Summoning was formed sometime in 1993 by Silenius (Michael Gregor), Protector (Richard Lederer) and Trifixion (Alexander Trondl). Before creating Summoning, Protector was playing drums in a thrash/death metal band called Marlignom and had embarked on a four-year study of drums in music school. Silenius was in a doom metal band Shadow Vale (at 16 years old) and had a few years in music school studying piano. Before Summoning, Silenius was making music, together with Pazuzu (Ray Wells) in a band Cromm. Trifixion played in the band Pervertum.
Summoning recorded two demos (Upon the Viking's Stallion and Anno Mortiri Domini), as well as a split with the Austrian band Pazuzu (The Urilia Text) and a five-track promo tape for Lugburz. Nearly all songs from the demos were never released after or took place on CDs in a very different version.
The demos sold quite well in a record shop in Vienna called "Why not". Some time later Silenius got in contact with T.T. (Thomas Tannenberger), eventually leading to the birth of Abigor. Silenius ended up doing all vocals for Abigor releases (except the demos) as a permanent member until 1999. The first Abigor album was recorded for the young Napalm Records label, which led to Silenius managing to get a deal from Napalm for Summoning's debut Lugburz in 1995. At that time the members of Summoning were: Silenius – vocals, keyboards, bass; Protector – vocals, keyboards, guitar; Trifixion – drums (his last release with the band); Pazuzu lent some additional vocals and wrote some of the lyrics. Lugburz was more traditional black metal and very different from the band's later releases that would follow.
The band continued as a duo after the departure of Trifixion, releasing Minas Morgul in 1995. This was the band's first release in their new style, an epic and atmospheric style utilizing guitar purely as a background instrument and synth almost as a lead, using re-recorded early songs. Dol Guldur, in 1996, continued this style and saw an influence from Protector's darkwave project Ice Ages. It also credits J.R.R. Tolkien for lyrics. In 1997, the Nightshade Forests EP was released, and has since been included on the recent Dol Guldur pressings. After this, the band ceased all work for nearly two years, and also stopped work with many of their other music projects. But in 1999, Summoning returned with Stronghold which, while still in the classic Summoning style, focused more on guitar work to create melodic lines rather than keyboards and synthesizers than in previous releases.
In the year 2001 the follow-up Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame was released. This release was a kind of combination between the old and new style of Summoning, with the keyboard lines being more epic and polyphonic while the guitars bore a similarity with the more complex and rock-esque guitar-style from Stronghold. This time the band used more spoken-word samples to bring a more dramatic style to the songs and for the first time the band works with clear vocal choirs on the song "Farewell". The lyrical concept again was totally based on Tolkien's Middle-earth, but for the first time it was combined with some inspiration from Michael Moorcock's fantasy writings. In 2003, they released the Lost Tales EP, which consisted of leftovers from the Dol Guldur sessions.
2006 saw the release of Oath Bound, which consisted of all new material. The long break between Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame and Oath Bound was due to struggles in the band members' personal lives, along with lack of ideas. Oath Bound featured a "relaxed arpeggio style" guitar sound, which gave a more epic feeling to the sound of the album. The band also had higher-quality equipment available to them for the recording of the album and were able to create greater choir vocals than they had done before. A 4-song mini CD was suggested for release in 2007 containing at least one song which didn't make it onto Oath Bound due to size issues, however, this idea was abandoned and Protector instead began work on music for a full-length release while waiting for Silenius to finish recording the next Kreuzweg Ost album.
Following the release of Oath Bound, Summoning entered a period of inactivity. Silenius experienced a creative block and lacked inspiration for creating new music for Summoning. He also suffered a heart-attack which "knocked me out for another half a year, but somehow all this brought me to a point where I got hungry again and since then I concentrated again on making riffs. Everything started in small steps. but after a while I knew in which direction the music was going and the more I knew this, the easier it was to compose and the result is what you hear now."
In February 2012, the band announced on their website that they were in the process of writing new songs, and were hoping to have most of the songs complete by the end of the year. In December 2012 it was announced that all the guitars and Protector's vocal parts for the new album were complete and that the upcoming album would be entitled Old Mornings Dawn. Old Mornings Dawn was released in June 2013 on Napalm Records and lyrically focuses mostly on nature themes, as well as J.R.R. Tolkien's Valinor.
In 2015 the band confirmed that they had already begun working on creating a new album, and were focused on rewriting some of the leftover material from Old Mornings Dawn.
On December 15, 2016 a compilation tribute album titled 'In Mordor Where The Shadows Are - Homage to Summoning' was released by Wolfspell Records. The album features covers of 21 different Summoning songs by artists such as Caladan Brood and Emyn Muil.
On August 12, 2017, Summoning posted an update on their official Facebook page noting that despite troubles, setbacks and disputes, the band's new album will be released in January 2018 through Napalm Records. The band posted a teaser of the new music, although they did not disclose the name of the forthcoming album.
