From the start, they have incorporated a diverse range of influences from British folk music to German Thrash Metal which has fed their constantly evolving sound. They are widely considered the inventors of Folk Metal.
The lineup remained stable for the recording of 2000's Folkémon, but founding member Walkyier left the band in 2001, citing various reasons, such as financial difficulties or the bands unwillingness to tour in South America owing to security concerns as the final straw, though other band members have commented that his somewhat pessimist personality was one of the major contributing factors to the groups lineup instability. Walkyier went on to form The Clan Destined. For many fans, Walkyiers lyrics and delivery style were one of the bands central attractions, and there were fears that his departure spelled the end of the band. After replacing drummer Jay Graham (who left shortly after Walkyier) and moving Kevin Ridley onto vocals, the group sprang into action to remedy these fears with 2002's No Daylights...Nor Heel Taps which featured studio recordings of "Irish Pub versions" of Skyclad classics by the new line-up, proceeded by a single, 2001's "Swords of a Thousand Men". The single's title track, a cover tune (originally recorded by Tenpole Tudor), also appeared on Folkémon as a bonus track, although in a different version. The single featured two recordings of the track, one of them with Ridley on vocals and one with Ridley sharing the microphone with Ten Pole Tudor's vocalist Edward Tudor-Pole. The single/album release was accompanied by the 'The Same...But Different' tour, the largest Skyclad had undertaken for many years. Also in 2001 the band released Another Fine Mess, which featured live recordings from 1995 and the contents of the Outrageous Fourtunes EP.
2004's A Semblance of Normality marks the bands first new material from the post-Walkyier era (there had been some unpleasantness between Walkyier and the other band members over copyrights and royalties for his lyrics, as well as the release of tracks featuring him), keeps very much in the vein of previous releases, with Ridley's lyrics making an obvious effort to follow similar themes and styles to Walkyiers whilst retaining an individual identity. The album has probably been the most widely received of their releases, probably due to better distribution and word-of-mouth advertising, and has received much critical acclaim, especially in the English-speaking world, where, ironically (given the use of inventive wordplay in their titles and lyrics, much of it aimed at native English speakers), the band is almost unknown. However, in South America and mainland Europe they have been extremely popular for many years, especially in Germany and Greece.
Skyclad's current release is an EP, Jig-a-Jig, self-released by the Band. A new album was recorded in summer 2008, it is to be released in late 2008 or 2009.
Four songs from the band's latest releases are available for both streaming and download at the Skyclad page at MySpace.
Dead Angels On Ice
Skyclad Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But surely you'll forgive me after all I am your son.
Live to race thrill of the chase to me was all that mattered,
As we crash I hit the dash my baby face is shattered.
We are dead angels dead angels on ice.
Once upon a Tyne we stood in line
Now we're lying still (always will),
Just chillin' in the morgue.
Kicking cans, little clans, windy streets, grey estates,
We earn our wings and pluck harp strings
Ramraiding through the Pearly Gates.
The first two lines of Skyclad's "Dead Angels on Ice" are haunting, indicating a tragedy that has befallen the singer. The lines suggest prescience, as if the singer knows he is going to do something terrible that will cost him his life. The singer says sorry to his mother, hoping that she will forgive him in the end, revealing a huge sense of guilt. The following two lines indicate the mode of the tragedy: the thrill of doing something dangerous and exciting-an addiction to adrenaline rushes that has gone horribly wrong.
In the second paragraph, the singer reminiscences of Grey Estates where he and his clan led a spunky life by racing and other thrills. In this place, they were nothing more than statues, having a sense of nihilism. Now with the singer among the dead, they all end up in the morgue, taking their final rest. As they have been killed in a car accident, the singer's bent baby face has been shattered in contrast to the serenity that lies around them; they are "dead angels." They passed away doing what they believed was fun, but this has left them lifeless, lying uncomfortably cold and still as they become onlookers to the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Mother I'm so sorry for this thing I've gone and done,
I apologize to my mother for my actions that led to my death.
But surely you'll forgive me after all I am your son.
I hope that as her son, my mother will forgive me for my mistakes.
Live to race thrill of the chase to me was all that mattered,
I was obsessed with racing and the excitement it brought me.
As we crash I hit the dash my baby face is shattered.
In the car crash, my face was badly injured and disfigured.
We are dead angels dead angels on ice.
We died in the crash and our bodies are now in the morgue.
Once upon a Tyne we stood in line
At one point in time, we waited in line on the River Tyne.
Minds so numb and bored.
We were mentally unstimulated and uninterested.
Now we're lying still (always will),
Now that we're dead, we'll remain motionless forever.
Just chillin' in the morgue.
Our bodies are now stored in the morgue.
Kicking cans, little clans, windy streets, grey estates,
We used to wander around aimlessly in dreary neighborhoods.
We earn our wings and pluck harp strings
We are now angels in heaven playing the harp.
Ramraiding through the Pearly Gates.
We entered heaven in a chaotic and reckless manner.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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