[6] By autumn, Nygård was offered up to five weeks of recording time at the Sound Suite Studio in Marseille, France, with Terje Refsnes, a notable producer.

Actual recording began in November at the Steeltrack Studio in Parola, Finland, with the violin parts by Olli Vänskä, followed by accordion by Riku Ylitalo.

[8] The band had remained at the Sound Suite Studio for thirty days, but was unable to finish the recording, still missing the vocals, choirs, as well as some acoustic instruments and percussions and returned to Finland.

[9] Most of these was recorded at the Steeltrack Studio in January - February 2004, while Nygård went back to Marseille to complete the vocals; Battle Metal was finally finished on March 31.

[10] "Victoriae & triumphi dominus" ("Lord of Victiory and Triumph") is an instrumental intro, leading to the opening track, "As Torches Rise", meant to capture a battlefield's atmosphere of darkness and despair.

According to a legend, when the invaders left, the locals jumped into the lake to wash away their baptism and continued to practice the old beliefs and traditions for many years to come, with some surviving into the 19th century.