1.) The story of Heimdall st… Read Full Bio ↴There are 2 bands by the name Heimdall.
1.) The story of Heimdall starts in 1994 when Fabio Calluori (guitars) and Nicolas Calluori (drums) decide to form a heavy metal band. After some changes of line-up, the bass player Giovanni Canu, the guitarist Carmelo Claps and the singer Claudio Gallo join Heimdall which start an intense live activity. With this line-up, the band records the homonymous demo in 1997 that receives great reviews by the specialized press and gives it the opportunity to sign a record-deal with Elevate Records. In May 1998 "Lord of the Sky", the first cd of the band, is released. It is a concept-album based on the story of the Nordic god Heimdall, Lord of the sky and Guardian of the mighty bridge Bifrost which links the world of the mortals with the one of the gods. "Lord of the Sky" has immediately a great success from the public and from the press - it is Top-album on many magazines. Besides, it is licensed and published by Dreamchaser in Japan. In the meanwhile, Sergio Duccilli (keyboards) joins the band, giving a more symphonic and majestic aspect to Heimdall sound. The great success of "Lord of the Sky" takes Heimdall to start an intense live activity, playing many gigs and taking part in many festivals with bands like Sentenced, Labyrinth, 69 Eyes and so on. At the beginning of '99, Nicolas leaves the band for personal problems and Ottavio Amato becomes the new drummer. With him, Heimdall go on tour together with Labyrinth, having a great success. After the acclaimed debut album "Lord of the Sky", Heimdall record the follow-up "The Temple of Theil", published by Elevate Records in September 1999. The Japanese edition, released always by Dreamchaser on August 25, 1999, contains two bonus tracks: "Breaking the Law", cover of the Judas Priest classic-song and the unplugged version of "The Challenge" from the debut cd. The album shows a great improvement in the song writing and, although still based on flashy guitars, epic tunes, glorious vocals and choruses, presents a really more personal and 'rich' touch than on the debut album. The cover is painted by Eric Philippe already known for his artworks for Riot, Stratovarious and Rhapsody. "The Temple of Theil" receives very good responses but after four months from its publication Claudio Gallo leaves the band. So Heimdall begin searching for a new singer and, in 2001, they meet Giacomo Mercaldo. With him, the band completes the composition of the songs for the new album After three years from "The Temple of Theil", Heimdall are out with the 3rd album, titled 'The Almighty', with a new record deal (Scarlet Records) and a new, vital & inspired song-writing. 'The Almighty' shows once more the great potential of this band that is able to catch the true power of metal-guitar riffs and mix it with refined keyboards arrangements, epic choirs and intense vocal lines. Recorded at the beginning of 2002, "The Almighty" sees the return of Nicolas on drums and is published in July in Japan and in September in the rest of the world. After a tour and some concerts with bands like Shaman, Vicious Rumors and Destruction, Heimdall start the composition of the new tracks. Before entering the studio to give life the fourth album, Nicolas leaves and Enrico, Giovanni's brother, joins the band. Between December and February, Heimdall record the new album. The title chosen for it is "Hard As Iron". Heimdall style with this new album turns to be even more compact and new songs are more aggressive if compared with previous ones, with lots of heavy riffs added to the classic epic surrounding. "Hard As Iron" is out on 10 May 04 for Scarlet Records and in April 04 in Japan for Soundholic Records.
2.) A swedish nationell/viking-rock band from the town of Gävle who was most active in the middle of the 90s. Allthough the band is no more, since one of the members died in a carcrash in 2003. The recordlabel Sniper Records released the Norrlands Befrielsearmé compilation in memory of the two people who died in the crash.
Return to the Fatherland
Heimdall Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Many wars I have fought
Before I came back to you
For you I killed - for you I cried
O Cradle of my life
[pre-chorus]
I ran away towards some place far beyond
The honour of thy noble flags
After many clashes - After long journeys
I see you again, my lovely home
Dark, sad and still - No word, no move
To welcome my arrival
[pre-chorus]
Are these grey stones all of the grandeur left by war?
No - not all thy strength, not all thy fame is gone
Not all the memories in you live
[chorus]
Among these ruined walls, my Lords
I feel a great power still lives
So in this lonely place it shines on
Witness of the ancient glory
[chorus]
Among these ruined walls, my Lords
I feel the immortal spirits live
So in this lonely place they shine on
Guardians of the ancient glory
The lyrics to Heimdall's song "Return to the Fatherland" speak of the singer's return to his homeland after years of being away, fighting in wars along the way. He expresses his love for his homeland, which he calls the "cradle of my life." However, upon his return, he finds his home to be dark, sad, and still - a result of the wars that he and others have fought in. Despite the destruction he sees, he feels that his homeland still possesses a great power and immortal spirits, which he refers to as "witnesses" and "guardians" of its ancient glory.
The lyrics showcase the emotional and psychological toll that war can have on individuals and entire communities. They also explore the conflicting emotions of coming back home after a long absence - the excitement of returning to familiar surroundings, coupled with the shock of seeing how much has changed in one's absence. Through the use of metaphors and vivid imagery, the lyrics paint a picture of a land that has been ravaged by war, yet still has a sense of resilience and strength.
Line by Line Meaning
Many years have passed
It has been a long time since I left you
Many wars I have fought
I have been through many battles and conflicts
Before I came back to you
Returning to you was my top priority
For you I killed - for you I cried
I have sacrificed for you, both in causing harm and grieving for the losses of the past
O Cradle of my life
You are the place where I belong and where I was raised
I ran away towards some place far beyond
I left you behind to seek something unknown and distant
I told you farewell in order to defend
I had to say goodbye to you so I could protect something important
The honour of thy noble flags
I had to protect the dignity and honor of our symbols
After many clashes - After long journeys
I have been through a lot of conflicts and hardships on my travels
I see you again, my lovely home
I am finally able to see you again, my beautiful and beloved homeland
Dark, sad and still - No word, no move
You appear to be quiet and somber, without any signs of life or activity
To welcome my arrival
There is no celebration or reception for my return
Are these grey stones all of the grandeur left by war?
There is nothing impressive or magnificent about these damaged and destroyed structures
No - not all thy strength, not all thy fame is gone
Despite the destruction, there is still some power and glory left
Not all the memories in you live
Not all of the history and memories survive in the present
Among these ruined walls, my Lords
Despite the damage, there is still a sense of royalty and nobility here
I feel a great power still lives
There is still a strong force or energy present
So in this lonely place it shines on
This solitary location still has a brilliant light shining within it
Witness of the ancient glory
It bears witness to the greatness and historical significance of the past
I feel the immortal spirits live
I sense that the spirits of the deceased still remain here
So in this lonely place they shine on
Their presence is still radiant and strong in this desolate setting
Guardians of the ancient glory
They protect and uphold the legacy of the glorious past
Contributed by Elliot J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.