Tales from the Kingdom of Fife is the debut album by symphonic power metal band Gloryhammer. It was released on 29 March, 2013 in Europe.
Story
In a fantasy version of 10th-century Scotland, as previously foretold by Anstruther (“Anstruther’s Dark Prophecy”), the evil wizard Zargothrax invades and conquers Dundee with an army of corrupted undead unicorns (“The Unicorn Invasion of Dundee”), kidnapping the princess Iona McDougall. The prince of the Kingdom of Fife, Angus McFife, swears revenge (“Angus McFife”).
In a dream, he has a vision of three artifacts that will allow him to defeat Zargothrax, and sets off on a quest to acquire them. McFife first battles north fighting with goblins and trolls to obtain a magical Hammer of Glory (“Quest for the Hammer of Glory,”). Then he travels to Strathclyde and defeats the golden Magic Dragon, making it his ally and steed. (“Magic Dragon”).
Inspired by memories of his wife, Iona McDougall, who is imprisoned by Zargothrax in a frozen castle in a prison of ice (“Silent Tears of Frozen Princess,”) Angus rides his dragon to the lake of Loch Rannoch and retrieves the Amulet of Justice from its depths (“Amulet of Justice”), completing his quest for the three artifacts.
Allying with the powerful Knights of Crail under Ser Proletius (“Hail to Crail”), Angus McFife travels through Cowdenbeath (“Beneath Cowdenbeath”) to confront Zargothrax in his stronghold. As the Knights battle the wizard’s forces in the fields of Dunfermline, McFife and the mighty barbarian warrior of Unst known as The Hootsman, who heard Angus's call and come to support him sneak into the castle through dwarven tunnels, led by the mysterious hermit Ralathor (“The Epic Rage of Furious Thunder”).
Meeting Zargothrax in single combat, Angus McFife defeats the wizard and traps his immortal body in a frozen pool of liquid ice. He then uses the Amulet of Justice to free the princess and the unicorns, restoring balance to the Kingdom of Fife.
Track Listing
All music and lyrics by Gloryhammer.
Standard Edition
| No. |
Title |
Length
|
| 1. |
"Anstruther's Dark Prophecy" |
1:27
|
| 2. |
"The Unicorn Invasion of Dundee" |
4:26
|
| 3. |
"Angus McFife" |
3:28
|
| 4. |
"Quest for the Hammer of Glory" |
5:38
|
| 5. |
"Magic Dragon" |
5:28
|
| 6. |
"Silent Tears of Frozen Princess" |
5:34
|
| 7. |
"Amulet of Justice" |
4:27
|
| 8. |
"Hail to Crail" |
4:43
|
| 9. |
"Beneath Cowdenbeath" |
2:29
|
| 10. |
"The Epic Rage of Furious Thunder" |
10:28
|
| 11.
|
"Wizards!" (Bonus Track)
|
2:22
|
Personnel
Additional Musicians
| Female Vocals |
Voices |
Choir Vocals
|
| Iona McDougall |
|
|
| Marie Lorey |
Dominic Sewell Community Choir |
Brendan Casey
|
Production
| Production, Engineering, Mixing, Mastering, Choir Vocals |
Artwork, Layout |
Photography |
Orchestral Arrangements
|
| Lasse Lammert |
Dan Goldsworthy |
Steve Brown |
Amy Turk
|
Charts
| Chart (2013) |
Peak Position
|
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[1] |
151
|
Songs
Anstruther's Dark Prophecy
| Lyrics
|
|
The prophecy is written... Dundee will fall!
|
Unicorn Invasion of Dundee
| Lyrics
|
|
The unicorn invasion of Dundee
They came with the first light of dawn
Setting their sights on Dundee
Led by the sorcerer Zargothrax
Slaying all people he sees
They ride to war on once noble beasts
Corrupted by wizard spell
The unicorns used to be good
Now they are forced to serve hell
Down from the mountains
And across the river Tay
An army of undead unicorns
Are riding into the fray
Fireballs and lightning are raining from the sky
Chaos and bloodshed while all the people die
In this epic battle begins the final war
Tragedy will strike this day, prepare thee for
The unicorn invasion of Dundee
The townspeople had little hope
They were not ready for war
Fireballs make everybody die
And buildings collapse to the floor
The beautiful princess was raped
And taken to prison with cry
Angus McFife swears a mighty oath
"I will make Zargothrax die!"
