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.
Trial Of Champions
3 Inches of Blood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Forced into a life of slavery
Forced to fight your brothers for rulers so cruel
A killer instinct your only escape
Ferocious battle
Must fight to survive
Each weapon an extension of your strength
All victories add greatness to your name
There will be no surrender
Your cunning must be afforded
There will be no remorse for those who gamble with your fate
Freedom
Through killing strangers will it come
You fight to live
Freedom gained with every shiv
You need to prove
Prove your worth
To ascend to the Trial Of Champions
Every fight a battle to the death
Your fate lies in the hands of fools
A meager wager more precious than your life
When the thumb comes down
You know just what to do
Kill! Kill! Kill
It's your time
Do what must be done
Every day you fight
Every day you win
Taking the life of the Emperor
The ultimate reward for surviving the Trial
You will not die in chains
A champion you are
The lyrics to 3 Inches of Blood’s “Trial of Champions” describe the story of a warrior forcibly taken into slavery by warlords from lands far away. The only way he sees to escape his brutal reality is through fighting and killing his brothers in battles against cruel rulers. The singer’s weapon is the extension of his strength and every victory adds to his worth. He must fight to the death and surrender is not an option. He needs to prove his worth in every battle to ascend to the Trial of Champions. The meager wage is more precious than his life, and thus every day, he fights and wins. When the emperor is finally dead, the singer no longer has to worry about dying in chains. He is the ultimate reward for surviving the Trial and forever a champion.
The song describes a world where people are forced to fight for their freedom, and where the ultimate price they pay is to kill people to gain their liberty. They have to sacrifice their emotions and compassion to accumulate victories, as well as entirely surrender their own lives to obtain their ultimate reward, death. The song delves into themes related to brutality, individuality, and strength, and how it can be acquired through raw and unabashed fighting.
Line by Line Meaning
Enslaved by warlords from faraway lands
Forced to be a slave by rulers from distant regions
Forced into a life of slavery
No choice but to live a life of servitude
Forced to fight your brothers for rulers so cruel
Compelled to fight fellow slaves on behalf of ruthless leaders
A killer instinct your only escape
The only way out is to become a skilled fighter
Ferocious battle
Intense and brutal combat
Must fight to survive
Necessity to win or die
Each weapon an extension of your strength
Your weapon is a part of your power
All victories add greatness to your name
Each win brings honor and prestige
Fight to the death
Battle until one of you dies
There will be no surrender
You cannot give up or forfeit
Your cunning must be afforded
Use your intelligence to gain an advantage
There will be no remorse for those who gamble with your fate
No mercy for those who risk your life for their benefit
Freedom
Escape from bondage
Through killing strangers will it come
Only possible by defeating unknown opponents
You fight to live
Fighting is your only way to survive
Freedom gained with every shiv
Each victory brings you closer to liberation
You need to prove
Must demonstrate your abilities
Prove your worth
Show that you are capable and valuable
To ascend to the Trial Of Champions
Qualify for the most challenging competition
Every fight a battle to the death
Each match is a fight for survival
Your fate lies in the hands of fools
Unwise people have control over your destiny
A meager wager more precious than your life
A small bet that means everything to you
When the thumb comes down
The signal to commence or end the fight
You know just what to do
You are prepared for the moment
Kill! Kill! Kill
Eliminate your opponent at all costs
It's your time
Your moment of triumph or failure
Do what must be done
Take necessary action
Every day you fight
Each day a battle for survival
Every day you win
Daily success is imperative
Taking the life of the Emperor
Killing the ruler and claiming ultimate victory
The ultimate reward for surviving the Trial
Killing the Emperor is the greatest prize for winning the competition
You will not die in chains
Liberation from slavery upon victory
A champion you are
A winner and a hero
Contributed by Gabriel I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Erroneous
Hands down, the best album of any genre of 2006
Talus
2022 and still LOVE THIS BAND!!!
Hell86Razer
🤘🤘🤘
Intars Vavers
really under rated band...
Adam_8181
I was fortunate to co-create this video. We flew to Des Moines, Iowa when the bad was on tour and had Joey Jordison appear on drums for it. He was a nice guy. RIP
meltedliquefiedanddriedandlefttocrystallize
RIP Joey 🌹🖤
Flyboy
@Adam_8181 Good to know! Thanks for the reply. I've got a Joey webpage that it's nice to add these little details to.
Adam_8181
@Flyboy yea, except the singer with glasses. We had to film him later in Seattle.
Flyboy
Awesome! So were all the band shots filmed in Des Moines?
R C
One of the best metal songs of all time