ll.

Living in the decadence of our dignity.
When silver waves his hand,
we kneel so eagerly.
Living in the decadence of our dignity.
Where man will take command
we'll sail astray in greed.

Come into my booth and trade.
What about the exclusive bargain
for the day?
I can satisfy all your needs.
Sell your future and you will profit today,
do your deeds.


2. Enter The Glade

Listen to me children
and I will fill your ears
with all the sweet things
you love to hear.
If you are scared of death,
here's eternal life.
If you're down and all alone,
I'll show you a paradise, for you to rejoice.
I'm your wishing well, I'm your only choice.

Enter the glade that I create,
I'll lead you through all sorrows.
Follow the path towards your fate
and I will be your guide.

Bring me all your treasures,
I'll grant you my love.
Buy yourself a dream
or a chance to redeem.
If you look hard
you'll see me in the sky,
reaching out with loving hands
showing you the light, that now is for sale.
Don't you hesitate, but buy yourself a Grail.

Kneel in front of the man who was sent by god,
show your great respect for the chosen one.
Here you have the ticket to immortality,
just how much will you pay for ecstasy?


3. Lament Of A Minstrel

For the moon and the sun
and for the winds I've sung,
hear how the lovely tones dance
upon my tongue.
I've gazed upon the Orion
for oh so many nights,
astounded by the beauty of the dark
and sparkling sky.

I'm a lonely minstrel,
a traveller on a road to nowhere
I sing a song to lighten the day
so come along as I walk away.

The lute's the only friend
I've got by my side,
who's shared by moments
as I laughed and cried.
I comfort my heart
with a jar of wine,
in the memory of love that once was mine.


4. For Life And Liberty

The four hooves echo in the night.
Pictures of deepest fear reflect in your eyes,
like a fire in your soul.
Burst through the forest of the wild.
The full moon beholds from its starlit sky,
this journey without goal.

The hunt twists and turns,
winding through the dark.
The flame of intensity burns
higher and higher and higher.

The hooves are pounding in the dark,
splitting the silence of the night.
Do you smell the cruel desire?
Your paws are pounding with your heart,
pounding for life and liberty
as the steam is rising higher.

Inside the forest oh so deep,
the creatures of the night watch intensively
this hunt that flashes them by.
Will you escape or will you bleed?
The hunter's at your tail, he calls for victory
with hunger in his eyes.

As the welkin embraces his stars
to a shimmering nightly play,
the arch-enemy of man
is once more prey.


5. We Sold Our Homesteads

We sold our homesteads and started on our way
just like the birds will fly when autumn is here to stay.
One day they will return, come spring again that's when.
But we will never see our native country again.

At first we travelled through the English countryside
on tracks and on wagons as quickly as birds would fly.
It was a lovely sight to see the land at last
but all the glorious sights kept flashing by too fast.

And later when we came to Liverpuddlian bay
the tears of regret finally started to have their say.
The hearts then started burning in each and everyone
we only talked of Sweden that used to be our home.

We all were packed together in one unhealthy cave
it was as if we'd stepped into an open grave.
The food that we had brought from blessed Swedish land
was suddenly forbidden and taken from our hand.

And when we had been sailing for just a week or two
a horrid kind of darkness was clouding our view.
We couldn't see each other and hardly breathe or walk
it was a gruesome anguish for all people aboard.

The air was filled with hunger and drenched in wretched cries,
the howling and the noises would pierce right through the skies
and death became the ruler that forces us to our knees.
The dead were buried in the horrid fathom of the seas.


6. The Clarion Call

All our visions of sweet tomorrow
is cracking and fading away.
Hopes of glory are drowned in sorrow
this dissension expels us to yesterday.

Lead your troops into your lust of pride
they'll fight so brave at heart.
Or cast the yoke of envy aside
and keep the land from falling apart.

Do you hear the clarion call,
it's calling out to one and all.
Who will live and who will fall,
who will walk the golden hall.
Do you hear the clarion call,
it's calling out to one and all.
Who is right and who is wrong,
whose side is god really on.

What are the alliances and treaties for
as pretenders yet look to the sky.
All the trumpets will sound once more
and victory will be given another try.

Do you hear the clarion call,
it's calling out to one and all.
Our blood must be spilled
so the nobles' visions can be fulfilled.

The night harvests our land
while the dissidents reach for their dreams.
The nations' split by false hands
while their prize slowly vaporize
into a steam that escape their eyes.
A fool is he who cannot foresee,
hell is what this, our land will be.
Yes hell what is this, our land will be.