The forces of darkness
Are invading proud Dundee
There must find a hero
To save its destiny
Fireballs and lightning are raining from the sky
Chaos and bloodshed while all the people die
In this epic battle begins the final war
Tragedy will strike this day, prepare thee for
The unicorn invasion of Dundee
And an ominous shadow fell over the battlefield as the evil wizard Zargothrax rode into the once mighty city of Dundee atop an undead unicorn of war to enthrone himself as its new dark master!
Down from the mountains
And across the river Tay
An army of undead unicorns
Are riding into the fray
Fireballs and lightning are raining from the sky
Chaos and bloodshed while all the people die
Fireballs and lightning are raining from the sky
Chaos and bloodshed while all the people die
In this epic battle begins the final war
Tragedy will strike this day, prepare thee for
The unicorn invasion of Dundee
Dundee
|
Angus McFife
| Lyrics
|
|
He is the prince of the land of Fife
Noble and true with a heart of steel
Now it is lost, vengeance shall be his
Angus McFife is his name
Across the wasteland, I ride upon swift steed
Behind me lies the burning ruins of Dundee
No turning back now, my journey lies ahead
I won't give up until the sorcerer is dead
A raging hero with a destiny of steel
With glory overcomes a mighty quest concealed
He is the prince of the land of Fife
Noble and true with a heart of steel
Now it is lost vengeance shall be his
Angus McFife is his name
He is the prince of the land of Fife
Noble and true with a heart of steel
Now it is lost vengeance shall be his
Angus McFife is his name
In ancient castle, frozen for all time
Inside the dungeons my beloved waits to die
Ride fast for vengeance, but I must find a way
The force of unicorns makes Zargothrax fight great
Power of the sorcerer too great to be controlled
Glenrothes trees will heal the torment in my soul
He is the prince of the land of Fife
Noble and true with a heart of steel
Now it is lost vengeance shall be his
Angus McFife is his name
He is the prince of the land of Fife
Noble and true with a heart of steel
Now it is lost vengeance shall be his
Angus McFife is his name
He is the prince of the land of Fife
Noble and true with a heart of steel
Now it is lost vengeance shall be his
Angus McFife is his name
He is the prince of the land of Fife
Noble and true with a heart of steel
Now it is lost vengeance shall be his
Angus McFife is his name
|
| Lore
|
|
And so the brave hero Angus McFife set out on an epic quest to free the lands of Fife and rescue the beautiful Princess Iona McDougall. One baleful night, he stopped to rest in the woods near Glenrothes, and in his sleep a vision came to him. He saw himself, riding into battle atop a great Golden Dragon, wielding a huge enchanted hammer of war, with a strange glowing amulet around his neck. He knew that only by the power of these three artefacts, could he ever defeat Zargothrax. And so, his quest begins... FOR THE GLORY OF DUNDEE !
|
Quest for the Hammer of Glory
| Lyrics
|
|
Ride! To the farway mountains
Fight! Many goblins and trolls
Quest! For the hammer of glory
The snow keeps on falling
As I ride to the north
I set out on a journey so far
Have been on my way thenceforth
My armour and weapons
Now covered with ice
Many battle have they seen
But onwards I must strive
To defeat the foes of Dundee
I must have a weapon of ultimate steel
Ride! To the farway mountains
Fight! Many goblins and trolls
Quest! For the hammer of glory
To wield the power to slay all your foes
My mission is simple
My purpose is clear
In a cave on a mountain up high
There lies a mystical shrine
If a warrior quests there
With a heart pure of steel
The gods will grant unto him
A weapon that shall be revealed
The Hammer of Glory it's called
Passed down by heroes from centuries old
The shrine lies before me now
The hammer in sight
I raise it up to the heavens above
And I hail the king
Ride! To the farway mountains
Fight! Many goblins and trolls
Quest! For the hammer of glory
Ride! To the farway mountains
Fight! Many goblins and trolls
Quest! For the hammer of glory
To wield the power to slay all your foes
Ride! To the farway mountains
Fight! Many goblins and trolls
Quest! For the hammer of glory
To wield the power to slay all your foes
|
Magic Dragon
| Lyrics
|
|
Riding my steel into faraway lands
Searching for dragon to claim back the throne
Into the forests of deepest Strathclyde
Where time no centuries has been foretold
A mighty warrior
Questing to valleys unknown
A village of wizards revealed my the way
They saw it by scrying a magical ball
Enchanted chamber with mirror and fire
Defeat it and dragon would be the reward
To be the chosen one
