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The Clockwork Fable

by Gandalf's Fist

supported by
kadees
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kadees Just great progressive rock! Thanks guys!
(June 11, 2019) Favorite track: Eve's Song.
theregsy
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theregsy A work of creative genius and musical storytelling on a level that I haven't heard before. This is simply the best album of the year for me. Favorite track: Shadowborn.
ZNCS
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ZNCS I found out about this album the day before it was released from the Big Big Train Facebook Group. The over three-hour concept album is huge but surprisingly cohesive. The odd tracks serve as the narration while the even tracks act as the music of the story. The great part about this album is that I never feel lost or confused by the concept. With a distinctive vocal and narrative cast, the story easily progresses throughout the three discs. This album is amazing. One of the best of 2016. Favorite track: A Solemn Toast for the Steam Ranger Reborn.
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  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

    This version includes the front- and backcover used for the DigiPak, pictures of the physical 8-panel DigiPak (inside and outside), the 24-page booklet as PDF, the infamous Cogtopolis Traveller's Guide as PDF and pictures of all three printed CD-labels.
    Purchasable with gift card

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  • Full Digital Discography

    Get all 29 Gandalf's Fist releases available on Bandcamp and save 60%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Songs from the Solway (Special Edition), Hell's Sacrament (Single), There and Back Again (Previously Unreleased Original Studio Mix), The Clockwork Saga, Widdershins, Decennium, Shadowborn (Live at HRH Prog V), The (Re)Master And The Monkey, and 21 more. , and , .

    Purchasable with gift card

      £53.60 GBP or more (60% OFF)

     

  • 3-CD DigiPak with Booklet
    Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    A beautifully designed 8-panel DigiPak housing three CDs, each CD representing one act of the amazing story of "The Clockwork Fable"

    Includes unlimited streaming of The Clockwork Fable via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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1.
2.
Shadowborn 06:50
Running through a rust-locked city Tired eyes yet hearts still beating Iron-clad the steam clouds climbing higher Shadows dance and pistons screaming Can you hear the darkness breathing? Stairway to the surface; yet we close our minds We wait for a time We wait for our lives Is the sunrise just a dream we lost? A Day we left behind? Is there life on these streets? Is there something left for me? Are we what we we’ve always been before? We are shadow born. Fighting past our infestation Metal bites at deprivation A specter of the harmony we knew before Gears grind through automation Cursed we cry in isolation Hard hold our heads high when our life is low Father's song, mother said, Does it linger in your head? Talisman, round your neck, Does it fill your heart with dread? Welcome to our world of shadow Welcome child, embrace your sorrow Wardens of the light now raise their banners high Yesterday was our tommorow Leave a trail; your soul will follow Hanging onto daydreams where the sun still shines We wait for a time We wait for our lives Is the sunrise just a dream we lost? A Day we left behind? Is there life on these streets? Is there something left for me? Are we what we we’ve always been before? We are shadow born. We wait for a time We wait for our lives Is the sunrise just a dream we lost? A Day we left behind? Still the fire burns inside But I’ve waited all my life To believe in what we dreamed before We are shadow born.
3.
4.
What can you tell me? What did you bring? Reaching high, amber fire The sorrow that stings I’ve heard the stories You’ve heard them too Now it’s night, Lamps alight A memory exhumed Lamplighter, Lamplighter, show me the way With your hand upon the veil of dark Sure night will fade Lamplighter, Lamplighter, lights lead the way When you’re hanging on, to morning song You’ll only pray Lamplighter sing a song, Lamplighter hanging on Allow your eyes to rest tonight The light you breathe, will always shine Night at your window, Darkness your smile Through the steam, Embers gleam, A torch in the wild A rich man, a fable, a pauper, a child Through the streets, glances meet, Creations reviled Sweet sang the whisper, strange songs of fate Creeping low, undertow The specter of hate Dawn be thy maker, sunset thy grave The ghost of sun, all we’ve done A shadow enslaved Lamplighter, Lamplighter, show me the way With your hand upon the veil of dark Sure night will fade Lamplighter, Lamplighter, lights lead the way When you’re hanging on, to morning song You’ll only pray Lamplighter sing a song, Lamplighter hanging on Allow your eyes to rest tonight The light you breathe, will always shine Bring the Night to Life! Nightmares will end, Darkness my friend
5.
6.
Time tastes so slow, find your way Chase the morning Not easy it seems Reaching out for the sun You, dying slowly now Bring the night back home All my life, dreamed in dark Seems so long, clockwork heart Rust in hell tonight, Rust in piece tonight, In your dreams tonight Illuminate Winding down and running slow The wheel of life is dead you know Winding down, sun in the sky The wheel of life has died Ghosts in machines, haunt your mind Find the secret, deceiving it seems Clockwork heart beats undone You, dreamer of the skies Make the night your home All my life, dreamed in dark Seems so long, clockwork heart Rust in hell tonight, Rust in piece tonight, In your dreams tonight Illuminate Gears in wheels, rhymes in rhymes You’ll never forget old father time Underground, slowing down You’re the wheel of undertown All my life, dreamed in dark Seems so long, clockwork heart Rust in hell tonight, Rust in piece tonight, In your dreams tonight Illuminate
7.
8.
When the sword that hung from her brother’s side Not half the hall around And there he lay ’til the break of day It gave him a deadly wound We know what you think Where you’ll run We know who you are And all you’ve done Turn this way and that We’re in your mind We servants of dark That keep the night You run so far, never turning your face Dare to run where the Nightkeepers wait You know that we’re there Sightless eyes You know who we are Nowhere to hide You’re caught in a trap Where shadows fall You’ll never come back It rules us all
9.
10.
Eve's Song 08:27
Startled little starling on your own You flew the nest too early now you're lost far from home Stared into this daydream from afar Now you Gaze into the nothing with a stranger in the dark Speak to me in whispers one more time You feel the lamps are burning, are they embers in your mind? Navigate the mystery of who you are you stopped the wheel from turning but it splintered in your heart Light the night Burn the grey evening song today. (You were) Shadowborn hide the light from your eyes only see what you will Shadowborn and the night will disguise and the time will lead you astray Watcher in the distance; do you pray Do you gaze at candles burning; watch the night turn into day? And can you hear the songbird in the cage? Can you lift away the velvet; let the dawn creep in again? What you felt was in you all along, can you lift yourself from falling? can you hear my love song? Standing in the future, will we soon, say that "that's the night forgotten?" "That's the night that we once knew" Open wide your arms, let the breeze blow through your hair Hold it in your heart, let it save you, save you Reaching out tonight well I thought I heard you there Coming back in time, let it take you, take you Take me by the hand can you feel the current flow I can feel your heart, hear it beating, heating Secrets in your mind yet I thought I let them go Holding it inside; healing, healing!
11.
12.
Come gather round all you travelling souls for a tale I have to tell On the lies you feed from the devil's machine It will send you straight to hell It'll drag you kicking and screaming Embrace the father of the night Pray the Darkness be our savior for the victims of the light Yes the sparks of lies are damnation And you know I’m always right Crave the lamps that burn above this world I can see it in your eyes And you thought that you were dreaming But you're only going blind Pray the nightkeepers keep you safe my child You’re the victims of the light Darkest oath Take me home and baptise our hearts of stone Darkest oath Take me home spake the shepherd of our souls Does your hunger grow from the brass-bound man Claws his fingers at the sky When he touched the stars and he craves the dawn It's a sickness of his mind And somewhere in the future, Where we all will join the night You will curse the sun that failed you Now the victims of the light Darkest oath Take me home and baptise our hearts of stone Darkest oath take me home spake the shepherd of our souls Congregation’s Retort: Daylight a distant memory, Shadows all around, The darkness consumes us, We are lost in the crowd. The preacher he tells us, Of the sins of the past We no longer listen will the sickness last? This is shadowmass. We all live in fear Fear the morning star keep your conscience clear Whispers of daylight We dream of the sun, The future is clearer What has begun? The preacher he tricks us With fear and with hate We no longer listen And soon will escape. This is shadowmass. We all live in fear Fear the morning star keep your conscience clear Come forth my friends, let the lamps grow dim pray the wheel keeps turning on Pray for nuclear war, and what came before from a time we don't belong And you see this world as children And you place your hope in I You can feel the night surround you Sleep the victims of the light
13.
14.
Come around, it’s just the darkness where you play Back in time, it’s just another word you say I don’t know if I’m a tinker or a fool I don’t know, but now I leave it up to you When the sun Turns to dark Are the ditchwater daisies Still blackened and tarred? Moon dies in stars Where the ditchwater daisies Are blackened and tarred ‘Ordinary’ not the word you thought it was Searching circles form decisions of the sun Did you think that you were madmen in a cage? Did you dream it but then woke up all the same? When the sun Turns to dark Are the ditchwater daisies Still blackened and tarred? Moon dies in stars Where the ditchwater daisies Are blackened and tarred Picking through your dreams and visions Searching for the truth Will you be there in the summertime? Winter doesn’t suit Taking what you thought was missing Losing every time It’s the sunrise in the dream you saw Now you’re going blind Muscle minds and fighting talk Was in the past you said You were once enamored, city proud Wishing you were dead Is it all incendiary, is it all a game I was once the man you saw before Now he’s gone away Search for the truth Light takes you home and tells you Search for the truth Over and over again When the sun Turns to dark Are the ditchwater daisies Still blackened and tarred? Moon dies in stars Where the ditchwater daisies Are blackened and tarred Alpha, omega, Lesser the greater Swords in the sky, Time ticking by…
15.
De-ranged 03:30
16.
I am one and you are two Together we divine Falling through a spiral cage Oblivion’s design I don’t fear your desolation You don’t know my name Infinite your hesitation Eternity thy name Up above the acid world Is speaking out in tongues Whispers to the world below A venom of the blood Nuclear intoxication Seeping through your veins The worm of man your congregation A poison for the pain Lamplighter sing a song Lamplighter hanging on Allow your eyes to rest tonight The light you breathe will always shine In the womb the serpent grows It slithers through the wall the tangled roots around your heart are rotten to the core Lingering the lamps are burning Embers fading low In your sleep a spirit yearning For lives you’ll never know As the old one turns her ways The silent master sings He tears his mind, now shadowblind He drops down to his knees Is his house a lightless prison In this world he made? Clamber for his words of wisdom A former life betrayed Dream Flight, Running through your mind tonight Then your heart beating Tears in your eyes tonight Take me to your dream Nightmares will end Darkness deceives you Your flame will die Shadows, they consume you Warden of light Your time is short now Keepers of night Rising, amber fading Lamplighter sing a song Lamplighter hanging on Allow your eyes to rest tonight The light you breathe will always shine Our souls are black Yours soon will join us Life’s work, your flame Lamplight now extinguished Abyss of night The void draws around you Death’s kiss, your life Now short, embers failing Lamplighter sing a song Lamplighter hanging on Allow your eyes to rest tonight The light you breathe will always shine
17.
18.
What am I? I’m the child that should not be Born of rust, secrets forged inside of me Strange anatomy, my mortality Father time, not the man you used to know Deep inside, ticks a heart that I don’t own Now the old one slows Will you let it go? Copper mind, rusted eyelids sealed in crome There’s an orphan child, somewhere between love and hope Will you let him go, only time will know Move and sway Advance through the shadow I will wait, fear life in my dreams Far away, you danced with the devil Stole his heart, then made it in me Copper mind, rusted eyelids sealed in crome There’s an orphan child, somewhere between love and hope Will you let him go, only time will know Mr Night, they feed on your hunger Shadow spy, a child in your eyes In my brain are sparks and confusions Move away Mr Thief in the night High and low, the watchmen are calling The pastor slows, turns his head to sky All at once, the brass-bound seek refuge Chains they tow, bring the old girl to life Copper mind, rusted eyelids sealed in crome There’s an orphan child, somewhere between love and hope Will you let him go, only time will know
19.
Escape! 03:24
20.
Splintered wheels, clockwork minds A cavalcade of brass-bound lives Mourn the birthright, imbued with shade For the sparks of life, hidden by the grave "Sire priest" said he, Spake you in truths? - By thy faith! Be what thou will – break not our rules For every man, save you, hath told his tale. Oath-bound; you sleep Burdens released Now you will see A trace from where we started Night blind, serene Wardens ; unseen Can you believe In murmurs from the surface? As above; so below Word travels far Breaks the silent dreams shadows creeping higher As above; so below See who you are It’s the light you breathe Shadows creeping higher From night-swept streets, but there’s no one here Raise a glass now for the rocketeer Servant: un-served Masters unnerved Starlight rebirth A remnant of our conscience Speak now; speak soon Daybreak our tomb Sing now death’s tune Now we are ascending As above; so below Word travels far Breaks the silent dreams shadows creeping higher As above; so below See who you are It’s the light you breathe Shadows creeping higher From night-swept streets, but there’s no one here Raise a glass now for the rocketeer Stand by yourself, open your eyes to the world Fear in your mind, far away lies the world above Now in the night, streets are alive with the words Crying out in pain, to believe or to follow the blind Oh we light these streets but there’s no one here Raise a glass now for the rocketeer
21.
22.
Lamplighter sing a song for me Darkness leave me be It's now time you forgot the Winter Sun Ashes of destruction Falling down like rain Ashes of destruction Falling down like rain Timekeeper set your watch for me Clockwork memories Read the time - it's the dying of the Sun Children of the winter Falling down like rain Children of the winter Falling down like rain Tell me why? Winter in your eye Tell me why? Sulphur in the sky Tell me why? Winter in your eye Tell me why? Sulphur in the sky Sulphur in the sky for you and I
