Harbinger of Woe delivers plenty of punishment. Brennan Shackelford flails his drum kit with the pinging precision of a dungeon master. But the song isn’t inhumane. After all, someone was responsible for administering these historic beatings. Heck, back in the Middle Ages, executioners were considered a necessary evil.
“He is despised and rejected / feared by most members of society”, Jamie Bailey gurgles as if bound and gagged by his own microphone.
Sure, it’s not painless. But when being dragged to the gallows, all anyone can hope for is someone to put them out of their misery quick and easy. When the breakdown hits, Mike Bailey’s riff comes slicing in like a guillotine.
“In many ways, the title track is representative of the whole album”, BRODEQUIN says. “Harbinger of Woe uses several quotes that capture the violent mindset of the Medieval Period. But lyrically, we’re also trying to portray an expert in his craft, who’s well-acquainted with being shunned from society, along with all the other negative aspects of his profession. If you found yourself in this unfortunate position, you’d want this highly skilled professional to put you down as quickly and efficiently as possible”.
