Input File: 02 - Hold the Sword.mp3
Channels : 2
Sample Rate : 44100
Precision : 16-bit
Duration : 00:05:22.70 = 14230938 samples = 24202.3 CDDA sectors
File Size : 13.1M
Bit Rate : 324k
Sample Encoding: MPEG audio (layer I, II or III)
Comments :
Title=Hold the Sword
Artist=Whispered
Album=Shogunate Macabre
Tracknumber=2/8
Year=2014
Genre=Melodic Death Metal
Discnumber=1/1

1. Jikininki
The album starts off with prophecies of doom, despair and emptiness. Jikininki is a selfish human with no respect, who is doomed to live after their death as a corpse-eating spirit. This songs represents the more "fist to the face" portion of the album, and takes the listener into the middle of an empire tormented by spirits and gods, destroyed by human greed.

2. Hold the Sword

This song had its inspiration from Minamoto No Yoshiie, who has been claimed to be the first samurai in some contexts. The major theme in this song is war. In the middle of it, one man stands tall and despises the fear and despair that lives in the hearts of his comrades. By being an example, he awakens true bravery in them. A very melodic song, the instrumental part in the middle has a bit different atmosphere. If people are interested, i can translate the whole thing.

3. Fallen Amaterasu

Now we are even closer to the end of the world than in the first song.Humans pray for forgiveness and mercy from the godess of the sun (amaterasu) they have angered, who has cast judgment over the whole human race. The inspiration for the lyrics came from such things as humans total disregard for the nature. An aggressive song filled with choirs and elements from movie soundtracks.

4. One Man’s Burden

An old warrior repents his deeds and ponders in his great anxiety how to honor those who he has slain. To take his own life with his sword, or try to live the rest of his life gracefully and try to forgive himself? The song is filled with despair and beauty, which take turns according to the thoughts of the main character.

5. Kappa

What kind of song is born when it tells about a spiritual creature that looks like a turtle, enjoys the blood of newborn babies, rapes women and causes destruction around it? All kappas aren't that fucked up, but this one is. We aimed to get a relatively perverted vibe to the song that would support the lyrics. Thrash from the nineties, some twisted horror-humppa and of course, a saxophone solo. A great song to play live!

6. Lady of the Wind

Musically the most japan-oriented song. Yuki-Onna is an evil she-spirit, that has many different legends and shows up often in the japanese folklore. In this story she travels through a wintery battlefield, trying to lure wounded soldiers. This song has the longest middle-part (?), where Koto played the major part. This song also includes some intense guitarwork and one of the most catchy choruses.

7. Unrestrained

A song about forgotten feelings, fearlessness and the will to live, that have been lost under shame and despair. Once again we are talking about a warrior, but the lyrics could be about anyone. Musically very straightforward, energic song. A huge bow to the general direction of the thrash-metal of the nineties and japanese video-game music, and we ain't even ashamed! Haters gonna hate!

8. Upon My Honor

The journey is ended by this 10-minute epic, that continues the theme of Hold the Sword. The samurai before has now become an invincible man, praised by the gods of war, who cannot be stopped anymore by sword, arrows or any other weapon created by man. Musically we are in the area of epicnness and heroes, though there is also very straightforward metal in the spirit of nineties thrash, and in the middle part we even reach for a cosmic atmosphere. This one also probably has the most difficult guitar solo.