- Journey to the Other Land -
All songs' music and lyrics by F. Lucchi Recorded and mixed at Dolfin Studios Nanning, Guangxi, China Artwork by F. Lucchi Released on September 17, 2016 UPC: 191061020103
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The Story behind the music
Rise of a Nation
The album’s first track, “Rise of a Nation”, seems to be out of another story. It does not relate at all to Asger, his drakkar or even the Other Land. Yet, the link between this song and the rest of the album is quite strong. The “nation” that is rising is all the lies, hate and temptations that Asger is about to meet on the vast ocean. It is a warning before the storm, a reminder that the journey is difficult and the destination hard to reach. The “humans” the song mentions are all the creatures and lies Asger meets. All of them have one goal: forcing Asger off his path, and make him wander into darker parts of the ocean. Both “humans” and “creatures” can be used symbolically. They can represent situations, people, spirits, any temptation that Asger encounters. None of them can actually fight Asger or sink his boat, but they can induce him into believing they can. As long as the sailor’s faith in his destination and in his ship is strong, he is safe. Thus the warning « Don’t let them fool you, don’t let them scare you ». Asger is protected and he knows it, but will his faith crumble in front of such temptations?
The Other Land
The second song, “The Other Land”, is sung by Asger’s best friend, who says farewell to his companion of battle, asking him to not forget his name. It clearly is the last time they see each other in this life, and yet the song is not sad. It is a song about triumph and victory. Victory for Asger, who finally departs from this world of horrors, battles and death to return to the source, to his Father and King, to rest and be rewarded for his loyalty and bravery in combat. It is a strange song, since it could symbolize both Asger’s death and Asger’s birth. We would naturally be tempted to think this is his death, because of the promise of a second life, the reward for his actions, the last salutations to his friend before leaving his land. And yet, it could also be perceived as his birth, because of the long journey ahead of him, and all the temptations he must conquer to reach his King. The song is victorious and epic, but Asger has not won yet. His time to set off for the Other Land has come, but most of the temptations are still to arise.
Hailstorm
In “Hailstorm”, Asger is on the ocean and his journey has begun. Like a desperate warrior who knows he cannot win, the ocean immediately attacks Asger with all its strength and power, hoping to take him by surprise or at least to scare him off the long voyage. Of course Asger knows and trusts his drakkar — he went through similar tempests before — and therefore knows his ship can withstand it. But he still cannot just sit back and wait for the clouds to clear and the winds to drop. He must keep the boat moving forward, fight the waves which try to push him away from his path. The storm is not just trying to sink him and his hopes, it is also trying to push him off course, to get him lost. The drakkar is strong, but by itself it will not do Asger’s work. Asger must thus toil hard to make sure his heading is not altered by the terrible winds, tall waves and painful hail.
After the Storm
The fourth song, “After the Storm”, is not about temptations or fighting. It is rather the reward for Asger, who trusted his boat in the hailstorm, and kept it heading toward the Other Land all the way through the high waves and strong winds. The ocean finally tired and retreated, and the sea is now flat and silent. The clouds depart as well, and the sun lights up the sky again. Asger is reminded to look forward, and not behind, and to forget the horrors of the tempest. It is the old « quiet after the storm » saying, but in this case it is told after the storm. Not to bring courage, since the storm is now gone, but to remind how true the saying is.
The Sorcerer
The fifth track, “The Sorcerer”, is a quite different experience for the old sailor. Lothar, the sorcerer (his name is not mentioned in this song, but he appears in other Skycrater’s compositions), attacks Asger through direct temptation. The Sorcerer can command powerful and terrifying illusions, but he too cannot sink the boat or even make it change direction. All he can do is to try to make Asger steer away from the Other Land. When he first appears on the vast ocean, far away from any land, Lothar tries to look and sound more like a friend. He lifts the waves to show that he is powerful, but he does not really try to scare Asger. He tempts him in the most common and disdainful way, through lies. Lothar is immortal and condemned to roam the ocean without ever setting foot on land (recounted in another song), thus poisoning his mind with hate. He is quite surely the most lying and hateful of all the enemies Asger meets. As Asger is insensible to his “friendly” lies, Lothar tries to scare him, growing immeasurably tall and levitating high over the waves while tongues of fire shoot out of the water and bats fill the air. Of course there is no fire in the water and no bats on the ocean, these are only illusions created by the powerful Lothar. They are terrible illusions nonetheless, and anyone without a strong faith and courage would have been scared to death. But the more Lothar is angered and shows his power, the more Asger knows he is incapable of any real attack. Lothar’s illusions are thus completely lost on him, and his lies are rejected by the sailor.
