the open From the dark paths of the forest You will know why you have traveled Squinting your eyes in the light When the sky arches above you And the wood rustles and sighs You are born into another place Arrive in another time Place your gifts on that stone With a drop of your blood Where seven roads come together Offer a gift of honey Give the fruits of your ghost Where seven roads come together You will see the silent meadow Where seven roads come together Shining calmly like a distant star Where seven roads come together You will see in the crossroads A stone carried by ice Rolled by waters of the past Set in its place by time Place your gifts on that stone With a drop of your blood Where seven roads come together Offer a gift of honey Give the fruits of your ghost Where seven roads come together When the shadows of the forest Have led you astray Remember that you've been in this place When the shadows of the forest Have led you astray Remember that you've been in this place When the sky arches above you And the woods rustle and sighs You are born into another plane Arrive in another time Place your gifts on that stone Where seven roads come together Offer a gift of honey Where seven roads come together Come together Where seven roads come together 8. War Come to me my spirit bird Pull the hair out from my head Peck the eyes from shiny skull Tear the tongue from my mouth Carry me up to the crag Shove me down into the sea Sink me in the swirling eddies Down into the deepest depth Black is my hearth and my home Ravaged my abode All my hopes burnt to cinder Burnt to cinder Black is my hearth and my home Ruined my abode Everything I built in ashes Come as raven, death descending Rob my mind and steal my soul In my best clothing dress yourself Take my place and what is mine Go and fly to lightless lands Soar the skies beneath the ground There you can be as I once were Take my place and what is mine Rambling, rowing, upside down Soar the skies beneath the ground Black is my hearth and my home Ravaged my abode All my hopes burnt to cinder Burnt to cinder Black is my hearth and my home Ruined my abode Everything I build in ashes Black is my hearth Ravaged my abode Black is my hearth Ruined my abode Come as raven, death descending Rob my mind and steal my soul In my best clothing dress yourself Take my place and what is mine Go and fly to lightless lands Soar the skies beneath the ground Black is my hearth and my home Ravaged my abode All my hopes burnt to cinder Burnt to cinder Black is my hearth and my home Ruined my abode Everything I built in ashes 9. Halo The sea rose and fell The waves were crashing Thrashing a piece of wood Against the rocks The surf took it ashore A strange stick I found To pick up and ponder And turn in my hands A white raven's skull Fashioned by time and tide And its gnarly lines Furrowed by stone I put together a halo Out of pieces of amber Carved my own marks With a knife of bone In the middle of the halo I placed the raven's skull Drew wings with charcoal Painted a bird in ash The bird took wing and flew A raven cried in the wind The images washed away by the sea Drawn by daylight's quill Embraced by the woods In the shadow of the twilight A sign lingered in my mind Halo behind my eyes Picture of amber bright Glowing with bronze I put together a halo Out of pieces of amber Carved my own marks With a knife of bone In the middle of the halo I placed the raven's skull Drew wings with charcoal Painted a bird in ash I put together a halo Out of pieces of amber Carved my own marks With a knife of bone In the middle of the halo I placed the raven's skull Drew wings with charcoal Painted a bird in ash 10. The Wolf We wandered with the wolves in pursuit The hunger hot on our heels Scenting our bloody tracks The fear that fails not to smell fear Seemed we had the same direction Following the fleeing deer With fiery eyes watching each other Cautiously circling and stalking Winter's wind it howled and hollered Gently blew the breeze of summer Scudding were the storms of autumn But southerly saw hope a-stirring And howling in the haunted night Sang the wolves of the wild Shadows scurrying in the moonlight Circling us in the darkness Searing fire in our torches With the cold light of the day Fighting them time and again We drove the wolves away Winter's wind it howled and hollered Gently blew the breeze of summer Scudding were the storms of autumn But southerly saw hope a-stirring Bunt came the spring and misty morning Through grey borders of sleep I saw a wolf lie by our cave Seeking me night after night Winter's wind it howled and hollered Gently blew the breeze of summer Scudding were the storms of autumn But southerly saw hope a-stirring We drove the wolves away We drove the wolves away 11. My Name Is Night As the sun is turning crimson I'm closing my eyes I lay down my sword My spear, bow and arrow I lay my head on red earth On dark twigs of spruce On golden grass of meadow On heather and rosemary My name is night My sword has been bent and broken My story's burned to cinder And my life's been sung away My name is night I will roam these mounds I will take care of my own For I'm sent on a journey With my trestles to Tuonela Dressed in my best clothes Lifted on the pyre The sun beyond the sea Sets in wings of fire Stones on top of the hill A pile over high ashes My name is night My sword has been bent and broken My story is burned to cinder My life's been sung away My name is night I will roam these mounds I will take care of my own