Cygnus Rock Band - Great Bard (Death And Glory)

This is the last track of the album and in my opinion this is a proper closing of this row of epic songs.

This album, Death And Glory is a collection of not only 9+1 "new songs" 

so to speak, because for many of you out there these are just "new songs", and I know you're there, I hear your breaths 😠

but an album that contains 9+1 pieces of art by two wonderful musicians who worked day and night to bring them all to you. These songs are not just "new" ones, but each and every single one of them contains something absolutely new, either musically or lyrically or both; each song has got something breathtaking, something the band has never tried before, something they crossed their boundaries with. You will find something beautiful in every song, some hidden gem, a creative musical idea, an instrument that tickles your ears, and you will find something in every song which shows a new, so far unknown side of these versatile, talented musicians. Only one thing is required for it: listen to the album with open ears and focus on it. Cygnus Rock Band should NEVER be some background music if you really want to understand their depths.

This acoustic song is not just a quiet and appropriate ending for this absolutely monumental album, it's not just that the listener can have a moment of reflection before it all says farewell

but you have already hit the "repeat all" button long ago and you are listening the entire album on loop, right?...

but it's also a farewell to Cole Vidrine, Cygnus Rock Band's close friend, mentor and lyricist (just to name a few of his many titles, positions and functions) who passed away in the second half of 2021.

Just for your sake I put here Cygnus Rock Band's official video for their song "Huginn and Muninn", because in this video Cole appears playing Odin. No, I'm not putting it here, because I love you, but because Cole deserves it and Cygnus Rock band deserves it, too, - you don't - and because I love them - you not - and I know very well that if I just linked the video, you wouldn't take a single look at it, because you're way too lazy 😒

The song starts quietly with an acoustic guitar and a flute and Deneb's emotional voice. As the verse meets the chorus, the orchestral part joins, giving a solemn, hymn-alike atmosphere to it, wonderfully framing Deneb's vocals.

The second verse is sung by Ruxx - who hides some little percussions here and there - and I once again watch in awe how the voices of these musicians make a contrast and still how much they complete each other. Deneb's mellow tones beautifully pair up with Ruxx's sharp, rock-and-blues-soaked voice. And here, in this song, where there aren't great, thoroughly arranged, rich and thick carpets of instruments around them, there aren't breaks, gruntling bass, blastbeats or virtuoso tricks, just an acoustic guitar and a flute, now you can hear their voices naked, in their own power.

It will bring tears to your eyes. No, not only because of the song's theme.

The second chorus is even more beautiful than the first. Ruxx and Deneb are singing together, backed by the orchestra...

...and then, right after them joining their forces the electric instruments enter, the guitar, the bass and the drums.

And if at this points you're still not crying, kindly go and be a traffic lights pole or I don't know, have you tried origami instead of listening to music? That's also a cool hobby.

This solo, the guitar, the bass, the drums, the orchestra altogether is everything I love Cygnus Rock Band for. This, that they very slowly, step by step build up their songs, their own songs as well as covers, may they be aggressive, biting tracks with thrash, speed or even death metal elements or folk anthems or ballads, may the cover be rock, blues, pop, grunge or anything, their songs softly, gently, unperceived and irresistibly follow a path until the sweeping musical catharsis. You will catch instruments entering, Deneb and Ruxx singing, playing with their voices so that their vocals sometimes act as another instrument for the song; a long and rich row of musical ornaments, tricks, instruments playing hide-and-seek; if you just open your ears and heart instead of leaving it as just some background noise, you will discover a myriad of smaller and bigger wonders in each and every Cygnus song. It's only up to you.

And the song doesn't end with a simple solo; tubular bells join, an angelic choir joins as Deneb is playing the guitar

yes, it's him, of course it's him!

Ruxx adding all, ALL his trademark tricks as the song softly, gently and slowly fades out.

And now you start the entire album over.