The band incorporates black metal influences and symphonic elements into an overall grandiose canvas, with the elaborate lyrics of Byron Roberts painting a picture of battles in an antediluvian age where Atlantis had not yet been destroyed and the continents were still joined in a Pangaean mass. A predominant feature is the use of epic keyboards played by Jonny Maudling who composes and arranges the music. The guitar, drums and keyboards work together as an integral entity rather like a symphonic work. The vocals of Byron Roberts are a mixture of spoken word and black metal screams making the songs more like stories set to music than anything else. The stories are told like a play, with many characters (or groups of characters, speaking in unison) exchanging dialogue. Byron uses different vocalizations and effects to set them apart. The songs frequently have very long titles. Byron intends to release some short stories and novellas based on his lyrics and also some graphic novels created in collaboration with the artist Martin Hanford.
They currently have six albums out. The music for the latest one, "The Chthonic Chronicles" was recorded and produced at Jonny Maudling's studio "Waylands Forge", while the vocals were recorded at Academy Music Studio, the same studio where the band's previous five albums were recorded.
Atlantis ascendant
Bal-Sagoth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Long ago, before the Third Great Cataclysm reshaped the face of creation,
one nation rose above all others in the antediluvian world... Atlantis.
[The Atlantean Quorum:]
Hear the call Atlanteans, proud we stand forever,
Mightiest of warriors, we sail across the sea.
Conquering the ancient world, a legacy eternal,
Blessed with immortality, dreaming spires of majesty, glory crowns our destiny!
[The Host of Z'xulth:]
Your realm is lost... it shall be devoured by the sea!
[The Chronicler of Antediluvia:]
And so it was written in the stars, astride the world would stand the children
of Atlantis!
And yet disturbingly, another voice, a wholly darker and more malevolent
presence, can be perceived lurking within the ancient body of the inscriptions,
an ominous tone which prophesizes doom and ruination for the Atlantean realm,
speaking of a disastrous cataclysm foretold in the stars when the sun would
burn black and the agents of some unfathomable evil would besiege Atlantis,
ultimately compelling the seas to rise and devour the continent, leaving no
trace of the glory which once was. These passages seem to have been
deliberately obscured, and this fact combined with the passage of countless
aeons and the embrace of the eternally shifting sands lamentably prevents me
from translating the inscriptions on the fragment any further.
The song starts with the Chronicler of Antediluvia describing the world before the Third Great Cataclysm, at a time when Atlantis - a great civilization - stood above all others. The Atlantean people are proud warriors who used their strength, knowledge of magic, and technology to conquer the ancient world. They are blessed with immortality and dream of even greater majesty and glory.
But the song takes a darker turn, as the Host of Z'xulth, a malevolent presence, declares that Atlantis will be devoured by the sea. The Chronicler reveals that the supposed inscriptions on this fragment warn of an unfathomable evil that will besiege Atlantis and cause a catastrophic cataclysm, ultimately leading to the complete obliteration of the civilization by rising seas.
The song's lyrics touch upon themes of power, glory, and the ultimate fate of civilizations. The mighty Atlanteans were brought down by forces beyond their control, and the Chronicler's inability to decipher the inscriptions underscores the idea that even the most advanced civilizations may be forgotten by time. The interconnectedness of civilizations and the natural world is also suggested by the role of the sea in destroying Atlantis - a reminder that even the most powerful empires are subject to the forces of nature.
Line by Line Meaning
Long ago, before the Third Great Cataclysm reshaped the face of creation,
The events of this tale took place in a world that existed before a catastrophic event changed it forever.
one nation rose above all others in the antediluvian world... Atlantis.
In this world, there was one nation that was superior to all others, and that nation was Atlantis.
Hear the call Atlanteans, proud we stand forever,
The people of Atlantis are being called upon, to remind them of their strength and their pride as a nation.
Mightiest of warriors, we sail across the sea.
The people of Atlantis are known for their bravery and their ability to conquer nations across the sea.
Conquering the ancient world, a legacy eternal,
Their conquests have left a lasting impact on the world, and their legacy will endure forever.
Raise the arcane sigil high, steel and sorcery!
In battle, the people of Atlantis use powerful magic and advanced weaponry to defeat their enemies.
Blessed with immortality, dreaming spires of majesty, glory crowns our destiny!
The people of Atlantis believe themselves to be immortal, and they view their towers and cities as symbols of their power and glory.
Your realm is lost... it shall be devoured by the sea!
A menacing force threatens to destroy Atlantis, to the point where the very sea will engulf it.
And so it was written in the stars, astride the world would stand the children of Atlantis!
It was foretold that the people of Atlantis would rule the world, as if their fate was written in the stars.
These passages seem to have been deliberately obscured, and this fact combined with the passage of countless aeons and the embrace of the eternally shifting sands lamentably prevents me from translating the inscriptions on the fragment any further.
Unfortunately, the true meaning of these ancient inscriptions is lost to time as they were intentionally made difficult to decipher, and the passage of time has made it impossible to fully understand their message.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BYRON A. ROBERTS, CHRISTOPHER MAUDLING, JONATHAN MAUDLING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind