Last week we reported the news that Wintersun would be embarking on their first tour of North America this fall with Eluveitie. We further reported that a German pagan metal band named Varg (“wolf”) would also be part of the touring line-up. I was pretty sure I’d never heard any music by Varg and I made a mental note to find some immediately, since this is a tour I’m bound and determined to see when it reaches Seattle. However, I was distracted by something important, like the sound of a passing car, and I forgot.
Fortunately, I was reminded earlier today, because somewhere I saw that Varg had just released a new music video for the title track to a forthcoming album by the name of Guten Tag, which was like killing two birds with one stone, getting the reminder and some music at the same time. Before forgetting again, all I had to do was quickly press play. And I did.
The song isn’t really the folky kind of pagan metal. It’s more the thrashing, grooving, headbanging, howling-wolf, infectious kind of metal that one might easily put in some genre other than “pagan”, but since I’ve never been quite sure how “pagan metal” is defined other than by its lyrical themes, and since I don’t speak German, who knows? It’s a catchy romp, though, however you want to categorize it.
As for the video, its meaning is ambiguous. Is it condoning or condemning the suicide that you’ll see? Or neither? I’d be happy to have the interpretations of others, so take a look:
Here’s the album cover for Guten Tag:
The album is on sale at the Varg web store, and will be released on October 5
14 Responses to “VARG: “GUTEN TAG””
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I remember hearing their last album and it sounded pretty decent, much heavier and more aggressive than this song though. This was is kinda a “stinker”
Varg had a killer debut, but they seem to get less impressive as each new album comes out
I had high hopes for something new from Varg, but an album called “Good Day”?
BREEEAAAARGH HOW ARE YOU TODAY??? IT’S NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN!!! RRRROOOAAARR!!
Hey guys!
This is indeed a very interesting song and, if you allow me a wild interpretation, it is not actually about suicide or dieing. Since I understand the lyrics I am more than happy to introduce you to some parts of it.
-“Are you up shit creek? Are you proud of this country?”
– “Show me your values, show me your prayers, show me your love, show me where you stand. Who are you in this world? Show me what still counts for you (…) and what you are actually living for”
– “Good day. Did you finally wake up? Do you love this new world, how it stinks and how it laughs about you and your path?
– “I want to see your soul because I prefer the truth even if you dont look any prettier then”
– “honesty it what counts when you pass judgement”
– “When you take a look in the mirror you see who actually is your hangman”
I can’t help thinking that this is related to the negative press this band had in 2010 resulting in many festival fans demanding organizers to cancel Varg from their billing. Seidel, however, got the chance to sort out any misunderstandings he might be racist and support Absurd or other in Germany banned/disliked bands.
It is difficult as ever to understand the song as it was meant. It think it might be social critisism in that sense that a once created picture that is related to any kind of facism is very difficult to kill, even if it is false or not accurate anymore (“path” and the idea of being re-born). Germans tend to over-react in that manner that they don’t even want to hear the denial, if somebody talks to a popular Nazi is must for sure be one too.
Maybe even this interpretation is me over-reacting but at least now you know what it is all about – or could be. =)
Regards,
Valerie
Thank you for writing this comment Valeria. Seeing those words definitely gives a new meaning to what is happening in the video.
Hey, I’m German and tried to translate the lyrics as good as possible.
Good Day! (formal way to greet someone in Germany)
You’re alive!
Nice to notice
Let us talk about this!
What lets you feel happy?
(Still don’t understand this line…)
Are you covered with shit up to your neck?
Are you proud of this country?
Good day
Who are you?!
Ref:
Show me your values
Show me your prayer
Show me your love
Show me, where you stand
Who are you in this world
Show what matters to you
Show me now, what do you stand for
Show me what do you live for
Good day!
Are you finally awaken
Do you see this new world
how it smells and laughs
about you and your path
about how you live and love
Ref:
Tell me who are you?
Moralist or fascist
no loyal friend in life
I want to see your soul
because I prefer the truth even if you dont look any prettier then
Good day
And who are you?
Good day
The nose up high (metapher for arrgance)
blue blood of vanity
who chose you?
What did you do on your own?
what gives you the right to laugh about others?
honesty is what counts when you pass judgement
Do you want to come here?
We are ready
Let us execute
lies and vanity
Do you want to come over?
appereances won’t decept us
One last word
Don’t dare to lie!
Tell me, who you are
Tell me, who you really are
Loyal soul, false friend
the truth flies from your mouth
Now you’re standing there
The noose around your neck
and you think
what did you do wrong?
tears fall from your face
If you look into the mirror
you can see your hangman
Your life lies in your hand!
Ref:
Tell me, who you are
Baiter, liar, religious christian
no loyal friend in life
I want to see your soul because I prefer the truth even if you dont look any prettier then
Okay, the line I didn’t understand is:
“Was prangerst du an?”
In english it would be:
“What do you decry?”
Ahoi mon!
Just for sure: I dont even know german, yet the lyrics says:
Du warst wirklich glücklich was machst du an?
translating it to 3 different languages i know (via google)
It closely means Did you enjoy what you did?
(You were really happy at what you’re doing? via google.translate)
Ps.: This is the first song i heard from them, seems like not the last.
My bad! It’s pretty late here.
“Are you happy with what you have done so far?” (or doing in common)
probably this is the best.
The lyrics you have there aren’t correct. In the booklet included in the album, it’s written
“Was macht dich glücklich?” (What lets you feel happy?)
Hi!
I just saw that video ( Varg – Guten Tag)
You are right it is a bit hard to understand that line and i saw, that obviously almost nobody understands that line.
I am german and I’m also the vocalist, perhaps thats why i’ve been able to understand it after 3 times listening and thinking about the context.
The verse is:
….
Guten Tag!
Du bist am Leben
Schön zu hören
Lass uns drüber reden
Was macht dich glücklich?
WAS PRANGERST DU AN?
Steht dir die Scheiße bis zum Hals?
Bist du stolz auf dieses Land?
….
english (correcting the line in your translated version as good as I can):
….
Good Day! (formal way to greet someone in Germany)
You’re alive!
Nice to notice
Let us talk about this!
What lets you feel happy?
WHAT ARE YOU PILLORYING? (dislike/needs to be changed/blame to be wrong….something like that in a rather oldfashion way to say)
Are you covered with shit up to your neck?
Are you proud of this country?
…..
I think, it’s not his fault, the “P” in “prangerst” has been pushed down while mixing and mastering, because it makes a baseful “boom”-noise mixers hate. i have/had that problem, too. of course, their are better ways to handle that.
hope this is helpful, excuse my bad english.
Everblack, Germany, Oldenburg
https://www.facebook.com/everblack.band
Thank you very much for the comment. This has turned into a most interesting thread…
Thanks for doing this!
I too wasn’t all too hyped about this album either, especially after a banger like Wolfskult…..but this song, frei wir die wind(which is awesome enough to be on Wolfskult), Leben, and Blut and Feuer were pretty decent tracks.
I’m not a metal head though, so I don’t really mind the more “musical” approach to their stuff these days…so long as the aggression and skill is still there in their music, I’ll still be a fan. Looking forward to seeing them on Dec 13th. It’ll make my year if they open the show with wir sind die wolfe….
As for the genre of music Guten Tag falls into….I’d say it falls under hardcore….
Varg has worn quite a few hats though, they’ve dabbled with punk, rock, power metal, viking metal, etc.
A lot of it is good shit though…check em out!