Blackguard as a viable entity was officially born with the addition of vocalist and born frontman Paul Ablaze in October 2004 to Profugus Mortis' ranks, followed a month later by bassist Étienne Mailloux, with both bringing the necessary dynamics to the band's sound and clarity to the group's collective vision. Staying true to their black-metal roots, the new Profugus Mortis turned their sights on a brutal new interpretation of Scandinavian folk metal.
“This comes to us naturally," says Ablaze, "and we’re definitely the sum of our parts. What’s going on around us influences us to a certain degree, of course, but in the end we’re putting our own spin on it and giving the band its own defining characteristics. Before we came in, the band’s sound was a lot more progressive black metal; there were a lot of riffs and tempo changes. But we’ve gone in a much more straightforward direction since then. I guess we took on a power-metal and a straight-up folk-metal influence along the way."
Wasting no time, they issued a four-song self-produced demo in March 2005, passing out free copies at metal shows in Montreal. In July that same year, Profugus Mortis played the Xtreme Distortion Fest in Montreal with KATAKLYSM and UNEXPECT, winning the coveted slot as Best Unsigned Band at the event. That success translated into a support slot with SODOM and FINNTROLL, which in turn earned Profugus Mortis the opportunity to open for YNGWIE MALMSTEEN at the request of Quebec's Capital du Metal.
Since then, Blackguard (still known as Profugus Mortis at the time) has supported and toured with numerous acts equally respected the world over, including LACUNA COIL, CATAMENIA, WARBRINGER, BEHEMOTH, THERION, INTO ETERNITY, ENSIFERUM, THE AGONIST, CRYPTOPSY, KRISIUN and VOIVOD. Added to this noteworthy rogue's gallery are Canadian tours with the Finnish godfathers of folk metal, MOONSORROW, and more recently QUO VADIS.
Profugus Mortis' first official foray as professional recording artists came in the form of the aptly titled ...So It Begins in March 2007. More a collection of songs showcasing the band's past and their new direction, the album became the best- and fastest-selling album in their label Prodisk's history. The album also signaled the beginning of the end of what was considered by many fans and press people alike to be the one element that made Profugus Mortis unique; in January 2008 violinist Emilie Livernois was given the boot, leaving a hole in the band's sound. Rather than listen to the naysayers, the band raised its middle finger and brought in former GOTHERFALL guitarist Kim Gosselin. It was a perfect match made in hell.
"One of the things that suffered was having a stronger rhythm," Ablaze says of Livernois' violin having been a focal point. "If Terry was doing a lead and Emilie was doing a lead and Jonathan (Leduc/keyboards) was doing his own little thing, the songs could end up sounding pretty weak. It’s absolutely fantastic having Kim in the band now, because he beefs up the songs like crazy. The first time we jammed…we sounded like a frickin’ beast (laughs)."
That beast, now known as Blackguard, has been unleashed. Their major label debut—entitled Profugus Mortis as a tribute to their past—is an outing that has brought diehard fans and (until now) ignorant folk-metal followers up short. Capitalizing on the best moments offered up on ...So It Begins, the new album is a folk-metal onslaught that redefines the genre and raises the bar to an all-time high. Just as important, if not more so, the new material sees a revamped and hungry Blackguard coming into their own as a live act that cannot be ignored.
If all the world is a stage, it belongs to Blackguard—starting now.
Check out the [url=http://[officialsite]www.victorymerch.com/store/Blackguard]Blackguard merch store.
Vain
Blackguard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can you tell me how it's all going to end
How utterly gorgeous is our vanity
If I gave chase to the wind would I have it
If I treasured it would it whisper my name
How utterly gorgeous is our vanity
A slave forevermore
A lust born of our own accord
Enslaved forevermore
All in all I must have and all in all I must be
No reason beyond what I see
Desire that push us on
A slave forevermore
A lust born of our own accord
Enslaved forevermore
Can you tell me how far the east from the west is
Can you tell me how it's all going to end
How utterly gorgeous is our vanity
If I gave chase to the wind would I have it
If I treasured it would it whisper my name
How utterly gorgeous is our vanity
Lavish me with praises
And praises will they ever be
For this is truly my vanity
If I am vain then cut me deep and watch me bleed
May my eyes open to glimpse what I have never seen
The song "Vain" by Blackguard delves into the idea of vanity and its hold over humanity. The lyrics ask these rhetorical questions: can we truly measure the distance between two opposing thoughts or things, can we really predict the end, and how beautiful is our vanity. The singer questions the worth of the way we measure ourselves and the ideals that push us to desire things we may never attain but are obligated to chase. He likens these desires to slavery, a permanent tie to something that imprisons us and limits our actions in life.
The chorus of the song emphasizes this belief system even further: our carnal desires push us onward, enslaving us to the endless search for fulfillment. The singer appears to recognize the vanity of this quest and the futility of trying to escape it. He admits that in his pursuit of self-gratification, he inevitably becomes a slave to his materialistic wants.
The final line, "May my eyes open to glimpse what I have never seen," seems to show the singer's hope that there is more to life than the ego-driven pride that often ultimately proves unfulfilling. He recognizes that his quest for pleasure is driven by his vanity, yet he is still searching for something deeper, something that could change him and show him something he cannot yet see.
Line by Line Meaning
Can you tell me how far the east from the west is
Asking for the unattainable and the impossible
Can you tell me how it's all going to end
Questioning about the unpredictable future
How utterly gorgeous is our vanity
Admiring the beauty of self-importance
If I gave chase to the wind would I have it
Wondering about the pointlessness of chasing after something intangible
If I treasured it would it whisper my name
Reflecting on the idea of finding personal fulfillment
Desire that push us on
Acknowledging that desire is a driving force in life
A slave forevermore
Suggesting that our passions have control over us
A lust born of our own accord
Implying that our yearnings are self-made
Enslaved forevermore
Confirming that our desires own us perpetually
All in all I must have and all in all I must be
Deciding to demand and be all things
No reason beyond what I see
Choosing to act according to one's own perspective and beliefs
Lavish me with praises
Asking for excessive admiration
And praises will they ever be
Knowing that compliments will never be enough
For this is truly my vanity
Acknowledging the focus on one's own ego
If I am vain then cut me deep and watch me bleed
Ready to suffer physical pain for the sake of vanity
May my eyes open to glimpse what I have never seen
Hoping to gain a new perspective
Contributed by Brayden D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.