Jazz-rock fusion's technically challenging guitar solos, bass solos and odd metered, syncopated drumming started to be incorporated in the technically focused progressive death metal genre in the early 90ies and today continues to allow open minded, virtuosic musicians to explore the musical flexibility and democratic nature of jazz fusion in a heavy metal context. Fusion, which often allows individual members - including bassists and drummers - to show their skills in extended solo parts attracted highly versatile and dedicated musicians who liked to push their skills, borrow from other genres and frequently change bands or work in side projects in an effort to broaden their musical horizon, stretch themselves and play in different contexts. Musicians in this genre often very quickly put together material for albums, and include long tracks with free-for-all jamming and improvising. Progressive rock with its affinity for long solos, diverse influences, non standard time signatures, complex music and changing line ups had very similar musical values as jazz fusion and soon found each other and collaborated together. Both of these creative and diverse genres emerged in the late 60ies and early 70ies and continue to thrive today and borrow from each other.
The band Atheist - a groundbreaking progressive jazz metal innovator - produced albums Unquestionable Presence in 1991 and Elements in 1993 containing heavily syncopated drumming, changing time signatures, instrumental parts, acoustic interludes, and Latin rhythms. They used jazz as inspiration for their bass driven rhythm section and applied dynamic variation to resemble soundtracks in their music. Cynic, one of the first progressive jazz metal band hybrid recorded a complex, unorthodox form of jazz-fusion influenced experimental death metal with their seminal 1993 album Focus. Their primary influences soon included jazz and fusion, such as Chick Corea, Allan Holdsworth, Pat Metheny but also Frank Zappa. They sometimes played soft acoustic segments and long instrumental parts, applied synth guitar, fretless bass and a Chapman Stick and interwove this with heavy riffs and syncopated drumming. In 1997 G.I.T. guitarist Jennifer Batten, Glen Sobel (drummer for Tony MacAlpine, Impellitteri, Gary Hoey), and Ricky Wolking working under the name of Jennifer Batten's Tribal Rage: Momentum released Momentum - an instrumental hybrid of rock, fusion and very exotic sounds, including African percussion, Australian didgeridoo, Caribbean steel drums and Scottish bag pipes and other diverse influences and sounds. Jennifer Batten also used a guitar synthesizer, a mainstay in fusion on some tracks. Members of progressive metal band Dream Theater joined bass player Tony Levin formerly from prog rock legends King Crimson and keyboardist Jordan Rudess (who has worked with the prog rockers Dixie Dregs) in a playful, all-instrumental, progressive, fusion-like jam in Liquid Tension Experiment and released their first self-titled album in 1998. Another, more cerebral, all instrumental progressive jazz-metal band Planet X released Universe in 2000 with Tony MacAlpine, Derek Sherinian (ex-Dream Theater) and Virgil Donati (who's played with Scott Henderson from Tribal Tech). The band has had various guests musicians (including Brett Garsed, Billy Sheehan) and blends fusion style guitar solos and highly complex syncopated odd metered drumming equally with the heaviness of metal. Tech prog fusion metal band Aghora formed in 1995 and released their first album, self titled Aghora, recorded in 1999 with Sean Malone and Sean Reinert both former members of Cynic. Their sound incorporates new exotic influences making it a bit jazzier and more oriental sounding than their former band. Gordian Knot another Cynic-linked experimental progressive metal band directed by bass guitarist Sean Malone released its first album Gordian Knot in 1999 which successfullly explores a wide range of styles from jazz-fusion to metal. At times its shifting lineup has included Steve Hackett of Genesis, Bill Bruford of King Crimson and Yes, Ron Jarzombek from Watchtower and Spastic Ink as well as Jim Matheos of Fates Warning, several of Malone's former bandmates from Cynic and John Myung from Dream Theater. Tech prog metal guitarist Fredrik Thordendal (Meshuggah, Fredrik Thordendal's Special Defects) cites Allan Holdsworth as one of his major influences, and can be heard in is playing style, although it has been heavily modified to sound more crazy, abstract and unpredictable to suit the aesthetics of metal.
Balrog Boogie
Diablo Swing Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pactum Serva, Scala Caeli, Gloria Patri, Pax Et Bonum
Sine Cura, Vade Mecum, Casus Belli, Lusus Naturae
Dies Illa, Velut Luna, Dona Es Virtum
Dies Illa, Velut Luna, Dona Es Virtum
Mea Culpa, Ecce Signum, Corpus Vile, Coram Deo
Pactum Serva, Scala Caeli, Gloria Patri, Pax Et Bonum
Sine Cura, Vade Mecum, Casus Belli, Lusus Naturae
Dies Illa, Velut Luna, Dona Es Virtum
Dies Illa, Velut Luna, Dona Es Virtum
The lyrics of Diablo Swing Orchestra's Balrog Boogie are a mix of Latin phrases and metaphors that refer to spiritual and supernatural themes. The first three lines contain four Latin phrases that mean "My fault, here is the sign, vile body, before God", "Keep the covenant, ladder to heaven, glory to the Father, peace and goodness", and "Without a care, come with me, cause of war, freak of nature". These phrases seem to invoke a sense of sin, repentance, and acceptance of one's mortality, while also alluding to the presence of divine or evil forces around us that can influence our decisions and actions.
The second part of the lyrics repeats the phrase "Dies Illa, Velut Luna, Dona Es Virtum" twice, which translates to "That day, like the moon, gives you strength". This line seems to suggest that there is a moment of clarity or realization that can empower us to face our fears and overcome our weaknesses. The repetition of this line creates a haunting effect that adds to the eerie vibe of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Mea Culpa, Ecce Signum, Corpus Vile, Coram Deo
I admit my guilt, behold the sign, my body is worthless, in the presence of God
Pactum Serva, Scala Caeli, Gloria Patri, Pax Et Bonum
Keep the agreement, the stairway to heaven, glory to the father, peace and goodness
Sine Cura, Vade Mecum, Casus Belli, Lusus Naturae
Without a care, come with me, cause for war, nature's game
Dies Illa, Velut Luna, Dona Es Virtum
That day, like the moon, you give virtue
Dies Illa, Velut Luna, Dona Es Virtum
That day, like the moon, you give virtue
Contributed by Charlie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.