The project, originated in the mind of Daniele Mazza, started to materialize in 2006 after Daniele met with bass player Martino Garattoni. The first stable line up was completed in 2007, with Sara Squadrani as singer, Alessandro Carichini as drummer, and Claudio Pietronik and Fabio Balducci as guitarists.
In September 2010, Alessandro left the band, to be replaced by a new drummer Federico Gatti. The latest line-up change occurred in the end of 2013 after recording the third album A New Dawn Ending, when Balducci left the band for personal reasons. Permanent replacement for Fabio has not been announced yet, but for live shows in 2014 the band has been joined by Simone Bertozzi as a guest second guitarist.
Albums
The style and concept of their 2010 debut album, The Alliance of the Kings, has been seen as inspired by fellow Italian band Rhapsody of Fire. The album is the first part of The Black Crystal Sword Saga with each song making up a single "episode"
The Italian and German editions of Metal Hammer commented on the "sophisticated songwriting" in this release. The latter magazine also found similarities to Anette Olzon in singer Sara Squadrani's voice.
The band's second album, Soulless Child, was released in 2011. It continues The Black Crystal Sword Saga introduced in the previous album. The reviewers of Metal Hammer Germany and Rock Hard agreed that the album had a tendency towards kitsch. While Metal Hammer found several positive remarks about individual tracks, Rock Hard criticised a lack of original hooks.
In April 2014, a third album, A New Dawn Ending, was released. This concluded the first part of The Black Crystal Sword Saga, making that section a complete trilogy.
Ancient Bards announced their fourth album in June 2018 entitled Origine - The Black Crystal Sword Saga Part 2. It is the beginning the second part of The Black Crystal Sword Saga and was released on 25 January 2019. They also announced on their Facebook page that touring guitarist Simone Bartozzi had been made a permanent band member after touring with them since 2014.
Daltor the Dragonhunter
Ancient Bards Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You, that fly in the sky
Black Dragon die!
Throw flames from your head
trying to kill me
you don't know
who you are facing
blood on your teeth
[Black Dragon]
He is my spirit
he lives in my heart
he's guiding my will
so I must kill you
[Daltor]
Guardiano eterno
Sendor is in you in your heart
I will fight for my lands!
[Black Dragon]
Yes I am only the first
the first guardian
of the sword
in my head
darkness is cold
Sendor has my control
[Daltor]
This is my spirit
my virtue and strength
with full devotion
I'll honor my call
Guardiano eterno
Sendor in you in your heart
I will fight for my lands!
I am Daltor the dragonhunter
I will sacrifice all that I have
I will brandish my silver sword
and I'll kill you
there's no mercy for the betrayers
I am Daltor the dragonhunter!
[Sendor]
No! my dragon! what have you done? you can't give in now, it can't be! he's just a foolish king! but trust me, I will give you all of my strength, there's only one thing left to do: stand up my dragon, spread your wings, fly high reaching the sky and kill him NOW!
[Daltor]
I am Daltor the dragonhunter
I will sacrifice all that I have
I will brandish my silver sword
and I'll kill you
there's no mercy for the betrayers
I am Daltor the dragonhunter!
The lyrics of "Daltor the Dragonhunter" tell the story of a brave warrior named Daltor who faces off against a fearsome black dragon. The dragon spits fire, trying to kill Daltor, but the warrior is not afraid. He knows he fights for his lands and the safety of his people.
In the second verse, the dragon reveals that he is possessed by a spirit named Sendor, who is guiding the dragon's will. Daltor invokes the Eternal Guardian, Sendor, and his heart, reaffirming his own dedication to his cause.
The final verse shows the decisive battle between Daltor and the dragon. The dragon's spirit, Sendor, commands him to kill Daltor, but the warrior is not deterred. In a final act of valor, Daltor triumphs over the dragon.
Overall, the lyrics of "Daltor the Dragonhunter" are about the importance of standing up for what you believe in and fighting for what is right, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
Line by Line Meaning
You, that fly in the sky
Addressing the black dragon that flies in the sky
Black Dragon die!
A command to the black dragon to die
Throw flames from your head
trying to kill me
you don't know
who you are facing
blood on your teeth
but now let the fight begin!
The dragon throws flames and tries to kill Daltor, but Daltor is ready to fight despite the odds
He is my spirit
he lives in my heart
he's guiding my will
so I must kill you
The black dragon says that he is guided by a spirit that compels him to kill Daltor
Guardiano eterno
Sendor is in you in your heart
I will fight for my lands!
Daltor declares that he will fight for his lands with the guidance of Sendor, the eternal guardian
Yes I am only the first
the first guardian
of the sword
in my head
darkness is cold
Sendor has my control
The black dragon claims to be the first guardian of the sword and that he is controlled by Sendor
This is my spirit
my virtue and strength
with full devotion
I'll honor my call
Guardiano eterno
Sendor in you in your heart
I will fight for my lands!
Daltor reiterates his devotion to Sendor and his readiness to fight for his lands
I am Daltor the dragonhunter
I will sacrifice all that I have
I will brandish my silver sword
and I'll kill you
there's no mercy for the betrayers
I am Daltor the dragonhunter!
Daltor declares himself as the dragonhunter, ready to sacrifice everything to kill the dragon without mercy
No! my dragon! what have you done? you can't give in now, it can't be! he's just a foolish king! but trust me, I will give you all of my strength, there's only one thing left to do: stand up my dragon, spread your wings, fly high reaching the sky and kill him NOW!
Sendor laments the black dragon's defeat and urges it to stand up and fight Daltor with all its strength
Contributed by Cameron G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.