My Inspiration - bands etc

Of course, my ispiration is God; but He gives us inspiration by more immediate means. My music was & is influenced by a multitude of bands & artists, but I narrowed it down to a few, because most would not recognize some of them. These are the top 7 artists that most people my age would recognize that shaped some of my own music: ManOwaR, Ronnie James Dio, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Judas Priest, Styx, Jimi Hendrix. I left out the Christian bands, because only Christian metalheads would know them anyway, lol !!

Influences

I'm no musician, just a guy who loves music & wrote & recorded a lot of
songs that no-one will ever hear, LOL!

I was influenced by people I knew, mostly "Anderson Council" (Oklahoma
local rock band, '80s & '90s), & "Purgatory State" (the METAL band from
Oklahoma, late '80s - early '90's, not the other posers with that name).
Denny Harwell, Mike Schlumbohm, & Rob Prothro were my greatest
influences.

I've never been a great lead player, more interested in rhythm, but have a
couple solos I'm a little proud of.

Pro influences are everything I've ever heard, but here are some:
ManOwaR, Dio, Iron Maiden, Danzig, Metallica (before Load), Slayer,
Stryper, Deliverance, Sacred Warrior, etc. & lots of obscure metal bands.
I also had some punk, blues, & classical influences.

My favorite songs of all time are:
"Divisions of Babylonia" & "War" by Purgatory State
(Oklahoma) w/ Mike Schlumbohm,
"Holy Soldiers" by Hileman (me, gotta get my props in somewhere, lol),
"Land of Machines" & "Love Take Me Down" by Denny Harwell.

There are so many from pro bands, I couldn't even begin to list them here!
I'll try to list a few:
"Mystery" by Dio reminds me of my dad,
"Hertz Aus Stahl" by ManOwaR,
"Back in the Village" by Iron Maiden,
"Under Her Black Wings" by Danzig,
"The Thing that Should Not Be" by Metallica,
Anything off Slayer's "South of Heaven" or "SEasons in the Abyss" albums,
Almost anything by Stryper I like, but didn't really influence my style,
Deliverance (the Christian metal band) inspired me but only one song of
theirs made a significant footprint on my style - "What a Joke,"
Sacred Warrior inspired me, as did Recon, but nothing big made it from
their styles to mine,
There is just so much inspirational material to draw from,
I could go on forever!

2001 Stone Age Solution

This album is the first I played acoustic drums on. It had 2 new songs by me, one by my son, Justice, & some covers and cuts from previous albums. Some titles from later albums were added, because much of the material from such as "Absolute Zero" (2002-3) had been lost, & I only did the rare bit of writing or recording for many years after. 2003 produced "Rust in Hell" by "Diesadam," a punk/metal crossover project feat. Mike Chavez & myself; & a few songs written & recorded by "Divine Right," which was Paul Schrader & me.

Psycho Bee
Mudslinger
Parasite
Powerhead
War Machine
Overlord
Death Demon
Maiden Voyage
No Fear
Stop
Sacrificer

1999 Arc

Taarna
Midgard Serpent
Hall of Steel
Valkyrie Sun
Castle Walls
Test of Time
Take My Eyes

"Valkyrie Sun"

The flash of my blade and smell of your fear
Vengeance has made me, I have no more tears
The fury of war is the comfort I seek
Valkyries come for the bold, not the meek

I’ve spent my hours in torture and pain
No one can count all the warriors I’ve slain
Some fly to Asgard and some freeze in Hel
All of them live in the tales that men tell

There’s nowhere to hide and there’s nowhere to run
Know you will die when the battle’s begun
Look to the sky and you know I’m the one
Blinding your eyes is the Valkyrie sun

Blood on my axe is like treasure to me
The wind in my hair is all that I need
Give me my armor and a horn full of mead
I’ll take a hammer and a good healthy steed

If I must slaughter ten thousand and more
Avenging my brothers who’ve fallen before
I will not rest or sleep or eat
‘Til all of our enemies lie at my feet

There’s nowhere to hide and there’s nowhere to run
Know you will die when the battle’s begun
Look to the sky and you know I’m the one
Blinding your eyes is the Valkyrie sun