The Sirens’ Song
“The Sirens’ Song”, the album’s sixth track, is another empty temptation: it is much like the Sorcerer’s, since the Sirens cannot touch Asger or the boat. All they can do is to entice him to come closer and crash the hull of his drakkar on the sharp reefs. Unlike Lothar, poisoned by hate, the Sirens try to tempt Asger through soft songs, sweet melodies. They tempt him with their apparent beauty, shining long hair, stunningly beautiful voices. They keep repeating to Asger « Why are you afraid? Look, we have no weapons », which is quite true. Indeed, enchanted by the beautiful singers, Asger comes closer. This temptation is new to him, he is used to the clash of swords and the hammering of battle axes, but never did he meet such beautiful maids, who invite him to them. He still manages to dialogue with them, trying to expose their lies. But the Sirens are not really lying, they are just not telling all the truth. Again, the Sirens’ action is only driven by hate and evil. They know there is nothing onboard the drakkar they want, apart from the life of a righteous warrior and sailor. But hateful persons follow no logic, only their evil lust. Asger knows it and in the end manages to safely sail away without touching the reefs with his boat.
Shore in Sight
“Shore in Sight”, the album’s seventh track and Asger’s fourth temptation, recounts how Asger sails through islands, tempted to believe he has reached his final destination. Once again, he has to rely on his faith and belief to avoid falling into the temptation and leaving the path to the Other Land. The paradisiac islands are inhabited by various people, who feast around bonfires, inviting the sailor through shouts to leave his boat and join them. Of course Asger never saw the Other Land before, all he knows is what he learnt through his people’s tales. He knows the Other Land’s mountains are the nesting grounds of eagles, and that a horse made of fire should soar through the skies when he reaches the shores, signalling his safe arrival to his friends and family. He also knows the Other Land should always be reached shortly before dawn, and it is now just evening. He is weary of his long journey, his provisions are becoming scarce and he surely feels like joining those people to eat and drink in plenty. But something inside tells him he must go on, that, if he stops now, he will never find the heading to the Other Land again. This is the time where he comes closest to abandon his quest, since the islands do not look much of a threat, and the temptation to « just stop a while and then start again » is very hard to fight back. But while the fight goes on inside him, his drakkar eventually drifts past the islands, and Asger is back in control of his emotions.
Into the Fog
The album’s eighth track, “Into the Fog”, is Asger’s last temptation and final test before reaching the Other Land. It is not half as terrible as the previous adventures he went through, such as the Sirens’ or Lothar’s illusions, but the sailor is now very weary and hungry. He knows the Other Land is always reached by whoever keeps his heading straight ahead and does not alter his path, but inner voices keep telling him it is just a lie, an imagination from his people. Crossing the thick fog is particularly hard for Asger, there is almost no wind and the drakkar moves very slowly forward. Asger is much closer to the magical shores than he thinks, thus the ocean blinds him with fog, trying one last time to lead him off his course. It tries to make him despair and stop steering the boat, to madden him by awaking all the doubts and lies the Sorcerer sowed in his heart. But even this time Asger’s faith does not fail him, and someone comes to his aid, leading him safely through the fog toward his destination. Of course, this voice heard in the fog could be perceived as a temptation, another evil creature trying to lead him astray. But Asger relies on his heart and feels that this creature wants him no harm, but leads him towards the Other Land.
Here Ends the Journey
“Here Ends the Journey”, the album’s ninth and last track, is a bard’s song recounting Asger’s adventure, faithfulness and thousandfold reward in the Land of his King. It is the song that is indeed foretold in the second track, “The Other Land”, when Asger’s friend tells him « your name shall be sung in our halls ». It is not the victorious song of an epic battle, or the sad song of a lost loved one, but the song of the immeasurable reward Asger received from his faith, righteousness and service to his King.
As a conlusion
This whole journey is not just fiction. It is the journey of life we have to go through. Truly, there are no horses of fire or deadly sirens in our world, but we all meet temptations to do evil along our life’s path, so do we also meet chances to do good. Destiny is of a strange and unpredictable nature, and I do not believe that « we make our own luck ». I believe we are all given different situations, different paths, and we must make the best out of what we are given. Reject temptations to do evil, and take the chances to do good. I also believe we all have a common Father and King, like Asger. Just look at humanity, how could we live in peace and harmony without a ruler? Men dream of peace and equality, but they never will reach it by themselves. Even the most stubborn atheists need a something to trust in, some of them call it nature, some call it science. And when we say « nature is made well » we are surely right, but Who made it so well? Who indeed?
