They were a trio and t… Read Full Bio ↴Holy Martyr formed in the middle of the nineties.
They were a trio and they were led by guitarist Ivano Spiga.
The band started writing songs, which were in the vein of the classic British metal and of the eighties epic metal.
After numerous changes in the line-up, the band finally found stability in 2002, when they released their first demo cd called “Hatred And Warlust”.
With its relentless savage attack, the cd made proselytes all over Europe, and Holy Martyr gained prestige as one of the best undergound Italian Heavy Metal bands of the new century.
Anyway, the band was not too happy of these great results, so after just 5 months they started composing new stuff and they recorded their second Ep called “Hail to Hellas”.
It was based upon the famous battle of Thermopylae, fought by 300 Spartans. The Ep gained prestige among the most famous Italian, German and Greek magazines, and the band became a cult Heavy Metal band in Europe.
For this album, Holy Martyr asked and got funds from more than 200 fans.
This was quite unusual for an underground band, but they managed to create a huge group of faithful fans all over the world in a short time.
Thanks to the numerous good reviews, Holy Martyr were asked to join the German Festival “Keep It True”, along with bands such as Manilla Road, Elixir and Wizard.
The band got an enormous success in this first abroad appearance, and they were asked to join another festival, this time in Greece (Athens) and along with Cloven Hoof.
Here, they received an enthusiastic welcome.
In 2005, after the positive experience of the previous years, the band produced their third Ep, which was put of print within a few months after its release.
It was called “Vis Et Honor”, and it showed another improvement in the style of the band, which anyway stick to their origins: an epic, aggressive and melodic work, this time inspired by the Ancient Rome and Roman Soldiers.
This third chapter gained the interest of DragonHeart Records, which offered the band a contract and the chance to finally record their debut album, in the name of steel and blood!
The Call to Arms
Holy Martyr Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"Our archers are so numerous, that the flight of the arrows darkens the sun!"
(Dienekes (the bravest Spartan Warrior):)
"So much the better! For we shall them in the shade!!!"
Hear the call to arms
for all those who carry a blade
for the king who is going to war
The morning sun is sad
the morning light
Will we see it again? Leonidas is leading us
Ooh, can you see the sparkle of his crest?
In this day of despair
in the search for victory
For the peace in our Land
we are marching to defend
For the blade in our hands
dying on the battlefield
Across the Pass we stand
surrounded everywhere
Hellas needs our blood
a Martyr for this war
Brave mighty warriors!
In battle blood we bring
Death is what we seek
to find Glory and Victory!
The sun is full of sadness
we are going to die
Our weapon is our courage
no regard for life
The Noble blood of Sparta
falling one by one
There's no more fear within us
no more tears to cry
The Call to Arms by Holy Martyr is a song that describes the bravery and determination of the Spartan warriors in a war. In the first stanza, the Persian envoy boasts about the number of archers in their army, but Dienekes, the bravest Spartan warrior, responds by saying that the shade will be better for them to fight in. This shows the fearlessness of the Spartans in the face of adversity.
The chorus is a call to arms to all those who carry a blade to fight and die for their king. It talks about the sadness of the morning sun and the fear of not seeing it again. However, the warriors are inspired by Leonidas, their leader, and his crest which sparkles in the sun. The verse talks about the reason for their march, which is to defend their land and find peace through victory.
The last stanza describes the bravery of the Spartan warriors in the face of death. They have no regard for their lives and all they care about is finding glory and victory. They stand surrounded by the enemy but they are not afraid. They are ready to die on the battlefield and shed their noble blood for their land. The song ends with the realization that there is no more fear or tears left, just courage and determination.
Line by Line Meaning
Our archers are so numerous, that the flight of the arrows darkens the sun!
The Persian envoy boasts of the army's strength, with so many archers that their arrows darken the sun.
So much the better! For we shall them in the shade!!!
Dienekes is unfazed by the envoy's boast, saying that he and his fellow Spartans will fight even better in the shade of the arrows.
Hear the call to arms
This is a summons to all who possess swords to join the fight.
for all those who carry a blade
Only those who have swords are being called to fight.
To fight and to die
The battle is expected to be deadly for the warriors.
for the king who is going to war
They are fighting to support their king, who is leading the charge.
The morning sun is sad
The morning is somber, and there is a sense of despair among the warriors.
the morning light
The light of day brings with it the reality that they might not survive the battle.
Will we see it again? Leonidas is leading us
The warriors question whether they will live to see another day but they take solace from the fact that Leonidas, a great leader, is with them.
Ooh, can you see the sparkle of his crest?
The warriors admire Leonidas' crest or helmet, which emits a spark of hope in their dark situation.
In this day of despair
The current situation feels hopeless and full of despair.
in the search for victory
Despite the despair, the warriors are fighting for a chance at victory.
For the peace in our Land
The warriors fight for the sake of peace in their land.
we are marching to defend
They are marching forward to defend their land and people from attack.
For the blade in our hands
The warriors value their swords, which they wield in battle.
dying on the battlefield
Death is a possibility for these warriors, but they are ready to die fighting for their cause.
Across the Pass we stand
The warriors are positioned across a pass, ready to fight the enemy.
surrounded everywhere
The warriors are completely surrounded by the enemy.
Hellas needs our blood
Greece or Hellas needs them to shed their blood in order to defend their land.
a Martyr for this war
The warriors are willing to die as martyrs in this war and they know the consequences of their actions.
Brave mighty warriors!
This is an acknowledgement and call-to-action to the brave and courageous warriors.
In battle blood we bring
The warriors bring their fighting spirit and determination with them to battle.
Death is what we seek
The warriors are not afraid to die fighting, and in fact, they are ready to embrace it.
to find Glory and Victory!
They fight for the chance of glory and to be victorious.
The sun is full of sadness
The sun is setting on the warriors' lives, as the battle will be deadly.
we are going to die
The warriors acknowledge that they may not emerge victorious from the battle and may in fact, face death.
Our weapon is our courage
While they may have swords, their greatest weapon in battle is their courage and determination.
no regard for life
The warriors are willing to lay down their lives for their cause.
The Noble blood of Sparta
The warriors are proud of their heritage and are willing to die for their homeland of Sparta.
falling one by one
Their numbers are falling as each warrior succumbs to the enemy, one by one.
There's no more fear within us
The warriors have conquered their fear and are ready to face whatever comes next.
no more tears to cry
They have shed all the tears they need to and are ready to face death with dignity and courage.
Contributed by Muhammad D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.