Those who must face me now fall on their swords
Trusting their God for they fear me more
Their kingdom will fall and their king lose his head
The blood on my sword with his will be wed

I never have known a mightier foe
This one has a warrior soul
The king and I mix blood and snow
The last to stand at last will know

Now here I lie as I lose my vision
I stand as I die, though the battle is won
I look to the sky and I know I’m the one
Blinding my eyes is the Valkyrie sun

"Castle Walls"

Open your mind, release your soul
Enter the void, you're in control
Below the depths of deepest pit, beyond infinity
You have got the power of will to live in infinite dreams

Many have come and many will go
Some have learned and some still grow
Feel the sting of serpent's kiss, taste the poison fire
Disregarding consequence, fulfilling your desire

These castle walls that surround me
Have been my home for endless time
These sacred halls where you have found me
Will stand when stars no longer shine

Forgotten realms of aeons past
Gave you the destiny you hold within your grasp
Forge your future in the flames
Calm the beast you've yet to tame
Climb these castle walls in no one's name

Dreams are made of fire and steel, not from sleep or rest
Watch your enemy's blood congeal, when you have stood the test
Steel and stone, blood and bone- these are the weapons of will
Even if you stand alone, let no one make you kneel

These castle walls that surround me
Have been my home for endless time
These sacred halls where you have found me
Will stand when stars no longer shine

Dark forces rise to take your soul away
You must be strong enough to fight and win the day
And when the dark ones come to tear your fortress down
You must do battle with the knowledge you have found

Magic runes and talismans now guard the castle walls
And hard-won wisdom protects these sacred halls
You must also understand when the time is right for war
And when to take your brother's hand and throw wide the door

These castle walls that surround me
Have been my home for endless time
These sacred halls where you have found me
Will stand when stars no longer shine

Forgotten realms of aeons past
Gave you the destiny you hold within your grasp
Forge your future in the flames
Calm the beast you've yet to tame

These castle walls that surround me
Will stand when stars no longer shine
These sacred halls where you have found me
Can be your home for endless time
Climb these castle walls in no one's name

1998 Dance of Evermore

"The Dance of Evermore" is the second chapter in my opera. The tale becomes a bit more cohesive here.

War Skin
Steel & Stone
The Dance of Evermore
Hero's Demise
Cherub Song
Silent Epitaph
The Wishing Stone
Ride of the King
Celtic Warrior Pt 1
Quid Pro Quo
Celtic Warrior Pt 2
Sorrow & Song
Celtic Warrior Pt 3
Love & War

"War Skin"

I come from hate, I deal in pain
My robe steel plate, my blade shall reign
I smile & nod, you turn your head
I shed my grin and don my war skin

I'll rend your flesh & crush your bones
All God's creation lies beneath my black steed throne
My minions destroy your infantry, wherever they may roam
Carnage fills the heart with glee when a warrior's hate is home

My forces wedge between your lines
Your priest is dead, victim of my war crimes
You pray to God, he hears no plea
I drive your cavalry back into the blood-washed sea

You hope I'll die, and you'll be free
You hear my war cry, and know I'll take you with me
I torch your fleet, I burn your home
Vengeance is sweet when a warrior's soul is stone

I cannot lose, my god is Steel
Even if you take my head, my warriors' wrath you'll feel
My tread is thunder, my wake is death
My army surrounds your keep, and to its flag you'll kneel

My spearmen slay your archers, my archers kill your wizard
From the sky comes a rain of death like fireballs in a blizzard
I call your name, you turn to flee
Somehow you find a way to get away from me

I ride you down and take your head
While your blood's still warm I take your wife into my bed
I burn your town, my legions spread
And as long as I wear this crown the blood will run red

And so my hoarde moves on across the cursed plain
We take no captives, we leave no wounded
And when you see us come your hope will surely wane
As you prepare yourselves to join the honored dead

I bear your fate, I burn your hide
I love your hate, I gut your pride
I stop, you stare, I drag you in
Caught in my snare, you wear my war skin

"Steel & Stone"

