H.E.R.R. – The Fall of Constantinople

January 10, 2010 Robert Campbell Uncategorized 12

I’m in the process of writing a piece on Neofolk music, and I thought I’d share the song below by H.E.R.R.

It is not a proper video, but a still photograph of the painting referenced in the title. It is a very rousing anthem, which harnesses the heroic ethos of our people in a way that very little contemporary music does, and it would be great if a tech-savvy WN created a proper video for it.

For those of you unfamiliar with them, H.E.R.R. is the musical project of Troy Southgate and Miklos Hoffer. Regular readers of this blog will undoubtedly recognise the name of Troy Southgate, the National Anarchist theoretician. Troy recently released a novel, which I haven’t had a chance to read yet, and a non-fiction book comprised of his essays and interviews over the years. I highly recommend the latter, the “Red Book of Troy,” as Alex Kurtagic calls it in his wonderful dystopian novel, Mister. You can find a review of it here:

Troy Southgate’s Tradition and Revolution

H.E.R.R. has the distinction of possessing the coolest acronym ever wielded by a musical ensemble: “Heiliges Europa Römisches Reich” The video below is from their first CD, The Winter of Constantinople, and they have continued to churn out incredible material ever since then, producing some truly beautiful neo-classical albums (Vonde’s Lucifer, XII Caesars, based on the work of Seutonius, etc.) in the process. Troy also has a project called Seelenlicht, in collaboration with Butow Maler, which just released its sophomore project, Love and Murder, which is a wonderful follow-up to its debut album, Gods and Devils.

“He rode there at once, but he came too late. Panic had spread to some of the Genovese there. In the confusion it was impossible to close the gate. The Turks came pouring through; and the Bocchiardis´men were too few now to push them back. Constantine turned his horse and galloped back to the Lycus valley and the breaches in the stockade. With him was the gallant Spaniard who claimed to be his cousin, Don Francisco de Toledo, and his own cousin Theophilus Palaeologus and a faithful comrade-at-arms. John Dalmata. Together they tried to rally the Greeks, in vain; the slaughter had been too great. They dismounted and for a few minutes the four of them held the approach to the gate through which Giustiniani had been carried; But the defense was broken now. The gate was jammed with Christian soldiers trying to make their escape, as more and more Janissaries fell on them. Theophilus shouted that he would rather die than live and disappeared into the oncomming hordes. Constantine himself knew now that the Empire was lost, and he had no wishes to survive it. He flung off his Imperial insignia, and with Don Francisco and John Dalmata still at his side, he followed Theophilus. He was never seen again.” – Runicman, Steven. The Fall of Constaninople 1453 (Cambridge University Press, 1965)

12 Comments

  1. I’m just starting to explore all of this neo folk stuff myself. Lots of it is available for free download. Just type blogspot plus whatever album or group you are interested in, usually a file sharing site will come up.

  4. Good stuff, Mr. Campbell! I’m always up for a history lesson!

    One thing I did know is Constantinople asked Moscow for military aid, and Moscow refused. I bet they’ve been regretting it ever since!

  5. CA,

    If you like the material, you should buy the albums and support the artists.

    Sam,

    I am a fan of Boyd Rice (not the “noise” stuff, but his neofolk collaborations released under the name Boyd Rice & Friends and Scorpion Wind). Although he has no musical talent, his albums are rich with interesting ideas (Easy Listening for Iron Youth) and I find him to be an amusing character. Did you ever hear his radio appearances with Bob Larson?

    Randy,

    To each his own. I’m glad you liked the quote, at least. If a man is unmoved by the song, the painting, and the quote, he probably isn’t visiting this blog for the right reasons.

    Kievsky,

    You’ll be sorry you said that! When you come visit, I will deluge you with history lectures and fill your car up with Neofolk music for the ride home.

  6. If you want to get in touch with your European heritage, listen to classical music and real European folk music. Throw your “rock music” and “heavy metal” albums into a bon fire.

  7. If take issue with the assumption that my own Appalachian and Anglo-American customs and traditions are somehow inferior to customs and traditions in Europe. White is as White does and our contemporary rock and heavy metal music are products of our creative genius, too.

  8. The Negro influences on rock music (and through it virtually all contemporary forms of music) are well documented, but even if we pretend that rock music is a white creation, that doesn’t mean it is wholesome, uplifting, or of any artistic merit. Pornography and degenerate modernist art are also largely white creations.

    Again, the only way to get in touch with your European roots through music is to embrace classical music and real folk music while throwing all of your rock music albums in a bon fire.

  9. By the way, I am not suggesting for a moment that your Anglo-American customs and traditions are inferior to those of Europe; indeed, I am of the opinion that Anglo-Saxons generally show better taste in artistic matters than continental Europeans. “Rock music” is neither traditional nor Anglo-Saxon in origin. It is a synthesis of Negro American musical forms and those of decadent city dwelling white proletarians. The influences of jazz, blues, swing and similar degenerate Negroid musical styles on early rock music cannot be exaggerated. Of course, these influences were combined with white musical styles such as country music, which, by the way, may be regarded as the true “folk music” of Anglo-America.

    What you are celebrating and embracing are not the customs and traditions of Anglo-America, but the degeneracy of the American Negro and decadent city dwellers.

  10. Robert,
    I don’t think I’ve heard that interview. Rice seems like a very clever fellow but his musical style is a bit odd.

  11. Robert Campbell,
    “If a man is unmoved by the song, the painting, and the quote, he probably isn’t visiting this blog for the right reasons. ”

    Of this kind of music I would love to enjoy and purchase it, but so far I haven’t found any of it that I can listen to without cringing. I’m not referring to traditional European and American folk forms but this newer variety. Admittedly I am more of a reader than a listener, so perhaps the fault is mine.

  12. The Muslims would never have made it that far if the Norman crusaders had allied themselves with Byzantium instead of undermining its power in the region. Together they could have held off or even turned the invaders over time.

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