Apr 16, 2025
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The first episode of ‘Honorable Death’ is live. This is a video series looking at the shining examples of meeting death with composure and honor throughout history. In this episode we look at the death of St. Olaf's warrior-poet, the icelandic viking Tormod Kolbrunarskald.
00:00 Introduction 01:40 Tormod Kolbrunarskald's early years 02:45 Jödur kills Hávarr 05:08 Torgeir kills Jödur 06:45 Tormod commits murder on Greenland 06:55 On redemption 09:56 Tormod's service with King Olaf Haraldsson 12:12 Stiklestad battle 16:15 Tormod in the hall of wounded and dying 18:44 Tormod's death
Tormod Kolbrunarskald won fame both through the icelandic saga Fóstbræðra saga, chronicling him and his foster brother Torgeir's lives, as well as his last stand alongside King Olaf Haraldsson at the famous battle of Stiklestad in Norway as told in both the Saga of St. Olaf and Fóstbræðra saga. Tormod suffered deadly wounds while defending the king's banner after the king fell, and met his death as befits a warrior poet. I take a look at both the stories surrounding especially his death, and what messeages are conveyed through it.
The full series can be found in this playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZVTg90XAFv9NnS_EqVku3rmhfcOGa0qu
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I’m announcing and introducing my new series at my youtube channel, ‘Honorable Death’. It will be a deeper look into selected honorable deaths in history, both in nordic tradition and other traditions, and we’ll try to glean what is to be learned, both morally and historically, from these examples.
Anyway - this is the intro video just published on youtube!
Honorable Heart: An HXM Interview with the Frontmen of Heart Museum & Honorable Death
HeaviestXMental: Let me introduce you guys. I’m here with Dylan Toledo, the voice of Honorable Death, and Anthony J lee, frontman extraordinaire of Heart Museum and of course Bloomer here conducting the interview.
Bloom: Welcome back man, how was the drive?
AJ: I came in last night. I haven’t been driving it as much lately so I fucking almost fell asleep on the way here.
Dylan: Jesus.
Bloom: Yeeeeesh.
AJ: Yeah it was scary.
Bloom: (Gulp) So you guys are working on new music, when is that set to drop? When are we getting more Heart Museum?
AJ: Well we’re done with the second single now and just need to record it. I just finished the lyrics.
Bloom: I was hoping you would be ready to drop something in order to win the title of “Best Sad-Boy” album of the year because I think Counterparts is going to win that one for me personally without you guys in the ring. Remind me again when “Bitter” was released, last year right?
AJ: It was this year actually. We dropped the EP and the single you’ve heard “Lullaby” this year. We’re hoping to get this next single out before the end of 2017. We want to start on an album once that’s out because the guys want to try a different set of styles again, the guys are always experimenting which is cool.
Bloom: Is Hale (Justin Hale: Heart Museum Guitarist) in town?
AJ: I think so. I think he’s out getting pizza somewhere.
Bloom: (Laughs) Ok good, so is he back entirely? Or is he going to mainly stick with recording and play shows when he can? I know he had to step away and focus on the family.
Dylan: Mind if I smoke?
Bloom: Not at all, go for it.
*Dylan proceeds to spark up. The Green Goddess has entered the hatchback.
AJ: Yeah, he said he was only going to take a step back for 6 months ‘cause you know, he wanted to let the kid’s mom rest up. He still worked on his shit though. But he’s back on playing shows again.
*Lighter sparks
AJ: We stopped playing shows altogether. It’s too weird without him.
Bloom: Like you said, he does keep it heavy.
*AJ rips a lungful
AJ: (Exhales) He does, he does.
Dylan: Yeah that dude loves his hardcore, it’s pretty tight.
Bloom: I’m glad he’s still a presence. That makes me happy as a fan. Heh.
AJ: Everything is the way it is because of the way it is. (Laughs)
Dylan: Heart Museum is Heart Museum.
*The increasingly red eyed frontmen laugh
Bloom: What’s the gear situation? Are you back-lining again?
*Sparking of the lighter
AJ: I brought a few things like Dylan’s cab, we’re still trying to figure out a new van situation but those guys prefer to backline. I don’t mind hauling the gear because most of the time I’m driving alone anyways.
Editor’s Note* Dylan Toledo will be identified as “Sparky” for the remainder of this interview.
*Sparky coughs and coughs while AJ rips anotha’
Bloom: Do you have a working title for the next album?
*While holding in the dank plume of smoke he just inhaled
AJ: Not yet, not yet (exhales) the new track we’re sitting on I’m thinking of calling “Wither” everything else I’m not sure on at all.
