There is something magical about pairing Hozier with what seems like an entire orchestra.
God of War is a video game series that spans back to 2005. Tiny little summary below.
(From Wikipedia: Based on ancient mythologies, the series’ plot follows Kratos, a Spartan warrior who becomes the God of War and comes into conflict with various mythological pantheons. The earlier games in the series are based on Greek mythology and see Kratos follow a path of vengeance against the Olympian gods; the later games in the series are based on Norse mythology and see Kratos go on a path of redemption while also introducing his son Atreus as a secondary protagonist.)
Simply incredible songwriting on display in this song, and it honestly mirrors the quality of the game as well in the time I’ve spent with it. Hozier in his lane with a moving performance throughout. The music is awe-inspiring IMO.
“To all things housed in her silence, nature offers a violence, the bear that keeps to his own line, the wolf that seeks always his own kind, the world that hardens as the harsher winter holds, the parent forced to eat its young before it grows, every bird, gone unheard, starving where the ground has froze, the winter sun rise, red on white, like blood upon the snow, like blood upon the snow”
When those strings come in during that above part…my gosh. Not my favorite part but close. That honor belongs to this set of lyrics.
“It’s not my arms that will fail me, but this world takes more strength than it gave me, the trees deny themselves nothing that makes them grow, no rain fall, no sunshine, no blood upon the snow”
Put that in human being terms and it’s incredibly fantastic and deep advice on dealing with the good times but also with adversity, right? Everything that happens us, even that which forces us to bow and teeter on breaking, we are more because of it.
So that’s my advice to you today. Set an intention to deny nothing that makes you grow. This world can be cruel like Mother Nature. Remember Kintsugi.
Be good, do good. Love you.
everything, etc. 