On October 15th Casus Belli Musica and Beverina will join forces to bring forth an album-length split by two distinctive Spanish pagan metal bands, CrystalMoors and Hordak, both of whom pay homage through their music to the ancient lifeblood of their Iberian homeland, and today it’s our pleasure to present one of the CrystalMoors tracks that will appear on the album — “Hijos del Sol“.
The CrytalMoors side of the split, which consists of four tracks, is named Árguma, a Cantabrian word for a plant called gorse which we’re told is an invasive species that originated in Cantabria but now grows throughout Europe. With 4-cm thorns and deep, strong roots, “Árguma (also known as Tojo) symbolizes the Cantabrian nation of the pre-Roman epoch, bristling in the same way for self-defense and deeply rooted in its native land.”
CrystalMoors
Hordak’s side of the album ie one 20-minute song, divided into seven musically evolving chapters, which has its own conceptual foundation. They tell us that the song’s title, Ophiusa, means “the land of the serpents”, one of the first names the ancient Greeks used for the Iberian Peninsula. “The lyrical concept behind it explores the light and shadows of our homeland from a devoted, but at the same time critical and skeptical point of view: dangerous, wild, difficult to be conquered…”
As noted, our focus today is the CrystalMoors song that opens this formidable split — and the music proves to be both grim and glorious, a multiply textured piece that’s heavy as hell and also enormously inspiring.
The music builds gradually from a shimmering sound as the band add the vibrant tumble of drums, a sparkling array of gleaming guitar notes, a compelling bass thrum — and then a heavy riff and nasty growls. From there the song continues to change and only tightens its grip on the listener’s attention. It includes cauterizing shrieks and high moaning leads; an interlude of flickering, gossamer-light acoustic guitar paired with soulful bass notes; burning howls and darting strings; battering drum fusillades and lashing chords.
Strains of native melody evoke remembrances of times long gone, but it’s hard to imagine music that’s more wholly alive than this piece.
This split release is available for pre-order now (vinyl and digital); it features cover art by Norax, vocalist of the band Lux Divina. The track list is below, with a total run time of 41 minutes, and we’ve also included the Spanish lyrics to “Hijos del Sol” below the song stream.
Pre-Order:
https://casusbellimusica.bandcamp.com/album/rguma-ophiusa
https://beverina.bandcamp.com/album/crystalmoors-hordak-rguma-ophiusa-split-lp-15-oct-2018
CrystalMoors:
https://www.facebook.com/CrystalmoorsOfficial
Hordak:
https://www.facebook.com/heathenhordak
TRACK-LIST
1. CRYSTALMOORS – Hijos del Sol 4:35
2. CRYSTALMOORS – With the Eyes Towards the Moon 7:02
3. CRYSTALMOORS – Llaranza 3:28
4. CRYSTALMOORS – Into the Second Punic War 5:42
5. HORDAK – Ophiusa 20:06
LYRICS
Con los brazos erguidos hacia El Sol formando parte de La Esfera Solar.
Padre Sol!!!
Nos alimenta todo tú calor. Padre Sol!!!
Tu llama nos da todo tú fulgor.
Nosotros somos La Llama
que arde cada vez embravecida. No dejaremos que se extinga, siglo tras siglo…perpetua!!!
Somos El Círculo, somos El Sol.
Somos tus hijos y de Madre Luna. Somos Las Serpientes del Dragón Solar. El Gran Esplendor.
La Rueda Ancestral.
Esculpimos tú esencia en roca y en piel.
Guianos en La Guerra.
Nacidos los Cántabros para Luchar. Guianos en La Guerra.
Nacidos los Cántabros para Morir. Guianos en La Guerra.
Nacidos los Cántabros para Luchar!!!