23.
24.
The Climb 12:23
Far below, the city groans A broken secret now untold I don’t know, but I can not pretend Rusted eyelids, sealed in pain Prized to see the sun again I don’t know, but I think it’s the end Watcher in the night Are you drawing nearer? There’s a devil, tearing at you Tastes your fear Not the day to die my friend Not the way to lose The watcher path you choose… Up above, the old man cries He watched the twisted city die Olden ways, a time he can’t defend Looking up, you watch the fire Far below the golden mire Burns away, and one more step to take Watcher in the night Are you drawing nearer? There’s a devil, tearing at you Tastes your fear Not the day to die my friend Not the way to lose The watcher path you choose… Tangled dreams, rusted minds Steam machines, open fire I saw my shadow against the wall I saw my shadow against the wall And wondered if I, as a child, Would recognize the outline I saw my shadow against the wall I saw my shadow against the light I threw my shadow against the night I’m starting to wonder If any time is left at all I saw my shadow against the wall
25.
26.
I watched the shadow fall below Deeper as the void unfolds Passing leagues and darkening hues of time Revenge at first, it thought so sweet A broken gear’s recoiled retreat Murder’s out of tune, and sweet revenge grows harsh A figure sleeps, his eyelids close A ghost against the undertow Be it friend or foe, in someone else’s eyes To cheer the life that once stood tall To smash through shackled as he falls Now a man once feared, has lost his place in time (Nightkeeper Spy) Traitor, unbeliever you have sold your soul To the devil that is the sun, you’ve lost all control Your head is full of lies, it spreads like a disease A disease that must be crushed And will bring you to your knees (Steam Ranger) Your arrogance, your false belief, it will seal your doom The teach you all these fake truths Your burden is your tomb I asked so many questions, and they have led me here Keep us down here to control, the answer now so clear Do your duty, we are fueled by faith Your demise will signal our new day We will not stay in this eternal night This day we fight: We fight for our right to the light We’ll dance in the darkness ‘till our new dawn Night-keep is over, we bask in the sun Back to the surface, wardens of light As the sun shines bright: We fight for our right to the light (Nightkeeper Spy) Deserter! Beliefs rotting away Fools that stray you from the path dream of lighter days You were once my brother, now mean nothing to me I’ll slay you like a dog – your sun is just a dream (Steam Ranger) You will not strike me down; no we will not be stopped If we must fight, then so be it – you will die for your cause I, a warden of the light, will take us to the sun You will rot in the shadows, let darkness be your home Do your duty, we are fueled by faith Your demise will signal our new day We will not stay in this eternal night This day we fight: We fight for our right to the light We’ll dance in the darkness ‘till our new dawn Night-keep is over, we bask in the sun Back to the surface, wardens of light As the sun shines bright: We fight for our right to the light
27.
28.
When the dark will let you down Never wanna be around Cunning, are the hands of fate When the light will lift you up never want to be devout Cunning, are the hands of fate When your sight has let you down lifeless underground blinded, are the eyes of fate When your heart has given up Watching up above Hiding, are the eyes of hate The Sunrise will fail Arise from Betrayal I am the one I am the fallen one I hold the pieces of our time I am the one I am the chosen one I hold the secrets of our lives And will you stray and will you stray from the light? And will you stay and will you stay for the ride? When your mind is inside out Turning your life around Closing, are the jaws of fate When your dreams have turned to dust Broken and churned to rust Closing, are the jaws of fate The Sunrise will fail Arise from Betrayal I am the one I am the fallen one I hold the pieces of our time I am the one I am the chosen one I hold the secrets of our lives And will you stray and will you stray from the light? And will you stay and will you stay for the ride? I seek the silent moons the murder of the dawn the graves entwined with iron are the echoes of my soul Baptised in burning light a never-ending play A sanctified illusion to dream your life away You owned the world tonight A prophet of the damned A shroud upon the ancient ways A power to transcend I hold the final key Our history of pain Blinded by the mystery, the shadow will remain I am the one I am the fallen one I hold the pieces of our time I am the one I am the chosen one I hold the secrets of our lives And will you stray and will you stray from the light? And will you stay and will you stay for the ride? When the light will let you down Cunning, Are the hands of fate…
29.
30.
What were you, never cursed with growing up Born to fail, not to live as one of us And betray your trust Trade your heart for dust Rusting eyes, try to cry but words don’t come Afraid of life, the dreams you’d only miss out on Afraid automaton, blinked and now he’s gone A soul slips away, the sorrow in me Could it be this life was a clockwork fable? A child’s masquerade, to make life your game As you read the page in the clockwork fable Time will tell, not that time was on our side Setting sail, winds that blow from darkest tides The current of our lives, at its ebb tonight Waves of hate, break the wall and flood with light Oh it craves to stay, don’t you haunt these shores my child Where dark horizons lie, a sleeping sun will rise A soul slips away, the sorrow in me Could it be this life was a clockwork fable? A child’s masquerade, to make life your game As you take your place in the clockwork fable
31.
32.
Wake me this morning And tell me I’m not dreaming Hide shadows from me And tell me it’s alright Black waters, storm clouds Ships brave the oceans Nightmares and visions That tear my world apart I’ll see your face, but it’s only in my dreams I’ll see the sunset on the sea You’ll take my hand, but it’s just a memory I’ll see the sunset on the sea Can’t sleep in daylight Can’t dream in darkness Shelter in your eyes, Can’t find the words to say Step through the lens where, You left your friends there Just wait for daybreak And what the dawn will bring I’ll see your face, but it’s only in my dreams I’ll see the sunset on the sea You’ll take my hand, but it’s just a memory I’ll see the Sun, I’ll see the sun, I’ll see the sunrise in your eyes
33.

