Primordial started out as a black metal band with some folk influences with their 1993 demo "Dark Romanticism" and 1995 debut album "Imrama". With the 1998 album "A Journey's End", Primordial underwent a strong stylistic change and delivered an album that was more original, personal and darker than anything they had done before. The different musical influences become more intertwined than ever before.
The trademark Primordial style become most apparent on the EP "The Burning Season" and "Spirit the Earth Aflame", their third full length album. This line was continued in the somewhat harsher album "Storm Before Calm" from 2002. The fifth album, "The Gathering Wilderness" was released in January 2005 and was highly regarded by critics around the globe. This album shows further musical progression and a return in pessimistic feeling to "A Journey's End".
The band's most recent albums are "To the Nameless Dead", released in November 2007, "Redemption at the Puritan's Hand", released in April 2011, and "Where Greater Men Have Fallen", released in November 2014.
Current line-up
Naihmass Nemtheanga (Alan Averill) - vocals (1991-)
Ciáran MacUiliam - guitar (1987-)
Michael O'Floinn - guitar (2002-) (Carnun)
Pól "Paul" MacAmlaigh - bass (1987-)
Simon O'Laoghaire - drums (1997-) (Geasa)
Former members
Feargal Flannery - guitar (1987-2002) (Arcane Sun)
Derek "D." MacAmlaigh - drums (1987-1997)
To The Ends Of The Earth
Primordial Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Axis Mundi, I fall to my knees
I've realized my dark dreams, father
I have become... I spread my seed
Have I not brought you to these
Ends of the earth that I defy
No effigy shall fail me now
I rode the four hate winds
From where I came, I could not name
I hear the colours and see the sounds
I arose from the east, and plagued
The lands of the same... I had no need
Of incantation, or enchantmant
You brought the end upon your world
Our world has no end... your's
Has just begun... now is torment
Now is forever... destiny unfurled
The opening line of "To The Ends Of The Earth" by Primordial, "I am the eye of the storm", sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer is a powerful force to be reckoned with and the storm, a metaphor for chaos and destruction, exists within them. They are the Axis Mundi, the center of the world or the connecting point between Earth and the heavens. However, they have also fallen to their knees, feeling the weight of their actions and the realization that their "dark dreams" have come to fruition.
The second half of the verse reveals that the singer has become a father, and they are spreading their seed. This can be interpreted metaphorically as the spreading of their influence or the pursuit of their goal, which has led them to the ends of the earth. They have defied all constraints and will not be denied, no matter what effigy or voice from the sky tries to stop them.
Throughout the rest of the song, the singer speaks of their journey across the world, riding the "four hate winds" and unleashing destruction. They revel in their power and lack of need for "incantation or enchantment". They see their world as everlasting and the rest of the world as only beginning to experience torment.
Line by Line Meaning
I am the eye of the storm
I am the calm center of chaos and destruction
Axis Mundi, I fall to my knees
I recognize the power of the earth and its connection to all living things, and I submit to it
I've realized my dark dreams, father
I have come to understand my deepest desires and fears, and acknowledge the influence of my ancestors
I have become... I spread my seed
I have transformed into a force of nature that brings forth new life and destruction
Have I not brought you to these
Have I not taken you on a journey
Ends of the earth that I defy
To places where I challenge the very limits of existence
No effigy shall fail me now
No statue or representation of a higher power can stop me
And no voice from the sky, shall deny me
No divine intervention can prevent me from achieving my goals
I rode the four hate winds
I traveled through the most destructive and violent natural forces
From where I came, I could not name
My origin is unknown or too complex to describe
I hear the colours and see the sounds
I experience the world in a way that transcends sensory limits
I arose from the east, and plagued
I emerged from a specific direction and brought chaos and destruction upon my surroundings
The lands of the same... I had no need
I did not require any external aid or magic to accomplish my deeds
Of incantation, or enchantmant
I did not rely on spells or charms
You brought the end upon your world
Humanity has caused its own downfall
Our world has no end... your's
The natural world will perpetuate, while human civilization will collapse
Has just begun... now is torment
Humanity has only just begun to feel the consequences of its actions, and it will bring immense suffering
Now is forever... destiny unfurled
The current state of the world will endure forever, as it is the culmination of all past and future events
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALAN AVERILL, CIARAN WILLIAMS, PAUL GAWLEY, SIMON O'LEARY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind