Sword's Song

Sword's Song
Cover art by Ted Nasmith
Studio album by Battlelore
Released	July 22, 2003
Recorded	Music Bros Studios, Imatra, Finland, December 2002–March 2003
Genre	Gothic metal, symphonic metal, progressive metal
Length	42:57
Label	Napalm
Producer	Miitri Aaltonen, Battlelore, Eric Zacharias
Battlelore chronology
...Where the Shadows Lie (2002) Sword's Song (2003) Third Age of the Sun (2005)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Sputnikmusic	[1]
Metal Storm	(6.5/10)[2]
The Metal Crypt	[3]

Sword's Song is the second studio album released by the Finnish heavy metal band Battlelore, released in 2003. As with all of the band's other albums, the lyrics are based on J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth sagas. Sword's Song's music and lyrics are essentially similar to those of their debut album, but in the opinion of most reviewers and fans showed an improvement in both strength of the material and quality of the performances.

The album was the last to feature original vocalist Patrik Mennander and bass player Miika Kokkola and, as a result, following releases saw a noticeable change in the sound of Battlelore.

Track listing

All music by Battlelore, all lyrics by Jyri Vahvanen.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Sons of Riddermark"	04:06
2.	"Sword's Song"	04:08
3.	"The Mark of the Bear"	04:27
4.	"Buccaneers Inn"	03:54
5.	"Attack of the Orcs"	03:13
6.	"Dragonslayer"	03:30
7.	"Khazad-Dûm Pt.2 (Silent Caverns)"	04:08
8.	"Horns of Gondor" (instrumental)	03:52
9.	"The War of Wrath"	03:57
10.	"Forked Height"	03:18
11.	"Starlight Kingdom"	04:24
12.	"The Curse of the Kings" (digipack edition bonus track)	03:57
Total length:		46:54

Credits

Band members

• Kaisa Jouhki - vocals
• Patrik Mennander - vocals
• Jussi Rautio - guitar
• Jyri Vahvanen - guitar
• Miika Kokkola - bass
• Henri Vahvanen - drums
• Maria Honkanen- keyboards

Production

• Miitri Aaltonen - producer, engineer, mixing
• Eric Zacharias - pre-production, additional synthesizer arrangements
• Pauli Saastamoinen - mastering at Finnvox Studios

Lyrical references

• "Sons of Riddermark" deals with the history of the Éothéod.
• "The Mark of the Bear" is about the Beornings.
• "Buccaneers Inn" deals with the Black Númenóreans.
• "Attack of the Orcs" is about the Orken hordes in the Third Age.
• "Dragonslayer" is based on the story of Túrin Turambar.
• "Khazad-Dûm Pt. 2 (Silent Caverns)" deals with the invasion of Moria.
• "The War of Wrath" is based on the War of Wrath.
• "Forked Height" deals with the tower of Orthanc.
• "The Curse of the Kings" is about the Nazgûl.
• "Starlight Kingdom" is about the city of Gondolin.

References

1. "Battlelore Sword's Song". Sputnikmusic. 12 December 2005. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
2. "Battlelore - Sword's Song review". Metal Storm. 6 August 2009. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
3. Batteiger, Paul. "Battlelore - Sword's Song". The Metal Crypt.com. Retrieved 2012-05-31.

External links

• Battlelore Official Homepage