The original goal of the band was to forge the different musical styles of both Iced Earth's dark melodies and Blind Guardian's powerful vocals into one sound. In fact, according to the musicians, the band name is meant to describe the two styles: the self-proclaimed demon-like themes and sounds of Iced Earth and wizard-like themes and sounds of Blind Guardian (the moniker "Demons & Wizards" was inspired by Schaffer's wife always referring to him and Hansi as "Demons and Angels". Hansi always corrected her, since he claims to "not be at all angelic", and that it is more properly stated "Demons and Wizards", in reference to Uriah Heep's album of the same name). The band met with a fair deal of commercial success, though not as much as either of their individual bands.
The idea for the band arose in the spring of 1997 when Kürsch and Schaffer wanted to make music together, after being friends for several years
Disbandment
On January 6, 2021, guitarist Jon Schaffer was photographed among the protesters who stormed the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. After appearing on the Most Wanted section of the FBI's website, Schaffer turned himself in on January 17 and is currently being held on six felony charges. Century Media dropped the band from their roster two days after Jon Schaffer turned himself in. On February 1, 2021, it was announced that vocalist Hansi Kürsch had left the band, stating his collaboration with Jon Schaffer is over.
The Gunslinger
Demons & Wizards Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Song of Turtle
And the Cry of the Bear
Awake
I can sense it
Still I'm afraid
Tower Road lies ahead
Ka has come to me
Grey old fellow
If you finally failed the test
What would it mean?
We're getting near
We're getting near
Maid of sorrow
Your time goes by
Fade away
Fade
"Say thank, ya" for the beams are safe my friend
Long days and pleasant nights for you
Save me
The final chord
Don't let it end like this
No, not like this
Tell me
When things were finally getting out of hand
It's out of hand
Entangled, I am captured
You have put a spell on me
The last in line
The Gunslinger's line
The sacrifice of innocence
This work needs to be done
Now blow the horn
Hail to the gun!
Done is done
Yes, there will be no taking back
Every journey must come to an end
All hail to the Gunslinger
Praise to the Dinh and the King
Beyond our reach, out of control
Save me
To touch the rose it will not bring release
No taking back
Come save me
There are other worlds
But surely none like this
The world has changed
Done is done
Yes, there will be no taking back
The word is the law
Law is Ka
The end of the road lies
Straight ahead it lies
I'm feeling pure
The end of the road lies
The sacrifice of innocence
The hailing of the gun
My way was death and madness
Now let the tower come
Done is done
Yes, there will be no taking back
And every journey must come to an end
All hail to the Gunslinger
Praise to the Dinh and the King
Beyond our reach, out of control
The Gunslinger is a song by the band Demons & Wizards that tells a story about a journey through a mystical and dangerous place called the Tower Road. The singer is aware of the danger that lies ahead, but also senses something that makes him afraid. The lyrics are infused with references to Stephen King's The Dark Tower series, on which the band's name and many of their songs are based. The phrase "ka has come to me" refers to a recurring theme in the series, where characters are brought together by fate or destiny, which is the force of ka. The singer encounters a "Grey old fellow" who seems to be an important figure, and their exchange seems to imply that there is a test or challenge the singer must face. The "maid of sorrow" and "sacrifice of innocence" likely refer to Susan Delgado, a character from the series who becomes entangled with the gunslinger, Roland Deschain. The singer also mentions "the final chord," which might suggest that the end of the journey is approaching.
The lyrics seem to convey a sense of foreboding and inevitability, as the singer faces the dangerous path ahead but still hopes to be saved. The repeated phrase "Done is done" suggests that there is no turning back and that the singer must accept the consequences of his actions. The song ends with a call to the gunslinger, which seems to suggest that violence and sacrifice may be necessary to reach the Tower. Overall, the lyrics to The Gunslinger are rich with references to the Dark Tower series and suggest a story of a perilous journey through a mystical realm.
