Mörkrets tid lyrics

Mörkrets tid – Time of Darkness
Last song on Svavelvinter's full-length-album Mörkrets Tid.
English lyrics translation and explanations below.
Album available at Dimout Production.
Link to video (soon)

Mörkrets tid is a memento mori – a reminder that we all are mortal. It is is sung by a victorious mercenary standing in the carnage after battle. He triumphantly sings to his dead enemies, but also knows that he may be among the fallen next time.


Swedish lyrics

Till jorden vi kommit, mot hädan vi går

den ene i sjukdom, den andre med sår

Rinner i grälla strömmar 

från kullens hjässa till jordefoten

det ska brinna i mina drömmar 

från svärdets vässade egg mot roten

det kryper längs lädren 

i skorna som jag har burit

det dryper i klädren 

på offren som jag har skurit

Blodet som levde

nu levrar det sig i kroppar

på krakar som fruktade döden 

och fruktade mig.

Döden vi skänkte

snart skänkts den åt oss

Jägarn blir jagad

då slocknar i natten hans irrande bloss

Sprättar med vässat stål 

alla era kuddar och era sömmar

Jag avrättar, tar nu kål på din häst

din hund liksom dina drömmar

Silver jag söker att vandla till vackert vin

Vi ska supa som svin 

för att glömma bort alla tömda

Vi gångar åt jorden

Vi svävar åt sky

Snart dricker vi dammet 

och äter den dy

på vilken vi vandrat

vår saga är all

när döden oss kallar

vår drottning – o Ereshkigál

De rosor som stod i blom 

ligger alla brutna av vapenslakten

Vi har krossat med krigets dom 

och med våra spjut hägnat hela trakten

Ni dog för er tro

inga böner ni längre hinner

Vi tog era bon 

all er lön, alla era kvinnor

English lyrics

To the earth we came to the yonder we go

some in sickness, others by wounds

Pouring in glaring rivulets 

from head to earthly foot

it will burn in my dreams 

from sword’s edge to the root

it crawls in the leathers 

of shoes that I’ve worn

it flows in the clothes 

of victims I’ve torn

The blood that lived

now clots in bodies

of weaklings that feared death 

and feared me

The death we gave them 

soon will be given to us

The hunter turns to pray 

as the flame of his soul perishes

My sharp steel 

will gut all your pillows and seams

I butcher your horse 

your dog, and your dreams

Your silver I gladly transform into wine

We seek sweet oblivion 

by drinking as swine

We walk towards earth

We soar towards sky

Soon we drink the dust 

and eat the mud

on which we walked

our story comes to an end

when death calls us

our queen – oh Ereshkigál

The roses that blossomed 

all lie broken by our weapons

We crushed with decree of war 

and fenced off the lands with our spears

You died for your faith

no time for prayers

We took your dwellings 

your pay, and your women

# # #

Ereshkigál is the death goddess in Sumerian mythology. The pantheon in the Trachorian fantasy setting is mostly borrowed from Mesopotamia.

This song is actually mentioned in the novels as the masterpiece of undead bard Shopachinka. It originally had the title ”Gúttura från ett rykande slagfält” – ”Gúttura from a smoking carnage”, which was considered too wierd.

I'm pretty satisfied with the lyrics of this song since there's a lot of nordic-style allitteration and also four-syllable-rhymes between (Swedish) lines.