Leaves' Eyes - Vinland Saga

Vinland Saga
This song is our introduction (sung in both Norwegian and English) to the Vinland Saga; the Vikings' discovery of America, moreover, to our own story of a young couple.


Farewell Proud Men
According to the sagas, about 1.000 years ago, a stout vessel left the West coast of Norway, heading for Greenland. The leader of the crew was Leif Eiriksson; son of Eirik the Red. Our main character is one of Eiriksson's favourite crew members, Tyrkir the German, leaving his wife at home in Norway. The saga tells us that Tyrkir the German, straying from the settlement one day, found grapes growing wild in the forest. Obviously, he knew grapes from Germany. Eiriksson thus decided to call the new land Vinland, Land of Wine.


Elegy
Here, our man describes the moment he leaves her in a dream-like sphere. He wishes to "release hopes from fears" and soon to be in her arms again.


Solemn Sea
The lyrics are sung in both Norwegian and English. It describes the fear that the ocean can awaken in us, however, how its music "brightens our hearts", i.e. our love and passion towards the sea.


Leaves' Eyes
This ballad is a description of the cycle of the seasons as well as how generations are passing by, seen through the "eyes" of a tree. The chorus is dedicated to the moon, which is "mani" in Old Norse. "Sunna" ("the sun") and the stars also have their important roles in the universe and in our song.


The Thorn
This main theme of this track is her longing for her husband ("I hope that he will be safe/Hopefully return in April"). In the chorus the man describes the pains he is going through in the middle of a fight. She is aware that she "can't escape what she feels", i.e. deep within she somehow knows that he is in danger. Her feelings terrify her like "a thorn". She hopes that they will be together again "until the end of time".


Misseri (Turn Green Meadows into Grey)
The title means "half year", as the Vikings divided the year into two halves; summer and winter. This song is about the approaching of the winter ("ice-cold rivers turn to blue"). She is watching the seasons passing by. Moreover, she is dreaming about "flying to him" like the "migrants travel to a far-away world".


Amhrán (Song of the Winds)
This song consists mainly of vocals. The title means "song" in Gaelic and is inspired by both Middle Ages and Celtic tunes.


New Found Land
The song describes the newcomers' discovery of Vinland ("Land of Wine") and New Found Land ("we have found new land/I see New Found Land"), being lost "hundreds of miles off the course" (originally they had planned to sail to Greenland, but due to fog and bad weather they missed their destination). One year has passed since the ships left Norway. Moreover, we are now 500 years ahead of Columbus!


Mourning Tree
This track is dedicated from her to one special tree by the North Sea which serves as a medium between her and her husband as a means of communication by the winds and the leaves ("Tell him through the winds I am here/Whisper through the breeze not to fear"). However, it is also a declaration of love towards him ("The meaning of life comes true when I'm with you").


Twilight Sun
Here, the young man receives the messages from his beloved by the wind across the North Atlantic ("Hear the tune of northern winds"). The "shivering leaves" remind him of home. He and the crew then decide to sail home to Norway after one year abroad.


Ankomst
The last song on the album concerns the arrival of the ships at Norway's West coast, returning from "Vinland".


~http://leaveseyes.de