Blind Guardian – Noldor (Dead Winter Reigns)

General CommentI think it is a fairly obvious overview of the Doom of Mandos. That was the curse that Mandos himself (roughly equivilant to the Greek god Hades) laid upon the Noldor, specifically Feanor and all who followed him. Those were nearly the whole houses of Feanor and Fingolfin, and some of the house of Finarfin. It does take the perspective of Mandos and Fingolfin, as well as Feanor. I think it mostly just deals with the journey of the Helcaraxe. Araman, mentioned towards the beginning is the Northern coastline of Valinor, beginning where Pelori breaks off into 3 ridgelines and continuing up to the Helcaraxe. The Pelori is the principle mountain range in Valinor placed there for defence against Morgoth. I didn't really read this guy above me, but I think the last part is really Fingolfin. Some of the lines are directly from the Curse of Mandos though, like the line about tears unnumbered. Mandos was prophecising the Battle of Unnumbered Tears, the fifth battle in the Wars of Beleriand, and in my opinion the second best battle in all of Tolkien behind the sack of Gondolin. So yes, I suppose all of you were right to begin with.

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  @Captain JGreezy

General CommentI think the final verse is all from the perspective of the House of Fingolfin, who wasn't enthusiastic about leaving Valinor, questioned the reasoning, mourned the abandoning of their homes, but felt a duty to accompany their brethren... Fingolfin was half brother of Feanor and (I think) Finwe's first heir who deferred his kingship to Feanor in order to maintain peace with his fiery hearted brother... he also knew that Feanor and his followers were blinded by passion, and they would need help and guidance in times ahead... so the House of Fingolfin walked with remorse and uncertainty into banishment and doom for little more than kinship

Dead winter reigns
And tomorrow's still unknown
(mourning the grief the have cast themselves into for the sake of a future they have little hope for)

Lies
Condemned and betrayed
Now everything is said
(after all the sacrifices Fingolfin and his followers make for Feanor, they find themselves abandoned... betrayed... and they've already participated in the kinslaying and marched past the curse of Mandos, so they see their fates as already sealed and see no choice but to face the grinding ice)

See my eyes
Are full of tears
And a cruel price
We've paid
But still I can't claim
That I'm innocent
Lost
(they're recognizing their folly in supporting Feanor's madness... they knew better all along, but chose loyalty with their brethren in the face of banishment... they're mourning the death of their innocence as they've already done terrible things (and their situation probably seems punishment to them) for the sake of their kin, and now those same kin have forsaken them as well... they're a lost people, and they're mourning)

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  @SalmonGod

General CommentI am not entirely sure, but I think this is about when the house of Feanor abandoned the house of Fingolfin in the cold plains of dispair called Helcaraxe upon landing in Middle-Earth to wage war on Morgoth. This song probably also aludes to the First of the Kinslayings at Alqualondë, as thats where the Noldar got the ships the used. Again, most likely I think this is from teh perspective of Fingolfin and his kin being abandoned by Feanor in an icy hell.

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  @Trinidadian

General CommentAbout the Curse of Mandos, I think. It seems to skip around from the perspective of the Fingolfin and his host to Mandos himself.

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  @Telperion

General CommentYou are totally right. It stays "you will shet and dwell in pain", but shouldn't it be "you will SHED and dwell in pain"?
If you heard Hammerfall - Heeding the Call then listen to this song at the 4 minute (or something) and you will hear that it sounds like Heeding the Call's chorus in a strange version. Hah

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  @heavy_metal

General CommentYou are totally right. It stays "you will shet and dwell in pain", but shouldn't it be "you will SHED and dwell in pain"?
If you heard Hammerfall - Heeding the Call then listen to this song at the 4 minute (or something) and you will hear that it sounds like Heeding the Call's chorus in a strange version. Hah

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  @heavy_metal

General CommentKidsmoke is stupid. Ok, I know that wasn't very nice to say, but still. The albun is called Nightfall in Middleearth and every song on it is obviously straight from The Silmarillion. Heck, this song is even called Noldor, OF COURSE it's about the Noldor.

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  @elvin_wizard

General CommentMore specifically, it's about Fingolfin's people who crossed on the Grinding Ice because Feanor burnt the ships.

Noldor
Blood is on your hands
Your bane's
A tearful destiny
(The doom of Mandos/The curse of Feanor)
Black clouds will carry
Rain of blood
I've seen it rain
We were lost
On grinding ice
In fear and hunger
(The Noldor crossed on Helcaraxe)
Dead winter reigned
In Araman
(The result of Morgoth killing the trees)
(You) can't escape
From my damnation
(Nor) run away
From isolation
(Either Feanor or Mandos, I'm not sure)
Guilty spoke the one
This deed can't be undone
(Feanor)
Hear my words
Fear my curse
(Doom of Mandos)
I know where the stars glow
(And the) sky's unclouded
Sweet the water runs my friend
(But) Noldor
Blood is on your hands
Tears unnumbered
You will shet and dwell in pain (The booklet that comes with the albun says "shet", remember that Hansi's native language is German, not English)
Your homeless souls
Shall come to me
There's no release
Slain you might be
Slain you will be
Slain you will be
And the lost
Who will not reach the
House of spirits
(Will) grow old and weary
(This whole part is Mandos. He's the keeper of the halls of the slain)
I've seen this bitter end
As I've foreseen
The storm and ice
And I could see it
(How) a million died
And I?
The blame's on me
Cause I was not there
(This would be Feanor or one of his sons feeling guilty of killing so many Elves because of the oath)
Dead winter reigns
And tomorrow's still unknown
Lies
Condemned and betrayed
Now everything is said
See my eyes
Are full of tears
And a cruel price
We've paid
But still I can't claim
That I'm innocent
Lost
(This could be Feanor but I think it;s one of his sons, probably Maglor or Maedhros)

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  @elvin_wizard

General CommentI read the Silmarillion and the Book of unfinished tales before encountering "Nightfall in Middle Earth", but since I also like connecting songs to my own characters from RPG I put "Noldor" in the playlist for my Nightelf. Yes, yes, I know - those WoW-gamers are all kinda weird :P Noldor is - for me - a song that fits perfectly to any group of people who "gladly" sacrifice even more people for "their higher goal", and suffer from regrets or punishment later.

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  @Natszerasza

General CommentI can't believe how awesome this song is. Seriously, it blows my mind everytime i listen to it. I got some BG songs from friends (including most songs from NFIME), but i never had Noldor. I bought the album today and i always wanter to hear how this song sounds and i am blown away. BTW, i think kidsmoke made a joke which i found very funny actually... good one kid:D

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  @HaloHead