Track-by-track commentary of "Our Glorious Dead" with Luna Reign

This is a new segment in which we delve into the thought process of bands and musicians, finding out how they form their songs, what inspires them, and what their own music means to them. In this first look, we get a better understanding of the one-man band Luna Reign, a very gothic heavy metal project, and his album "Our Glorious Dead." I also reviewed this album and you can read the review here. Go support this guy and what he does by liking the Luna Reign Facebook page and buying the album at BandCamp, which is pay what you want.

Luna Reign: 'Our Glorious Dead' definitely had a musical aim. I wanted to make it more guitar driven. I wanted to crunch things up and make it more live-gig-able for your average gig punters ears, shallow I know, but I was going head to head with currently popular death/black metal acts. I wanted OGD to be different from 'In Love and Silent Screams’, which was all heart and sincerity. Which this

album is too, but heavily driven by anger and frustrations. I also wanted originally to put a guitar solo in each song, but each song has its own identity and it tells me what its needs and doesn’t.  A lot has happened in the year and a half that it took to write this album, and each song is definitely a reflection of this.

1. DEATH EUPHORIA

Luna Reign: The song is about man's blatant love for war and death. Testosterone drives man to hunt, fight and conquer. Death Euphoria speaks about those who have been to actual war and survived to tell the tale. But the state of Death Euphoria never leaves you, and thunders through your veins mercilessly. Its also a reference to man's current crash in the modern world, he is deemed thick and useless in his strengths, and as a result, gets over loaded and explodes with brutality. 'See your men reduced to this, hunting for meat next to frozen chips'. True man cannot exist in modern society, so where should he go? Cursed with the state of 'Death Euphoria'.

2. MIRROR MIRROR

Luna Reign: Logically this song is about reflection, but not just of the self, but also of the world. It speaks of a tiredness of ‘when will all this self-suffering end?’. The constant battles to stay alive in a nanny state laced with knives. In many ways this song also takes a political angle, demonstrating the injustice of modern society. Lost in this world of wolves as little red riding hood is dead. The first verse also gives reference to the near murder beating I witnessed on my street. From the view of the beater and the beaten. Another explosion of alpha male 'Death Euphoria'. Crawling through the dirt trying to find justification of existence, in a world that doesn’t give a shit! Joy, joy, happy, happy, joy. Don’t worry the album gets lighter as we go in...................not.

3. SINNERS

Luna Reign: This is one of my favourite tracks on this album. I could be really shallow and just say that it’s a Gothic sex song, a song you’re supposed to make love on a gravestone too. But like normal, it’s a bit harder and deeper than that. It’s about finding solace with the supposed freaks of society. Finally finding a kinship with other who have had similar life and death experiences. About coming together as one, to show a ray of light to each other. Almost a hope song in abject darkness, which is where we find the light. Oh yeah, don’t forget the sex!

4. HOME SWEET HOME

Luna Reign: No! this is not a Crue cover, I would sooner hack off limbs than do that. This song is a direct assault on societies idea of the modern family and the model it should adhere too. This song, like all Luna Reign pieces, simply shows what is actually going on in your average family. Displaying the difficulties and how society says you should cope with it. Its like being lead down a road saying you will be supported the whole way, then abandoned into a pit of acid. Once again the mirror is held up to reflect what is actually there, not fantasy ideas. Embellished with Guitars and anger.

5. BLACK LIGHT

Luna Reign: Light............that is black. It has a similar message to 'Sinners', just without the sex. A song of determination against all odds to succeed in whatever you want to achieve. Shine your own dark light onto the world, don’t be ashamed of who you are, the world is wrong, not you. If we are truly to believe God, then you are perfect.

6. SO COLD

Luna Reign: This song nearly represented the end of Luna Reign; I was so closed to quitting, whether it was by depression or writers block. The world was taking massive chunks out of me and I could no longer see...................anything. Another hope song in a sea of Hell nothingness. The studio lay dark, shadowed and very cold as the harsh winter ate away at my body and soul. These lyrics came straight from the mind, nothing was prewritten. It is what it is, once again a mirror held up, but this time, at me.

7. BEYOND THE WAVES

Luna Reign: Its midnight and a man stands on a beech, in the pouring rain, watching the tide come in. The waves wash around him, yet he doesn’t move. It gets deeper and more savage, but there he stands staring lifeless into the black horizon line. No tears, just rain pouring down his face. Ambulance lights flicker and bounce off the police cars. Screams of desperation and begging come from all around. But still he stands there, letting the cold waters of death wash over him, taking him away. The Soul has gone, leaving only lifeless flesh. A moment passes and all is changed. Still he stands in the rain, but alone. His sister would not take him, no matter how many times they throw him to her. She calls the time, not them. For she is all around us. For she is my sister. And she is death.

8. LAST BREATH

Luna Reign: Rejuvenation like a sunrise pushed this song into existence. My grandmother’s funeral song, a mirror held up to how families seem to behave when a supposed loved one has died. I have always found funerals to be a bit of a farce, I always held great contempt for all present. As if their mourning is somehow false and egotistical. A cry to death to not take themselves away, rather than the dead person. A cry to mortality as they suddenly face death. But mainly the theft of the said dead persons possessions. They are hardly cold before their worldly possessions are being snatched by loved ones. Funerals and said to be done for a sense of closure, not for me. If I don’t see them floating around at the funeral checking everyone out, they end up at my house a few days later. The dead are never truly gone.

9. FADE

Luna Reign: Going against the grain of society is never easy, but vital, I find, to being oneself. The world doesn’t like individuality, it likes ants. If you are not an ant expect a rough ride because society will either try to change you into a drone or squash you. Fade away is what the normal world wants you to do. If you are alternative in any way, I am sure you understand the meaning to this song. Or perhaps this is just my story............

10. UNTIL THE END

Luna Reign: This song is about someone who has just lost their religion and is left only seeing death. Desperately they get back on their knees praying to any spirit they can think of, but are left feeling nothing. Simple lesson really, Life is short. Live it to the maximum, don’t take no for an answer. Cast away fear, as the worse that can happen is that you will die, and that’s going to happen anyway?!?! So live your dreams!  because only the living can dream. I love you and hope to see you at the next album or gig. Thank you for your support. Your ears keep this clock ticking.