about

Cogtopolis, the city beneath the surface, no daylight has been seen by the inhabitants in living memory. The Sun: a whisper, a legend.

Dive down into the world of clockwork mechanisms and a fantastic 3-act story of a few rebellious inhabitants fleeing from the alleged safety into uncertainty...

Check out clockworkfable.com/The-Clockwork-Fable-The-Story.html for more information...

credits

released May 1, 2016

The Orchestra:
Dean Marsh - Guitar/Synths/Mandolin/Octave Mandola/Bass
Christopher Ewen - Bass/Bargain Snacks
Stefan Hepe - Drums/Percussion

with

Matt Stevens - Ambient Guitars
Dave Oberlé - Bodhrán/Tan-Tan
Nathan Madsen - Saxophone

The Choir:
Dean Marsh - The singing voice of the good people of Cogtopolis
Luke Severn - The singing voice of the Nightkeepers
Arjen Lucassen - Sung words of Armistead
Blaze Bayley - Sung words of the Primarch
Dave Oberlé - Sung words of Pastor Simon
Melissa Hollick - Sung words of Eve
Dying Seed - Background chants

The Actors:
Mark Benton - Spoken words of the Lamplighter/Prison Guard/First Secretary
Zach Galligan - Spoken words of the Steam Ranger
Tim Munro - Spoken words of the Tinker
Alicia Marsh - Spoken words of Eve
Paul Barnhill - Spoken words of Pastor Simon
Bill Fellows - Spoken words of Armistead/Nightkeeper Spy
Paul Kavanagh - Spoken words of the Primarch/Nightkeeper Brethren
Christopher Ewen - Spoken words of the Boy
Luke Severn - Spoken words of Second Secretary/another Nightkeeper Brethren

with

You, the Listener as "The Traveller"

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Recorded between December 2014 and February 2016 at various hideous Hobbit caves.

Story written by Dean Marsh and Luke Severn with additional contributions by Stefan Hepe and Christopher Ewen.

Mixed and mastered by Dean Marsh.
Drums recorded and mixed by Stefan Hepe at Friggin'-Hot-Attic-Studios in Germany.

Front- and backcover-Artwork by Thomas Huth.
Photos and Stage-props by Kirsten Scheffel.
The Cavern of the Great Cog rendered by Niklas Engelhardt.

No necklaces, cogs or fancy gizmos were harmed during the making of this album!

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about

Gandalf's Fist UK

Prog/Folk/Rock from the UK. Aided by a merry band of misfits, Gandalf's Fist are your new favourite Cult band waiting to be discovered!

Gandalf's Fist draw on their mutual love for classic rock bands such as Pink Floyd, The Who, and even the likes of Iron Maiden.
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