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Valkyrie (24 bit​​​/​​​44​.​1khz Hi​​​-​​​Res Edition)

by Glass Hammer

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1.
THE FIELDS WE KNOW Long years ago I traveled Upon a road that led me To fields of battle far from home And that is where you’ll find me Though I don’t know why They say the war is over They say we are at peace now They say I should be heading home But I have lost my way now Though I try and try At the end of a winding lane Where sunlight paints the meadows Where winter seems a distant memory There is a safe, familiar home The table’s set, the bed is turned And standing there, the girl I long to see She waits for me Do not cry for me my friends I’m not among the fallen I’ve got some scars as you can see But I’m alive as any man could be I won’t complain I climb down in the trenches still Or walk the battered roadsides I search for relics of the war In craters on the hillsides Where my friends were slain At the end of a winding lane Where sunlight paints the meadows And every tree is etched in memory My home is over there you see And one day I will find it And see again those smiles that used to be Only for me The grass is growing green upon the fields The sun, a shining glory in the sky But I went dark, and I’ll be having none of that And so the days wear on, and so the days wear on
2.
Golden Days 06:20
GOLDEN DAYS He debated one idea the morning through Were his memories of childhood even true? He believed that good resides in every heart Now it seems that man’s been rotten from the start Those were the golden days The sun shone down on fields of green Within the heart of summer there is life He took her love and all that it implied He sought to pull her close unto his side Then the sound of singing turned them both around And it broke the spell that surely held them bound Those were the golden days And now they seem so far away They ran to see whose singing they had heard There were soldiers on the road And they sang as they marched to war For a darkness had fallen ‘pon a bleak And distant shore I had thought that there was beauty everywhere But they told me there were monsters over there Death and evil was set loose upon the earth All good men must someday rise and show their worth He remembers the tears as he left her standing there He dreams of her now and a love beyond compare There was sorrow on her face as he marched away to war Though he lies now in ruins he’ll love her forevermore
3.
NO MAN’S LAND The orders came at two a.m. At dawn the first wave would advance As prayers were said the notions fled Of honor, glory and romance By three o’clock their guns were firing hot Unleashing hell upon their foe At four fifteen he joined the line And waited in the snow At five we checked our gear again The morning sun was rising then  I called on God but found no words to say I felt alone and terrified Though somehow, somewhere deep inside I found the strength to face that awful day At last the call came to advance So up and over they all climbed A cry went out from three thousand men Whose destinies were surely entwined He should be running down the winding lane Toward the home he left behind But now he’s charging toward uncertainty And all goes dark within his mind There is a girl who waits for me Whose smiling face I faintly see Her hair was all of gold and blue her eyes If I could find my way back home I’d swear that never more I’d roam These fields that roll ‘neath dark and angry skies The day wears on and yet we fight The killing goes through the night And all we gain is a bloody patch of ground I’m wounded yet somehow I’m alive I’ve seen such things, I doubt I’ll survive Now I’m so lost I doubt I’ll ever be found Dark Angel of Woe comes a’knocking, I foolishly let him in He gave me a lock for my heart in trade for all the light within I offered him more if only he’d show me one vision of you One cannot bargain - with evil
4.
Nexus Girl 02:58
5.
Valkyrie 05:54
VALKYRIE I lay down my head and I dreamed of you I’ve fought to remember the whole day through The dream that smiles today, then, tomorrow dies Sets me to longing then away it flies Angel of Woe standing by my side I go where you go for to you I’m tied I’ve tried to go home but you’ve led me astray Though in my dreaming I may find a way Backlit by the rising sun Armor ablaze Golden hair and eyes of blue A sword at her side I can only stand and stare in amazement So bright is her light “I’ve come now to tell you of fate and a foe you know The battles are over and won but you can’t let it go You’ve clung to a memory of doom and cried out for war You’ve clung to this murderous fiend to whom you’ve now swore But know him for this he has served only evil, and evil he is to the core To the very core” Angel of Light what brings you here The deeps of my heart are not for you The view from here is not all it’s cracked up to be As you can see “Always he is ravenous and all his deeds are dire He’ll use you for a time and then just throw you to the fire Soldier can you see him now, he’ll be the death of you You fought the gods of pain and death Slew all that crossed your path Your heart was tried and tested true In battle and in wrath What came next was never meant to be Can you not see?” To the very core Armor ablaze Golden hair and eyes of blue To the very core For goodness she was to the very core
6.
Fog Of War 08:23
FOG OF WAR His mind is shaken He tries to waken but it’s all in vain, always in vain So he tends his wounds as best he can Here within the lingering fog of war Which hides his weary heart Is this my eternal state? No matter the road I’ve taken I never seem to find my way to you I’d love to feel the shining sun I’d love to hear the rushing streams But I can’t tell which road will lead me true One road would surely take me home And never more I’d roam I’ll seek the lighted way Yet it won’t let him go This gloomy relic of the war We dance in endless circles going ‘round The adversary is legendary And his heart is black, deadly and black How can he face this monstrous foe He’s killed him over and over But it’s just not letting go his weary heart Is this my eternal state? No matter the road I’ve taken I never seem to find my way to you I’d love to feel the shining sun I’d love to hear the rushing streams But I can’t tell which road will lead me true
7.
DEAD AND GONE Time’s come now at last Let all that’s passed be past You’ve been wandering, lost in a dream Only a dream I’ll watch over you I’ll always watch over you Down that winding lane I stand Near the sun kissed fields of home There’s hope and there is joy There’s love for the soldier-boy All he has to do is let it go Turn around and come home The shadows come and gone Rise now and greet the dawn Let the memories of sorrow and fear Fall away There’s hope and there is joy There’s love for the soldier-boy All he has to do is let it go Turn around and come home There's a girl who’s waiting just for you But you can’t bring the darkness with you Let it go, just leave it all behind Oh, the rushing streams and skies of blue Oh, the fields of summer call to you Oh, the rushing streams and skies of blue There are scars Some heal, some don’t And people stare but that can’t bring you down And somedays you’ll be laughing and other times you won’t But either way the sun’s still shining I hear distant drums Rumors of war yet to come Come back to me, get some rest while you can And smile, smile again There’s hope and there’s joy There’s love for the soldier-boy All he has to do is let it go Turn around and come home I’m staying right here where I am I’m never gonna leave Please my love, forget I ever lived I’m dead Dead and gone
8.
EUCATASTROPHE I see the shadow in your heart The chains upon your spirit And all that’s kept you far away from me Yet I have come at last my love And I will share your burdens now That is what was always meant to be For you and me The memory of love won’t die It is a light that cannot fail It’s pierced that darkness that surrounded you I’ve found you now, don’t be afraid Just take my hand and walk away Toward the home you loved and you once knew That waits for you
9.
Rapturo 06:12
RAPTURO Don’t turn away, hold onto me My love, just open your eyes The long night has passed The dark one has fled He’s gone, though his scars will remain He’s gone, though he may come again Till at last we find our way home For there he can’t come I’m crying for my soldier’s heart Oh, my brave soldier’s heart Lies broken in pieces! War, there’s no war That can take you from me Though battles we must fight Or we forfeit all to darkness Love will surely win out the day In the end…

