Cygnus Rock Band - The Dance of Axes (Death And Glory)

This is one of the most interesting and exciting songs of the album. On one hand it's instrumental; similarly to the overture it has been Cygnus Rock Band's tradition to put an song of this kind on their album.

Perhaps only Fire and Tales was the exception, but that album is as perfect as it can be in every way, without any instrumental track.

On the other hand it's not fully instrumental, because it has got one of the greatest, if not THE greatest song intro the band has ever made.

A Gregorian choir.

Yes, dear Reader, the rockers of Cygnus Rock Band have composed, arranged and sung a Gregorian piece for this song. Absolutely original and authentic, they even sing in Latin, just like in the early Middle Age.

No, the text is NOT traditional. It IS authentic though. And true. 

(no, don't worry, they haven't turned suddenly into Christian, not the least)

No, I won't tell details. Wash your auditory meatus, pick out the earwax, scrub off the rust from your brain, listen and understand.

Before you suggest that you haven't ever heard anything like this, then hereby I declare you that this is indeed VERY VERY sad, you need to feel deeply ashamed, partly for the educational system where you were grown up, partly for your own lack of information

(again I remind you that you have the technology right in your hand that gives you access to ALL the knowledge of humankind)

but even then I won't share any details. You have already got used to getting everything chewed and half-digested anyway, you just have to swallow and burp. Invest a bit of work into it. Knowledge that you achieve by yourself will stay in your head significantly longer than those you got ready and processed.

These Gregorian tunes again are among those - sometimes revolutionary, sometimes subtle - improvements Cygnus Rock Band has made on this album. I remember when I heard it for the very first time on that memorable night, I was stunned. It was something I hadn't expected at all to appear on a Cygnus album and I found it a hilarious and creative idea. My second thought was that I really really hope it was not the first time our Colombians came up with it.

Such thoughts very often popped into my mind listening to Death And Glory, namely "what an idea!", or "whoa, aren't they creative/amazing/fantastic/hilarious?" or "I really hope they will do it again on future albums!" or just simply "I FREAKIN' LOVE THEM!!!"

The song itself is pure folk. This absolutely happy, joyous, uplifting kind that makes you smile, that clarifies your soul and makes you dance in the middle of the street.

May people just watch you with shock as you're dancing. We live only once!

String instruments and flute along with the electric guitars and percussions, violin solo and flute solo, all composed, orchestrated and arranged by Deneb.

But the best comes afterwards. 4 solos, 3 on guitar, 1 on keyboards. 

No, I won't tell you who are playing, because I'm a grumpy freak and I keep it to myself. All of them are very talented, wonderful people, each and every single one of them deserve all the admiration, attention and appreciation. Each and every one of them plays in their trademark style, with great experience, reliability, enthusiasm and dedication. Other than that this is an absolutely international act. These musicians come from different places, some of them adding a pinch of their own region's style. 

Keep listening to it. Keep admiring them all, our favorite Colombian wolves as well as their friends playing together. This song is in many ways an essence of the album, with its absolute versatility, creativity and cooperation, with the series of brand-new, never-tried-before ideas, even those that make you learn something new, the carefully performed details, and most of all, how happy it makes you simply by just listening to it.