Arth - Swiss Heathen Metal

Hi,

I just wanted to present you a Swiss Heathen Band called ARTH.

http://www.nemetons.ch/arth/

This bands writes incredible texts and lyrics based on astrong knowledge of Swiss History, Mythology, but also History in general. Good songs, good sounds, good lyrics... so...Great Band!

I'm trying to invite here one member of the band, so that he can speak about the band in a better way than me!

Hello !

Firstly thanks very much to Ektroh for this superb initiative (the SNHF forum), and for your kind invitation to come and moderate the English section. Ha ha... power... mwahahahaha...

A couple of links which will get you straight to the heart of Arth... the link above is to the official band web site [not run by me], which has some nice pictures but is very very slow to be updated.

On myspace you'll hear some ear-battering Arthurian tunes from a recent concert in Versoix... http://www.myspace.com/arthheathenmetal

... and on my web site http://www.cyclothymia.ch you can watch a video clip of that gig... watch through to the end for an amusing sword related incident ;-)

So... what's Arth all about? Well... the myspace page gives you most of the standard introduction so I won't repeat that. Save to say that Arth trawl through Swiss history looking for interesting pieces of information which [even] many Swiss people have forgotten, or not been told, and make them into very very heavy songs ;-)

For example, how to explain the Swiss defeats of the Habsburgs at Morgart and Sempach, if not for some heathen magic? At Morgarten on November 15, 1315, 1'500 Swiss - mainly farmers - defeated an army of 4'000 fully-trained and equipped Habsburg Empire soldies... how so?, I asked myself... then came the answer:

Zwölfte Nächte
Zwölfte Nächte – Arth and victory !
Unterwalden, Uri, Schwyz
Rauhnächte – slaughter in the abbey
Wotan mit den Toten zur wilden Jagd aufbrechen

Zwölfte Nächte – 1313
300 years of subjugation
Glöckelnächte – murder in the cloisters
Death to the invaders – the end begins tonight

Candles lit and prayers whispered
Women and children stay inside
The old faith knows the ways – the spirit realm is open
The souls of the dead roam free tonight

Demons stalk the frosted fields
Animals speak in human tongue
Revealing the future, but never to be repeated
For those who hear them die at once

The old folk religion again suffused with power
The time for oracles is ripe
The wise speak of victory, against a mighty foe
A vast army defeated by country men

Not once but twice on the plains of Schwyz
Men of Arth and the forest cantons
Defeat the forces of Habichtsburg
The blood soaked fields of Morgarten and Sempach
Images glimpsed in the smoke and fire…
The end of occupation begins tonight

Zwölfte Nächte – Arth and victory !
Unterwalden, Uri, Schwyz
Rauhnächte – slaughter in the abbey
Wotan mit den Toten zur wilden Jagd aufbrechen

Zwölfte Nächte – 1313
300 years of subjugation
Glöckelnächte – murder in the cloisters
Death to the invaders – the end begins tonight

Pitchforks and scythes, tools of sheer brutality
Wielded in the hardened hands of downtrodden men
Twelfth night – the monastery set alight
An unforeseen assault on an avaricious foe

A vision in the bonfire’s shadows…
A premonition veiled in smoke
A glittering army masses on the plain
Four thousand men prepared for war

The rebel militia must occupy the high ground
Forge swords and halberds for (the) impending fight
The prophecy of Rauhnächte, interpreted, exploited
Sees the regal splendour drowned in the lake!

Lyrics and music (c) 2005 Arth

Well, more soon from this Honorary Swiss Patriot,

I wish a bright future for SNHF, Ektroh !

Grym
Bass - ARTH

Hey, Thanks for all Grym!

I really appreciate your support! thanks for the informations!

Keep Rocking for the Glory of Helvetia! ;-)

Oh do you have any concert dates booked for the next months?

You're welcome man !

Next concert is 24 November at the Bar King in Neuchâtel.

This will be quite a special black/heathen/folk metal evening - with headliners Heol Telwen from France and fellow Swissies Moonfrost in the middle. Yep, Arth will swallow it's pride and play first [this is actually so we can get to the bar first afterwards ;-) ].

I guess it will start around 20h00... more details to follow as I get them.

CHeers to all on SNHF (or "Schnuff" as I call it).

Tschuss, Grym.

Thanks!!!

HOpe i'll be there!

HAHAHA schnuff... well.... it's not so far from the pronouciation... but... a bit too "Junky" for us I think!

Yes I agree. What we want to see here is stuff that is right and proper [if you see what I mean]... no Amercanisms please, except SNAFU [Situation Normal: All Fucked Up] because it is funny.

It seems Arth might also play at a Schwarzmétal / Helvetic Manifest concert in Bern on Saturday 14 October, with Forgotten Chaos and some other Swiss BM bands.

More info' on Helvetic Manifest:





TsCHüss, Grym.

Wow!

That's really interesting. in fact it's a little part of my aim with this forum : breaking the "Roestigraben" stuff, allowing people from Heathen Metal, Black, Black Folk, and so to be as one!

won't be so easy. But thanks for this text, i's really interesting!!

Hello !

I just want to bid Grym welcome and to say him I like his job very much

Ektroh had already made me hear some songs of Arth and I think it's interesting to make music based on Swiss mythology and history!

PS : I hope I haven't done too many mistakes...LOL

No mistakes man !

Thanks very much Brigangelus, I appreciate that !

To confirm - the 24 November gig with Heol Telwen in Neuchâtel is cancelled :-[ It will be rescheduled for early next year :-]

...but the 14 October gig is on at the "Kulturkeller Alpina" at Oberburgstrasse 8, Burgdorf [15km NE of Bern].

http://www.kulturkeller.ch

Doors open 19h00 and we play first - at about 20h00 I guess. More details as soon as I get them.

TsCHüss tlm,
Grym

Bollocks ! Our drummer has injured his back and we cannot play at the Kulturkeller on 14 October.

So that means no more gigs planned for Arth this year :-(

CHeers, Grym.

Yeah!! that's too bad!!! hope he'll be in shape soon!!! Maybe you'll be able to play for another SM show!