Line by Line Meaning
Song of Turtle
This is the beginning of the song, introducing the various themes and ideas that will be explored throughout
And the Cry of the Bear
Another reference to animal imagery, which may signify strength and ferocity
Awake
A call to action, urging the listener to become engaged and attentive
I can sense it
A feeling of intuition or premonition, suggesting that something significant is about to happen
Still I'm afraid
An admission of fear or hesitation, despite the sense of anticipation
Tower Road lies ahead
A reference to the Dark Tower, which is a central concept in the Stephen King universe and represents a kind of ultimate goal or destination
Commala-come-ka
A mysterious phrase that may be interpreted as a kind of incantation or invocation
Ka has come to me
A reference to the concept of ka, which represents fate or destiny in the Stephen King universe
Grey old fellow
A reference to the character of Roland Deschain, who is sometimes described this way
If you finally failed the test
A suggestion that failure is possible, and that there is some kind of test or trial involved
What would it mean?
An invitation to reflect on the consequences of failure, and to consider what it would represent in the context of the story
We're getting near
A confirmation that the end is approaching, and that progress is being made towards the goal
Maid of sorrow
A reference to a particular character or archetype that may represent loss, grief or regret
Your time goes by
An acknowledgement that everything is finite, and that time is running out
Fade away
A suggestion of mortality, and an acknowledgement that everything and everyone will eventually disappear
Say thank, ya for the beams are safe my friend
A reference to the concept of 'the beams', which are central to the cosmology of the Dark Tower stories, and an expression of gratitude that they are still intact
Long days and pleasant nights for you
A kind of blessing or wish, expressing the hope that the listener will enjoy a long and enjoyable life
Save me
An expression of helplessness or desperation, suggesting that the character needs assistance or rescue
The final chord
A reference to the end of something, perhaps suggesting the end of a life or a journey
Don't let it end like this
An appeal to the listener or to fate, to ensure that things happen differently or more positively
No, not like this
A repetition and intensification of the previous line, emphasizing the desire for a different outcome
Tell me
An expression of curiosity or interest, suggesting that the character wants to know more or is seeking answers
When things were finally getting out of hand
A reference to a moment of escalation, where events are spinning out of control and the situation is becoming more dangerous or dire
It's out of hand
A statement of fact, indicating that the situation has passed a certain threshold and can no longer be easily managed
Entangled, I am captured
A reference to being trapped or stuck, perhaps suggesting physical or metaphorical immobility
You have put a spell on me
A reference to magic or enchantment, suggesting that the character is under some kind of external influence
The last in line
A reference to the character of Roland, who is the last gunslinger in a long line of them
The Gunslinger's line
A reference to the tradition or lineage of gunfighters, and the skills and qualities that define them
The sacrifice of innocence
A reference to the theme of sacrifice, and the idea that sometimes purity or goodness must be given up in the pursuit of a greater goal
This work needs to be done
An acknowledgement that there is an important task or mission that must be completed, and perhaps a suggestion that it won't be easy
Now blow the horn
An instruction or command, urging the listener to take action and carry out a specific task
Hail to the gun!
An expression of admiration or respect for the power and skill of the gun
Done is done
An acknowledgement that something has been completed or achieved, and that it cannot be undone
Yes, there will be no taking back
A confirmation and elaboration of the previous line, emphasizing the finality of the situation
Every journey must come to an end
A reference to the inevitability of closure, and the idea that all things come to a conclusion eventually
All hail to the Gunslinger
A statement of admiration or respect for the character of Roland, who represents strength, bravery and determination
Praise to the Dinh and the King
A reference to other characters in the Dark Tower universe, who are also powerful or influential
Beyond our reach, out of control
An acknowledgement that some things are beyond our ability to understand or manipulate, and that we must accept our limitations
To touch the rose it will not bring release
A reference to a particular object or symbol in the Dark Tower universe, and a suggestion that even if we achieve our goals, they may not provide the comfort or satisfaction we seek
No taking back
A restatement of the idea that actions have consequences, and that once something is done, it cannot be undone
