Description

Triple concept album released on three cds. 30 songs with a playing time of over 2 hours. Featuring guest appearances by David Ingram amongst others.

Death metal machine Rogga Johansson have on Furnace teamed up with Peter Svensson (from Cult Of The Fox and Void Moin) and drummer Lars Demoke to write some material together. The two (Rogga and Peter) had started talking about death metal and found out that they both had a mutual love for horror fantasy concept albums. Inspired by the Cthulu Mythos by H.P. Lovecraft, Mr Svensson started working on the concept and lyrics. By the time he was finished he had created what could have been half a book so the actual idea evolved into a bigger project and after Rogga had created the music to the material the two got into the trouble trying to fit the bits and pieces together to create and album. When all was set and done it had lead up to not just one album but two; Black Stone Church and Dark Vistas. Peters writing of a dark and eerie world is the perfect place for Rogga to go ahead and create a soundtrack to. The material here is based on mid tempo riffs and the music is leaning more on the vocals and guitar harmonies rather than tempo and big lead. Fans of cinematic death metal need to check out Furnace

The Casca Trilogy:

I: Legionary
Casca Rufio Longinus was born a fair distance from Rome and grew up to be a legionary. His first mission abroad entailed being sent to Jerusalem as a part of the peacekeeping forces (“Legionary”). While in Jerusalem he witnessed the crucifixion of an incitive rouge. In order to avoid possible unrest from the rogue’s fanatic followers, he had to kill him before he had hung too long (“Another Execution”). During the final moments of his life, the rouge cursed Casca to wander the Earth as a solitary mercenary until Judgment Day (“Until We Meet Again”).
Casca has a hard time shaking off the final words of the rouge, and he heads to the nearest tavern in order to clear his mind. However, he is not alone as he is followed and then mortally wounded by the followers of the crucified rouge. (“Shadows on A Moonless Night”). He is brought back to the barracks of the legionaries, and is left to die in his bed. But somehow he is revived and Casca’s body heals from the wounds (“Brink of Mortality”). This newly granted second chance is not all favourable and the word of Casca’s resurgence quickly spreads throughout the city. Since he cheated death, he is considered to be a warlock and becomes a pariah (“Cursed with Life”).
To avoid further controversy and issues, the centurion orders Casca to relocate to the northern part of the empire. He travels with a caravan throughout Greece and heads north to the lands of the Germanic tribes. In these lands lie one of northern Roman outposts that defend the Empire from the savages (“The Savage North”). One morning, the peacefulness of the dawn is broken by the vicious cry of their savage adversaries as the outpost is attacked. Battle ensues and all of the legionaries are killed (“Where Life and Death Unite”).
Lingering in limbo, Casca senses that it is his time to die and that he will at last find peace (“The Evermore”). Soon however, he wakes up on the abandoned battlefield. His wounds are gone and he is all alone. Casca then decides to not return to the Empire but to travel further north where no knows him and will recognise him (“Sworn to Wander”).

II: Thralls and Blot
A thousand years pass and Casca remains a soldier of fortune, fighting for anyone that can afford his services. When the story continues, he is guarding a monastery on the coast of western France (“Where the Sea Meets the Sky”). He suddenly sees something suspicious on the horizon, and as it draws nearer, he recognises the dreaded dragon ships belonging to the Norsemen. The monastery is invitingly attacked (“Wrath of the North”). The Vikings emerge victorious from the battle and they enslave every survivor, forcing them to man the oars of the ship (“Death by Decree”).
Upon returning to the village of the Vikings, Casca is forced to work as a thrall for the Viking chief (“Thrall”). Slaving away, Casca curses the Christian God for the inhumane conditions of the thralls (“Beneath the Sky (Our Torment)”). Winter arrives, and the Norsemen celebrate winter solstice with a traditional blot ceremony (“Midvinterblot”). Winter is far from over however, and a rivalling village has ran out of supplies. Believing that Casca’s village is responsible for the scarcity of supplies, the warriors of the rivalling village attack them (“In Hel Together”).
The attackers are defeated thanks to the remarkable fighting skills of Casca, and one of the few surviving attackers is executed in order to set an example for others (“Blood Eagle”). Upon realising Casca’s worth in battle, he is promoted from thrall to warrior. Consequently, he is invited to join an expedition searching to find a new settlement to the west (“Land of the Pettr (Pictland)”). Casca settles down with the rest of the Vikings on the northernmost isles of Britain, and Casca is soon able to find a new life there. Such is his bane, time is his only everlasting companion while everything else around him dies, yet Casca remains as vital as ever (“Only Time”).

III: The Guns of August
After several centuries on the British isles, the story continues and Casca is now working as a professor as a famous university. He hopes that by teaching European history, humanity will somehow learn something from the past (“Two Thousand Years”). Yet at the turn of the century, national pride was almost as celebrated as the technological advances. The yearning for power needs an outlet, and something is rumbling on the European continent (“Visions of Glory”).
Casca is quickly granted the rank of officer, and is deployed to fight on the front against the German army and he quickly has firsthand experience of the grim reality of the trenches of the First World War (“Trench Warfare”). One day, there is word that someone has caught German prisoners of war, and they are abused and taunted by the soldiers as a way of dealing with the pent up frustration (“P.O.W.s”).
Winter arrives, and the soldiers soon realise, that besides fighting the enemy, they are also battling the freezing temperatures and lack of food and supplies (“In the Eyes of A Dreary Winter”). At the height of winter, a legendary armistice is held where the soldiers all put down their weapons and celebrate Christmas with their enemies across the battlefield (“Armistice”). After the brief celebration, each side returns to their positions and the gruelling war of attrition drags on (“A War of Attrition”).
One day, Casca gets a special assignment; he and ten of his best men must try and take control of a grove near the enemy trenches. Securing that grove could be a major turning point in the stalemate (“Kill or Capture”). They reach the grove fairly easily, only to realise that they have been ambushed. The soldiers who don’t meet their fate by stepping on land mines are mowed down by machine fire. Casca however soon wakes up from his deathless sleep, but instead of returning to the trenches, he goes into hiding while still fighting the war (“Alone with Bullets”).
Finally understanding the senselessness of fighting and killing, Casca departs from the front. Dismayed with the thought that humanity will continue to wage war until the end of time, he forsakes the world and bides his time awaiting Judgment Day and his long sought after death (“War Is My Destiny”).

Track list:
Part 1: Legionary
1. Legionary
2. Another Execution
3. Until We Meet Again
4. Shadows On A Moonless Night
5. Brink Of Mortality
6. Cursed With Life
7. The Savage North
8. Where Life And Death Unite
9. The Evermore
10. Sworn To Wander

Part 2: Thralls And Blot
1. Where The Sea Meets The Sky
2. Wrath Of The North
3. Death By Decree
4. Thrall
5. Beneath The Sky (Our Torment)
6. Midvinterblot
7. In Hel Together
8. Blood Eagle
9. Land Of The Pettr (Pictland)
10. Only Time

Part 3: The Guns Of August
1. Two Thousand Years
2. Visions Of Glory
3. Trench Warfare
4. P.O.W.s
5. In The Eyes Of A Dreary Winter
6. Armistice
7. A War Of Attrition
8. Kill Or Capture
9. Alone With Bullets
10. War Is My Destiny