Somewhere in 2003 Harris left the band and Michael joined in, adding the much needed lead guitar elements. Kyriakos (keyboards) became a Reign member at about the same period and the band gradually shifted from classic heavy metal to a more epic/power sound.
The first demo, "Steel Horizons", was released in 2003, containing two instrumental songs. Needless to say, the band was having a pretty hard time recruiting a vocalist, as none of the auditioned fulfilled the requirements. Despite the difficulties, the song Steel Horizons made it to the 2004 Greek metal compilation "Greece Attacks, The Next Assault" and received good reviews. On the same year (2004) another demo was released. "The Guiding Light" featured the songs from "Steel Horizons" and a country influenced ballad (a guest vocalist helped us with that one). The band continued rehearsing, waiting for the right person to finally show up at the auditions.
At last, after numerous disappointments, Yiannis (vocals) was auditioned somewhere in 2005 and immediately got the job. The band was now able to finally work some vocals in already written material and compose some more, as well. The first song with the new vocalist was "Amidst the Battle", released on the internet in December 2005. It had a great impact and even got airplay in Germany (to our great astonishment!) The band was slowly making its name familiar to metal fans. The uploading of just a couple of songs on the net was enough to get people talking and soon brought the band to no1 of the December 2006 Greek metal band websites poll, conducted monthly by "Rock Underground" webzine.
During the recording sessions, the group also did a cover of "The First Noel", a medieval Xmas song, to be included upon request in a nationwide released compilation; cutting more than 40.000 copies and radio station uses it as its music theme. Finally, after extensive work in the studio, Orion's Reign released their first EP, "Beyond Eternity", in March 2007, consisting of 5 songs and the already mentioned cover.
The band is currently pursuing a record deal and planning live appearances.
Last Stand
Orion's Reign Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fury of the outer space
Swarms of alien insects
Soon we’ll be attacked
People screaming in fear
Nowhere they can run
Hope is lost in their eyes
And where the need is dire
The space knights land
Their guns and heavy armour
Their stout hearts
Men who lived with honour
In steel clad
Hearts beat again when
Knights organize the last stand
The swarm of the aliens
Fights with frenzied hate
Guns blaze as red talons
Rip their trembling flesh
Men, guns and their foul foes
Fight with all they have
Embracing each other
In a crimson grave
But then the glory of the emperor shines in the sky
His armada appears from the red flaming clouds
Plasma cannons scorch aliens in beams of light
And the knights of the empire rush into attack
Chainswords grind and guns fire at the unyielding foe
And the tide is rising of battle and blood
Naked souls full of fury close in on the beasts
And they serve their good name by dispatching them all
Victory is now complete for the empire’s flag
We survived and defeated the swarm of our death
Long shall it be remembered, our furious last stand
And remind us that unity is our one strength
The song "Last Stand" by Orion's Reign describes a futuristic battle where humanity is faced with an attack from swarms of aliens. The lyrics paint a picture of the chaos and fear that ensues as people scramble to find safety. However, amidst the desperation, a group of space knights arrive, armed with heavy armor, guns, and most importantly, stout hearts. These men are described as having lived with honor, and their presence inspires hope in the hearts of those around them. The battle begins, and it is a fierce, bloody struggle, with men and aliens fighting with all they have. But, in the end, the empire's flag is victorious, and the space knights are remembered for their fierce courage and unity in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.
The lyrics of "Last Stand" highlight the importance of bravery, honor, and unity in the face of overwhelming adversity. The space knights are depicted as embodying these values, and their example inspires those around them. The song is also a reminder that victory is possible even when the situation seems bleak - hope can be found in the unyielding hearts of those who refuse to give up.
Line by Line Meaning
Darkened skies upon us
The atmosphere is ominous and bleak
Fury of the outer space
The aggression of extraterrestrial beings
Swarms of alien insects
Hordes of foreign bugs
Soon we’ll be attacked
An impending invasion is looming
People screaming in fear
Humans are terrified
Nowhere they can run
There is no escape
Hope is lost in their eyes
Despair is evident
Countdown has begun
The countdown to the attack has started
And where the need is dire
In the most desperate of times
The space knights land
The brave soldiers of space arrive
Their guns and heavy armour
They are armed and well-protected
Their stout hearts
They possess immense bravery and determination
Men who lived with honour
Honorable men who lived up to their reputation
In steel clad
Dressed in protective metal
Hearts beat again when
Their courage is ignited once more
Knights organize the last stand
The warriors plan their final defense
The swarm of the aliens
The horde of invaders
Fights with frenzied hate
They battle with intense animosity
Guns blaze as red talons
Weapons fire as sharp claws strike
Rip their trembling flesh
They brutally tear apart their victims
Men, guns and their foul foes
Human soldiers, weapons, and alien enemies
Fight with all they have
They give their all in battle
Embracing each other
They come together in their final moments
In a crimson grave
They die in a bloody grave
But then the glory of the emperor shines in the sky
The ruler's greatness is shown in a miraculous manner
His armada appears from the red flaming clouds
His fleet emerges from a fiery, red sky
Plasma cannons scorch aliens in beams of light
Advanced weapons obliterate the aliens with bright energy
And the knights of the empire rush into attack
The space knights charge forward to finish the fight
Chainswords grind and guns fire at the unyielding foe
Weapons clash as the enemy stubbornly resists
And the tide is rising of battle and blood
The battle intensifies as blood flows freely
Naked souls full of fury close in on the beasts
Furious and bereft of armor, they close in on the enemy
And they serve their good name by dispatching them all
In honor of their name, they eliminate every last alien
Victory is now complete for the empire’s flag
The empire has won an absolute victory
We survived and defeated the swarm of our death
The humans survived and defeated their deadly adversaries
Long shall it be remembered, our furious last stand
The brave last stand shall be a memory for ages to come
And remind us that unity is our one strength
It serves to highlight that their unity was their one source of strength
Contributed by Riley A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.