The first recordings by Blood Axis consisted of "Lord of Ages" and "Electricity," two songs appearing on a German sampler CD. Thoroughly unique in their sound, the first of these tracks is a stirring orchestrated hymn to the ancient Persian sun deity Mithras, a god later adopted for a cult of subterranean worship by the legionnaires of the Imperial Roman army. Although appearing on a relatively obscure release, these two initial efforts resulted in extensive radio airplay, dance club rotation, as well as mail from hundreds of enthusiastic listeners living as far away as Scandinavia, Malta, Eastern Europe and Thailand. Blood Axis had made its mark.
The band again inspired a rapturous response with the contribution of a pair of further songs to the acclaimed collection Im Blutfeuer,demonstrating more highly involved recording techniques and the ability to hypnotize listeners with subtle yet forceful atmospherics. "The Storm Before the Calm," the second of the two tracks on this CD, utilized winding piano loops, lilting choirs and the eerie sounds of early nature recordings (a thunderstorm from 1935) along with earnest vocals and historical samples to create a sound that is more than the sum of it parts, possessing an ineffable power.
In the last days of 1995, more than six years since its formation, Blood Axis unveiled the first full-length CD, The Gospel of Inhumanity. This long-awaited album has more than fulfilled all expectations, demonstrating that Blood Axis is proudly distinct from any other modern musical groups in both sound and presentation. Sealed within a stunningly aesthetic digipak, The Gospel... is a shape-shifting soundtrack which reveals more and more depth with repeated listening. Spanning from neo-classical reveries to guitardriven aggression, the sonic incisions of Blood Axis provide a haunting backdrop for vocal elucidations from Ezra Pound, Charles Manson, as well as Moynihan's own demanding voice. The Gospel of Inhumanity falls into no easy category, requiring a highly attuned level of intelligence and a mind free of pre-conception to appreciate its vast scope.
The Gospel of Inhumanity sold out two pressings for its initial release on German cult label Cthulhu Records, ensuring a fanatical following from Russia to Ireland, Norway to Portugal and everywhere in between. With virtually no promotion to speak of, the CD received rave reviews in Europe and America, and was even voted one of the 10 best albums of 1996 by UK extreme music glossy Terrorizer. Now powerfully remastered and re-issued on Misanthropy, the Gospel is destined to be heard by an even wider audience.
In November of 1997, Blood Axis played its first proper live show in Sweden at a special 10 year anniversary celebration for the legendary death industrial music label Cold Meat Industry. This special concert was attended by fans who came from as far away as Germany, Belgium, Austria and Latvia, and drew a rabidly enthusiastic reception from the crowd. In 1998, following the release of the planned second album, Ultimacy, the band will embark on a European tour. But until then, The Gospel of Inhumanity will continue seeping its way into the subconscious of the worldwide underground.
Blood Axis answers to nothing and no one but itself. It offers a frightening and honest expression of the souls of its creators, refusing to cater to either popular opinion or the approval of the music industry. At the same time Blood Axis continues to proudly shun popular trends and the mainstream, legions of listeners respond in growing numbers to a music presented with such undiluted care and willpower.
Moynihan collaborated with Boyd Rice from 1989, and in 1990 the two moved into an apartment in Denver. Like Rice and Thorn, Moynihan was a member of the Church of Satan at this time. Moynihan appeared as a guest with Rice on Bob Larson's "Manson Maniacs", a special for Larson's Christian radio talk show. During the summer of 1991, Moynihan states that he was visited at his apartment by agents of the United States Secret Service about an alleged plot to assassinate then President of the United States George H. W. Bush.
Moynihan agreed to a polygraph test and no charges were filed. Moynihan stated that it was a simple case of intimidation stemming from his correspondence with Charles Manson and visits to Sandra Good. Moynihan stated that he felt that the he had been being monitored by the Federal Bureau of Investigation since 1984, that they had taken his luggage on an occasion, and that they had once called his father, admitting to him that they had taken a parcel from his mail. Moynihan cited his then-friendship with Peter Sotos as a potential cause.
Differences between Boyd Rice and Michael Moynihan led to an acrimonious split between the two in the mid-1990s, though Rice would later remember their time together fondly and refer positively to Moynihan. After the split, Moynihan disassociated himself with Rice and was no longer involved with the Abraxas Foundation. Moynihan has been a member of the small Asatru collective Wulfing Kindred since 1994.
The Dream
Blood Axis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Alliu mîniu jâr!
Ist mîn leben mir getroumet
Oder ist ez wâr?
Daz ich ie wânde, daz iht waere
Was daz iht?
Dar nâch hân ich geslâfen
Und enweiz es niht
Nû bin ich erwachet
Und ist mir unbekant
Daz mir hie vor was kündic
Als mîn ander hant
Liute unde lant, dar in ich
Von kinde bin erzogen
Die sint mir frömde worden
Reht als ob ez sî gelogen
Die mîne gespilen wâren
Die sint traege und alt
Bereitet ist daz velt
Verhouwen ist der walt
Wan daz daz wazzer fliuzet
Als ez wîlent flôz
Für wâr, ich wânde
Mîn ungelücke wurde grôz
Mich grüezet maneger trâge,
Der mich bekande ê wol
Diu welt ist allenthalben
Ungenâden vol
Als ich gedenke an manegen
Wünneclîchen tac
Die mir sint enpfallen
Als in daz mer ein slac
Iemer mêre ouwê
The lyrics to Blood Axis's song "The Dream" are written in Middle High German, a dialect of German from the Middle Ages. The first stanza begins with the phrase "O woe, war is gone" and then describes a dream where the person is unsure if what they experienced was real or not. They realize they have woken up to something that is unfamiliar to them and everything that they once knew has become strange and distant. The people and the land that they grew up with have become foreign to them, and they feel as if the world is full of cruelty and harshness.
The second and final stanza describes how the person is greeted by many slow and familiar faces, but the world around them is full of hardship and cruelty. They recall past joys that they once took for granted, now seemingly lost forever. The lyrics express a sense of uncertainty and disorientation, questioning the nature of reality and one's own perception of it. It is a poignant reflection on the human experience and the fleeting nature of happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
Ôwê, war sint verswunden
Oh, where have they gone?
Alliu mîniu jâr!
All my years are gone!
Ist mîn leben mir getroumet
Did I dream my life?
Oder ist ez wâr?
Or is it real?
Daz ich ie wânde, daz iht waere
That I ever believed it was something.
Was daz iht?
What was it?
Dar nâch hân ich geslâfen
Afterwards, I slept.
Und enweiz es niht
And I don't know about it.
Nû bin ich erwachet
Now I am awake,
Und ist mir unbekant
And it's unknown to me.
Daz mir hie vor was kündic
What was once familiar to me here,
Als mîn ander hant
As my other hand.
Liute unde lant, dar in ich
People and lands where I,
Von kinde bin erzogen
Was raised since childhood,
Die sint mir frömde worden
Have become strange to me,
Reht als ob ez sî gelogen
As if it were all a lie.
Die mîne gespilen wâren
Those who were my playmates,
Die sint traege und alt
Have become slow and old.
Bereitet ist daz velt
The field is prepared,
Verhouwen ist der walt
The forest is cut down.
Wan daz daz wazzer fliuzet
While the water flows
Als ez wîlent flôz
As it always has
Für wâr, ich wânde
Truly, I thought
Mîn ungelücke wurde grôz
My misfortune would be great.
Mich grüezet maneger trâge,
Many a slow one greets me,
Der mich bekande ê wol
Who once knew me well.
Diu welt ist allenthalben
The world is everywhere
Ungenâden vol
Full of ungracefulness.
Als ich gedenke an manegen
As I remember many
Wünneclîchen tac
Wonderful days
Die mir sint enpfallen
That have escaped me
Als in daz mer ein slac
Like a blow into the sea.
Iemer mêre ouwê
Forevermore, alas!
Contributed by Grayson M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
artemidenoir
BEAUTIFUL SONG!!!!
Bohemianh
great song, sounds very relaxing
Owen Davies
This is sung in a specific German dialect. Michael is studying for a PhD in the Philology of the region.
merdammuffita
amazing song!
Subcomandante Bolle
Wer keine Ahnung hat, sollte schweigen - das ist Mittelhochdeutsch (über das bißchen Akzent kann man hinwegsehen)! This is Middle High German (with a little bit accent)!
Zos Khem
@artemidenoir si un brano splendido,compare sul nuovo disco che reputo stupendo nonchè sullo split album con andrew king
nnana kinoa
Is that german dialect or is he mixing english and german? Because in "Erwachsen in der Nacht" sounds he much better.
larsjune1
ist das plattdeutsch?
DublinFrodo
I'm not German and it sounds wrong even to me!
Sascha Segatz
Aus linguistischer Sicht ist das echt schlecht.