about

“Valkyrie” tells the story of a soldier trapped in an endless war, and of the girl he left behind. As with most GH albums, deeper meanings abound for those who take the time to digest the lyrics which are, according to the liner notes, “dedicated to those who battle the effects of trauma, and to those who love and support them.”

What may set this 2016 release apart from previous Glass Hammer albums is the way in which the band went about recording it. According to bassist / lyricist Steve Babb, the band “went for a more live approach this time. We rehearsed the material for several months before finally recording all of the rhythm tracks as if we were playing one very big concert, which is to say, that it was mostly live. We concentrated on vocals and overdubs at the studio, but the foundation of ‘Valkyrie’ was done together in a huge , amazing acoustic space.”

Mixed and mastered for dynamic range rather than loudness, the sonic integrity of each mix has been carefully preserved. “We’re trying to tell a story here,” says Babb. “And it should be apparent from the opening lines of the first track that we are tak- ing on you a journey. A lot of care went into these arrangements, the performance, and naturally in the final mixes. It is our hope that listeners will pick up all of the subtleties and nuances we pack into our songs, and be drawn into the album’s story. ‘Valkyrie’ is meant to be heard in one sitting, which is the best way to really enjoy any good concept album!”

credits

released September 27, 2016

Music by Steve Babb and Fred Schendel
Lyrics by Steve Babb

Susie Bogdanowicz: lead and backing vocals
Fred Schendel: keyboards, lead and backing vocals
Steve Babb: bass guitar, bass pedals, keyboards, lead and backing vocals
Kamran Alan Shikoh: electric and acoustic guitars
Aaron Raulston: drums

Produced by Fred Schendel and Steve Babb
All songs: Copyright 2016 Sound Resources / BMI
Recorded, mixed and mastered at Sound Resources, Chattanooga, Tennessee USA (soundresources.net)
Rhythm tracking engineer: Bret Noblitt – Precision Audio
Administration and band photography: Julie Babb
Art direction: Michal Xaay Loranc

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