Eluveitie use both traditional Swiss and Celtic instruments alongside electric guitars and drums. Their music is known to be inspired by Gothenburg’s melodic death metal Scene and their lyrics are written in a mix of English and Gaulish. The name of the band comes from a graffito on a vessel from Mantua (ca. 300 BC). The inscription in Etruscan letters reads eluveitie, which has been interpreted as the Etruscan form of the Celtic (h)elvetios (“the Helvetian”), presumably referring to a man of Helvetian descent living in Mantua.
On 14 October 2017, the band announced via social media that they were working on a new album, and were to due to start recording after their Maximum Evocation tour. The band also revealed that they had recorded a single in advance of the tour, at Tommy Vetterli's New Sound Studio, entitled "Rebirth". The single was released on 27 October 2017, along with a music video produced by Wolfgang Wolman and Oliver Sommer. "Rebirth" marked the first non-acoustic record produced by the new line-up. On the band's official Instagram account, it was announced the new album is called Ategnatos. It was released on 5 April 2019. On 2 June 2022, the band released a brand new single "Aidus" along with a music video. On 5 July, the band announced that Michalina Malisz left the band on good terms
Current members:
Chrigel Glanzmann – vocals, mandola, whistles, pipes, gaita, acoustic guitar, bodhrán, harp
Alain Ackermann – drums
Jonas Wolf – rhythm guitar
Fabienne Erni – vocals, celtic harp, mandola
Kay Brem – bass guitar
Rafael Salzmann – lead guitar
Nicole Ansperger – violin
Matteo Sisti - bagpipes, whistles
Fabienne Erni - clean vocals, celtic harp
Official Site: http://www.eluveitie.ch
Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eluveitie
Lyrics: http://lyricwiki.org/Eluveitie
Bloodstained Ground
Eluveitie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't remember ever shedding tears of spite
On this ground, cropping up the fatal front line
Like a soot-blackened palisade yet
Impelled, void and abulic
Legions delineate, an ominous skyline
These insentient hosts abide
Engulfing war monger get away from here
Trod ye the path of vast deceit?
Every piece of evidence was a lie
The war, the threat's a hyping fake
To move figures on the board
Stain bibractes ground
What do you see in me?
Do you breathe-in dreams?
What spurred you to come here?
An oneiric picture of being
Like disaffected legions taken, lure
I wonder what lies, what threat or promise
Persuaded them to leave their home so far away
Did they really know?
As the carnyx roared aloud
I quaked not yet just asked myself
How their hearts took the bait
These sweetened words of bitter essence
Face to face with nameless foes
Scorching words, unspoken lorn
Unheard quests remain the ashes of the dead
Forsooth we'll bear the brunt
Upright in life or in death
Yet still the countless cries echo
In silenced caves of nothing
The lyrics of Eluveitie's song Bloodstained Ground are about a battle that took place on a particular piece of land, possibly during the Gallic Wars. The singer reflects on the horrors of war and wonders what could have compelled so many people to leave their homes and sacrifice their lives. The first verse implies that the singer may have been a soldier who is questioning his own participation in the battle, suggesting that he does not remember why he fought and feels guilty for shedding tears of anger. The chorus refers to the battlefield where the soldiers fought and died, calling it a "fatal front line," and the refrain "stain bibractes ground" suggests that the land has been forever marked by the blood of the fallen.
The second verse explores the motivations behind the battle, suggesting that the war and the impending threat may have been lies created to manipulate people and move pieces on the board. The singer questions the validity of the evidence that led to the war and wonders if it was all a ploy for power. The following verses describe the battle and the carnage that ensued. The singer wonders how the armies were swayed by the "sweetened words of bitter essence" and how they could face each other on the battlefield as "nameless foes." The final lines suggest that the aftermath of war is silence and ashes, highlighting the loss and destruction that war brings.
Line by Line Meaning
What did I close in here?
I am unsure of what I have confined myself to.
I can't remember ever shedding tears of spite
I have never cried out of hatred for someone or something.
On this ground, cropping up the fatal front line
The battlefield is where the final lines will be drawn.
Like a soot-blackened palisade yet
Despite the appearance of the battlefield, the goals of the attack are in question.
Impelled, void and abulic
The soldiers are driven by an outside force rather than personal motivation, thus making them empty and lifeless.
Legions delineate, an ominous skyline
The view of the attacking army creates a sense of foreboding.
As lifeless demons without soul
The soldiers have no sense of desire or passion, they march without feeling or thought.
These insentient hosts abide
The soldiers simply exist, they are not active participants in the events.
Engulfing war monger get away from here
The call to leave the battlefield and stop the war is directed at those that wish to continue it for their own gain.
Trod ye the path of vast deceit?
Have you been led astray by false promises and hopes?
Every piece of evidence was a lie
All of the proof was intentionally misleading.
The war, the threat's a hyping fake
The war and its supposed danger is a fabricated event designed to manipulate for those in power.
To move figures on the board
The war is simply a move in a bigger game, with human lives acting as the pieces to be moved.
Stain bibractes ground
The battlefield will forever be marked by the tragedies that occur upon it.
What do you see in me?
What qualities do you recognize within me that drove you to this action?
Do you breathe-in dreams?
Are you looking towards the future with hope?
What spurred you to come here?
What drove you to this place?
An oneiric picture of being
A dream-like vision of an alternate reality and existence.
Like disaffected legions taken, lure
The army, feeling disconnected and uncomfortable, was baited into action.
I wonder what lies, what threat or promise
I question what deceitful words were used to influence the army and make them join this cause.
Persuaded them to leave their home so far away
The army was convinced to leave their safe haven for a purpose that was never near as clear as promised.
Did they really know?
Were they truly aware of the consequences their actions would lead to?
As the carnyx roared aloud
The army was assaulted by the sounds of war and destruction.
I quaked not yet just asked myself
While the surrounding chaos bothered me, I showed no outward fear, merely internal contemplation.
How their hearts took the bait
I query how the army was convinced to join the war with a cause they barely comprehended.
These sweetened words of bitter essence
The army was swayed by promises that were in actuality much harsher and more dangerous.
Face to face with nameless foes
The army stands eye to eye with enemies they don't know, with no familiarity to base their intentions on.
Scorching words, unspoken lorn
The heated words of this war are what give it fuel, and although unspoken, are most assuredly felt.
Unheard quests remain the ashes of the dead
The mission of those who died for this cause is silent forever.
Forsooth we'll bear the brunt
The consequences of this war is something we must accept and deal with.
Upright in life or in death
Whether we succeed in life or not does not matter, only that we stay true to our principles.
Yet still the countless cries echo
The screams and tears of the people and lives lost in this battle will resonate for a long time.
In silenced caves of nothing
These echoes will be known in the place where they died, for forever after it will be marked by sorrow.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRISTIAN GLANZMANN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind