One Rode To Asa Bay

Bathory's song 'One Rode To Asa Bay' is a powerful narrative that delves into the cultural and religious upheaval experienced by a Norse community upon the arrival of Christian missionaries. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a man journeying through the woods to Asa Bay, where dragon ships once sailed, to witness the arrival of a new god from a foreign land. This god, represented by a man carrying a gold cross and speaking of peace, symbolizes the Christian missionaries who came to convert the pagan Norse people.

The song highlights the stark contrast between the new Christian faith and the traditional Norse beliefs. The missionaries, described as strange men in armor with no facial hair and smelling of flowers, stand in sharp contrast to the rugged, beer-drinking Norsemen. The man with the cross preaches about building a house for the Christian god and the necessity of baptism to save one's soul from hell. This message is met with resistance from a proud man who venerates the old Norse gods, symbolized by his hammer and fiery beard. His defiance, however, is brutally silenced by the missionaries, illustrating the violent imposition of Christianity on the Norse people.

The construction of the church, a monumental task that consumes the community's efforts, symbolizes the heavy cost of this forced conversion. The old man who stands apart from the crowd, reminiscing about the days of Odin and the dragon ships, represents the lingering spirit of the old ways. His silent prayer and the crow's ominous message, 'It's only just begun,' suggest that the cultural and spiritual conflict is far from over. Bathory's 'One Rode To Asa Bay' is a poignant reflection on the loss of cultural identity and the enduring struggle between old and new beliefs.