A hero must rise to the test
Magic dragon
Casting a spell on the mountains
Covering wizards in glory
Flying through majestic skies
Searching for mighty powers
To defeat ultimate evil
Ride on the wings of a dragon
Flying through majestic skies
Questing for the steel
Demon attacked me but then it was slain
The dragon appeared and a battle was fight
I spoke from the words of a powerful scroll
And magical dragon became now allied
Mighty and glorious
He flies through the emerald skies
Magic dragon
Casting a spell on the mountains
Covering wizards in glory
Flying through majestic skies
Searching for mighty powers
To defeat ultimate evil
Ride on the wings of a dragon
Flying through majestic skies
Questing for the steel
Mighty and glorious
He flies through the emerald skies
Magic dragon
Casting a spell on the mountains
Covering wizards in glory
Flying through majestic skies
Searching for mighty powers
To defeat ultimate evil
Ride on the wings of a dragon
Flying through majestic skies
Questing for
Magic dragon
Casting a spell on the mountains
Covering wizards in glory
Flying through majestic skies
Searching for mighty powers
To defeat ultimate evil
Ride on the wings of a dragon
Flying through majestic skies
Questing for the steel
|
Silent Tears of Frozen Princess
| Lyrics
|
|
Sometimes I seem to drown in woe
But there is a hope
Glooming inside my heart alone
When I think of you
Remembering bygone days
And your silvery laugh
It will not resound again
Caught in a shroud of ice
But I will not cease
Seeking for you
Frozen princess in this land of fears
Your mighty kingdom has fallen
I see the glitter of your silent tears
Afar in the wuthering dark
Every night I feel you're near
Vivid memories
They dance within my reach
And still are so far from here
Your angelic grace shall be ablaze
With lights again
My hammer may break the spell
Before the last hope dies
My path carries on
Seeking for you
My forces conspire
To bring back the warmth of your smile
My heart set on fire
It will burn down your prison of cold
It's burning for you
Frozen princess in this land of fears
Your mighty kingdom has fallen
I see the glitter of your silent tears
Afar in the wuthering dark
Frozen princess in this land of fears
Your mighty kingdom has fallen
I see the glitter of your silent tears
Afar in the wuthering dark
|
Amulet of Justice
| Lyrics
|
|
Now I am mounting dragon, girdled by a golden gleam
To search for the last artifact I saw in my dream
A thousand legends twine around the mystery
How to find the periapt that sets the spellbound free
Power of the universe
Will guide me the way
My hammer I hold up high
So I proclaim
Amulet of Justice
Your destiny awaits
In a land now reigned in shadow
By a wizard full of hate
I will ride across the highland
I will sail across the seas
The one and only hope for Fife
Your mystic legacy
At the bottom of Loch Rannoch there is lying deep below
A necklace made of pure silk, with a gem as white as snow
I dive into the dark to avert calamity
Brought by evil wizard over beloved Dundee
Power of the universe
Will guide me the way
Through worlds man has never seen
Lone and arcane
Powers of the universe
Have shown me the way
Now I have the amulet
The kingdom I'll save
Amulet of Justice
Your destiny awaits
In a land now reigned in shadow
By a wizard full of hate
Amulet of Justice
Your destiny awaits
In a land now reigned in shadow
By a wizard full of hate
I will ride across the highland
I will sail across the seas
The one and only hope for Fife
Your mystic legacy
Quest complete!
|
Hail to Crail
| Lyrics
|
|
Far to the east, where the land meets the sea
There lies a majestic town
Crail is its name, shrouded in fame
Jewel in Fife's noble crown
Here, every day, the warriors train
In the art of epic fights
Riding on eagles, questing so true
A legion of powerful knights
Emblazoned 'cross the sky
Hear the kingdom cry
HAIL! TO CRAIL!
Mightiest warriors in the land
HAIL! TO CRAIL!
Ready to fight with a sword in hand
HAIL! TO CRAIL!
Mightiest warriors in the land
HAIL! TO CRAIL!
Ready to fight with a sword in hand
Fighting battles every day
This is why we say
HAIL! TO CRAIL!
In the battle of Cowdenbeath
Their steel did win the day
Knights of Crail with banners high
Riding hard into the fray
Once, in the siege of far-off Dunkeld
Defeat of the town was nigh
But then came the knights, the warriors of Crail
And all of their foes did die
They've never lost a fight
So we proclaim tonight
HAIL! TO CRAIL!
Mightiest warriors in the land
HAIL! TO CRAIL!
Ready to fight with a sword in hand
HAIL! TO CRAIL!
Mightiest warriors in the land
HAIL! TO CRAIL!
Ready to fight with a sword in hand
Fighting battles every day
This is why we say
HAIL! TO CRAIL!
