ELUVEITIE have just revealed the lyric video for "Meet The Enemy," go check it out now at YouTube.

Helvetios will be released on February 10 (Europe) and February 28 (North America) 2012 via Nuclear Blast.

HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION OF THE TRACK

The Helvetians decided to leave their homeland and migrate to the land of the santones (at the west coast of today's france, below brittany). At first they tried to take the most convenient route (via genava). The problem was: that route would have led them through "Roman territory" (parts of gallia, which were already besieged by rome). so they went down to genava, where they met Caesar. What they didn't expect: bridges were already torn down by Romans and Roman legions were stationed there. Caesar blocked their way.

The helvetians congressed with Caesar, officially asking his permission to wander through Roman territories (officially declaring peaceful motives). Caesar didn't answer them right away, but demanded time for consideration. They granted this time and accepted.

What they didn't know, nor expect: Caesar didn't need time to consider... but to move more legions from Rome to Genava. After this time, they congressed again. Caesar's decision: the Helvetians are not allowed to pass Roman territory.

Caesar probably expected the Helvetions to attack him at that point and try to force their way through. The fact that he didn't need time to consider actually, but to move more legions from rome to genava, lets us assume that.

Side note: you have to know - Caesar was under deep pressure at that time; both politically as well as financially (to explain all that would probably go too far here, though). Caesar pretty much needed a war against gaul and especially the Helvetians, for both reasons. However, the Helvetians did not attack him, but accepted his decision, turned around and took a way longer, more dangerous and arduous path to the santonian lands: going around all roman territories.

Of course, Caesar didn't like that. He firstly needed a war agains the Helvetians and secondly he needed the Helvetians to stay (as a "shield" between the germanic tribs, such as the suebians, and rome).

Caesar started to follow the Helvetians (in a distance of 6 km). On their journey the Helvetians had to cross the river saone. With the several hundreds of thousands of people they were, this was an undertaking of several days, of course. Three-quarter of the Helvetians already crossed the river one evening, While the last quarter still stayed on the other side of river saone for the night (planning to cross the river the next morning).

That is when Caesar's legions attacked: at night, when the Helvetians were asleep and not ready to fight. it was a massacre. Pretty much the complete last quarter of the Helvetians was run down and killed by the Romans that night (including women, children and elderly).

That was something the Helvetians did not expect; fighting/winning a war by deceit, that was something they didn't know, something they condemned. Values like bravery, valour and honour were very important to them (to gaulish tribes in general); those things probably didn't mean that much to Caesar. This was the first "encounter" between the Helvetians and Rome in the gaulish war. and well, it was also kinda the beginning of the gaulish war, and this is, what "Meet The Enemy" is about.

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SOME CLARIFICATION ON LYRICS

meet the enemy

there at these ominous shores of river saone

there at these shores the die has been cast

(==> note: "the die has been cast" is actually a roman saying... to add some cynism to the lyrics.)

valour and honour were stripped off their meaning

we will not know innocence again

at somber nightfall the defenseless were bestially run down

saone stained with helvetic blood

you will not shake hands with arrant beliers

you'd rather die than turn into minions

freedom was our highest good

we ventured our lives

meet the liar 

(==> note: by what caesar did that night, he made no more secret of his true intentions)

this dead black night

our destiny revealed

meet the enemy

it will

never be the same

at these portentous shores of river saone

there at these shores the die has been cast

we saw the true face of the roman ravener 

(==> note: the "ravener", or better said, the eagle was a symbol for rome)

the gorgoneion on the cuirass appeared

(==> note: in today's English there is this saying "to show the cloven hoof"; it means "to reveal one's true face". this saying uses metaphores from the christian imagery: in christian imagery the devil is shown with the legs/feet of a goat. so this saying means: if someone evil/with evil intentions appears nice to you and suddenly he show's his real face/real intentions, he shows you his "cloven hoof". of course this saying didn't exist at the time of the gaulish wars, because that was pre-christian time. so i tried to create a similar saying, expressing the same, as it probably could have been used in those times. So, mars was the roman god of war and was reputed for being merciless and gruesome. in ancient imagery he was wearing an armour: among other things a metal cuirass with a gorgoneion on it. a gorgoneion is kind of a deterrent demonic "visage", originating from greek mythology. however, the gorgoneion on the cuirass was kind of a symbol for mars. yet the gorgoneion could be hidden by mars' cloak. but as soon the cloak was lifted, everybody saw it and knew it's mars.)

it was like playing ludus latrunculorum

just... the pieces were made of flesh and of blood

(==> note: the meaning of that is like "it was like caesar was 'gambling with lives',  like he was playing chess... the thing only was, that the 'chess figures' were human beings"; "ludus latrunculorum" was a roman board game, quite similar to today's chess, which was very common among legionaires)

valour and honour bereft of their meaning

the blood on your hands will forever stay

"It's not us to go under the yoke; of that fact the Roman people are witness. We will not bow"

(==> note: that sentences are based on a quote of divico, the leader of the helvetians, he said ot caesar after they congressed again after the nightly attack by the roman legions)

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ELUVEITIE will unleash its fourth studio album in the midst of the North American portion of the band’s Helvetios World Tour and will take the stage in the US and Canada this winter as direct support to the mighty CHILDREN OF BODOM on their 15th Anniversary tour.

Get your tickets HERE