I stand amid a thousand troops, awaiting winds of war
I watch the enemy's battle line waiting for the storm
And though I ride among the finest company
I turn within, where none can see, and know I ride alone

A statue on the mountainside, made of steel & stone
About my head the wind doth blow a tangled mane of snow
Locks that once were black as night, a paler shade did grow
Reflecting on this warrior's crown the darkness in his soul

Hear not what you want to hear, see not what you may
A thousand times delude yourself with dreams of bygone days
You keep one eye upon the goal and one eye on the path
You'll never find your destiny, living in the past

I see the road ahead of me, the way behind is dust
Broken bones of the innocent pave the way of lust
My eyes grow dim, my hate recedes
This war I wage is not with men, but rages within me

In huts aflame lie children, sleeping in their beds
Their fathers' dying battle cries ringing in their heads
Their hopes to one day have a home and heal their war-torn land
In youthful pride and arrogance, were taken by my hand

I never shall repent for what I cannot change
But no more, Pain and Ignorance, shall you be my chains
This helm of gems and studded gold weighs heavy on my head
Cords of hell-wrought guilt and shame wear heavy on my heart

I'll not lay down my arms, I'll not give up the fight
Somehow I must rise again, defender of the light
I cast aside this diadem and heft my aged sword
Bow my head and say a prayer to my sovereign lord

Hear not what you want to hear, see not what you may
A thousand times delude yourself with dreams of bygone days
You keep one eye upon the goal and one eye on the path
You'll never find your destiny, living in the past

"Hero's Demise"

One last try, one final charge
With sword held high, and riding hard
He plunged himself into the fray
On every side the battle raged
The seething mass of steel & bone
Left no trace but blood & stone

"Silent Epitaph"

The skies are cloudless and blue
As I mourn you
The greatest champion I've ever known
They've lain your blood-stained cloak on your stone

I've seen the wars you waged and you won
I've seen the warriors you had to overcome
I fought your battles, I stood by your side
We cut down our enemies, for wrong and for right

Now that you've taken your place in the sky
My soul feels so empty in the long and lonely night

No words of wisdom were said at your wake
No silent epitaph adorns your slate
Your memory lives on in the lives that you touched
All those who knew you will miss you very much

But none will feel the pain
Quite as deeply as I, my brother

None will feel the pain like your lost brother

"The Wishing Stone"

I would have been your knight in shining steel
But I cannot save you from your demon
You led me down the path to darkest Sheol
And though I changed my course, I stand here screaming

I see through death's cold eyes the life you've grown to hate
And in your misery the demon you embrace
You found your prince whose head a crown did not adorn
And lying in his arms you fear the sting of devil's horns

A moonlit stroll can always bring you close to me
But you beleive that only death can set you free

And in the dark of night you feel your blood run cold
You can't beleive your eyes or the sight that they behold
As my spirit rises from the depths of dark Sheol
To take you back with me into the cursed stone

And when we reach the depths of hell I'll set you free
This is what you wanted, the irony
Awake!

"Ride of the King"

They left me on the battlefield
Left me here to die
But I'll be no vultures' meal
I think it's time to ride

Ride, ride into the night
Hear my war cry split the sky
Ride, ride, brothers, we'll fight
For his glory, for our pride
Ride

Begged a horse from a farmer's field
Borrowed his best hides
Demon sons will taste my steel
When flesh and fate collide

Every township I invade
Everyone there knows my name
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Are ready to ride again

Down through the valleys and over the hills
Warriors hear the call
None can withstand the weight of our will
All of our enemies fall

Ride, ride into the night
Hear our war cry split the sky
Ride, ride for the new king
For his honor, for your pride

Ride, ride into the night
Hear our war cry split the sky
Ride, ride, brothers, we'll fight
for his honor, for our pride
Ride

"Quid Pro Quo"

Hell on my heels, heart filled with hate
You killed my brother, and now you must pay
He was dead long before his demise
You took his soul, his life, his honor, and now you must die!