Do you hear the clarion call,
it's calling out to one and all.
Which side will finally prevail,
while the other side will fail.

How many pretenders can we endure?
The land is bleeding, so not many more.
Who may better the royal sceptre sway?
Questions, questions,
you'll see at the end of the day.


7. Portals Of Light

I sit here by your side
and weep you goodbye,
I'm singing songs of sorrow for you
true gentle rose of mine.
Upon my arm I've tied a ribbon in black
although I know too well that this
will not ever bring you back.

I feel so astray inside
as I know you're far away.
Let my love shine and be your guide
on your way towards the portals of light.

A lonely candle burns for you my only love,
meanwhile you roam the clouds among
heaven's angels high above.
What is there left to live for
as you've gone away?
Hope's lost forevermore,
I'll mourn you 'till the end of days.

Hear, my love,
hear my cry of deepest grief
as I weep for you eternally.
Praying for your soul
and for light and for relief
as I shed your tears of misery.


8. Stand In Veneration

Look in consternation as storms tear up the sea,
raging down upon us with greatest might.
Gathering the power from above the clouds,
blackening the sun away from sight.

Gaze in frustration as ground becomes a void,
forcing you towards the jaws of sand.
Your power is now shaken to its foundation,
across every acre of your land.

Fall to the ground after climbing so high,
fall to your knees and yield for the sky.
As the primordial powers unveil,
from beyond time, nature prevails.
You can only stand in veneration.

Stare in astonishment as earth spits
out its core,
covering your land in a burning wave.
Run for cover if you can
and save what can be saved,
or the wave will become your grave.

Behold in amazement, inferiously you stand.
The air becomes a fire right before your eyes.
The sparkling flame of envy is setting you alight,
as mother nature cracks the sky.


9. Busted To The Floor

There are too many stones
and life is just made of glass.
Mark the words of the fool
he will tell you the truth, oh so cruel.

You say and I will believe
although I stumble and fall.
Deceived by my own eyes.
Trust is a gamble with pain, roll the dice!

Give my your confidence
and I'll lock the door.
Offer me the same
and I'll be busted to the floor.

Take a walk upon the ice
or ride the light of day.
Dance with flames of fire,
you will burn with the words, of the liar.


10. En Kungens Man

[Japanese Bonus Track]

[Swedish Traditional]

Maria gҐr pҐ v¤gen, som leder ner till byn.
Hon sjunger och hon skrattar, Ґt l¤rkorna i skyn.
Hon e pҐ v¤g till torget fжr att s¤lja lite brжd.
Och solen stiger varm och stor, och f¤rgar himlen rжd.

DҐ mжter hon en herre, pҐen h¤st med yvig man.
Han s¤ger "Jag e kungens man, sҐ jag tar vad jag vill ha.
Och du e allt fжr vacker, fжr att inte ha nҐn man.
Fжjl med mig in i skogen ska jag visa vad jag kan".

Hon tvingas ner i gr¤set, och han tar pҐ hennes kropp.
Hon slingrar sig och ber honom, fжr guds skull hҐlla upp.
Men riddarn bara skrattar, berusad av sin glжd.
SҐ hon tar hans kniv och stжter till, Och riddaren e dжd!

Dom f¤ngslade Maria. Hon stenades fжr drҐp.
Men minnet efter riddaren, blev firat varje Ґr.
Jag herrarna blir hj¤ltar, men folket det blir dжmt.
Och vi som ser hur allt gҐtt till, fҐr veta att vi drжmt!

[English Translation by Mathias Blad]

Maria walks down the road to the village,
She sings and laughs at the larks in the sky.
She's on her way to the marketplace to sell some bread,
And the sun is rising, warm and big, and colours the sky red.

Then she meets a nobleman on a horse with a bushy mane.
He say's: I'm the king's man so I take what I want
And you are far too beautiful not to have a man,
Come with me into the woods and I'll show you what I can!

She's forced down in the grass and he touches her body.
She tries to get away and asks him for the love of god to stop
But the knight just laughs, intoxicated by his own glow.
So she grabs his knife and gives it a push and the knight is dead.

They put Maria in prison, and she was stoned to death for manslaughter
But the memory of the knight was celebrated each year.
Yes, the noblemen become heroes but ordinary people is being condemned
And we who see how it all really is learns that we've been dreaming!