Emblazoned 'cross the sky
Hear the kingdom cry
HAIL! TO CRAIL!
Mightiest warriors in the land
HAIL! TO CRAIL!
Ready to fight with a sword in hand
HAIL! TO CRAIL!
Mightiest warriors in the land
HAIL! TO CRAIL!
Ready to fight with a sword in hand
Fighting battles every day
This is why we say
HAIL! TO CRAIL!
|
Beneath Cowdenbeath
| Lore Text
|
|
Tell me traveller, do you know what lurks beneath... Cowdenbeath?
|
The Epic Rage of Furious Thunder
| Lyrics
|
|
Dundee! Mighty city on the
Banks of the silv'ry Tay
Your sacrifice will always be
Remembered that fateful day
But now that the time has
Come to regain our fallen pride
We march to war with an army
Of eagles by our side
Oh Dundee
Swiftly across the sapphire sky
The magic dragon flies
Angus McFife is atop his back
Hear the battlecry!
Down below, the knights of Crail
Have rallied to the cause
The hammer of glory is their guide
A great majestic force
The final battle has begun
For freedom and Dundee
Oh brave chivistic rainbow
Give me strength of angelic might!
Far from the north a hero comes
His armour made from wolf
He heard the call the defend his king
The barbarian warrior of Unst!
Now at the side of lord McFife
Across the land they ride
He know the way to the citadel
Where Zargothrax must hide
Many evils guard the way
The castles has great might
In the epic rage of furious thunder
Legends create their tales
When the twilight calls and the dark lord falls
Our glory will prevail
The tower is high and mighty
We cannot climb the walls
We must find our way through the secret
Tunnels of the dwarves
Through the ancient tunnels, the warriors make way
Into a darkened cavern beneath the fortress great
Led by a hermit, Relathor his name
The way to the castle his secret to betray
Mighty unicorn, that flies in the sky
Touch the universe with your wings and hail the king
Now in the fields of Dunfermline
An epic war is fight
The knights of Crail make evil die
Bring glory for the light
Meanwhile inside the citadel
McFife has found the way
Facing to face with Zargothrax
And single combat waged
The evil wizard falls to doom
And drowns in liquid ice
In the epic rage of furious thunder
Legends create their tales
When the twilight calls and the dark lord falls
Our glory will prevail
In the epic rage of furious thunder
Legends create their tales
When the twilight calls and the dark lord falls
Our glory will prevail
Glory will prevail
Glory will prevail!
And it came to pass that Zargothrax was cast into the frozen pool of liquid ice, encasing his immortal body in a cage of eternal frost. Atop the crystal spire of the ancient citadel, the valiant hero Angus McFife held aloft the Amulet of Justice. Channeling the power of the light, its mysterious ancient force freed the unicorns from their spell of undeath, and awoke the princess Iona McDougall from her frozen slumber, restoring cosmic balance to the lands of Dundee...for the stronger we our houses do build, the less chance we have of being killed.
|
Wizards!
| Lyrics
|
|
High in the Cairngorm Mountains
An ancient war still burns
A magical missile shoots and fireball explodes
These are the spells of the wizards
Fighting the demon horde
A secret battle for eternity
Wiiiiiizaaaards!
Ancient and powerful keepers of chaos
Wiiiiiizaaaards!
Casting their magic over the mountains
Wiiiiiizaaaards!
Brewing a potion in the dark tower
Wiiiiiizaaaards!
Guardians of time
Far from the past they travelled
In to the future they see
The crystal ball reveals all history
They see the coming battle
Across the galaxy
Where evil and good collide in a final war of steel
Wiiiiiizaaaards!
Ancient and powerful keepers of chaos
Wiiiiiizaaaards!
Casting their magic over the mountains
Wiiiiiizaaaards!
Brewing a potion in the dark tower
Wiiiiiizaaaards!
Guardians of time
Wiiiiiizaaaards!
Ancient and powerful keepers of chaos
Wiiiiiizaaaards!
Casting their magic over the mountains
Wiiiiiizaaaards!
Brewing a potion in the dark tower
Wiiiiiizaaaards!
Guardians of time
|
Gallery
First three images are from a set of images posted to the Gloryhammer Facebook account to promote the then upcoming album.
Trivia
- "Amulet of Justice" was originally a Battleheart (Alestorm) song called "Walk the Plank", but it was "a bit too euro powermetal-ish"[2]
- An acoustic/unplugged session from 2014(?) featured several acoustic versions of tracks off of this album. It may have also involved a kazoo.[3]
References