I can't see the future, but I know the past
I hear the echoes of a devilish laugh
I can't know your mind, but I know your soul
I'm riding hard and fast to destroy your fiery home

Images fade of a life long gone
Remember the hopes and dreams you had when you were young
Midnight is passing, thirteen o'clock
My army crests the hill and now it's time to rock!

"Sorrow & Song"

Thundering down the mountainside
There was no place to run or hide
From cold blue steel or vengeful souls
But the heat of battle soon grew cold

Beneath the sky, azure and pearl
Wretched knowledge now unfurled
As they saw their enemy
Sick and weary, fraught with disease

The champions had come an hour late
Their battle won by sour fate
Bodies crumpled and curled in the snow
And off in the distance, an eerie green glow

The warriors did weep, and held out their hands
To aid the fallen of enemy lands
The king raised his pike, "Onward!" he cried
His troops marched on with past enemies beside

Together they searched for the cause of disaster
Through biting winds, they looked, and they found her
She lay there naked upon the ice
Clutched to her breast, an evil device

All were apalled to find the queen
Within her grasp, a globe of green
"I could not control this evil ball,
It has proven to be my downfall."

She reached out her arm, and begged the king,
"Make haste, and destroy this thing!"
And as she died, he took the sphere,
"To thine request, I shall adhere."

He buried the queen with sorrow & song
And knew that her memory would ever live on
He crushed the globe with steel & stone
And then he sought a queen of his own

"Love & War"

I cast my gaze across the open plain
Amid the smoking ruins, I fail to see the gain
Casualties of love's lost way
No soul has gone unscathed

War of angels, war of gods
Warriors & kings, and wizards' facades
Broken bodies, burnt and charred
The field is strewn with broken hearts

Spirits soar into the sky
Anger storms and turns the tide
When lovers war and brothers fight
Soldiers die, and mothers cry

There are no winners in war
There is no victory in pain
There is no justice from above
There is no malice in love

Shameful is the war we wage
The wage of war is death
Heed the price our children pay
With every passing breath

Holy love can never die
Though passion's heat may wane
Holy martyrs never cry
But sometimes go insane

How many must we drag along
Into our flaming hell
Singing our own evil song
Choral sublime or rebel yell

There are no winners in war
There is no victory in pain
When anger storms and turns the tide
Brothers fight and lovers die

1997 Merciless Destiny

"Merciless Destiny" was inspired by events in my youth & relationships in young adulthood. This is the first chapter of a loosely written "rock opera," though some songs from previous albums preclude it.

Holy Soldiers
An Arm for an Eye
Life for a Life
Beknighted at Noon
Heart, Faith, & Steel
Dark Mirror
Interlude
One Man, One Sword, One Destiny
Dragged into Hell
New Spring Dawning
Paragon
Trek of Doom
To Be Continued

"HOLY SOLDIERS"

HOLY SOLDIERS COME AND FIGHT
HOLY SOLDIERS COME
THOSE WITH COURAGE PAID THE PRICE
HOLY SOLDIERS DIED
MEN OF IRON GAVE THEIR LIVES
LONELY WIDOWS CRY

HOLY SOLDIERS, OFF TO WAR
KNIGHTS IN ARMOR CLOSE THE DOOR
FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY’LL FIND
SO THEIR LIVES ARE LEFT BEHIND

LONELY WOMEN, LEFT AT HOME
FIND THE COURAGE TO CARRY ON
HUNGRY CHILDREN CARRY THE STONE
AND ONE DAY FIND A SWORD TO CALL THEIR OWN

WHAT IS THE REASON FOR ALL THIS FIGHTING?
WHERE IS THE HOPE IN ALL THIS WAR?
WHAT DOES IT MATTER HOW MUCH GROUND YOU GAIN,
WHEN ALL YOU LOSE IS ALL YOU’RE FIGHTING FOR?

HOLY SOLDIERS, WHERE ARE YOUR DREAMS?
HAVE YOU FALLEN VICTIM TO A MADMAN’S SCHEMES?
KNIGHTS IN KEVLAR, KILLING MACHINES
WHEN THE VIRUS HITS THEY’LL NEVER HEAR YOUR SCREAMS

IN THE DARKEST DREAMS OF WONDER
IN THE BLACKEST NIGHT THEY COME
AND WHEN YOUR BONES ARE TORN ASUNDER,
WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT THEY ARE DONE?