Bloom: “Lullaby” is sad dude…Jesus. So is that what we can expect? More heartbreaking post-woke, post-hardcore from you guys?
AJ: Well those guys want to go heavier.
Bloom: Yeeeeeeeeeeah!
AJ: I still want to bring in singing and go heavier-heavier but without screaming it. Be heavy but without the heavy. Do you know what I mean?
Bloom: Yeah, like The Smiths!
AJ: We still plan on going as heavy as possible.
Bloom: So we talking like 7 string or8 string guitars? What is Hale lobbying for here?
Dylan: Slaaaams.
*Laughs all around
AJ: Hale is always talking about 7 strings!
Bloom: Fuuuck yeeeah.
AJ: I honestly do want more slams. Still want to explore different styles of heavy. I feel we’re still good at sounding like ourselves without doing what is expected of us.
*Sparky green-roasts a freshly loaded bowl
Bloom: And Honorable Death. What are you guys working on? The last time I saw you play was a couple of months ago already. Jesus was that September? That was back at the Armory!
Sparky: Yeeeeah dude that was a while ago, that show was sick.
Bloom: It was (Laughs) I always have the strangest fun there.
Sparky: I like how more of these death metal bands are reaching out to us for shows like Luis of Impaled Offering putting us on that one you saw us at.
Bloom: You fit in!
Sparky: It’s sick. I like it you know because it’s not your typical core shit. But we’re not really doing anything right now. Sky (Sky Karnas; Honorable drummer) broke his wrist at our last show.
Bloom: (Laughs) Doing what?!?
Sparky: Moshing
AJ: (Laughing) Getting down!
Bloom: That dude is a fucking animal. (Laughs)
Sparky: That was the No Altar show at The Wagon Wheel. He fucked his shit up dude.
Bloom: Yeah that house is solid adobe! Yikes.
Sparky: He played with his broken wrist because he was drumming for No Altar as well as with Honorable Death.
AJ & Bloom: Daaaaaayumn.
Bloom: So brave, so stoopid. That kid is a maniac!
(Laughs)
Sparky: So he’s in a cast until the 5th and can’t play until then but we have the “Toys For Tots” show on the 16th with Loathe.
AJ: Ooooh is that the one with Barbarian? God that is going to be such a good show!
Sparky: Yeah dude and it’s been moved to Fly Honey Warehouse so it’s Barbarian, Loathe, Supreme verdict, Lucia and us. It’s going to be wild dude.
Bloom: People will die at that show.
AJ: Fuck yeah!
Sparky: Yeah it’s free if you bring an unopened toy, it’s going to be a phat show.
Bloom: I’m honestly terrified. Those are pretty close quarters, goddamn. Sky is re-breaking his wrist at this one!
(Laughs)
Sparky: Get some pictures!
Bloom: I plan on it but from behind Matt’s kit when him and Loathe go on! But yeah the violence and pain serves its own purpose wouldn’t you say? It carries over into the music.
Sparky: Dude life is built off of pain bro, it’s the name of the game!
(Laughs)
Bloom: So I’m behind on what you guys have out there, you have one EP right?
Sparky: We have two actually. Last one came out in September. We’ll start recording again when Sky is ready.
Bloom: My favorite hardcore band is Every Time I die and one of the many reasons why I love them is that they play with all sorts of bands be it hardcore or slam, pop-punk, death metal, metal-core or punk. I like that Honorable Death shows up on not just hardcore shows. You’re more. You fit in almost anywhere.
Sparky: Hell yeah that’s what I like to hear and that’s what I want, to not be limited and play everywhere. I want to play a rap show someday, that’s next! That’s what we want to do the most.
Bloom & AJ: Faaaaaack yeeeah.
Bloom: Thank you for your time gents and for the contact high! Hail!
Editor's Note* Here is a link to the aforementioned "Toys For Tots" show being held @ The Fly Honey Warehouse on 12.16.17 so come on out, bring an unopened toy and watch Sky re-break his dainty wrist! https://www.scenesplitter.net/new-events/
"Honor from death" I snap, "is a myth. Invented by the war torn to make sense of the horrific. If we die, it will be so that others may live. Truly honorable death, the only honorable death, is one that enables life."
Rae Carson, The Girl of Fire and Thorns
so i decided to make brownies and I may have made a terrible mistake. I put in a ton of chocolate chips. Seriously, I think it is 80% chocolate chips at this point. I put it in the oven but I don't know what is going to happen.
If I am devoured by chocolate just know that I went the way I would have wanted to go