The band's over-the-top lyrical style and high-pitched (which were based on the vocals of the band The Winter Massacre), Rob Halford meets Udo Dirkschneider -esque vocals, combined with their appearance in official photos, which owes more to modern "scene" fashion and clothing labels such as Atticus, have lead some to dub them as a parody of the classic heavy metal acts they claim to seek to give tribute to. When questioned on this, vocalist Cam Pipes gave the following statement: "Just because we're a bunch of young guys singing about the greatness of heavy metal doesn't mean we're some joke band." .
Interestingly, when performing live, the band dresses far more in the manner you would expect a heavy metal band.
Swordmaster
3 Inches of Blood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
mastering the blade, to kill those who betray
with skill and deadly grace, severed heads erase
a wrong that has been done, only death can overcome
master of the blade, wielder of the steel
with iron fury, killer fire and speed
with his mighty sword he reaps his vengeance
coming from the depths to right a wrong
to deal his wrath
swordmaster, bounty hunter for the damned
stand and fight - kill or die
his blade is gleaming and from it blood is streaming
none shall survive beyond the light of dawn
none shall survive beyond morning light
vengeance served with cold delight, bodies split in two
bone and sinew spray for debts that come to be repaid
bloodlust in your mind, the painful truth is what theyll find
the course is at an end, to hell is where he sends you
swordmaster, bounty hunter for the damned
stand and fight - kill or die
the master moves on, keeping the balance of the world
crusher of souls and ruler of hell
The lyrics of Swordmaster by 3 Inches of Blood describe a character who was born with a weapon in hand and fighting is all they know. The Swordmaster has mastered the blade and uses it to kill those who betray, with skill and deadly grace. The character is seeking revenge for a wrong that has been done, and only death can overcome it. The Swordmaster is said to be the wielder of the steel, with iron fury and killer fire and speed. He is someone who has reaped his vengeance with his mighty sword and is coming from the depths of hell to set things right.
The song goes on to describe the brutal and violent nature of the Swordmaster. His blade is gleaming, and blood is streaming from it. The Swordmaster kills with cold delight, and none shall survive beyond morning light. The character is filled with bloodlust and seeks to repay debts that come due. The Swordmaster is said to rule over hell and crush the souls of those who stand in his way. The song suggests that the Swordmaster is someone who keeps the balance of the world, which is a chilling thought.
Overall, Swordmaster is a song about a brutal and violent character who seeks revenge and only knows how to fight. The lyrics are vivid and descriptive, and you can feel the rage and violence in every word.
Line by Line Meaning
born with shining steel in hand, fightings all you know
From birth, the sword is all that matters; fighting is all that is known.
mastering the blade, to kill those who betray
The sword is the instrument of death for those who have committed betrayal.
with skill and deadly grace, severed heads erase
Expertise and fluidity of the blade result in heads rolling, seeking to erase the betrayal.
a wrong that has been done, only death can overcome
The betrayal has caused injustice that can only be rectified through death.
master of the blade, wielder of the steel
The individual is the ruler and wielder of the sword.
with iron fury, killer fire and speed
Uncontainable rage, deadly precision, and blinding swiftness accompany the swordsmanship.
with his mighty sword he reaps his vengeance
The sword serves as the instrument of vengeance, bringing the punishment to the perpetrator.
coming from the depths to right a wrong
Emerging from a place of darkness, the sword is used to balance out the unjust situation.
from the depths of hell
The darkness from which the sword emerges is likened to Hell.
to deal his wrath
The sword unleashes wrath and vengeance.
swordmaster, bounty hunter for the damned
The wielder of the sword is a skilled hunter of the lost souls.
stand and fight - kill or die
In the face of the swordmaster, the only options are to fight or to die.
his blade is gleaming and from it blood is streaming
The sword reflects its lethal condition through its shine and the flowing of the blood that it spills.
none shall survive beyond the light of dawn
No one will survive beyond the dawn when the sword has been awakened.
none shall survive beyond morning light
The sword will not leave any survivors once it has been unleashed.
vengeance served with cold delight, bodies split in two
The sword serves vengeance in a cold and detached manner, splitting bodies in two.
bone and sinew spray for debts that come to be repaid
The bone and flesh are the medium through which debts are fulfilled via the sword.
bloodlust in your mind, the painful truth is what theyll find
When the mind seeks bloodlust, the sword reveals the painful truth.
the course is at an end, to hell is where he sends you
The sword serves as the harbinger of an end, and sends souls to Hell.
the master moves on, keeping the balance of the world
The swordmaster continues to keep balance in the world through the sword's use.
crusher of souls and ruler of hell
The wielder of the sword is the destroyer of souls and the one who rules Hell.
Contributed by Andrew S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ashes In My Microwave
Born with shining steel in hand, fighting's all you know
Mastering the blade, to kill those who betray
With skill and deadly grace, severed heads erase
A wrong that has been done, only death can overcome
Master of the blade, wielder of the steel
With iron fury, killer fire and speed
With his mighty sword he reaps his vengeance
Coming from the depths to right a wrong
From the depths of Hell
To deal his wrath
Swordmaster, bounty hunter for the damned
Stand and Fight - Kill or Die
His blade is gleaming and from it blood is streaming
None shall survive beyond the light of dawn
None shall survive beyond morning light
Vengeance served with cold delight, bodies split in two
Bone and sinew spray for debts that come to be repaid
Bloodlust in your mind, the painful truth is what they'll find
The course is at an end, to Hell is where he sends you
Swordmaster, bounty hunter for the damned
Stand and Fight - Kill or Die
The master moves on, keeping the balance of the world
Crusher of souls and ruler of Hell
Ashes In My Microwave
Born with shining steel in hand, fighting's all you know
Mastering the blade, to kill those who betray
With skill and deadly grace, severed heads erase
A wrong that has been done, only death can overcome
Master of the blade, wielder of the steel
With iron fury, killer fire and speed
With his mighty sword he reaps his vengeance
Coming from the depths to right a wrong
From the depths of Hell
To deal his wrath
Swordmaster, bounty hunter for the damned
Stand and Fight - Kill or Die
His blade is gleaming and from it blood is streaming
None shall survive beyond the light of dawn
None shall survive beyond morning light
Vengeance served with cold delight, bodies split in two
Bone and sinew spray for debts that come to be repaid
Bloodlust in your mind, the painful truth is what they'll find
The course is at an end, to Hell is where he sends you
Swordmaster, bounty hunter for the damned
Stand and Fight - Kill or Die
The master moves on, keeping the balance of the world
Crusher of souls and ruler of Hell
MikeBrown64
It's good to see that no one has disliked this. This was always one of my favorite 3 inches of blood songs.
greensp4rk
I love metal bands like this that still use passive pickups and tube amps
Dante DTeen Deline
this makes me feel like a Medieval Knight in an Epic battle who came out alive with scars and wounds and at the end I raise my Sword high above my head in victory
Matthew Koerner
great song off a great cd from a great band. All hail 3IOB!
gt57298
Too many words to say this sums it up 3IOB is the best metal around in my books.
mrdestructo74
Epic band and there from Canada holy shit in proud to be a Canadian now !!!!
Marauder
The master moves on
Keeping the balance of the world
Crusher of souls
And ruler of heeeeeeeeeeeeell!!!!!!!!!!!!
SK 1ne
best song, best metal
Nicholas Meyers
An obvious def leppard influence. I always liked the way these guys sounded.