Turisas combine elements of folk metal and power metal, with strong influences from symphonic metal as well. The album title Battle Metal has given rise to the term "battle metal" being used as a description for war-themed folk metal.
On October 28, 2005, the guitarist Georg Laakso was badly injured in a car accident and due to the extent of his spinal cord injuries, on July 12, 2006 issued a statement of his permanent resignation from the band on the official website. Nevertheless, the band continued to work on their second album, titled The Varangian Way, which was released in early 2007. Jussi Wickström recorded all guitars on the album.
Mathias Nygård revealed in the January 2007 edition of Terrorizer magazine that the touring musicians Hannes Horma, Olli Vänskä, Janne Mäkinen and Antti Laurila had been added to the band as full-time members, taking them up to an 8-piece act. It later turned out that of the two accordion players, only Mäkinen had become an official member. Laurila is no longer a touring musician for the band. On February 19, 2007, keyboard player Antti Ventola posted a message on the Turisas discussion forum announcing that he and the band had parted ways. This was later confirmed by the rest of the band. Mathias Nygård performed the keyboards on The Varangian Way and Turisas are presently using backing tracks to replicate them on stage.
In January 2008 accordion player Janne "Lisko" Mäkinen disappeared mysteriously in Amsterdam. For the upcoming tour dates in spring 2008 Turisas announced Netta Skog as a step-in accordionist. She had already helped the band on the European tour in October-November 2007. Netta was soon after added to the band on a full-time base.
After a string of festivals in the Summer of 2008, in September the band started a long tour through the United States and Europe in support of DragonForce. This tour ended in March 2009, and the band then took part in a new European tour with Cradle of Filth and Moonspell, dubbed the "Filthfest Tour 2009", in April and May 2009. The band played at Wacken Open Air in early August 2009 and also played at Bloodstock Open Air in Mid August 2009. The band took time off at the end of 2009 to make a new album and then planned to return as fully-fledged band no longer supporting others. In 2010 the band concentrated on finishing the recordings of the upcoming third album. Still, the band did a short tour in Asia and Australia in May 2010, including headline concerts in Sydney and Melbourne, two gigs in China, a gig in Shanghai World Expo 2010 and a gig in Japan.
As of March 2010, Turisas announced they were in the studio working on a new album; at that time, the band documented the recording process in a series of studio diary videos on YouTube. The title for the latest album, Stand Up and Fight, was revealed on November 11, 2010: the album was released through Century Media on February 28 in Europe and March 8 in North America. A new song off that album: "The March of the Varangian Guard" was performed at the band's Finnish gigs in October 2010. On 17 December 2010, the title track "Stand Up And Fight" was released as a free download on the band's website.
The band took part in tours in Mexico and North America with Cradle of Filth, the other supporting bands being Nachtmystium and Daniel Lioneye beginning in January 2011 and in Europe with Die Apokalyptischen Reiter from March through April 2011. Their England tour came with Crimfall as the supporting band, as well as other local supporting bands. 2012 saw them headline the North American "Paganfest: America Part III" tour with Alestorm, Arkona and Huntress in tow.
In November 2012, the band announced that drummer Tuomas "Tude" Lehtonen and bassist Jukka-Pekka Miettinen had both left the band. They were replaced by Jaakko Jakku and Jesper Anastasiadis, respectively. They also announced that they had started work on their 4th album, and that the album would be released in May 2013.
Piece By Piece
Turisas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Peace
Peace
Peace
Peace
Peace
Peace
Peace
A strainless leash - Das Volk enticed-
The boiling frog that did not leap,
just take one garin, it's still a heap.
Of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding,
I hereby publish and declare this to be my testament.
To my eldest son I leave the right to speak his mind;
And my daughter shall be free from oppression of any kind.
I have sacrificed, worked all my life, as have the ones before me,
so do not sqander, do not gamble; watch it carefully.
Piece by piece - slice by slice.
A strainless leash - Das Volk enticed-
The boiling frog that did not leap,
just take one garin, it's still a heap.
By checking this box
I acknknowledge, I confirm.
I've read and understodd the terms;
scroll down, tick, confirm.
Piece by piece - slice by slice.
A strainless leash - Das Volk enticed-
The boiling frog that did not leap,
just take one garin, it's still a heap.
The tide is turning,
The Reichstag burning,
They're at the border,
Need law and order.
It was not my shout,
i did not speak out,
when they come for me,
who will be left to speak for me?
Stay alert and keep your eyes skinned,
watch the clouds form and feel the wind,
when you're asking should you reef,
the time to do so is long gone,
Principiis obsta, don't forget:
The longer you wait, the harder it gets.
Piece by piece - slice by slice.
A strainless leash - Das Volk enticed-
The boiling frog that did not leap,
just take one garin, it's still a heap.
The song "Piece by Piece" by Turisas reflects on the gradual erosion of personal freedom and the dangers posed by an apathetic approach to social and political issues. The repeated refrain of "Peace" contrasts sharply with the message of the song, which warns against the insidious erosion of civil liberties. The lyrics suggest that this process often happens slowly and without fanfare, with freedoms being taken away little by little, piece by piece.