The album’s first track, “Rise of a Nation”, seems to be out of another story. It does not relate at all to Asger, his drakkar or even the Other Land. Yet, the link between this song and the rest of the album is quite strong. The “nation” that is rising is all the lies, hate and temptations that Asger is about to meet on the vast ocean. It is a warning before the storm, a reminder that the journey is difficult and the destination hard to reach. The “humans” the song mentions are all the creatures and lies Asger meets. All of them have one goal: forcing Asger off his path, and make him wander into darker parts of the ocean. Both “humans” and “creatures” can be used symbolically. They can represent situations, people, spirits, any temptation that Asger encounters. None of them can actually fight Asger or sink his boat, but they can induce him into believing they can. As long as the sailor’s faith in his destination and in his ship is strong, he is safe. Thus the warning « Don’t let them fool you, don’t let them scare you ». Asger is protected and he knows it, but will his faith crumble in front of such temptations?
The Other Land
The second song, “The Other Land”, is sung by Asger’s best friend, who says farewell to his companion of battle, asking him to not forget his name. It clearly is the last time they see each other in this life, and yet the song is not sad. It is a song about triumph and victory. Victory for Asger, who finally departs from this world of horrors, battles and death to return to the source, to his Father and King, to rest and be rewarded for his loyalty and bravery in combat. It is a strange song, since it could symbolize both Asger’s death and Asger’s birth. We would naturally be tempted to think this is his death, because of the promise of a second life, the reward for his actions, the last salutations to his friend before leaving his land. And yet, it could also be perceived as his birth, because of the long journey ahead of him, and all the temptations he must conquer to reach his King. The song is victorious and epic, but Asger has not won yet. His time to set off for the Other Land has come, but most of the temptations are still to arise.
Hailstorm
In “Hailstorm”, Asger is on the ocean and his journey has begun. Like a desperate warrior who knows he cannot win, the ocean immediately attacks Asger with all its strength and power, hoping to take him by surprise or at least to scare him off the long voyage. Of course Asger knows and trusts his drakkar — he went through similar tempests before — and therefore knows his ship can withstand it. But he still cannot just sit back and wait for the clouds to clear and the winds to drop. He must keep the boat moving forward, fight the waves which try to push him away from his path. The storm is not just trying to sink him and his hopes, it is also trying to push him off course, to get him lost. The drakkar is strong, but by itself it will not do Asger’s work. Asger must thus toil hard to make sure his heading is not altered by the terrible winds, tall waves and painful hail.
After the Storm
The fourth song, “After the Storm”, is not about temptations or fighting. It is rather the reward for Asger, who trusted his boat in the hailstorm, and kept it heading toward the Other Land all the way through the high waves and strong winds. The ocean finally tired and retreated, and the sea is now flat and silent. The clouds depart as well, and the sun lights up the sky again. Asger is reminded to look forward, and not behind, and to forget the horrors of the tempest. It is the old « quiet after the storm » saying, but in this case it is told after the storm. Not to bring courage, since the storm is now gone, but to remind how true the saying is.
The Sorcerer
The fifth track, “The Sorcerer”, is a quite different experience for the old sailor. Lothar, the sorcerer (his name is not mentioned in this song, but he appears in other Skycrater’s compositions), attacks Asger through direct temptation. The Sorcerer can command powerful and terrifying illusions, but he too cannot sink the boat or even make it change direction. All he can do is to try to make Asger steer away from the Other Land. When he first appears on the vast ocean, far away from any land, Lothar tries to look and sound more like a friend. He lifts the waves to show that he is powerful, but he does not really try to scare Asger. He tempts him in the most common and disdainful way, through lies. Lothar is immortal and condemned to roam the ocean without ever setting foot on land (recounted in another song), thus poisoning his mind with hate. He is quite surely the most lying and hateful of all the enemies Asger meets. As Asger is insensible to his “friendly” lies, Lothar tries to scare him, growing immeasurably tall and levitating high over the waves while tongues of fire shoot out of the water and bats fill the air. Of course there is no fire in the water and no bats on the ocean, these are only illusions created by the powerful Lothar. They are terrible illusions nonetheless, and anyone without a strong faith and courage would have been scared to death. But the more Lothar is angered and shows his power, the more Asger knows he is incapable of any real attack. Lothar’s illusions are thus completely lost on him, and his lies are rejected by the sailor.
The Sirens’ Song
“The Sirens’ Song”, the album’s sixth track, is another empty temptation: it is much like the Sorcerer’s, since the Sirens cannot touch Asger or the boat. All they can do is to entice him to come closer and crash the hull of his drakkar on the sharp reefs. Unlike Lothar, poisoned by hate, the Sirens try to tempt Asger through soft songs, sweet melodies. They tempt him with their apparent beauty, shining long hair, stunningly beautiful voices. They keep repeating to Asger « Why are you afraid? Look, we have no weapons », which is quite true. Indeed, enchanted by the beautiful singers, Asger comes closer. This temptation is new to him, he is used to the clash of swords and the hammering of battle axes, but never did he meet such beautiful maids, who invite him to them. He still manages to dialogue with them, trying to expose their lies. But the Sirens are not really lying, they are just not telling all the truth. Again, the Sirens’ action is only driven by hate and evil. They know there is nothing onboard the drakkar they want, apart from the life of a righteous warrior and sailor. But hateful persons follow no logic, only their evil lust. Asger knows it and in the end manages to safely sail away without touching the reefs with his boat.
Shore in Sight
“Shore in Sight”, the album’s seventh track and Asger’s fourth temptation, recounts how Asger sails through islands, tempted to believe he has reached his final destination. Once again, he has to rely on his faith and belief to avoid falling into the temptation and leaving the path to the Other Land. The paradisiac islands are inhabited by various people, who feast around bonfires, inviting the sailor through shouts to leave his boat and join them. Of course Asger never saw the Other Land before, all he knows is what he learnt through his people’s tales. He knows the Other Land’s mountains are the nesting grounds of eagles, and that a horse made of fire should soar through the skies when he reaches the shores, signalling his safe arrival to his friends and family. He also knows the Other Land should always be reached shortly before dawn, and it is now just evening. He is weary of his long journey, his provisions are becoming scarce and he surely feels like joining those people to eat and drink in plenty. But something inside tells him he must go on, that, if he stops now, he will never find the heading to the Other Land again. This is the time where he comes closest to abandon his quest, since the islands do not look much of a threat, and the temptation to « just stop a while and then start again » is very hard to fight back. But while the fight goes on inside him, his drakkar eventually drifts past the islands, and Asger is back in control of his emotions.
Into the Fog
The album’s eighth track, “Into the Fog”, is Asger’s last temptation and final test before reaching the Other Land. It is not half as terrible as the previous adventures he went through, such as the Sirens’ or Lothar’s illusions, but the sailor is now very weary and hungry. He knows the Other Land is always reached by whoever keeps his heading straight ahead and does not alter his path, but inner voices keep telling him it is just a lie, an imagination from his people. Crossing the thick fog is particularly hard for Asger, there is almost no wind and the drakkar moves very slowly forward. Asger is much closer to the magical shores than he thinks, thus the ocean blinds him with fog, trying one last time to lead him off his course. It tries to make him despair and stop steering the boat, to madden him by awaking all the doubts and lies the Sorcerer sowed in his heart. But even this time Asger’s faith does not fail him, and someone comes to his aid, leading him safely through the fog toward his destination. Of course, this voice heard in the fog could be perceived as a temptation, another evil creature trying to lead him astray. But Asger relies on his heart and feels that this creature wants him no harm, but leads him towards the Other Land.
Here Ends the Journey
“Here Ends the Journey”, the album’s ninth and last track, is a bard’s song recounting Asger’s adventure, faithfulness and thousandfold reward in the Land of his King. It is the song that is indeed foretold in the second track, “The Other Land”, when Asger’s friend tells him « your name shall be sung in our halls ». It is not the victorious song of an epic battle, or the sad song of a lost loved one, but the song of the immeasurable reward Asger received from his faith, righteousness and service to his King.
As a conlusion
This whole journey is not just fiction. It is the journey of life we have to go through. Truly, there are no horses of fire or deadly sirens in our world, but we all meet temptations to do evil along our life’s path, so do we also meet chances to do good. Destiny is of a strange and unpredictable nature, and I do not believe that « we make our own luck ». I believe we are all given different situations, different paths, and we must make the best out of what we are given. Reject temptations to do evil, and take the chances to do good. I also believe we all have a common Father and King, like Asger. Just look at humanity, how could we live in peace and harmony without a ruler? Men dream of peace and equality, but they never will reach it by themselves. Even the most stubborn atheists need a something to trust in, some of them call it nature, some call it science. And when we say « nature is made well » we are surely right, but Who made it so well? Who indeed?