Iceland i/ˈaɪslənd/ (Icelandic: Ísland, IPA: [ˈislant]) is a Nordic European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The country has a population of about 320,000 and a total area of 103,000 km2 (40,000 sq mi). The capital and largest city is Reykjavík, with the surrounding areas in the southwestern region of the country being home to two-thirds of the country's population. Iceland is volcanically and geologically active. The interior mainly consists of a plateau characterised by sand fields, mountains and glaciers, while many glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands. Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and has a temperate climate despite a high latitude just outside the Arctic Circle.
According to Landnámabók, the settlement of Iceland began in AD 874 when the chieftain Ingólfur Arnarson became the first permanent Norse settler on the island. Others had visited the island earlier and stayed over winter. Over the following centuries, Norsemen settled Iceland, bringing with them thralls (slaves) of Gaelic origin. From 1262 to 1918 Iceland was part of the Norwegian and later the Danish monarchies. Until the 20th century, the Icelandic population relied largely on fisheries and agriculture, and the country was one of the poorest and least developed in the world. Industrialisation of the fisheries and aid from the Marshall Plan brought prosperity in the years after World War II, and by the 1990s it was one of the world's wealthiest countries. In 1994, Iceland became party to the European Economic Area, which made it possible for the economy to diversify into economic and financial services.
A plate steel object was fired
And I did not feel for my compatriots
Hated even the core of myself
Not a matter of ill-health
It was fear of weakness deep in core of myself
The fact attainment was out of...
Mounting orations
..populations
To be humbled in Iceland
Sing of legend, sing of destruction
Witness the last of the god-men
Hear about Megas Jonsson *
Cast the runes against your own soul
There is not much more time to go
Work fifteen hours for the good of the soul
And be humbled in Iceland
Sit in the gold room
Fall down flat in the Cafe Iol*
Without a glance from the clientele
Good coffee black as well,
Hair blond as hell
Cast the runes against your own soul
Roll up for the underpants show
And be humbled in Iceland
And the spawn of the volcano
Is thick and impatient
Like the people around it.
See a green goblin redhead, redhead
Make a grab for the book of prayers.
Do anything for a bit of attention
Get humbled in Iceland
What the goddamn fuck is it?
That played the pipes of aluminum
A Memorex for the Krakens
That induces this rough text
And casts the runes against the self-soul
And humbles in Iceland
Waving over green
That's my mission here
Have to wait for planes
They could raid today
Sing, sing, I've got to sing
Run, Run, I've got to run
A wary crowd looking after the sky
Don't leave me alone, if I can't watch the colours
Those sunny nights
Set the mood on the sky
I have flowers in my garden
You have never seen
The devil grows his blood red roses
Just for me
And I know that nothing lasts forever
So this can't last forever
Give me your deadline
Tell me the time
Won't you please
Let me go home?
Days of sunshine
Is this all mine?
So ungrateful now
Sang my own song done nothing wrong
I wouldn't know how...
city in rust, along the bottom edge
time creeps slow
when you spend it all counting down
city in mud, softened to readjust
make big change
when you live your life day to day
don’t think much of what i’ve loved
you’re to blame
for all that i will and won’t become
i’m a victim of the repercussions
of this place
we’re all that’s been built and been torn down
what tremendous weight you have
burdening your every move
spread out miles and miles
over streets and new concrete
how your shoulders must be sore
and your patience must be tried
i bet you can feel the weight
on every new face you meet
all the sights to see
all the gifts to reap
seems too good to be true
all the bets to place
all the time to waste
seems too good to be true
it’s just a matter of time
before you notice it’s all
smoke and mirrors
the secret’s out
all the fortunate
are the obstinate
they get away
as fast as they can
i’m seeing the best of you
(all i’ve ever known)
when i’m glancing at a map
(is time away from home)
all the regrets and fears don’t want to leave
mistaking you for who i’d like to be
find yourself alive without a soul
losing track without a home
i’m washing myself clean
i’m digging myself deep
into a hole i don’t want to be
i’m washing myself clean
i’m digging myself deep
into a hole i don’t want to be
i am over you now
and i guess that's the way it's supposed to be
but there's something inside that calls me back to you
and i know that there's something wrong with me
(is it wrong with you too?)
but the keyboard is with me
but the keyboard will keep me company
but the keyboard is with me
but the keyboard will keep me holding on
she left for iceland
we lived a techno fantasy
we loved to listen
to our rock and roll part three
i am over you now
and i guess that you don't give a damn
but now the feeling's gone
Given decision to live
Not taken
The flight towards the light
I'll stay in the lava for life
Erupting when gods take us all
Changing the peaks makes us pour
From the mountain and burn
The path of our time
Hail people of Iceland
Journey of a land anew
Ram as our liaison
Vision inspire and move
Awe holy island
Breed the lagoon to run free
Raw beauty is ruthless within the golden ring
Precision of Grungir
Spear of the Norse God Odin
Praise our Pagan Father
Founder of the Althing
Given decision to live
Not taken
The flight towards the light
I'll stay in the lava for life
Erupting when gods take us all
Changing the peaks makes us pour
From the mountain and burn
The path of our time
Ruler of sky's thunder
The honorable warrior
All divination
Beward the Hammer of Thor
Lava goddess
Ice and fire
Settling down
Ocean Geysir
Gullfoss
Land of fire, land of snow
The paling moon, so brightly glows
The howling wolves, sing their songs
Of timeless hunger, through nights long
Through bitter nights, of winters cold
The strong survived, and they were bold
Men of iron, with will of gods
Would flourish still, against the odds
Land of fire, land of snow
To golden seas, clean rivers flow
From the valleys low, to mountains high
All is pure, from land to sky
Awe is splendor, but it’s known
That life and death, share this home
All that strived, to tame this land
Did do so , by their own hands
Realms of life, realms of death
Can give you all, or steal your breath
Chaos, and harmony
Coexists, endlessly
Land of fire, land of ice
Strong of ill, breaks winters vice
Through stings the air, and solid earth
Its a struggle, til springs rebirth
This land of chaos in harmony
Full of great sagas to be told
Of warriors who braved the seas
Never fearing the oceans bold
Our fathers from these lands came
With courage in their hearts
And this land of snow they tamed
While each man did his part
So fear not but praise the coming cold
For this is when the night is clear
And old instincts soon take hold
At yule each earths new year
Remember from whence you came
And that when the Nordic wind blow
The lands of ice from where we came
Are much more than lands of snow
When the midnight raven calls
In the north’s silvery moonlight
And the snow begins to fall
Upon midgard tonight
Take time now to remember
When the Nordic wind blow
In the chill of December