Alsvartr (The Oath) Lyrics

Lyric discussion by Dressed2Depress 

Cover art for Alsvartr (The Oath) lyrics by Emperor

I see Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk as a concept album. In the first track, the protagonist binds hmself, either through a Faustian pact ('as I lay this oath') or possession ('I am one with thee') to the Nightspirit, which is a manifestation of the violence and power of both the Nordic and Satanic traditions. In the Divine Comedy the innermost circle of hell, the ninth circle, is described by Dante as a frozen lake of blood, and is where traitors are punished. Satan, who betrayed God, is found at the centre of the ninth circle, frozen in ice and most likely Nightspirirt refers to Satan, a fallen angel, thus 'spread our wings and fly away'.