“The ships bring terror to these shores Death and all out war Their oars are cutting through the waves Like spades are digging graves.” - Amon Amarth, At Dawn’s First Light
"Intrepid sons with heads held high Go where glory awaits you Your absolution under fire If the Lord above takes you Fight! Stand tall! Prevail! Your brothers surround you Fight! Stand tall! Prevail! Your courage defines all you are." - Iced Earth. Clear The Way (December 13, 1862)
"Generally speaking, the Way of the Warrior is resolute acceptance of death." - Miyamoto Musashi
Today marks the birthday of two of the greatest legends in their respective fields, Bruce Lee, who would have been 75, and Jimi Hendrix, who would have been 73.
Although they were completely different men, they both shared many similarities. Both were great innovators who were ahead of their time and misunderstood by their generation. They endured ridicule and racism throughout their lifetime, despite their many achievements. It was only after their deaths they were finally given the credit and admiration they had deserved so much in life.
As a martialist and a musician, both men are an inspiration to me, not just for their accomplishments, but for the men they were and their dedication to their art. May their legacies continue to endure throughout the ages.
- Martin AKA SorrowfulKain
It’s not often that I get sentimental attachment to a character in a video game or otherwise. I rarely get so drawn into a story that I begin to feel emotions for fictional characters. There was one character, however, that I felt somewhat of a kinship with. It was Umbra, the warrior who sought a death in battle. While playing Morrowind, I would ignore the main quest and strike off on my own. The thing I’ve always loved about these open ended games is creating my own adventures and going wherever I please. During one of these aimless journeys, I stumbled on Umbra. At the time, I had never seen a full set of orcish armor and I was quite in awe, especially in that it bore a resemblance to samurai armor. His dialogue suggested a life of heroism and villainy, an endless cycle of warfare, all while lamenting that no one could defeat him and grant him an honorable death in battle. I was intrigued by this and decided to take him up on his challenge. I had fought a few enemies already and I was certain that I could at least pose a challenge. The fight was over in seconds. Umbra had cut me down with little effort and I knew I was no match for him. So after reloading, I left him there and went about my business. No matter what I did or where I went, Umbra was always in the back of my mind. My desire to defeat him and claim his sword were what drove me to get stronger. Eventually, the day came when I felt ready to face this warrior and grant him the honorable death he deserved. The battle was intense and several times I was nearly defeated, but I was victorious. I didn’t feel victorious though. I had expected to feel exhilarated at conquering such a strong opponent, but I instead felt sorrow. Even with the sword Umbra claimed as my own, I wasn’t as glad as I thought I would be. I wound up doing something I thought I would never do and, in truth, I haven’t done it since. I made a grave for a fallen NPC. I knew his body would disappear with time, but his armor could remain in one spot indefinitely. So I set his armor upon the ground where he had fallen and lined each part up from head to toe. Whenever I was passing through I would always visit his grave and, on occasion, I would leave flowers at the site. Although this was a fictional character in a video game, I could not help but feel a kinship and sense of loss after his defeat. I suppose it was my admiration for his warrior’s way and the type of death that he sought. It may seem silly to feel in such a way for something or someone that isn’t real, but that is the entire point of art. Whether you’re reading, watching, listening, or playing, the strongest forms of art will always invoke some form of emotion. That is the truest testament to the greatness of any art form. - Martin AKA SorrowfulKain
Some people have wondered why I chose to pursue black metal in my solo efforts as opposed to the more popular subgenres of metal. It goes back to my teens when I was getting into black metal. I helped my father irrigate farmlands through the night and I would bring along a walkman to pass the time. I listened to Naglfar, Borknagar, Emperor, Mayhem, and many other black metal bands while waiting for the water. On one particular night we irrigated by an old cemetery and I could see some of the headstones glinting in the moonlight. As I took in the scenery and listened to Hecate Enthroned, I was heavily inspired. Thereafter, I practiced my harsh vocals with even more resolve and some years later I started playing guitar, all in the pursuit of creating my own music within black metal. Because of those nights and the impression its music left on me, black metal has and will always be at the forefront of my musical endeavors. Although I enjoy all forms of metal, its the black that will always have a special place in this darkened heart. - Martin AKA SorrowfulKain
"The Way of the Warrior has been misunderstood. It is not a means to kill and destroy others. Those who seek to compete and better one another are making a terrible mistake. To smash, injure, or destroy is the worst thing a human being can do. The real Way of a Warrior is to prevent such slaughter - it is the Art of Peace, the power of love." - O-Sensei Morihei Ueshiba
“Standing here I realize You are just like me Trying to make history But who’s to judge The right from wrong When our guard is down I think we’ll both agree That violence breeds violence But in the end it has to be this way.” - Logan Mader & Jamie Christopherson, It Has To Be This Way
“Hell hath no hold on a warrior's mind See how the snow has made each of us blind Vibrant colors spray from new dead Staining the earth such a beautiful red.” - Trivium, Silence In The Snow
“When Heaven permitted Guo Jia's birth, It made him ablest man on earth. He knew by rote all histories, From him war kept no mysteries. Like Fan Li's, his plans were quite decisive, As Chen Ping's, his strokes were most incisive. Too soon he ran his earthly race, Too soon the great beam fell from place.“ - Romance of the Three Kingdoms
“The lord's honor is the servant's glory; the lord's sadness is the servant's shame.” - Chinese Proverb
“I look upon death as going home.“ - Guan Yu
“Go live a life. That’s all the revenge you need.” - Frank Castle
“Though my body may decay
on the island of Ezo,
My spirit guards my lord
In the East.” - Hijikata Toshizo
"To forget one's ancestor's is to be a brook without a source, a tree without root." - Chinese Proverb
"Without honor, a knight is no more than a common killer. It is better to die with honor than to live without it." - Barristan Selmy
Music is what I do, Metal is who I am.
This is the Facebook page for my black metal solo project, Maestum. Feel free to check it out and if you dig what you hear, drop a like \m/
"Dead and wounded lie all around See the pain in their eyes Over the field an eerie sound As we hear the ravens' cry." - Amon Amarth, Cry of the Black Birds
"The spirit of my school is to win through the wisdom of strategy, paying no attention to trifles. Study this well." - Miyamoto Musashi
"Destroy the seed of evil, lest it blossom to your ruin." - Chinese Proverb