#glimpse of the dawn

[metalhead-brainrot]

[Album of the day] Tarot - Glimpse Of The Dawn

Tasmania, AUS || 2024 || Heavy Chains Records and Tapes

[Genres] prog rock, proto-metal, occult rock

[Themes] fantasy

[FFO] 70s rock, rock with organ, Phantom Spell

[Thoughts] The third and final 2024.04.12 release I wish to highlight! If you want more music like this, be sure to check out the other offerings from indie label Heavy Chains Records.

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[From the band/label]

Vintage, earthy 1970s hard rock done right from the Land Down Under!

The long-awaited sophomore album from Australia’s Tarot re-imagines heavy, Hammond B3 organ hard rock for a new generation! Eight years have passed since Tarot’s first full-length, Reflections, to their new long-player, Glimpse of the Dawn. It was like a lifetime for the 1970s-rock-tinged Australians. The band embarked on its first-ever live shows after Reflections, essentially coming together as a unit while on stage. Live activity then opened the door for increased collaboration between all members of the band. Now operating as a cohesive, free-flowing outfit, Tarot amassed a lively, spacious album in the form of Glimpse of the Dawn that earnestly pays tribute to their core influences of Uriah Heep, Rainbow and Deep Purple while blazing an identity of its own.

Glimpse of the Dawn was recorded across several studios in the band’s native Tasmania, starting with drum tracking by Joe Haley at Crawlspace Productions. From there, the band retreated to its own Heavy Chains Studio and Riff Cabin to complete tracking, yet it was the face-to-face sessions with Haley that gave the album its live and natural feel. This approach — once an industry standard but now becoming a rarity — found Tarot simply cracking open a few beers, letting the tape roll and letting the results happen as they may. To that end, Tarot purposely left open spaces to allow for improvisation. Many of the album’s lead guitar sections were written on the fly in the studio and were subsequently kept, allowing for Tarot to “catch lightning in a bottle.” This approach is perhaps best exemplified on the title track, which kicks off the album in grand fashion with rollicking Hammond keyboards and vocal trade-offs between founding member Will Spectre, guitarist Felix Russell and keyboardist Dave Harrington-George.

In fact, collaboration defines Glimpse of the Dawn. Whereas Spectre previously shouldered the songwriting load, the album features contributions from all members of Tarot. This communal, open vibe is yet another throwback to the bands Tarot has taken inspiration from. The closeness of all five members allowed for a free exchange of ideas, thus sharpening every facet of the album. It helped further expand Tarot’s sound, which is often driven by the classic Hammond B3 organ, mellotron string and choir and various analog synths. The members of Tarot put an immense of thought into the interplay between Harrington-George’s parts and its guitar lines, ultimately producing an album with equal breadth and depth.

Glimpse of the Dawn is tailor-made for the live arena. Tarot already has plans to hit its Australian homeland and Europe throughout 2024, bringing its hard-rocking, anthemic songs to audiences deserving of a band that perfectly embodies the spirit of 1970s rock.

[alwaysahiccupandastrid]

THE REMASTERED WENDIGO?!? 😭

[lunar-years]

one of my favorite things about the rerecords is pulling out the lyric parallels between more recent songs and vault songs scrapped from the earlier albums. Like "I broke my own heart because you were too polite to do it" is so close to Coney Island's "If i pushed you to the edge but you were too polite to leave me" I love how she so clearly keeps pieces of lyrics she liked but didn't make the cut and repurposes them in new ways

[softquietsteadylove]

If you have the muse for it, could we maybe get a circus au or life interrupted update? Missing those two lately! Thank you!!! 😘

"Gil?...Gil!"

"Huh?" he turned, ruffling his hair with his free hand. "Uh, s-sorry, what were you saying?"

But his friend just frowned, "you sure you're okay? I know you're a doc to the animals, but are you really qualified to diagnose yourself?"

Gil subconsciously shifted his arm in his sling. He was no expert, but he did know how to reset a shoulder. Granted, it was because of getting into fights in his school days, but still. "Yeah, it'll be fine, really."

He shrugged, picking up some of the coiled ropes, "y'know you can take it easy if you want. We can finish setting things up for tonight."

Gil nodded, looking around them. Technically, all he did was light stuff to help out here and there. He wasn't really a regular crewman. But he had hung around all morning on the excuse of checking on the animals and helping out wherever his one good hand could help. "You, uh, seen Thena yet?"

He heard a few quiet chuckles and blushed; everyone knew why he was hanging around. He was eagerly and desperately trying to get even a glimpse of Thena. He hadn't seen her since the night she had admonished Kro - and her beast of a husband had dragged her away by the arm - and he was going nuts.

Of course, no one else knew that she had kissed him, either.

He was lying awake at night! And part of it was the pain, but another part was thinking about how she had leaned in and kissed him. It wasn't just a mistake of a peck, either, it was a real kiss. He could feel how she meant it, no matter what that really meant for them. She was a married woman, and married to the man who was both their boss, in a way.

"No one's seen her," another crewman shrugged. "Assumed boss had given her some time, I guess."

It was a reasonable guess. She had suffered quite a scare, after all. But her husband was not a reasonable man, and Gil was confident in guessing that Kro would sooner put on her costume himself than give her a day of rehearsal off without injury.

Gil picked himself up and tugged at one of his suspenders. "Thanks guys, I'll grab some lunch I guess."

They sent him off with well wishes. He wasn't in any shape to do any of the usual heavy lifting he could be asked for anyway. But rather than go in search of the group lunch being cooked behind the main tents, he slipped away towards the train.

He hadn't seen Thena in two whole days. She had once said that Kro would never really hurt her, but that was the only time when Gil wasn't really inclined to have confidence in what she said. He didn't trust anything about Kro. And he was really trying not to let the kiss influence that thinking in him, either.

He couldn't let it. She was a married woman. Whether she had kissed him or not, it wasn't his place. And he was concerned about her regardless. This wasn't about him and his feelings, it was about making sure she was okay.

"Thena?" he whispered, sticking his head out and between cars and looking around like a common cat burglar. He crept around, picking his boots up lightly.

Maybe Kro had her chained up like a ruffian. Not that he really thought he would, but he wouldn't be as surprised as he would like to be by something so barbaric.

"Thena!" he whispered again, slowly making his way to their shared sleeper car. If he was found, Kro would probably feed him to the lions. But he had to know.

Once at their sleeper car, he checked around him one more time. He knew Kro was in the main tent, snapping his cane against the ring and shouting up a storm. No one had been able to ask how Thena was without getting a real earful.

Gil knocked on the door with his good hand, pressing his ear close, "Thena, are you in there?"

"Gil?"

She didn't sound hurt, or teary or anything. He gulped, "can...are you hurt? Can I see you?"

"I'm fine Gil, you can come in."

Part of him still imagined a nightmare in which he would walk in and find her on the floor, sitting crumpled like a bird fallen from the sky. But Thena was no fallen angel. He closed the door behind him as he saw her seated at the little table barely big enough for a single plate.

He had never seen her in a normal dress, but the soft, creamy fabric looked just like her hair.

"I'm sorry I worried you," she professed immediately, still sitting primly at the table. "Kro told me I wasn't to leave for the next two days. People should think I'm in recovery."

Which was very different from actually wanting her to recover from her fall, but it would make people think of the monster more favourably.

"Have you eaten anything?" he asked, still almost whispering as he dared to come a little closer. "Are you resting?"

She smiled at him, like having not seen him for days was completely normal and expected. "I'm resting fine. Kro has been bringing me food twice a day."

So, she was missing a meal, Gil surmised. He frowned, but that was the least of his worries. "Why won't he let you out?"

Thena's expression finally cracked, and he saw her eyes drift to his shoulder. "He asked if there was anything...with you."

The words she didn't say weighed a lot more than the ones she did, and Gil found himself flustered again. He had always known what his feelings for Thena meant. But he had thought it was a harmless crush on his unattainable and lovely boss' wife. The implication that she cared for him too...it was enough to have his stethoscope picking up his own heartbeat from ten paces.

"I assured him there wasn't," she looked down at the little table, tucking some hair behind her ear. "He said then there should be no reason I should want to leave."

There should be no reason for her to ask to see him--that was the threat that had kept her in here. If she asked to see him, or probably even ran into him accidentally, Kro would have grounds to suspicions. And Gil wasn't sure which one of them would face worse consequences for them.

Gil looked around the sleeper car. It was larger than the others, of course, or maybe it was just arranged neater. It had a small but proper bed, rather than just a cot and some hay. The little table, there was a trunk that probably held their collective things. There was even a little radio on top of it, as well as an oil lamp.

"It's not a prison."

He didn't feel comforted by that. She was unharmed, sure, in a physical sense. But sometimes animals could seem fine, then they'd give out the next day of a broken heart or some such. He moved even closer, even kneeling down to face her better (he wouldn't dare move the chair across from hers). "Birds get real down if they're in cages too much."

She laughed a little at the insinuation.

"Really," he whispered. Without him telling it to, his free hand drifted up to hers, feeling the softness of her pretty linen dress. "They're meant to be free. Clipping their wings...it seems harmless, but it really hurts them, even just a little bit, everyday."

Thena tilted her head at him, her hair slipping over her shoulder. She was so beautiful, and far too delicate for a cage like this.

Gil sighed as she brought his hand from resting over hers on her lap to her lips. In another life, he could imagine this would be a beautiful moment.

It was brief, but for just a split second, her lip wobbled. She whispered, "I wish I had met you a lifetime ago."

Gil's heart broke inside his chest. It fractured, just like his stupid shoulder. Oh, to have met her a lifetime ago. To have met her as a student, to have scraped and scrimped for pennies so he could buy her flowers and take her on swan boats on the lake. To have swooned over her everyday until he could kneel just like this and hold up an embarrassingly modest ring and ask for another lifetime.

He wasn't sure when it happened, but he rose from his knee, tilting her head with his palm and kissing her as if she weren't married. As if they had this lifetime to get it right. Which wasn't true, but it wouldn't be something he would regret, either.

Thena sighed against his lips, her hand moving to his hair. She kissed like she hadn't drank in days and he was an ice cold lemonade. "I wish I could love you."

He loved her anyway, wishes be damned. "Thena-"

She pressed her fingers to his lips, breaking the spell around them and forcing him a precious few inches away. "He'll be back soon. If he catches you in here-"

He gripped her shoulder, "I won't let him hurt you, Thena. Never-"

She grasped his hand between hers, "I am not worried about what he will do to me."

So, Kro had threatened him to get her to comply with his sick delusions of ownership. And Gil hated to admit it, but in his current state, he wasn't so sure he would in a fight against the ring leader.

His heart groaned in his chest, begging not to be separated from her. He made a face, "I can't just leave you like this."

She looked him square in the eyes, and the frosty, fiery acrobat he knew - and loved - was back. "You can, and you will--for both our sake."

She was right, he would because it would be best for her, if not both of them. But he didn't have to like it. He gave her hand another squeeze, even as he picked up his feet again. "When will he let you out of here?"

"I don't know," she whispered back, their hands dragging apart like lines of a frayed rope snapping string by string. "Until he's satisfied he has nothing to fear from you."

Kro had everything to fear from him, and as soon as his shoulder was better, Gil would see to it, too.

"I'll try and find you when he does."

He turned back to her, his hand on the car door. "Don't do anything risky. If he tries anything-"

Their eyes both shot to the side. It wasn't dangerously close yet, but it was definitely Kro's voice drawing nearer. Thena eyed him, begging him to leave before their lives were changed irreparably.

Gil nodded, dragging himself out and closing the door as quietly as possible. He held his arm as he slipped away, the muscles screaming at him like a storm was on the horizon. He stopped on the other side of the car.

"Well?"

"What?" Thena's softer voice came, but Gil was relieved to hear her usual sharpness in the demand.

"Usually you're begging to know how your little boyfriend is doing!" Kro barked at her. Gil heard the rattle of a container being tossed down, perhaps one of Thena's meals for the day.

"You told me to stop bringing him up," she fired right back at him. There was a pause before she added, "dearest."

Gil felt his gut clench. He had seen Kro use that term of endearment for her, and it never failed to make her squeamish.

"Very well then," Kro snarled back at her, "darling."

Gil waited a little more, but that seemed the end of it. And he had no choice but to leave it at that, at least for now. He dragged himself away, feeling just a little bit of a coward for it, too. His shoulder was aching again.

"Hey, Gil, you get some yet?"

It was lunch time. He eyed the pot of stew. Maybe that would be just the thing. "Say, will you do something for me?"

He was heard out as he explained that he was worried about Thena--heard she was on bed rest and all. It didn't come from him, but maybe - just if there were leftovers after everyone had their share - if someone could ask the boss nice and casual if Miss Thena would like it...?

Again, everyone saw right through him. But Thena was not her husband, and the crew agreed readily that they would ask in a very normal and friendly way if Miss Thena wanted any of their extra portions for the day. The lady needed her strength and all.

And Gil needed his too. The quicker his shoulder healed, the faster Thena could stop worrying about him, and the faster he could confront Kro about the treatment of his wife.

[spaciebabie]

absolutely fucking pissed that my ocs dont have fans i can yell with. you mean you cant read my mind and see why they're so important?? why their stories and interactions with each other have so much depth and nuance? i hafta convert ppl myself??? bullshit.

[random-xpressions]

How eager is the earth to receive those first rays of sunlight falling upon herself, she had spent the night in darkness, in fear, in anxiety of the unknown but here comes her saviour early at dawn, with her bright torch radiating all that comes its way, literally lighting up her world. So am I here waiting to begin my day with a glimpse of a smile from your ever so glowing face. Bless me with that beautiful vision - for that's what emboldens my spirit, for that's what revives my otherwise dead soul. Awaken me from my sleep, for my eyes have been closed for so long. May the first thing that I witness be the grandeur and the majesty of your beauty. I wait like the earth waiting for the first rays of sunlight to fall upon her...

Random Xpressions

[dawnslight-aegis]

29. contravention

Aymeric shifted in his seat, gritting his teeth briefly against the spike of pain in his still-healing abdomen as he regarded the man seated across from him. One of the Vault’s more moderate cardinals, Father Vallastin was ostensibly an ally against the likes of the True Brothers – but the uneasy look on his face called that position into question.

“Thank you for seeing me on such short notice, Lord Commander, even though your injuries have not yet healed. I assure you, I would not have called on you were it not a matter of grave import.”

“Of course, Father. What can I do for you?”

The thin elezen man leaned forward in his chair, unease blooming into full-on distress. “It concerns the Warrior of Light, my lord. The assault you led on the Vault has proved true without a shadow of a doubt one of the most insidious rumors about her – she is a dark knight, in direct contravention of Halonic doctrine. A heretic of the highest order. And yet she continues to walk free.”

Suppressing a sigh, Aymeric folded his hands in his lap. He had known for moons that this conversation would eventually come, but he had hoped that Kaede’s deeds in the Holy See’s defense would be enough to see her above suspicion. An absolutely foolish notion, if he was honest with himself.

Fortunately, his pragmatic side had ensured he had an argument for just such an occasion.

“I will not argue the fact of the Warrior of Light’s choice of martial discipline – as you say, it has been proven. However, I will ask you this: which is the greater heresy? To walk in darkness, yet serve the light; or to wear the robes of the highest office of the Fury and yet plot the subjugation of Her people and supplant Her as our protector and patron? Perhaps, when the Fury’s own mouthpiece betrays Her, She must send an unconventional champion in order to see justice done and Her order restored.” In other times, his words would themselves be heresy, but with the archbishop’s seat empty and a knife wound in his gut, he found himself fairly uncaring of the letter of the law at the moment.

The cardinal’s eyes widened. “Are you saying that you believe Halone is responsible for this?”

“Who else? Do you truly believe that She would allow the Archbishop’s actions to go unchecked? And the Warrior of Light’s performance in the trial by combat in defense of Alphinaud Leveilleur – against members of the Heaven’s Ward, no less – is irrefutable evidence of the Fury’s favor, is it not?” His voice shifted from mild and persuasive to steely as he leveled a look directly at the cardinal. “In any case, I believe that perhaps instead of looking outwards for heresy, the Church should spend its time in reflection, looking inwards, so that a travesty like what happened with the True Brothers does not happen again.”

“I – of course, Lord Commander. I apologize for the interruption.” Cowed, the man lowered his head, and Aymeric felt a brief pang of guilt over causing grief to a good man, but gods, he was tired.

Reigning in his frustration, he forced a small smile onto his face. “Think nothing of it, Father. I am grateful that you came to me with such concerns, rather than the inquisition. Merely try to remember that no matter how she appears on the surface, we would all be dead or tempered if not for the Warrior of Light’s intervention. She has ever proven herself a staunch ally to Ishgard’s people, and I would repay her in kind.”

Cardinal Vallastin nervously returned the smile, nodding as he stood, bowed, and left.

Their world was changing rapidly, and Aymeric only prayed they would all be able to keep up.

[the-travelling-witch]

getting albedo instead of arle is such a bad idea, since i have so good weapon for him whatsoever, but why is it so tempting

[rozecrest]

the yearning? in gucci’s voice when she said “they had intense trust” . combusting myself.

[naradivision]

Date: 07/07/2XXX

Memo: Tanabata with my lil brother :)

Gokigenyou~ My dear brother ✨

I wonder how have you been right now? 

If you’re reading this, then I guess the Tanabata has come again this year. 

——Wait, how did I know? Tee-hee☆ Don’t underestimate your nee-san’s clairvoyance!

Let’s go to the corridor and look up to the sky, shall we? If this night isn’t so cloudy, you might see something very, very special.

Do you still remember the tale of Orihime and Hikoboshi?

More than just a heart-wrenching love story between two star-crossed lovers, this day is also known as the “Star festival” and one of the earliest annual festivals held in summer.

And at this point I’d like you to face toward the opposite direction of the setting sun. High overhead you might spot something; the large triangle composed of three stars known as the “Summer Triangle” must be shining brightly on the clear night sky  ——The brightest one or “Vega” lies at the northwest corner of the triangle, the lower left is “Deneb” of the northeast, and the lower right is “Altair” of the south. 

However, our protagonists today are on the western side. According to the story, Vega is portrayed as “Orihime (The Weaver Princess)” and Altair is recognized as “Hikoboshi (The Cowherder)”. 

Also, if you’re lucky enough to be on a moonless night, you may see “the Heavenly River” known as “the Milky Way” passing between the stars Vega and Altair, miserably splitting the lovers apart. 

Once a year on the seventh day of the seventh month comes around, a flock of generous magpies would come to their aid and use their wings to form a bridge for the lovers to reunite …but we have to wish the day doesn’t rain, or else, these cute little fellows couldn’t come to help them and the lovers have to wait again until the next year ——This is also the part why people love making a wish on this day. Wishing the couple for a clear day and they’ll grant you wishes. 

There is also one’s saying “If you tell someone your wish, it won’t come true”, but listen close here... Nee-san still kind of wants you to know her secret!

This year she has made her wish and that wish is the same as those previous ones;

She’s looking forward to celebrating together with dad & her dear little brother next year, next year, and many years up ahead. And you know what? Surprisingly, it has become true every time even now!

So, don’t be afraid to make some wishes ’kay? 

P.S.  We still have plenty of tanzaku left inside the desk. Dad definitely bought too many of them from the shrine wwww

——Hope all your wishes come true!

Love you lots

From ‘Dusk’ to ‘Dawn’

[lavenoon]

Found the Flock, Dynamic Swap Drabble, ~2K Words

Before Robin gains a new tenant, they first get to know the withdrawn rookie - a gamble for both, as neither get along with other agents. For good reason, as it turns out, but having a friend makes many things easier.

Thick as Thieves, Reverse Dynamic Swap Drabble, ~2K Words

A little blunder causes Moon to fret, and coincidentally, Robin laments about their tenant, who just can't seem to stand them. Dawn, the victim of their complaint, is more than ready to distract them.

[sunshowerr]

having thoughts about the portal again

[yangvik]

mixed feelings on the atla comics but if they have mai join the yuyan and give her her loser goth boyfriend back i will love them forever

[katierosefun]

i turn 23 in less than a month, and i am once again contemplating how young anakin skywalker truly is

[rowandamisch]

just rewatched 5x08 and I still don't get Beth's decision like,,, girl what did you think was gonna happen ???

[reginrokkr]

𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐕. Origins lost to time of a celestial being: Hesperus, bringer of light.

It is said that seraphs stand the closest to the Creator in the hierarchy of angels and these, known as the Shining Shades created in the image of the One were four. These may also be known as luminaries, which are also four and are emanations of the Supreme Entity. Together alongside the individual the four of them create are passed through history as the Five Saints.

Among these four, one of them —Hesperus— descended to the moonlight kingdom nearby the realm of night with the intention to save these people from the clutches of night's darkness and bring them to the other side of the moon. Hesperus, known as the evening star but also known as a light bringer possessed a solar aura that made him akin to the sun made flesh and bone, the Light Prince. Alas, before he could do his bidding he suffered betrayal from the pygmies and was left in a death-like stance by the Night Mother, a stance that is reversible if the adequate individual comes to save him.

This has occurred before the invaders came and their dark poison caused plagues and arose delusions left and right, before they warred against the Seelies and the Four remaining Saints alike. Hesperus, with the remaining strength he had, he transmigrated his soul to a newborn of the heavens from a different era, believing that his siblings and his Creator would continue dwelling the kingdom of the skies only to realize that the heavens have become demonic.

This newborn is the prophesized by the Night Mother whom would put a stop to her reign and that would be the only contender she would fear, taking advantage of this fact so that this newborn one day would save him too— which is the only speck of hope he had in an era where the Saints no longer existed and were erased from history.

Though the spirit of Hesperus remains dormant within the prophesized prince of the heavens —Dáinsleif—, during his childhood he had dreams which in truth were glimpses of memories of the Shining Shade that represents logos and whom brought light via thoughts put to words. These dreams are the precursor of curiosity satiated via Irminsul that gave him limited wisdom at the time— wisdom that he was not meant to know in the eyes of the higher entities of Celestia.

It is thanks to Hesperus' spirit that Dáinsleif was born with a solar aura, though those who believe that it is the only light that stems from him are wrong. The solar aura merely opaques the inner light he possesses, only noticeable when the solar and later on lunar aura wear off byproduct of the curse and corruption and passage of time.

Hesperus has another name only unique because he never became a fallen angel, as the heavens had yet to become demonic at the time he was put in a death-like stance. Reason why he lacks a name within the Ars Goetia, but a name from the Shem HaMephorash which collides with the former: Haziel is his alternate name, angel of secrets and mysteries.

Though in essence Dáinsleif is no angel —these stopped existing altogether with the coming of the demonic skies, the fall of the Saints and the true angels: the Seelies—, he is a celestial being whose level of reality was heightened by Hesperus' spirit within him and Irminsul's connection. As his memories were erased by Celestia upon his descent to Khaenri'ah, he has no knowledge over the fact that he's a celestial being, even less about the presence of a divine spirit within him.

However, there is the sentience and acknowledgement that he is no ordinary human in view that the modifications done to Irminsul's data and thus the world's memories do not affect him. The most evident clue remains within his Realm of Consciousness: where his voice has the might of a seraph and his appearance changes slightly. His platinum blond hair, turning whiter as the corruption and the curse advance as well as whenever he performs a purification, is completely white as a signal of the multifactorial weathering of his soul, but also as per his connection to Irminsul. A celestial blue sheen bathes his hair and his sclera becomes the color of his irises while his irises invert to white, the Star of Bethlehem-shaped pupils remain icy sapphire as they are originally, thus giving him an ethereal appearance.