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.
Nightfall In Icy Forest
Ancient Bards Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
lodi a te infinte
solitarie e infernali
notti eterne nel velo lontan
luce celeste si spense nel fior
nulla nel cuore, un lento torpor
The above lyrics from Ancient Bard's "Nightfall In Icy Forest" talk about the feeling of being lost, both physically and emotionally. The storyteller describes being alone in an infinite and infernal night, far away from the light of the celestial world. The only thing left in their heart is a slow numbness, a sense of detachment from the world and all the things that once mattered. The use of dark and bleak language paints a picture of a harsh and unforgiving world, with the storyteller struggling to find their way in the midst of it all.
The song's lyrics appear to be inspired by the fantasy genre, specifically dark and cold environments like icy forests. The overall theme of the lyrics seems to be the struggle against the unknown and the fear of what lies ahead. The storyteller's sense of isolation and desolation is palpable, and the somber tone of the music adds to the sense of despair.
Overall, "Nightfall In Icy Forest" is a powerful and evocative song that captures the struggle against fear and uncertainty that we all face at some point in our lives. Its haunting imagery and dark tone make it a standout track in Ancient Bard's discography.
Line by Line Meaning
lodi a te infinte
Endless praises to you
solitarie e infernali
Solitary and infernal
notti eterne nel velo lontan
Eternal nights in the distant veil
luce celeste si spense nel fior
Celestial light died in the flower
nulla nel cuore, un lento torpor
Nothing in the heart, a slow torpor
Contributed by Madison N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.