Their first three albums ('In a Time of Blood and Fire', 'Tales of Mystery and Imagination' and 'The Sacred Talisman') feature the former vocalist Anders Zackrisson, while the newer albums are sung by Johnny Lindkvist. Also the musical style has changed a bit during the years; some demo's were something more like death metal, but then the three first cd releases pure melodic power metal, and on "Afterlife" they took a bit heavier approach with influences of true heavy metal like Masterplan and Dream evil and even some thrash metal riffs, though the melodic choruses were kept right in the core of the songs.
They have released a few more albums since, with the latest ones being 'Grand Illusion' that came in 2005 and '8th Sin' that came out in 2007. The band keeps on fighting on and remains one of Scandinavia's best known power metal bands.
On June 21st, 2008 it was announced that guitarist Nils Norberg has left the band. On May 9th, 2010, Chris Rörland joined Nocturnal Rites. A video of him playing and Fredrik Mannberg talking a bit about him can be seen here.
Pentagram
Nocturnal Rites Lyrics
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Only brave men with hearts of steel.
To embark upon the journey
And bring the treasure back.
They will head the old man's words
As he wrote so long ago
"Go and find the treasure
and live for evermore."
Towards a distant world.
Reaching to where heaven ends
Beyond the stars- to find the pentagram.
Now the sky fades to black
Strong winds tear the sails apart.
Above them roaring thunder
That echos in the night.
Mighty waves cast the ship aside
One hundred men go down.
Everyone but one man
That lived on to be free.
Long ago they sailed away
To a land beyond the stars.
One man brought the fortune home
And lived for evermore.
The lyrics to Nocturnal Rites's song Pentagram depict a journey of brave men with hearts of steel to embark upon a perilous journey towards a distant world, to find the pentagram, and bring treasure back. The lyrics evoke a sense of valiance and valor amongst the sailors, who have set sail towards the sea with the sole intention of fulfilling an old man's dream of finding the pentagram, which promises eternal life. Despite the struggles they face, such as the sky fading to black, strong winds tearing the sails apart, and the roaring thunder echoing in the night, the sailors remain undaunted and forge ahead, relentlessly searching for the pentagram.
The song's imagery and lyrics carry an almost romanticized view of exploration and adventure, which is further emphasized by the contrasting themes of life and death. As the sailors set sail, their fate hangs in the balance, with only one man returning with the fortune and living forevermore. The lyrics suggest that the journey was worth the risk, and that the sailors found glory in their quest for the pentagram. The song's use of powerful imagery and poetic lyrics makes it an anthem for the wanderlust and adventurous spirit in all of us.
Line by Line Meaning
They set sails towards the sea
A group of brave men set off on a voyage across the sea.
Only brave men with hearts of steel.
The journey is perilous and requires great strength.
To embark upon the journey
The men begin their adventure.
And bring the treasure back.
Their mission is to return with the treasure.
They will head the old man's words
The men will follow the advice of an old man.
As he wrote so long ago
The advice was given a long time ago.
"Go and find the treasure
The old man's advice was to search for treasure.
and live for evermore."
He promised eternal life to whoever found it.
For thousand days they sailed
The journey takes a very long time.
Towards a distant world.
They are traveling to a place far away.
Reaching to where heaven ends
Their destination is beyond the limits of the sky.
Beyond the stars- to find the pentagram.
They search for the pentagram, a symbol of great power.
Now the sky fades to black
The sky becomes dark, signaling danger.
Strong winds tear the sails apart.
The harsh weather damages their sails.
Above them roaring thunder
Loud thunder echoes above them.
That echos in the night.
The sound can be heard in the darkness.
Mighty waves cast the ship aside
The waves are powerful enough to toss their ship.
One hundred men go down.
Many men are lost in the storm.
Everyone but one man
Only one person survives.
That lived on to be free.
He manages to survive and continue his life.
Long ago they sailed away
This event happened a long time ago.
To a land beyond the stars.
They were traveling to a place beyond what was known.
One man brought the fortune home
Only one person managed to return with the treasure.
And lived for evermore.
As the old man promised, he gained eternal life.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BEN NEILL, PAUL MILLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind