The eagle who lived as a chicken

One day a young eagle fell off the nest and was picked up by a farmer. The farmer was kind enough to bring the small bird to his barnyard so that it doesn’t perish. The young eagle found a good home with the chicken and grew up believing he is a chicken. He waited for the farmer to bring food, he quacked when a chicken laid an egg, and he enjoyed running around and sitting in a hole in the ground on sunny days. Life was good and comfortable, and the eagle’s wildest adventure was to run under the fence with his friends to that cliff where they looked at the mountains and wondered what lied on their other side.
One day he was with his fellow chicken picking seeds off the ground when a shadow covered the sky above him. He lifted his gaze and was mesmerized by the sight of a beautiful eagle cruising the sky. Unlike other chicken that he saw trying to fly, this eagle didn’t seem to be making much effort. With his wings spread wide, he was flying smoothly and changing his direction with the slightest gesture. “Wow. Look at that!”, yelled the young eagle to his friends. “Who is that?”, he asked. “That’s an eagle”, replied a chicken. “He’s the king of the sky. But we belong here on earth. We are chicken.”, she continued. And the eagle staring at the bird disappearing in the horizon as if it was gliding on an invisible path that only he could see.
Days later, the old eagle was flying again over the barnyard and was stunned by the sight of an eagle running around with the chicken. He surged down to the ground. As the other birds saw him they ran back to hide in the house. He descended in front of the other eagle before he reached the door.
“What are you doing?”, asked the old eagle.
“What do you mean?”, answered the young one.
“What are you doing running around with chicken?”.
“I am a chicken. These are my brothers and sisters. I grew up with them.”
“No you’re not. You’re an eagle. You belong in the sky, not on the ground.”
“No I am not. I am one of them. All I know is to do as they do, and to eat what they eat. I can’t even fly.”
“You can’t because you never tried. But you’re an eagle, just like me”.
“Even if what you say is true, I’ve lived all my life as a chicken. I am not an eagle anymore”.”
“It’s the heart of an eagle that matters, not the way he lived or ate… Come with me”
The eagle took another look at his friends hiding in the comfort of home. “Don’t listen to him!”, yelled one of the chicken. “He is tricking you”,” said another. “ If you go with him, you will die!”. “ Come back and be with us”…
But deep inside the eagle’s heart, a faint voice told him what he needed to do. He took one more gaze at the barnyard where he spend all his life playing with his friends, then turned around and followed the older eagle.
A moment later, the arrived at the cliff he used to visit sometimes with his friends. They stood next to each other on the edge looking at the mountains in the distance. Without a second of hesitation, the old eagle jumped off the edge, spread his wings and soared upward.
The young eagle looked down the cliff and trembled. He’d never flown before. May be he would die. May be he should go back.
“Don’t look down.”, the old eagle said “Look up at the sky. Aim toward the sun. Give it a bit of faith.”
The young eagle lifted his sight up, spread his wings and leaped…
Back at the barnyard, the chicken heard a triumphant cry that ascended to heaven. Their feather trembled and they looked at each other without exchanging a word. They know they will miss their brother a lot. They know he might visit some day and tell them how it felt to fly. And they will gather around to hear his stories about the lands he visited. But for the time being, they would keep doing what they did best: living as chicken.

source: http://blog.amirkhella.com/2009/11/04/the-eagle-who-lived-as-a-chicken/

Circle of Darkness

Circle of Darkness

Trapped within my thoughts
of hatred and despair
struggling with the demons
it seems too much to bear

Want to put an end
to this abyssic state
suffering and screaming
I'm very full of hate

Praying to the Lord
to save me from that hell
hope to ease my burden
and take the Satan's veil

Seems I get no help
stuck in my mental cell
in the circle of darkness
it seems I'll always dwell

- Azargled

The wise man "maybe" story and higher order

[...] The deeper interconnectedness of all things and events implies that the
mental labels of “good” and bad” are ultimately illusory. They always imply
a limited perspective and so are true only relatively and temporarily. This is
illustrated in the story of a wise man who won an expensive car in a lottery.
His family and friends were very happy for him and came to celebrate. “Isn't
it great!” they said. “You are so lucky.” The man smiled and said “Maybe.”
For a few weeks he enjoyed driving the car. Then one day a drunken driver
crashed into his new car at an intersection and he ended up in the hospital,
with multiple injuries. His family and friends came to see him and said,
“That was really unfortunate. “ Again the man smiled and said, “Maybe.”
While he was still in the hospital, one night there was a landslide and his
house   fell   into   the   sea.   Again   his   friends   came   the   next   day   and   said,
“Weren't you lucky to have been here in hospital.” Again he said, “Maybe.”
The   wise   man's  “maybe”  signifies  a refusal  to judge  anything that
happens.   Instead   of   judging   what   is,   he   accepts   it   and   so   enters   into
conscious   alignment   with   the   higher   order.  [...]

(from Eckhart Tolle - A New Earth)

The Eternal Battle

The Eternal Battle

I'm torn between two worlds
the light and the dark
an angel and a demon
both want to leave their mark

The spirit seems so strong
but oh, the flesh is weak
it craves revenge and pleasure
the ego seems to kick

I want to be a god
the master of mankind
the greed, the lust, the craving
all these are on my mind

It seems that's really hard
to crush this evil urge
possessed by the demon
asking for a dark pledge

The heart is getting cold
and feel the need to escape
from all this mental torture
it's like a fiery lake

The angel comes to fight
the dark forces of the world
he gives food to my soul
and says it's a hard road

I watch the bloody fight
of good and evil sides
the demon casts a spell
and summons the dark mights

The angel brings a shield
and fights with holy rage
immersing me in white light
I'm going through a change

I fell I've lost desire
for all delights of earth
I start to offer help
and see what really is worth

I start to clearly see
the wonders of the world
and that is all so great
so vivid and so bold

The demon is knocked down
and is so full of rage
he starts to slowly leave
and lastly, swears revenge

Don't know where I belong
and who will be my master
the only thing I'm sure of
is this eternal battle

- Azargled

Dawn

Dawn

Like a pretty daughter
she comes in all her charm
sharing hopeful light
of something new to come

Like the best art piece
that man has never done
hear the sounds of birds
they seem to greet the sun

Such a magic moment
of wonderful delight
it almost seems too much
for our humble mind

Like all good things though
the moment soon is gone
and hope I'll live next day
to see again the dawn

- Azargled

Trisomie 21 - la fête triste

Which wolf do you feed?

A Cherokee Legend
 
An old Grandfather said to his grandson, who came to him angry at a friend who he felt had done him an injustice, "Let me tell you a story…
I too, at times, have felt a great resentment for those who have taken so much,with no seeming sorrow or remorse for what they do. I have struggled with these feelings many times." He continued, "It is as if there are two wolves inside me engaged in a challenging conflict.”
"One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The littlest thing will set him into a fit of temper. He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason. He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. It is helpless anger, for his anger will change nothing.”
He continued, "The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. He does no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him, and does not take offense when no offense was intended. He will only fight when it is right to do so, and in the right way.
Sometimes, it is a challenge to live with these two wolves inside me, for both of them try to dominate my spirit. The same challenge is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too."
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"
The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."
Do you ever stop to ponder….which wolf inside of you do you feed more?

source: http://mcloide.wordpress.com/2014/01/22/which-wolf-do-you-feed/

These ancient ruins

These ancient ruins

Oh, these ancient ruins
say so much without a word
monuments of wonder
shades of men lived by the sword
legendary eras
full of honour, full of pride
lessons from the past times
atmosphere of awe and might

Oh, these distant glories
thrill of war and constant fight
golden years of mankind
wise men offered their light
hail the ancient gods, hail
Athena's aid and wrath of Zeus
tragedies and battles
fate but also will to choose

Oh, these godly heroes
knew no fear and no distress
Hercules, Prometheus
they could not settle for less
healthy body and mind
a higher call and holy deed
moral views and courage
things that we so really need

Oh, these ancient ruins
we can learn so much from them
like a sage speaking
food for thought, a different frame
maybe this will help us
see life in a different light
and improve our actions
towards all the good and right

- Azargled

The three stone masons story

It’s the middle ages and there were three stone masons hard at work when a visitor stopped and asks each of them “What are you doing?”

The first stone mason said in a harsh voice, “Can’t you see? I’m carrying rocks!”

The second stone mason replied in a more resigned voice, “I’m building a wall.”

The last stone mason responded with enthusiasm, “I am building a beautiful cathedral that will glorify God for centuries to come.”

Autumn

Autumn

Autumn, here it comes again
vivid colors, fallen leaves
sweet melancholy in the air
my heart loves this pleasant breeze

Kids with parents go to school
tweets of birds so full of joy
earth is wet, a rainbow comes
feeling like a little boy

Mornings break so bleak and cold
got to love this foggy dew
couples kissing on the bench
everything seems fresh and new

Autumn, here it comes again
hold me in your cool embrace
shades of brown, shades of gold
fell in love with all the place

- Azargled

Stillness of the Night

Stillness of the Night

The stillness of the night
so infinite, so dark
seems calm but also wild
with a poetic spark

The distant howl of wolves
and moon's majestic light
like bits of paint on canvas
so full of awe and might

The coldness of the air
the screaming of the owl
all these feel so damn creepy
frightening my soul

But then my spirit craves
to be in such a thrill
of the dark side of nature
this life feels so real

- Azargled

Nature's Laugh

Nature's Laugh

I see the movement of the leaves
and hear the whistling of the wind
it seems to me like nature's laugh
at man's huge vanity and greed

Pursuit of money and materialism
the ego's need to always win
a huge decay of the soul
before we hear the final ring

The stupid wars and fake empires
the evil ways of human seed
humanity seems really sick
a hubris against nature's deed

I see the moving of the waves
and hear the pleasant sounds of birds
they seem to be so far away
from human madness and such rage

This mortal coil of daily life
the naive judgements and the hate
all these things make an awful joke
that seems to be the mankind's fate

But still we can answer our call
to serve the holy Nature's deed
and fill our soul's empty hole
with joy that we so badly need

- Azargled

Lux Occulta - The Birth Of The Race

Death In June - Death Is The Martyr Of Beauty

Azargled - Complete Acropolis Soundtrack

Ashram - Maria and the violin's string

:wumpscut: - Mother

Mother - can you hear me
Mother - do you care
Mother - don't you tear me
Mother - do you share
I love you
Forever and all times
In dreams my rhymes

Mother...

Mother - can you feel me
Mother - do you care
Mother - don't you steal me
Mother - do you dare
Justice
My life

Mother...

Acherontas - Vamachara (LP review)

Vamachara is, in my opinion, one of the most significant works of the band, including also the old Stutthof works. Acherontas has been delivering the goods in this genre for many years, being one of the most promising modern black metal bands of the Greek scene. For me, one of the strengths of the band is that combines melody and atmosphere with the more traditional Black Metal sound, but without sounding cheesy or goofy, unlike some other bands of the scene.

The guitar-based songs here are just winners; after a short atmospheric intro, "Blood Current Illumination" kicks in, with its ultra-catchy riffs. The clean and distorted vocals go along perfectly. In the same vein is "Beyond the Mazeways to Ophidian Gnosis" where the riffs stuck in your head, full of Black Metal adrenaline. Some of the songs in the album have really interesting parts, which give a bit of "progressive" feeling, without losing its dark edge, of course. Examples include the intro but also the outro of "Abraxas" (especially the latter part is a clear winner), plus the ending of "Vamachara" and "Drakonian Womb" (this one has even some Iron Maiden influence!). The title track near the end is really cool, with the combination of guitar riffs, drums and vocals, before expanding into to a melodic guitar solo and fading out. This transition is sure one of the album's highlights! In general, there is always the dark riff to keep your interesting going, and the infernal screams, but also the melody. Keyboards are not used in a very dominant way in this album, unlike say, in "Tat Tvam Asi" (another really good album in its own way).