On October 1, 2017, Summoning posted an update on their Facebook page announcing the title of the album as With Doom We Come. The album was subsequently released on January 5, 2018.
The band's debut album Lugburz was a traditional black metal album, with a raw, lo-fi production style. On their following album Minas Morgul the band's sound changed significantly, and has been characterised as "a departure from straight black metal in favor of bold atmospheric experimentation which retains a definite blackened feel." The band's sound has remained relatively consistent since then. The band's sound is frequently described as 'epic, 'hypnotic', and 'atmospheric', and makes extensive use of keyboards, choir vocals, clean singing, synthesized instruments, and programmed drums. Though the drums are programmed, they are played using a keyboard rather than with a drum machine. Their sound has been described as "a particularly widescreen version of progressive black metal, a style that more recently has been infused with an almost medieval strain of twiddly folk music of the lutes 'n' flutes variety." The band's music is deeply influenced by the literature of J. R. R. Tolkien, particularly The Lord of the Rings. Most of the band's lyrics are derived from Tolkien's own works. Silenius has claimed to be influenced by dark wave and ritualistic music as well as fantasy literature.
The band has said that they consider themselves to be composers rather than musicians and do not practice together before recording. Guitarist Protector does not own a guitar and has used a different borrowed guitar for every recording since Dol Guldur.
The Shadow Lies Frozen on the Hills
Summoning Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Though wind may blow so fast rain may fall
We must away ere break of day
For over wood, tree and mountain tall.
With foes ahead, behind us dread
Beneath the sky's our bed
Until at last our toil be passed
Beneath the moon and under a tall star
I wandered so far from northern lands
Bewildered on enchanting charming ways
So far from the days of mortal lands
From gashing of the narrow ice so near
Where shadows lie frozen on the hills top
From neither heats and burning glowing waste
I'm turning in haste and fear.
The lyrics to Summoning's song The Shadow Lies Frozen on the Hill is a perfect depiction of a journey that is filled with challenges and trials, a quest that the singer of the song is willing to undertake. The singer bids farewell to the comforts of earth and home, determined to journey forward despite the uncertainty that lies ahead. Through dark forests and over the mountains, the singer's journey will lead him beyond the mortal world, through enchanted paths that will bewilder and enchant him.
As the journey progresses, the singer realizes that his journey is not without enemies, with danger lurking behind him, and his only canopy being the vast expanse of the sky. Despite the fear and uncertainty surrounding him, the singer remains steadfast, driven by a burning desire to complete his quest, and overcome all the obstacles that lie ahead. He continues to wander beneath the moon and stars, far away from mortal lands, braving the narrow ice and frozen hills as he journeys towards an unknown fate.
The song's lyrics are beautifully crafted, and summon the image of a heroic journey through dangerous terrain. Summoning has managed to capture the essence of a classic fantasy adventure, imbuing it with a sense of foreboding and uncertainty, all while maintaining a steady sense of hope, wonder and adventure.
Line by Line Meaning
Farewell we call to the earth and hall
We bid farewell to the place where we dwell.
Though wind may blow so fast rain may fall
Despite harsh weather conditions.
We must away ere break of day
We have to leave before the sun rises.
For over wood, tree and mountain tall.
We shall cross over vast natural features.
With foes ahead, behind us dread
We face enemies both in front and behind.
Beneath the sky's our bed
We have no proper shelter.
Until at last our toil be passed
Until the purpose of our journey is fulfilled.
Our journey's done with sped
The journey will be swift.
Beneath the moon and under a tall star
In the darkness of night, guided by celestial bodies.
I wandered so far from northern lands
Travelled great distances from my place of origin.
Bewildered on enchanting charming ways
Lost in bewitching, alluring surroundings.
So far from the days of mortal lands
Distant from the mundane life of mortals.
From gashing of the narrow ice so near
From the dangerous, icy terrain nearby.
Where shadows lie frozen on the hills top
Where the darkness is fixed and unmoving.
From neither heats and burning glowing waste
From a place of extreme cold and barrenness.
I'm turning in haste and fear.
I'm hurrying away with anxiety.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
guillq007
I heard this song today for the first time and I can't stop listening to it..!!
BIGBLOCK5022006
@guillq007 I played some Summoning for a 60+ year old fella and he liked the music. He heard South Away, Farewell, and Land Of The Dead.
labruja666
can wait to be 80 years old and remember this album and sing to it
Mega Documentales
uno de los mejores albunes del simphonic black metal en mi opinion...
necrossandwich
Popped up the other day at the gym. Killer track, thanks for posting!
Lorrayne Soares
So niceeee!!!
S6H6AD6O6W
i have to say that Because i listen to it everyday Since Months when i search i Choose this one
SympathMan
@S6H6AD6O6W Yeah, I remember listening to this song everyday. It is such a good song, and a great band.
arcana lysethavis
YESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!
S6H6AD6O6W
MAY BE I MUST THANK YOU .BECUS I LISN IT EVERYDAY ^^