Their gigs were characterised by moody, epic and heavy music interpreted with highly visual stage aspect which accented their interest for occult themes. Pagan Altar's only release from that era was independent, self-released, self-titled cassette which was in later years bootlegged. It was finally officially re-released on Oracle Records in 1998 and titled Volume 1. Despite no label interest in the late 70's and early 80's, the timelessness of their music ultimately prevailed as doom-obsessed metalheads kept Pagan Altar's music alive over two and a half decades.
Mid-first decade of the 21st century, the group had reformed to re-record an album of material written, but never released during their original tenure as a band. That album, Lords of Hypocrisy, has been met with an incredible reception from fans of doom both old and new, this was followed by a third full length, named Mythical and Magical.
Pagan Altar took back to the road after five years of silence, to record the new album Never Quite Dead, and played gigs worldwide to the band's loyal and ever increasing fanbase with new members behind Alan and Terry to form the backbone of the bonecrunching Pagan Altar live sound. Joining them on bass is William Gallagher, Vince Hempstead on guitars, and Dean Alexander on drums.
Behind the Cloak, an exceedingly more detailed and painstaking account of Pagan Altar history than this may be read at the band's website
Reincarnation
Pagan Altar Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The earth's lost its role as the Universe's Sun
Storm clouds build for impending rain
The birth of the Earth begins again
Just like before in the distant past
The hand of the sculptor begins to cast
Shapes of lands, islands and seas
Dawn! Surging light
Brightening up those darkened hills
Bringing life, to the charred remains
A long dead Sun now alive again
A long dead Sun, now alive again
Trees! Once stark and bare
Now spread their wings high in the air
A sea of green over rolling plains
The chain of life begins again
The chain of life, all over the World
Shapes, Astral forms now roam the earth, implanting gold
Eternal greed and selfish minds
Leave the seeds to tempt mankind
Leave the seeds, all over the world
Life awakes again, evolving through endless sleep
The fires of Hell, the eternal flame
Started it up to begin again
Started it up, all over the world
The start of the song, "Reincarnation", sets the stage for a new beginning. It paints a picture of a world that has just been born, with the Earth losing its role as the center of the universe, and storm clouds brewing for the impending rain. The lyrics speak of a sculptor's hand casting the shapes of the land, islands, and seas, implying the presence of a higher power or a creator. The dawn brings life to the charred remains of a long-dead sun and marks the start of a new chain of life all over the world. The trees that were once barren now spread their wings high in the air, and a sea of green covers the rolling plains. Astral forms now roam the Earth, implanting gold, but with eternal greed and selfish minds leaving seeds to tempt mankind.
The lyrics to "Reincarnation" portray a universe that has gone through a cycle of destruction and rebirth. It speaks of a process that starts in the distant past and repeats itself, bringing new life into the world. The song further highlights the idea of life evolving through endless sleep, with the fires of Hell's eternal flame starting up to begin again.
In summary, the lyrics to "Reincarnation" convey a message of hope and new beginnings, with the universe undergoing a never-ending cycle of death and rebirth.
Line by Line Meaning
Time on the world had just begun
The beginning of a new cycle of time on Earth
The earth's lost its role as the Universe's Sun
The end of the previous cycle of time and the start of a new one
Storm clouds build for impending rain
The signs of change, and that a new era is approaching
The birth of the Earth begins again
The start of a new dawn and the rebirth of life
Just like before in the distant past
The cyclical nature of Earth's history
The hand of the sculptor begins to cast
The creative force of nature shaping the land
Shapes of lands, islands and seas
The varied natural landscapes that form the Earth
Mountains and valleys, flowers and Trees
The diverse natural features that give life to Earth
Dawn! Surging light
The beginning of a new era filled with hope and promise
Brightening up those darkened hills
Illuminating the hidden beauty of nature
Bringing life, to the charred remains
The revival of life from ashes and destruction
A long dead Sun now alive again
The regenerating power of life on Earth
Trees! Once stark and bare
The shift from a harsh and barren environment to one of growth and abundance
Now spread their wings high in the air
The flourishing of life on Earth as nature takes its course
A sea of green over rolling plains
The vastness and beauty of the Earth's landscapes
The chain of life begins again
The interconnectedness of all living things on Earth
Shapes, Astral forms now roam the earth, implanting gold
The mystical forces behind the continuous rebirth of life and evolution of species
Eternal greed and selfish minds
The destructive forces that threaten the natural world
Leave the seeds to tempt mankind
The potential for human beings to succumb to their base desires and exploit nature
Life awakes again, evolving through endless sleep
The tireless and continuous process of natural selection and evolution
The fires of Hell, the eternal flame
The forces of nature that drive the evolution of life
Started it up to begin again
The cycle of life and death on Earth perpetuating endlessly
Started it up, all over the world
The widespread and universal nature of the Earth's cyclical rebirth
Contributed by Benjamin M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.