The band played at the Scandinavian Roskilde Festival in 2004. At one time they were signed to Burning Heart Records, which houses a number of Swedish punk rock and hardcore punk bands.
In 2010 Hagman received a serious electrical shock during a concert in Sundsvall when he touched a power cable which had been punctured by a riot fence. He collapsed on the stage.
The band's album Veil of Ignorance, released in 2009, placed on the Swedish charts and was nominated for a Swedish Grammy Award. Many of the songs on this album were written by Hagman.
In 2013 Raised Fist signed a two-album contract with Epitaph Records. In 2015, after working on the songs for five years, Raised Fist released an album From the North.
Vocalist Alexander appeared in an interview on Swedish television TV4 where he criticizes the EU Directive on the enforcement of intellectual property rights in EU countries.
Friends And Traitors
Raised Fist Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
widening our fucking ranges,
Writing down all these pages,
Usually filled with rage when I jump onto the stages.
I've been demolishing your bullshit for ages,
This time I'm breaking it, our friendship, your smile.
See you in the city while you are faking it.
From Hertz Island we expanded,
Never delivered or landed,
More than the label demanded.
Competition telling us to follow those guidelines, and to stay right handed
But music comes from the heart, lyrics from my head to my hand, and I 'm left handed.
My friend, watch out for the traitors.
I see them but I try to close my eyes for the haters.
My friend, watch out for the traitors.
Closing my eyes for the haters.
My name is Alexander,
The Raised Fist commander,
The unsinkable ship never stranded.
Not trendy, not even branded,
16 years and never disbanded,
From Hertz Island we expanded.
And I try to keep myself sober,
Until the tour is over,
Think Ive grown a bit older.
I'm burning inside, but my outside is much colder,
Competition telling us to follow guidelines, to stay right handed.
Music from the heart, lyrics from the head to my hand, and I'm left handed.
My friend watch out for the traitors.
I see them but I try to close my eyes for the haters.
My friend watch out for the traitors.
I see them but I try to close my eyes for the haters.
Closing my mind, Full of haters
Closing my mind, Full of haters
My friend watch out for the traitors.
I see them but I try to close my eyes for the haters.
My friend watch out for the traitors.
Closing my eyes for the haters.
My friend watch out for the traitors.
I see them, closing my eyes for the haters.
My friend watch out for the traitors.
I see them, closing my eyes for the haters.
The lyrics of Raised Fist's song "Friends And Traitors" talk about the struggle of being a musician in a world ruled by competition and guidelines. The song starts with the vocalist noticing the changes in the environment, how things are getting wider, and how he's writing down pages filled with rage to perform on stages. He's fed up with his friend's lies and fake smiles and decides to break the friendship. From Hertz Island, the band expanded and became successful without compromising their music, lyrics, and ideals despite the pressure from the music industry. The vocalist reminds his friend to be cautious and watch out for traitors and haters.
The song is a call for artists to stay true to themselves, to fight for their beliefs and values, and not to fall prey to the competition and the pressure to conform. It is a reminder that success should not come at the cost of compromising one's integrity. The lyrics also highlight the importance of having true friends who share the same values and beliefs and have each other's back.
Line by Line Meaning
Noticing all these changes, widening our fucking ranges, Writing down all these pages, Usually filled with rage when I jump onto the stages. I've been demolishing your bullshit for ages, This time I'm breaking it, our friendship, your smile. See you in the city while you are faking it.
I have noticed changes and growth in my music, while also releasing my pent up anger on stage. I have been breaking down the lies of a friend and fake smiles. I will confront you in the city.
From Hertz Island we expanded, Never delivered or landed, More than the label demanded. Competition telling us to follow those guidelines, and to stay right handed But music comes from the heart, lyrics from my head to my hand, and I 'm left handed.
Our music comes from passion, not following what others tell us to do. We have not complied with expectations, and rather stayed true to our own unique sound.
My friend, watch out for the traitors. I see them but I try to close my eyes for the haters.
I am aware of people who may betray us, but I try to ignore those who hate us.
Closing my mind, Full of haters
I am closing myself off from those who hate us.
My name is Alexander, The Raised Fist commander, The unsinkable ship never stranded. Not trendy, not even branded, 16 years and never disbanded, From Hertz Island we expanded.
I lead this band with a strong sense of identity and dedication. We have stayed true to our sound and message for 16 years and have grown despite challenges.
And I try to keep myself sober, Until the tour is over, Think Ive grown a bit older. I'm burning inside, but my outside is much colder, Competition telling us to follow guidelines, to stay right handed. Music from the heart, lyrics from the head to my hand, and I'm left handed.
I am trying to stay sober while on tour and have grown wiser through experience. Despite feeling intense emotions, I am keeping a cool exterior. We won't be swayed by competitors and will continue to create music that is genuine and heartfelt.
My friend watch out for the traitors. I see them but I try to close my eyes for the haters.
I am aware of people who may betray us, but I try to ignore those who hate us.
Contributed by Avery S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.