THEY’LL RAPE YOUR WOMEN, TAKE YOUR GOLD
TAX YOUR CHILDREN AND STEAL YOUR SOUL
AND WHEN THEIR HOLY WAR IS THROUGH
THEY’LL HUNT YOUR GODS AND KILL THEM, TOO!

HOLY SOLDIERS OFF TO WAR
MEN IN BLINDERS NEVER KNOW THE SCORE
LONELY PEOPLE BEAR THE PAIN
AND IN THE END WE ALL FEEL THE STRAIN

A HOLY PROPHET BEARS NO BLADE
A HOLY WARRIOR BEARS NO SHAME
AND WHEN IN PRIDE WE HIDE OUR HEARTS AWAY
A RUGGED CROSS BEARS THE STAIN

"An Arm for an eye"

Warriors & kings, wizards & rings
Armies of darkness & light
Flesh & steel in a stunning display
Blood & bone at the heart of the fray

Dragons in glorious flight
Demons that creep in the night

Through prophets & shamans, the truth was made known
By sword & scroll, and tablet of stone
Honor & exile, fire & ice
Destiny, heresy, moral or vice

Come to the end, my friend
Seek not redemption
Enter oblivion
Eternal Champion
(A new life shall begin)

Looking back on the things I have done
My father's words, unbidden, come
I see the lives that I have touched
And all I see is pain

It hits me like a hammer
The fist of shame
Quakes the earth in anger
Fist of shame

It creeps, it stalks
Yor fate will not be denied
It feeds, it grows
Run though you may, you can't hide
It sees, it knows
You'll give an arm for an eye

Shame...

"Beknighted at Noon"

Where has it gone
What we had when we were young
Emotions ran so strong
When we knew that we were one

Times have changed
And now our lives are rearranged
Standing side by side
Yet it seems you're so far away

Voices in my head
And a song in my heart
What was that you just said
Did you say we'd have to part

Where did all the good times go
When did our love cease to grow
Why must we pay such a heavy toll
To be free

There will come a day
When I'll see your face
We'll be together once again

There will come a time
On down the line
We'll be united once again

"Dark Mirror"

It's easy to hate those who exude
The traits you fear to embrace
Deep beneath your mask of lies
A metal heart resides

You deny your own desire
And only see my face
Your empty pride a testament
To your own disgrace

Look into the glass
Reflections that you see
Of darkness from your past
Steal tranquility

Look into my eyes
You can tell no lies
Search through ancient lore
I'm your dark mirror

I smell your envy, taste your fear
As you restrain your lust
I show no mercy, shed no tear
Grind your bones into the dust

All the things that you abhor
Are here within your dark mirror

All the things that you adore
Beckon from within your dark mirror

All the things that you succor
Are here behind your dark mirror

"One Man, One Sword, One Destiny"

I've always met the challenge of the sword
Always slain the dragon, axe in hand
I am as one, Knight and Lord
Defender of the land

The time has come to reign & deliver
Time has come to make a stand

I have the power, I have the force
As a thousand souls screaming, I have the voice

I have the speed, I have the strength
I have domination, but I have no choice

The hour is struck, the time is near
All of heaven & hell will hear
I've made my stand, played the role
Now my time has come

One Man, one sword, one destiny
One faith, one hope, one charity
One heart, one soul, one thing I see
One fate, one price, one end for me

I am a single note, I am a symphony
There is no beginning or end to that which is me

I sail upon eternal oceans
I ride the winds of destiny
Mourn not the passage of time
For the odyssey has only just begun

"New Spring Dawning"

How many more times must I live this life?
How many times must I die?
How many more times must I fight this fight?
How many tears must I cry?

