My Dying Bride
The Manuscript
1. The Manuscript
Within the words lies something coldA glow of light from one so oldEvery page calling my nameSymbols excuse me of all blameYour presence here astonishes meThe colossal things that you will readJust breathe my name to set me freeYour soul alive will be my feeAnd one by one the numbered fallMy duty is its own rewardBetter do ill than suffer itAlarming fingers of my wristMy name is dark and my want will claim theeThe command to weep has now been givenThis is how the words are freedAnd the lashing whip of utter greedA ruined soul and empty manA lost shaow so old and damnedAn awful martyrdom, so holy and feebleA winter face, lonely eyesA husk containing bitter liesTo sleep now, buried awayTo be read again, to be obeyed
2. Vår gud över er
Wintershire, we defend, up hills high
Into the dark weave of a great dark storm
Cold, red snow, from their flow from sword and bow
Kings and men, fall or fight, a punishing
Everywhere, thousands lie. God almighty!
Driving them from our land to their sea
Great fathers and sons, brothers everyone
Out upon that scene, under wintersun
Draw your blade once more. From the trees they pour
Say a prayer out loud. Let us end this war
Sweat at the sword and the killing hand
Let the steel answer them. Show no mercy!
And snow leaves a drift of sin and loathing
Yet they come evermore. What is this!
Many fell today, and their bodies lay
All across this land as their spirit fades
Name upon name, fabled and brave
Years of doing this, but they always came
My wounds let me know the rage of winter and the world
Every hour, I'm broken down. I will not kneel before you broken
Nearer now, their faces clear. And books held in bloodstained gloves
Right from here I can see the whole world dying in their flames
In the beginning, were the words they forced into me
Pages inked in blood. A new God comes to save us all
3. A Pale Shroud Of Longing
I placed her steady, in front of meAnd within her lips, she caved into meAnd hold her fast I didLest she be swept from this earthThe sullen coast of her heartThe menace of her islandI know that I am unkindI'm honoured, lover, that you still tryHer heart, careful and brokenShe places its pieces belowAnd with the length of her whole bodyAre shadows so very oldHer body was a beliefMy kiss its dedicationA serpent this is she,Whose scales release the oceanHer weeping face, I hold in my handAs her salutationIt's from her shadowsShe took me, to cast asunderSe that fears my presenceLoves me when I'm absentThe growing blindness of my soulSinking under
4. Only Tears To Replace Her With
Salvation dropped me from her dying armsEndless, the skies are darkThis world is nothing without herAs it limps from beauty's answerIt dies in the hand of summerThis long savannah of herThe weapon of your bodyLays my city to wasteFrom blood on my golden sandI came up and washed youI'd lost saints for you!Drew towers into the earthAnd a silver blade from GodHands directly above usBacchus drowns more men than NeptuneAnd I put my name among themI hate everything around meBut I want to carry you backTo Heaven
Andrew Craighan ‒ Guitars
Aaron Stainthorpe ‒ Vocals
Hamish Hamilton Glencross ‒ Guitars
Lena Abé ‒ Bass
Shaun Macgowan ‒ Keyboards, Violin
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