The metaphor of the boiling frog is used to illustrate the insidious nature of this process. The frog is placed in a pot of water that is slowly heated until it boils, but the frog does not jump out because the change happens too slowly to be noticed until it is too late. The line "just take one garin, it's still a heap" underlines the idea that small, seemingly insignificant losses of freedom can add up over time until they become a significant burden.
The song also contains a reference to the famous quote from German pastor Martin Niemöller, who spoke about the dangers of not speaking out against the Nazis during World War II. The final stanza, which asks "when they come for me, who will be left to speak for me?" is a clear reference to this quote and a warning against the dangers of complacency.
Line by Line Meaning
Peace
Acknowledging peacefulness
Peace
Acknowledging peacefulness
Peace
Acknowledging peacefulness
Peace
Acknowledging peacefulness
Peace
Acknowledging peacefulness
Peace
Acknowledging peacefulness
Peace
Acknowledging peacefulness
Peace
Acknowledging peacefulness
Piece by piece - slice by slice.
Slow destruction/loss that is barely noticeable
A strainless leash - Das Volk enticed-
Manipulation and control without resistance from the people
The boiling frog that did not leap,
The danger that goes unnoticed because it happens gradually
just take one garin, it's still a heap.
Small actions have cumulative effects and can lead to big changes
By checking this box
Acknowledging terms and conditions
I acknnowledge, I confirm.
Confirming acceptance
I've read and understodd the terms;
Confirming awareness
scroll down, tick, confirm.
Method of acceptance
The tide is turning,
Change is coming
The Reichstag burning,
Reference to the Reichstag fire that happened before the rise of the Nazi party in Germany
They're at the border,
Possible reference to immigration and border control issues
Need law and order.
Call for strict control and authority
It was not my shout,
Did not speak up or take action
i did not speak out,
Did not use the opportunity to voice an opinion
when they come for me,
When one is under threat
who will be left to speak for me?
Questioning the consequences of inaction
Stay alert and keep your eyes skinned,
Be vigilant and aware
watch the clouds form and feel the wind,
Pay attention to signs of danger
when you're asking should you reef,
When one doubts what action to take
the time to do so is long gone,
When the situation has escalated and surpassed the time for action
Principiis obsta, don't forget:
Latin phrase meaning 'resist beginnings'; do not ignore signs of danger
The longer you wait, the harder it gets.
Urges for early action
Piece by piece - slice by slice.
Slow destruction/loss that is barely noticeable
A strainless leash - Das Volk enticed-
Manipulation and control without resistance from the people
The boiling frog that did not leap,
The danger that goes unnoticed because it happens gradually
just take one garin, it's still a heap.
Small actions have cumulative effects and can lead to big changes
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: MATHIAS NYGARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Emil_Stoltz
Piece by piece - slice by slice.
A strainless leash - Das Volk enticed-
The boiling frog that did not leap,
just take one grain, it's still a heap.
Of sound and disposing mind, memory and understanding,
I hereby publish and declare this to be my testament.
To my eldest son I leave the right to speak his mind;
And my daughter shall be free from oppression of any kind.
I have sacrificed, worked all my life, as have the ones before me,
so do not squander, do not gamble; watch it carefully.
Piece by piece - slice by slice.
A strainless leash - Das Volk enticed-
The boiling frog that did not leap,
just take one grain, it's still a heap.
By checking this box
I acknowledge, I confirm.
I've read and understood the terms;
scroll down, tick, confirm.
Piece by piece - slice by slice.
A strainless leash - Das Volk enticed-
The boiling frog that did not leap,
just take one grain, it's still a heap.
The tide is turning,
The Reichstag burning,
They're at the border,
Need law and order.
It was not my shout,
I did not speak out,
when they come for me,
who will be left to speak for me?
Stay alert and keep your eyes skinned,
watch the clouds form and feel the wind,
when you're asking should you reef,
the time to do so is long gone,
Principiis obsta, don't forget:
The longer you wait, the harder it gets.
Piece by piece - slice by slice.
A strainless leash - Das Volk enticed-
The boiling frog that did not leap,
just take one grain, it's still a heap...
@PendulNix
Mathias Nygard is one of the most underappreciated lyricists of his age. His ability to put you, the listener, behind the clearly watching eyes of a warrior of times long past and involk feelings beyond fantasy are unparalleled in many ways in his field.
@Wafthrudnir
While true for most of his other songs, this one is clearly neither about warriors nor past times, so your comment seems a bit misplaced here.
@antonmalinsky7118
rex reli much_?
@DrunkenCoward1
This is how I eat cake.
Piece by Piece, Slice by Slice.
@ryanj2743
For those not getting it dig deeper. The song references the "First they came" poem by Martin Niemöller - look it up if you're clueless. The phrase "principiis obsta" means resist the beginning. The song is about not letting go of freedoms so easily. Turisas is trying to wake up the sheep.
@antix995
You're right!
@Blackwater_a
against dictatorship
@Sp3ndTalks-is-best-channel
theoncomingchicken Your "land of the free" is only free for the rich not for the poor our government is corrupt not in the leftist "oh poor minorities man" but the fact that our government is by the rich for the rich you've been duped into following the media our country was founded on a broken foundation
@Sp3ndTalks-is-best-channel
it was founded o0n the idea that only rich white landowners can vote... how is that sound?
@Sp3ndTalks-is-best-channel
It still shows our system was broken from the start