Come save me
A repeated plea for help or assistance, suggesting that the situation is urgent or dire
There are other worlds
A reference to the concept of alternate realities or dimensions, which is a recurring theme in the works of Stephen King
But surely none like this
A suggestion that even in a multiverse filled with strange and terrifying things, the world of the Dark Tower is unique and special
The world has changed
An acknowledgement that time and experience can alter our perceptions and understanding of the world around us
The word is the law
A reference to the power of language and definition, and the idea that words have the ability to shape our reality
Law is Ka
A restatement of the idea that fate or destiny is a fundamental force, and that our lives and actions are ultimately guided by forces beyond our control
The end of the road lies
A confirmation that the journey is coming to an end, and that the goal is in sight
Straight ahead it lies
A reassurance that the path remains clear, and that the goal is still in reach
I'm feeling pure
A statement of clarity or intention, suggesting that the character is resolved and focused on the task at hand
The end of the road lies
Another reminder that the journey is ending, and that the goal is close at hand
The sacrifice of innocence
A repetition of the previous reference to sacrifice, emphasizing its importance and its role in the story
The hailing of the gun
A reference to the power and impact of firearms in the world of the Dark Tower
My way was death and madness
A statement of self-awareness and reflection, suggesting that the character recognizes the destructive nature of their path
Now let the tower come
A final call to action, urging the listener or the character to achieve the ultimate goal
And every journey must come to an end
A repetition and confirmation of the idea that closure is inevitable
All hail to the Gunslinger
A final declaration of respect and admiration for the character of Roland, and for the qualities he represents
Praise to the Dinh and the King
A repetition of the previous reference to other characters, and an acknowledgement of their importance in the story
Beyond our reach, out of control
A final suggestion of the vast and complex universe that surrounds the characters, and a reminder that they are but small players in a much larger drama
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: HANS JUERGEN KUERSCH, JON SCHAFFER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@minstrelstork7596
Songs to sing
Song of Turtle
And the Cry of the Bear
Awake
I can sense it
Still I'm afraid
Tower Road lies ahead
Commala-come-ka
Ka has come to me
Grey old fellow
If you finally failed the test
What would it mean?
We're getting near
We're getting near
Maid of sorrow
Your time goes by
Fade away
Fade
"Say thank, ya" for the beams are safe my friend
Long days and pleasant nights for you
Save me
The final chord
Don't let it end like this
No, not like this
Tell me
When things were finally getting out of hand
It's out of hand
Entangled, I am captured
You have put a spell on me
The last in line
The Gunslinger's line
The sacrifice of innocence
This work needs to be done
Now blow the horn
Hail to the gun!
Done is done
Yes, there will be no taking back
Every journey must come to an end
All hail to the Gunslinger
Praise to the Dinh and the King
Beyond our reach, out of control
Save me
To touch the rose it will not bring release
No taking back
Come save me
There are other worlds
But surely none like this
The world has changed
Done is done
Yes, there will be no taking back
The word is the law
Law is Ka
The end of the road lies
Straight ahead it lies
I'm feeling pure
The end of the road lies
The sacrifice of innocence
The hailing of the gun
My way was death and madness
Now let the tower come
Done is done
Yes, there will be no taking back
And every journey must come to an end
All hail to the Gunslinger
Praise to the Dinh and the King
Beyond our reach, out of control
@duriandthepri
My first thought was, he lied in every word,
that hoary cripple, with the malicious eye
askance to watch the working of his lie
on mine, and mouth scarce able to afford
suprpression of the glee, that pursed and scored
its edge, at one more victim gained thereby.
what else should he be set for, with his staff?
what, save to waylay with his lies, ensnare
all travelers who might find him posted there,
and ask the road? i guessed what skull-like laugh
would break, what crutch 'gin write my epitaph
for pastime in the dusty thoroughfare,
if at his counsel i should turn aside
into that ominous tract which, all agree,
hides the dark tower. yet acquiesingly
i did turn as he pointed: neither pride
nor hope rekindling at the end described,
so much as gladness that some end might be.
for, what with my whole world-wide wandering,
what with my search drawn out through years, my hope
dwindled into a ghost not fit to cope
with that obstreperous joy success would bring,-
i hardly tried now to rebuke the spring
my heart made, finding failure in its scope.
