Quickly gathering excellent reviews, SIG:AR:TYR was signed to Karmageddon Records (formerly Hammerheart) only two months after the release of The Stranger demo. SIG:AR:TYR's next project was to forge a concept work with more metal musical elements, while retaining the acoustic-ambient atmosphere. Unfortunately, before the album could be released Karmageddon went out of business and SIG:AR:TYR was back into the underground.
In 2005, SIG:AR:TYR released the debut full-length release, Sailing the Seas of Fate via Morbid Winter Records. The album, a mixture of metal and acoustic music, tells the story of a Viking quest to the far northern reaches of the world to retrieve an object to turn the tide of Christianity.
In 2008, SIG:AR:TYR released the second full-length album Beyond The North Winds that built upon the folk metal and acoustic atmosphere introduced in Sailing the Seas of Fate to create a powerful and diverse pagan metal album. Beyond The North Winds received many excellent reviews and inclusion on several top ten lists for 2008.
Riding the momentum of the great reception received by Beyond the North Winds, SIG:AR:TYR immediately plunged back into the writing and recording process in 2009 to create Godsaga, a darker, harsher album that explores the concepts of loss and sacrifice in the tales of both Egil's Saga and Odin's sacrifice on the world tree Yggdrasil. Godsaga is set to be released in early 2010.
Sword from an Unknown Hand
SIG:AR:TYR Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Were you held by the Farmer, to ward the home and hearth, the land and soil...
Were you held by the Widow, husband lost in battle, she clutched thee in her empty bed...
Were you held by the Son, kin lost to march of hoofs, dreaming of revenge in later days when strong and steely
Were you held by the Warrior, to die an honourable death, to fly with the valkyries to the Golden Hall...
Were you held by the King, the axis of the people, guided by ancient blood, a fine and true ruler...
What wyrd shall pass upon you now, as you are now held by me, in my nameless sepulcher of stone
The lyrics of "Sword from an Unknown Hand" by SIG:AR:TYR describe the different holders of a sword throughout time. The first stanza speaks of the sword's creation, suggesting that it was forged by a skilled blacksmith and made with the solemnity of blood oaths. The following stanzas explore the sword's other owners, including a farmer who defends his land with it, a widow who clings to it as a reminder of her lost husband, and a son who dreams of using it to avenge his family.
The imagery in the lyrics is powerful and poignant. The sword is depicted not only as a physical object but also as a symbol of different virtues, such as honor, courage, love, and revenge. Each owner brings their own story to the sword, making it a repository of history and myth. The final lines of the lyrics question what fate awaits the sword now that it is in the hands of the singer, who refers to a "nameless sepulcher of stone," suggesting that the sword may be buried with him, its destiny unknown.
Line by Line Meaning
Were you forged by the Smith, of sturdy metal, and terrible blood oaths were you made...
Were you crafted by a skilled blacksmith using the strongest, most durable metals and with an oath to bloodshed and war?
Were you held by the Farmer, to ward the home and hearth, the land and soil...
Were you clutched by a farmer, meant to protect his home, protect his fields and protect his land?
Were you held by the Widow, husband lost in battle, she clutched thee in her empty bed...
Were you embraced by a mourning widow, whose husband fell in battle, as she slept alone in their bed?
Were you held by the Son, kin lost to march of hoofs, dreaming of revenge in later days when strong and steely...
Were you held by a son who lost his family to the sound of marching hooves, dreaming of vengeance and becoming stronger and more resolute?
Were you held by the Warrior, to die an honourable death, to fly with the valkyries to the Golden Hall...
Were you grasped by a proud warrior, who intended to fall in battle with honor and ascend to Valhalla, where he shall be celebrated?
Were you held by the King, the axis of the people, guided by ancient blood, a fine and true ruler...
Were you held by the King, who is the central figure of the nation, and guided by age-old traditions, a true and noble monarch?
What wyrd shall pass upon you now, as you are now held by me, in my nameless sepulcher of stone
What fate awaits you now that you are held by me in a tomb of stone, with your ultimate destiny unknown?
Contributed by Andrew N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.