What really makes this album (and band) interesting though, is the experimentation. The intro and "Ohm Krim Kali" give a ritual feeling, especially the latter with its percussion and mantra-like singing. The openminded metal fans will really enjoy this one. Also, the already mentioned "Abraxas" has some really haunting chanting in the intro. Another significant thing to mention is the cryptic and occult lyrics, about dark spirits & gods (e.g. Kali, Tiamat), and the philosophy of the left-hand path. The band, and especially the frontman, sure know their stuff regarding mythologies and the arcane. Miles ahead of other shallow bands in Black Metal, who have a poseur-like image, just wanting to sound scary.

In general, I really recommend this album. Even though the following album "Amenti" can be considered more interesting regarding the atmosphere and experimentation, I think this one wins regarding the overall writing and catchiness of the compositions. Moreover, if you can, see the band playing live, they have a nice theatrical image and perform very well in general.

Some significant compositions of mine

Here are some compositions of mine that I consider to be among my most "significant" ones. At least until Feb 2014, in the future I hope I'll surpass them!
Most of them are melodic and symphonic, with epic touches, although there are also geeky "video game" tunes, or dark ambient textures. Either way, even if they're pretty amateur, I love them.

1. The Fallacy of Life
2. Crepuscule
3. A Call To Arms
4. The Tree of Wonders
5. Retroid
6. To Asgard
7. Through The Misanthropic Lens

Any feedback, positive or negative, is of course, appreciated!

Arcana - Inner Pale Sun (LP review)

In "Inner Pale Sun" (fourth LP of the band, released in 2002), the Swedish neoclassical act Arcana continues evolving in their musical direction, heavily influenced by Dead Can Dance. There are some differences to DCD though so they do not come across as total copycats - plus that they are really good at their genre. One major difference is that there is less emphasis on the vocals, as there are a lot of instrumentals and we rarely have any exotic vocal tricks (think of Lisa Gerrard's operatic vocals and glosolalia), if any. The band also has influences from some goth rock bands with neoclassical touches (think of Swans "The Burning World" era - especially in the vocal style). But enough with the band comparison, let's see what this album offers.
Although all tracks share a similar style, there are differences among them - for example "Icons" has a more medieval, mantra-like feeling, while other tracks such as "Lovelorn" and "Innocent Child" focus on delivering poetic lyrics above a neoclassical/ethereal musical wallpaper. The strings are used in a clever way, and they are very pleasant, especially in the two vocal tracks mentioned above. The closing track "Closure" (one of my personal favourites here) is a heavenly piano-laden minimal track, which is really good for relaxation. Another favourite of mine is "We Rise Above" (also released in the "Body of Sin" 7"), where the combination of the vocals, the dulcimer and the percussion gives a really haunting feeling, taking you to other, ancient worlds!
In this album, the male vocals are done by Peter Petterson, while the female ones are done by Ann-Mari Thim (who replaced the old female vocalist, Ida Bengtsson). Half of the tracks are instrumental though. For me, the length of the album (clocking around 38 min) is an advantage, because although the music is very pleasant, it is not very diverse so if the album was much longer - assuming all the tracks were in the same style - it might be a little tiring to sit through.
If you ask me for any drawbacks here, I would say there are no significant ones - although subjectively we can say that the album could have been somewhat more diverse, or that the vocals could have a more dominant role. But personally, I think for this musical act, their overall sound is excellent, because they have proven - not only here but also in their other albums - that what they do, they do it really well. One last thing I want to mention is that, even if the music is not very "technical" in a theoretical sense, it doesn't really matter at all regarding that genre, as long as the atmosphere is inspiring and the melodies are used in a clever way.
"Inner Pale Sun" is sure among my favourite Arcana albums, although if you ask me, all of their releases are worth hearing if you are a fan of the neoclassical/ethereal genre. You simply cannot go wrong with this talented act.