The National Anthems Of The World Series: Part 2- More Metal National Anthem Lyrics

“Come at us, France.”

~Algeria’s National Anthem

Last week, we quoted a bunch of National Anthems that are not as good as the Star-Spangled Banner, despite being metal as fuck. (It’s nothing personal, the Star-Spangled Banner could just be the lyrics to the Oscar Meyer wiener song and it’d still be better than all National Anthems just simply by being America’s National Anthem)

But it is true. Some countries decide to make their anthems metal as hell. Like, did you know that Bhutan’s national anthem is literally called the Thunder Dragon Kingdom? Like, holy shit right? So we were able to find even more anthems filled with blood and veiled threats. After this, we’re going to take things down a notch with depressing National Anthems, so enjoy this while you can.

The National Anthems Of The World Series: Part 2- More Metal National Anthem Lyrics

Bolivia

Sample Lyrics: 

If a foreign power one day

Tries to subjugate Bolivia

Let it be prepared for the fatal destiny

That threatens the arrogant invader

Let the sons of the great Bolívar

Have sworn a thousand times over:

To die before seeing the majestic banner

Of the homeland lowered

To die before seeing the majestic banner

Of the homeland lowered

 

Of the homeland, the lofty name

In glorious splendor may we keep [it]

And in its honor let’s swear once again:

To die before living as slaves!

To die before living as slaves!

To die before living as slaves!

There’s something kind of wonderful about a country that uses their National Anthem as a direct “Do not fuck with us” to the rest of the world. Bolivia’s anthem starts out pretty tame. It’s like, hey, go us, we just won our independence, let’s write a song literally the next day. (Seriously, the line is “from the military uproar that was yesterday/ and from the cry of the terrible war”). Then it goes on to thank the “brave warriors” who won their independence.

So far, this is normal, and not overly metal. Then it just goes off the rails, and straight up posits, “Okay, if another country tries to take us over again, we will kill them, super bad.  We’d rather fucking die.”

All we’re saying is, if no one has called dibs on “To Die Before Living As Slaves” as a band name, we’re taking it.

Belize

Sample Lyrics: 

O Land of the Free by the Carib Sea,

Our manhood we pledge to thy liberty!

No tyrants here linger, despots must flee

This tranquil haven of democracy

The blood of our sires which hallows the sod,

Brought freedom from slavery oppression’s rod,

By the might of truth and the grace of God,

No longer shall we be hewers of wood.

For such a small country (it has a population of less than 400,000) Belize has got a lot of balls behind their anthem. They’re begging you to fight them with enough confidence that you’re like, “Man, I mean…do they know something we don’t? Don’t they only have 1,400 people total in their Armed Forces?” Belize is like that Chihuahua that starts fights with Rottweilers and manages to scare them off somehow, or like your one friend Zach who’s five foot one and 110 pounds soaking wet who keeps getting drunk and unsuccessfully starting to get bouncers to punch him. We have so much respect for Belize.

Colombia

Sample Lyrics: 

The shores of Orinoco fill up with corpses,

a river runs fueled by tears and blood.

In Bárbula, the souls and eyes don´t know

whether to feel awe or suffer from dread.

 

Virgin Mary pulls her hair out in agony

and, widowed of her love, hangs then on a cypress.

He mourns for his hope, now covering a cold grave

but glorious pride surrounds her pale face like a halo.

These lyrics overshot metal and went straight to “Goth kid in High School who has to see a guidance counselor” territory. So here you have, just casually, the Orinoco River filled with corpses, tears, and blood. They have the Virgin Mary pulling out her hair in agony.  And these are two of the ten verses in this song. This song is pretty much 50% blood, 30% terrible things, and 20% religion. Here are some other sample lines in this song.

Columbus’ land is bathed on the blood of heroes

Alright, cool story, Colombia.

On Caribbean shores, a hungry nation fights,

Choosing horrors over tainted death

Tainted death? Jesus guys, you can calm down a little bit ri…

His virtue looks down on the debris of death

Okay Colombia, we get it, you have feelings about things. It’s like Hot Topic decided to write an anthem and got carried away with it. But as much as Colombia really leans into the metal anthem, their continent-mates Peru take things one step farther.

Peru

Sample Lyrics: 

Lima fulfilled this solemn vow,

and, severe, its anger showed

by throwing out the powerless tyrant,

who had been trying to extend his oppression.

On its endeavor the shackles cracked,

and the furrows that it had repaired in itself

stirred up its hatred and vengeance,

inherited from its Inca and Lord.

Oh Hell yea, Peru, our favorite anthems are the “Fuck you, former oppressor” ones. Hit ‘em again, Peru, hit ‘em again.

May we arouse the jealousy of Spain

Since it has a premonition, with and furor

that in a contest of great nation

sour country will enter in comparison.

Hell yes! You don’t want to just break the shackles, you want Spain to be actively jealous of how awesome you’re doing when they’re gone. This is the most petty National Anthem, and we love it. Let’s get another dig at Spain in there, Peru, hit ‘em again!

we shall fill the line first,

ahead of the ambitious Iberian tyrant,

who devastated all of America.

We’re pretty sure that if Peru walked past Spain on the street, they’d say to America, “Quick, laugh like I did something funny” before awkwardly being like, “Oh, hey Spain, I didn’t see you there. You look fine. Not as much gold as I remember you having, it seems.” Peru knows the game.

And that’s it for our metal af anthems. The next few will have just as much blood and death, but in kind of a depressing way. Enjoy!