Track By Tracks: Iron Kingdom - The Blood Of Creation (2022)

The album as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY)

This album is quite dark topically, the lyrics speak of war, fear, sacrifice and pain, and the music although very classical and explorative also has some very evil moments throughout. We were in a dark place due to the pandemic and the music reflects some of those emotions.

Track by Track explained (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY)

1. Tides Of Desolation – (Instrumental):

This intro tune has a Tribal like feel to it. The first song of the trilogy within this album tells of the beginnings of the ancient Mesopotamian creation myth and the creation of the gods. This song is best explained by this quoted source: “In the beginning, there was only undifferentiated water swirling in chaos. Out of this swirl, the waters divided into sweet, fresh water, known as the god Apsu, and salty bitter water, the goddess Tiamat.” World History Archive http://www.worldhistroy.org

2. Sheathe The Sword:

Based on the Wheel of Time character Lan Mandoragon. The title Sheathe the Sword refers to a sword move in which you willingly accept your opponent’s sword into your body in order to inflict a killing blow. Lan is the uncrowned king of a lost and scattered kingdom and is highly respected by neighboring kingdoms who recognize him as the Battle lord of the borderlands. Musically this song is a speedy, driving power metal tune in the vein of early Hammerfall.

3. Queen Of The Crystal Throne:

A Song about a dark seductress: cold, aloof, and dangerous, you show interest at your own peril. Musically: this song is a powerful mid-tempo rocker, with hints of early Queensrÿche or Accept.

4. Hunter And Prey:

Telling the historic tale of Simo Häyhä, a Finnish hunter, farmer, and sniper who played a large role in the Winter War with Russia (November 1939 – March 1940) Simo had over 500 confirmed kills in the conflict and earned the nickname ‘White Death’. Musically this song takes on a speedy Power Metal feel not unlike something Stratovarious or Sonata Arctica may have done in some of their earlier pieces.

5. Witching Hour:

The shifting darkness in the corner of your eye and all the things that go bump in the night. Is it there? Is it real? There are more things in Heaven and Earth than are dreamt of… Musically this song has some evil almost Black Sabbath vibes from around the Tony Martin era, with some melodies even hinting towards Gamma Ray.

6. In The Grip Of Nightmares:

This song is about the sword Stormbringer from the Michael Moorcock book Elric of Melnibonè Series. The sword ‘consumes’ the souls of those who it strikes down and feeds the energy into Elric, who needs it to survive. The two are bound together by fate. Stormbringer has sentience to it and ‘shrieks’ as it cuts down foes. Musically this song is relatively progressive, I’d say it has some Helloween and Fates Warning like feelings. It is quite fast and driving, but also quite melodic with lots of leads and solos.

7. Primordial – (Instrumental):

This instrumental is the second installment of the Ancient Sumerian creation tale of Marduk and Tiamat. One of the oldest known stories of mankind. Following from the beginnings of ‘Tides Of Desolation’ this song speaks of the beginning of time, and the calm before the storm that is about, to begin with, the epic ‘The Blood Of Creation’.

8. The Blood Of Creation:

Telling the tale of the Mesopotamian creation myth: the gods are created in the beginning by Tiamat and Apsu her partner. Gods kill Tiamat’s partner Apsu. Tiamat becomes a dragon and creates a demon army. Marduk defends the remaining gods and defeats Tiamat in her dragon form along with the demon army. The god Anke uses the dragon’s corpse to create the heavens and the earth. The blood of the demons is used to create humanity. Musically this is a 13+ minute epic tale with twists and turns, and epic musical passages that take you beyond this world. Leaving you at the end in contemplation as the acoustical passages slowly fade into the abyss