as when a sick man very near to death
seems dead indeed, and feels begin and end
the tears and takes the farewell of each friend,
and hears one bid the other go, draw breath
freelier outside, ("since all is o'er," he saith,
"and the blow fallen no grieving can amend";)
while some discuss if near the other graves
be room enough for this, and when a day
suits best for carrying the corpse away,
with care about the banners, scarves and staves:
and still the man hears all, and only craves
he may not shame such tender love and stay.
thus, i had so long suffered in this quest,
heard failure prophesied so oft, been writ
so many times among "the band"- to wit,
the knights who to the dark tower's search addressed
their steps- that just to fail as they, seemed best,
and all the doubt was now- should i be fit?
so, quiet as despair, i turned from him,
that hateful cripple, out of his highway
into the path he pointed. all the day
had been a dreary one at best, and dim
was settling to its close, yet shot one grim
red leer to see the plain catch its estray.
for mark! no sooner was i fairly found
pledged to the plain, after a pace or two,
than, pausing to throw backward a last view
o'er the safe road, 'twas gone; gray plain all round:
nothing but plain to the horizon's bound.
i might go on; naught else remained to do.
so, on i went. i think i never saw
such starved ignoble nature; nothing throve:
for flowers- as well expect a cedar grove!
but cockle, spurge, according to their law
might propagate their kind, with none to awe,
you'd think; a burr had been a treasure trove.
no! penury, inertness and grimace,
in some strange sort, were the land's portion. "see
or shut your eyes," said nature peevishly,
"it nothing skills: i cannot help my case:
'tis the last judgment's fire must cure this place,
calcine its clods and set my prisoners free."
if there pushed any ragged thistle-stalk
above its mates, the head was chopped; the bents
were jealous else. what made those holes and rents
in the dock's harsh swarth leaves, bruised as to balk
all hope of greenness? 'tis a brute must walk
pashing their life out, with a brute's intents.
as for the grass, it grew as scant as hair
in leprosy; thin dry blades pricked the mud
which underneath looked kneaded up with blood.
one stiff blind horse, his every bone a-stare,
stood stupefied, however he came there:
thrust out past service from the devil's stud!
alive? he might be dead for aught i know,
with that red gaunt and collapsed neck a-strain,
and shut eyes underneath the rusty mane;
seldom went such grotesqueness with such woe;
i never saw a brute i hated so;
he must be wicked to deserve such pain.
i shut my eyes and turned them on my heart.
as a man calls for wine before he fights,
i asked one draught of earlier, happier sights,
ere fitly i could hope to play my part.
think first, fight afterwards- the soldier's art:
one taste of the old time sets all to rights.
not it! i fancied cuthbert's reddening face
beneath its garniture of curly gold,
dear fellow, till i almost felt him fold
an arm in mine to fix me to the place,
that way he used. alas, one night's disgrace!
out went my heart's new fire and left it cold.
giles then, the soul of honor- there he stands
frank as ten years ago when knighted first.
what honest man should dare (he said) he durst.
good - but the scene shifts - faugh! what hangman-hands
pin to his breast a parchment? his own hands
read it. poor traitor, spit upon and curst!
better this present than a past like that;
back to my darkening path again!
no sound, no sight as far as eye could strain.
will the night send a howlet or a bat?
i asked: when something on the dismal flat
came to arrest my thoughts and change their train.
a sudden little river crossed my path
as unexpexted as a serpent comes.
no sluggish tide congenial to the glooms;
this, as it frothed by, might have been a bath
for the fiend's glowing hoof- to see the wrath
of its black eddy bespate with flakes and spumes.
so petty yet so spiteful! all along,
low scrubby alders kneeled down over it;
drenched willows flung themselves headlong in a fit
of mute despair, a suicidal throng:
the river which had done them all wrong,
whate'er that was, rolled by, deterred no whit.
which, while i forded,- good saints, how i feared
to set my foot upon a dead man's cheek,
each step, or feel the spear i thrust to seek
for hollows, tangled in his hair or beard!
