Midwinter Massacre

Down by the farmhouse in old Edentown
That's where the first of the lot had been found
His limbs and his mouth were wire-bound

Mother lay inside the house, bruised and burned
Headless, along with the boys and the girls
What in the world did they do to incur Discordia?

Now the police search the dead winter night
With all the regalia; the hounds and the lights
Try as they might, they'll never find me

About the song

It's official: I want to keep the tradition going of including a creepy, folky, gruff-voiced song for every album to come.

This song also marks the first reference to King's Dark Tower series in my music. The phrase "O' Discordia!" is often used after the mention of characters that had previously died...sort of a "God rest their soul" type thing. There's no doubt in my mind that the mood of these books influenced the general atmosphere of the record. The grandiose rock songs, the soft ballads, even the playful interludes. There is a sense of foreboding, but also an aching hope of triumph. In the grand scheme of the album, I consider this song like a ghost story or nightmare that foreshadows other (more real) terrors to come. Like the first hiccup that interrupts a normal breathing pattern, you wonder if it's just an isolated incident or if it will only get worse.