My soul grows cold, my bones grow weary
My heart turns from ashes to dust
If you could see my eyes, you'd watch my passion die
As my blade turns from metal to rust

Here I come, up from the ashes
Up from the boiling pit
I come to destroy, I come to wreak havoc
And drag your world through the rift

See my eyes, they burn like fire
My seed is a burning flame
I come to bring law, to crush your desire
My word is the gauntlet of shame

Your gods are weak, your heroes few
Faith and Hope are forsaken
Your kings are sheep, ripe for the raping
No one will miss what I've taken

Up from the ashes / Born of fire
Champion Eternal / And the father of liars

Spiraling down through the womb of time
Memories have all been erased
All that remains is a loathing shame
And the fear, and the dark, I embrace

How many more times
Must I face this feast?
How many more lives
Must I feed the Beast?

"Paragon"

Down from the mountains and through the forest
The shining knight did ride
He had taken an oath to destroy the evil
No matter where it hides

So on he rode, on a steed of gold
Through the wood as black as night
To retrieve the crown from the evil ones
Unto extinction he would fight

He came from Avalon
His heart was pure and true
To God his heart was drawn
He battles just for you

Ascend from Babylon
And give him his just due
Now we must carry on
And bid him sweet adieu

Knowledge is power, power is strength
Strength is the power to think
Kill the enemy, slay your foe
The mighty shall fall, and your strength will grow

You have been beaten, your time has come
Your gods defeated by Hell's dark son
I come from light, you feel my might
The evil grows within my soul

I'll not submit, cannot descend
Into the pit of mortal sin
My life is honor, my love is pain
If I can't have her, I'll go insane

It's a twist of Cain
That keeps my heart in chains
For the love of God
My passion must be restrained

I will fight the evil forces and defend the good
Protecting all the weak and weary, as I know I should
I will ride across the land and battle hoards renowned
In the end I'll grasp within my gory fist the crown

"Trek of Doom"

Warrior spirit, must you die to live again?
Windows to the soul never lie
Warrior spirit, please don't die

Once upon a midnight dreary
My soul consumed by fire
The wind did howl, the waters raged
The earth did quake my vision bleary

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust
If I can't have love, I won't settle for lust

Unscathed has been this heart of steel
But she ripped away, in a single day
The gates that bar my soul
And now this heart must feel

Darkness is the rainbow, shrouded is the light
Upon a steed of shadow rides the blackest night
Up from Hell, through War and Rage
Countless battles he must wage

His life is forfeit, his soul may be lost
To drown within her darkened gaze
He doesn't count the cost

Warrior spirit, knight of black
For you there is no turning back
Slip into those pools of shade
Eyes that cannot lie
To live within her dark embrace
Warrior spirit, you must die!

Windows to the soul never lie
Warrior spirit, you must die

Slip into those pools of shade
Wrap yourself within her dark embrace

Never shall your enemy you face
Sleep between the leather and the lace

1996 Political Suicide

I was living in the smallest p.o.s. trailer with my wife & kids in 1996. That winter had a blizzard that didn't allow us to open our doors. That summer was blistering, but I wrote & recorded in a tin shed, sweating my tail off & re-wiring stuff to play through or record with anyway. My equipment was a Hondo LP guitar, a cheap (Rogue) amp, & a crappy cassette tape karaoke machine, with an outdated drum machine. Some of my favorite stuff came from that time of adversity. 3 of these were recorded in '97 on a 4-track & added later, because they were not to be included with what I was working on in '97.

Seven Stones
Sleep Forever
Passion Dies
In the Darkness, Die!
Nation of Hate
Front Line
Music in the Distance
Written in Stone

"In the Darkness, Die!"

I was born with axe in hand
I tread upon the backs of gods
to cleave the heads of the infidels
into battle ride I

Upon the shoulders of Glory
Into Death I stride
to snap the necks of my enemies
Into Battle ride I

Upon the shoulders of Glory
Beyond the realms of death walk I
crushing skulls & breaking backs
weeding out the weak

yesterday I brought the end
the 'morrow is yet to begin
but as I rise from the wreckage of your soul
you know my steel has taken its toll

the winds of change burn my eyes
as the sands of time sting my flesh
the universe unfolds before my gaze
the world is crushed beneath my iron will

into battle ride I
Upon the shoulders of Glory
into the night I stride
to rip the throats from my enemies

beneath my booted heel they lie
and in the darkness, die!