- it may have been a water rat i speared,
but, ugh! it sounded like a baby's shriek.
glad was i when i reached the other bank.
now for a better country. vain presage!
who were the strugglers, what war did they wage,
whose savage trample thus could pad the dank
soil to a plash? toads in a poisoned tank,
or wild cats in a red-hot iron cage-
the fight must so have seemed in that fell cirque.
what penned them there, with all the plain to choose?
no footprint leading to that horrid mews,
none out of it. mad brewage set to work
their brains, no doubt, like galley-slaves the turk
pits for his pastime, christians against jews.
and more than that- a furlong on- why, there!
what bad use was that engine for, that wheel,
or brake, not wheel- that harrow fit to reel
men's bodies out like silk? with all the air
of tophet's tool, on earth left unaware,
or brought to sharpen its rusty teeth of steel.
then came a bit of stubbed ground, once a wood,
next a marsh, it would seem, and now mere earth
desperate and done with; (so a fool finds mirth,
makes a thing and then mars it, till his mood
changes and off he goes!) within a rood-
bog, clay and rubble, sand and stark black dearth.
now blotches rankling, colored gay and grim,
now patches where some leanness of the soil's
broke into moss or substance like boils;
then came some palsied oak, a cleft in him
like a disturbed mouth that splits its rim
gaping at death, and dies while it recoils.
and just as far as ever from the end!
naught in the distance but the evening, naught
to point my footstep further! at the thought,
a great black bird, apollyon's bosom-friend,
sailed past, nor beat his wide wing dragon-penned
that brushed my cap- perchance the guide i sought.
for, looking up, aware i somehow grew,
'spite of the dusk, the plain had given place
all round to mountains- with such name to grace
mere ugly heights and heaps now stolen in view.
how thus they had surprised me,- solve it, you!
how to get from them was no clearer case.
yet half i seemed to recognize some trick
of mischief happened to me, god knows when-
in a bad dream perhaps. here ended, then,
progress this way. when, in the very nick
of giving up, one more time, came a click
as when a trap shuts- you're inside the den!
burningly it came on me all at once,
this was the place! those two hills on the right,
crouched like two bulls locked horn in horn in fight;
while to the left, a tall scalped mountain... dunce,
dotard, a-dozing at the very nonce,
after a life spent training for the sight!
what in the midst lay but the tower itself?
the round squat turret, blind as the fool's heart,
built of brown stone, without a counterpart
in the whole world. the tempest's mocking elf
points to the shipman thus the unseen self
he strikes on, only when the timbers start.
not see? because of night perhaps?- why, day
came back again for that! before it left,
the dying sunset kindled through a cleft:
the hills, like giants at a hunting, lay,
chin upon hand, to see the game at bay,-
"now stab and end the creature- to the heft!"
not hear? when noise was everywhere! it tolled
increasing like a bell. names in my ears
of all the lost adventurers my peers,-
how such a one was strong, and such was bold,
and such was fortunate, yet each of old
lost, lost! one moment knelled the woe of years.
there they stood, ranged along the hill-sides, met
to view the last of me, a living frame
for one more picture! in a sheet of flame
i saw them and i knew them all. and yet
dauntless the slug-horn to my lips set,
and blew. "childe roland to the dark tower came."
@brianhamilton5195
Stephen King has to hear this song! It's about his Gunslinger Roland! Awesome!
@SGTvolcan
I'm relieved that it's actually bullets going across the screen and not the casings and all.
@CarlosPanades
I love every single song of Demons & Wizards and I am so glad they came back to Spotify with a Remastered version of their albuns, I headbang to them since 1999.
@MichaelHolmgaard
It's incredible how a mere side project ends up as some of the finest and most unique metal of all time. Hope to hear as much epic stuff on the new album
@AgentFour
What new album?
@ohnenamen22
@@AgentFour they will Release a New Album in 2020 i think.
@MichaelHolmgaard
@@ohnenamen22 Yeah that's what I heard also
@IcedDog
Yeah, sometimes it works out that way. Another that comes to mind is Cain's Offering, members of Stratovarius and Sonata Arctica, two great albums so far.
@MichaelHolmgaard
@@IcedDog I've never heard about that project. But Cain's Offering is a super badass name! I'll check it out for sure
@thefeleapz4144
Thank you, Razorfist. Cool song :)