Vastness and Sorrow
Wolves in the Throne Room Lyrics
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A dark and fell rider clad in garments of shadow
Is the lord of this place
A cruel and wanton king,
A priest of a black religion is he
The hoof beat of the rider's steed pound a mournful drumbeat upon the dry cracked earth
To this rhythm the world moves
The sun blasts down upon the earth
Until the soil turns to powder and blows away
Lifeless chaos is the order for the rider has mastered the seasons
Ancient kings cairns now have been defiled
The gates of strongholds long breached left swinging lifelessly in the fetid wind
The pillars of holy places lie dead
He rides day and night
The relentless hoof beats echoes
throughout every crevice and shadow
The lyrics describe a desolate land ruled by a dark and cruel king who is also a priest of a black religion. The rider is depicted as being clad in shadowy garments, and his horse's hoof beats create a mournful rhythm that drives the movement of the world. The sun blazes down, turning the soil to powder and causing lifeless chaos to reign. The rider has even mastered the seasons, defiling ancient kings' cairns and leaving strongholds and holy places in ruins. He rides day and night, his relentless hoof beats echoing throughout the land.
Overall, the song creates an atmosphere of bleakness and despair, where darkness reigns and all hope seems lost. The words draw upon eerie and otherworldly imagery to depict a world that has been ravaged by a merciless and malevolent ruler, leaving nothing but emptiness and sorrow in its wake. The lyrics also touch upon themes of power, control, and dominance, casting the rider as an almost god-like figure who wields absolute authority over the land and its people.
Line by Line Meaning
Behold the vastness and sorrow of this empty land
Take a look at the immense and woeful nature of this desolate terrain
A dark and fell rider clad in garments of shadow
A sinister and ominous horseman dressed in dark attire
Is the lord of this place
Rules over this territory
A cruel and wanton king,
A tyrannical ruler who shows no mercy
A priest of a black religion is he
Practices a dark and malevolent form of worship
The hoof beat of the rider's steed pound a mournful drumbeat upon the dry cracked earth
The rhythmic thuds from the horse's hooves create a melancholic beat on the parched ground
To this rhythm the world moves
The entire world seems to be in sync with this beat
The sun blasts down upon the earth
The sun beats down fiercely on the land
Until the soil turns to powder and blows away
The ground becomes so dry and brittle that it crumbles to dust and is carried away by the wind
Lifeless chaos is the order for the rider has mastered the seasons
The rider has complete control over the natural order of things, resulting in a barren and desolate environment
Ancient kings cairns now have been defiled
The resting places of past monarchs have been spoiled and vandalized
The gates of strongholds long breached left swinging lifelessly in the fetid wind
The entrances to once-secure fortresses are broken down and left flapping in the putrid breeze
The pillars of holy places lie dead
The supporting columns of sacred buildings are now lifeless and destroyed
He rides day and night
The horseman travels continuously without rest
The relentless hoof beats echoes
The unyielding sound of the horse's hooves reverberates through the empty wasteland
Contributed by Carson N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
whitneysmiltank
The drums sound so amazing on this record. This song in particular is one of my fav of all time.
Dusk
5:30 I will never get over this riff in my life
David Torre
5:06
whopper jr.
man i cant get over this entire song. i bit my tongue when everyone used to say "ohhhh wotr arent real black metal", they were wrong. this is the pinnacle of black metal.
Moody Bastard
With this album--and specifically this song--WITTR forever transformed how I saw music. Buzzing, droning, humming gravity. Drifting, unseeing, trackless infinity. Knowing, feeling, touching immortality. There is an endlessness that embodies this album that I carry with me every day.
Sanford Son
Bad ass.
Radioactivefish11
couldn't have said it better . this song is the one that got me hooked. just brilliant. the louder the better .
weirdman
This album is soooo good!! My favorite one
TIm G
For real dude. The imagery this song conjures up is immense.
“The relentless hoofbeat echos”
🤘
Moody Bastard
@TIm G hell yes, bro. It's fucking infinite, right? WITTR always brings that epic energy.