The Grey Wolf at the Hearth

Viking, death metal, somber, folk, lute and harp and flute, heavy metal guitar

[Verse 1 – Low, clean, fire crackling]
The axe hangs rusted above the door,
Its edge long dulled, its song no more.
My hands are steady when I milk the cow,
But they remember the weight of war.
The children laugh and call me “grand-sire grey”,
They do not see the red that will not wash away.
[Verse 2 – Gang joins, slow and heavy]
The fjord is quiet, the raids are done,
The dragon-ships rot beneath the sun.
I taught my sons to plough, not kill,
Yet every night the ravens come.
I hear their wings inside my dreams,
I hear my brothers’ dying screams.
[Chorus – Sudden crushing drop, full roar]
I MISS THE SEA! I MISS THE STORM!
I MISS THE FRIENDS WHO KEPT ME WARM!
I MISS THE CLASH, THE BLOOD, THE ROAR!
I MISS THE MEN WHO ROW NO MORE!
VALHALLA CALL! TAKE THIS GREY WOLF HOME!
I’M TIRED OF LIVING WITH GHOSTS ALONE!
[Verse 3 – Soft again, tagelharpa weeping]
Their faces come when I close my eyes,
Young Gunnar, Ketil, Harald who died.
They laugh and drink at the endless board,
They saved my bench, they kept my word.
But here I sit with bread and milk,
While widows somewhere curse my ilk.
[Chorus – Even heavier, more desperate]
I MISS THE SEA! I MISS THE STORM!
I MISS THE FRIENDS WHO KEPT ME WARM!
I MISS THE CLASH, THE BLOOD, THE ROAR!
I MISS THE MEN WHO ROW NO MORE!
VALHALLA CALL! TAKE THIS GREY WOLF HOME!
I’M TIRED OF LIVING WITH GHOSTS ALONE!
[Verse 4 – Voices break, raw and ragged]
I see the boys I hacked to mud,
I see the mothers, I taste their blood.
A thousand throats I opened wide,
A thousand sons who never died old.
Peace is a chain I never chose,
The quiet eats me to the bone.
[Bridge – One old voice over low drone]
Let the last ship burn for me alone,
Let the last horn spill upon the stone.
I have no fear of spear or flame,
Only of waking here again.
[Final Chorus – Heaviest, the entire hall howling with him]
I MISS THE SEA! I MISS THE STORM!
I MISS THE FRIENDS WHO KEPT ME WARM!
I MISS THE CLASH, THE BLOOD, THE JOY!
I MISS THE LIFE I ONCE DESTROYED!
VALHALLA CALL! OPEN THE DOOR!
THIS GREY WOLF HOWLS TO FIGHT ONCE MORE!
TAKE ME NORTH WHERE THE DEAD STILL ROAR!
I AM DONE WITH PEACE FOREVERMORE!
[Outro – Tagelharpa alone, one cracked voice fading]
Come, raven.
Come, cold wind.
Come, Valkyrja on silent wing.
The hearth is warm,
But I am cold.
Row me home.
I am ready.
Skol.

2308/7500

[Verse 1 – Low, clean, fire crackling] The axe hangs rusted above the door, Its edge long dulled, its song no more. My hands are steady when I milk the cow, But they remember the weight of war. The children laugh and call me “grand-sire grey”, They do not see the red that will not wash away. [Verse 2 – Gang joins, slow and heavy] The fjord is quiet, the raids are done, The dragon-ships rot beneath the sun. I taught my sons to plough, not kill, Yet every night the ravens come. I hear their wings inside my dreams, I hear my brothers’ dying screams. [Chorus – Sudden crushing drop, full roar] I MISS THE SEA! I MISS THE STORM! I MISS THE FRIENDS WHO KEPT ME WARM! I MISS THE CLASH, THE BLOOD, THE ROAR! I MISS THE MEN WHO ROW NO MORE! VALHALLA CALL! TAKE THIS GREY WOLF HOME! I’M TIRED OF LIVING WITH GHOSTS ALONE! [Verse 3 – Soft again, tagelharpa weeping] Their faces come when I close my eyes, Young Gunnar, Ketil, Harald who died. They laugh and drink at the endless board, They saved my bench, they kept my word. But here I sit with bread and milk, While widows somewhere curse my ilk. [Chorus – Even heavier, more desperate] I MISS THE SEA! I MISS THE STORM! I MISS THE FRIENDS WHO KEPT ME WARM! I MISS THE CLASH, THE BLOOD, THE ROAR! I MISS THE MEN WHO ROW NO MORE! VALHALLA CALL! TAKE THIS GREY WOLF HOME! I’M TIRED OF LIVING WITH GHOSTS ALONE! [Verse 4 – Voices break, raw and ragged] I see the boys I hacked to mud, I see the mothers, I taste their blood. A thousand throats I opened wide, A thousand sons who never died old. Peace is a chain I never chose, The quiet eats me to the bone. [Bridge – One old voice over low drone] Let the last ship burn for me alone, Let the last horn spill upon the stone. I have no fear of spear or flame, Only of waking here again. [Final Chorus – Heaviest, the entire hall howling with him] I MISS THE SEA! I MISS THE STORM! I MISS THE FRIENDS WHO KEPT ME WARM! I MISS THE CLASH, THE BLOOD, THE JOY! I MISS THE LIFE I ONCE DESTROYED! VALHALLA CALL! OPEN THE DOOR! THIS GREY WOLF HOWLS TO FIGHT ONCE MORE! TAKE ME NORTH WHERE THE DEAD STILL ROAR! I AM DONE WITH PEACE FOREVERMORE! [Outro – Tagelharpa alone, one cracked voice fading] Come, raven. Come, cold wind. Come, Valkyrja on silent wing. The hearth is warm, But I am cold. Row me home. I am ready. Skol.

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