Born in the middle 90’s, in the middle of the French Alps, Alkemyst worked hard to improve and get their melodic speed metal tinged with progressive rock influences to maturity.
After two demos noticed by professionnals in 1998 and 1999, the band eventually attracted labels and metalheads' attention with their first album, « Meeting in the Mist ». Alkemyst inked a deal with the german giant label Nuclear Blast, and through this unexpected exposure and worldwide distribution, the band rose from darkness and became known to a larger audience.
The band has been composed of a steady and unchanged line-up since 2000: Séverin Bonneville & Arnaud Ménard have played the guitar since the beginning, together with Arnaud Gorbaty on the drums (also playing for a few months with Eternal flight) and Denis Mellion (bass and Chapman stick). The last man to be a part of the adventure, the singer Ramon Messina is also known for his vocal work with the talented Italian band Secret Sphere.
Alkemyst’s music can be defined as melodic power metal, written and performed with the will to sound sophisticated as well as powerful and catchy. With « Meeting in the Mist », the band began to create their own musical universe.
With their new album, « Through Painful Lanes », Alkemyst try to carry the experience further. As an outcome of a three-year labour period dedicated to a deep love of music-making mixed with a flawless will to achieve a real work of art, « Through Painful Lanes » offers a sincere, refined and personal work as well as respectful of major heavy metal influences, as shown by the cover of a Helloween hit, « Eagle Fly Free ».
At last this way of working attracted the attention and trust from several labels worlwide. As a consequence, the album has been released in Japan and Asia by Spiritual Beast records, in North America by Nightmare Records, in Russia and Eastern Europe by Irond records.
Produced by the band on their own, « Through Painful Lanes » enjoyed a luxurious mixing at the Taurus Studio in Geneva, Switzerland (Sybreed, Etna, Rated X …) and was mastered at Finnvox Studios, Helsinki, Finland, by Mika Jussila.
Passage
Alkemyst Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fire burns inside my empty soul
Pain is all that remains
Now I think
Once I was younger and stronger
The skies are open wide
I feel I get weaker
I reach the end of my life
Hear! There are voices beyond
(I'm deaf and those voices are silent)
I'll fight and survive!
Standing with pride
I'll look at your eyes
I'm not an easy prey
Every night, I can feel your presence in the darkest light
A shade in my mind
A shade on my mind
The skies are open wide
I reach the end of my life
Brave and proud I'm waiting for you
My thoughts are heading for your call
Will you miss the place the hours?
(to) Guide me through this passage unknown?
The skies are open wide
I feel I get weaker
The skies are open wide
I reach the end of my life
Brave and proud I'm waiting for you
My thoughts are heading for your call
Will you miss the place the hours?
(to) Guide me through this passage unknown?
The lyrics to Alkemyst’s song “Passage” are about waiting in silence, feeling empty, and feeling pain. The singer reflects on their past, thinking about when they were young and strong. They feel weak now, as if they are reaching the end of their life. They can hear voices beyond their own, but they cannot understand them, feeling deaf to the world around them. Despite this, they vow to fight and survive, standing tall and looking their opponent in the eye. They feel a shade in their mind, perhaps a darkness or depression that follows them wherever they go. They continue to wait for someone to guide them through the unknown passage they are facing.
The overall theme of the song seems to be about the struggle of facing challenges and the hope of finding guidance through them. The singer is feeling lost and alone, but they refuse to give up, seeking strength and courage to face their fears. The reference to the passage could be a metaphor for life, indicating that the singer is facing a new phase and hoping for guidance in navigating it.
Line by Line Meaning
I wait in silence...
I wait in a state of peace and stillness...
Fire burns inside my empty soul
Despite appearing empty, I am consumed with intense passion...
Pain is all that remains
My existence feels plagued by constant agony...
Now I think
Reflecting on my past, I realize...
Once I was younger and stronger
In the past, I possessed youth and vitality that I no longer have...
The skies are open wide
The universe presents endless possibilities...
I feel I get weaker
As I age, my strength weakens and my vulnerability increases...
I reach the end of my life
My life is approaching its final phase, either physically or metaphorically...
Hear! There are voices beyond
Despite my inability to hear them now, there are voices calling out to me...
(I'm deaf and those voices are silent)
Though the voices may not be audible, they still exist for me...
I'll fight and survive!
I have the willpower to endure and overcome any challenge...
Standing with pride
I hold myself with dignity and self-respect...
I'll look at your eyes
I'll see you for who you truly are...
I'm not an easy prey
I am resilient and difficult to defeat...
Every night, I can feel your presence in the darkest light
I sense your essence even in the depths of darkness and despair...
A shade in my mind
There is a dark aspect of my psyche...
A shade on my mind
This darkness seems to envelop my entire being...
Brave and proud I'm waiting for you
I display bravery and confidence as I await your arrival...
My thoughts are heading for your call
My mind is focused and directed towards your beckoning...
Will you miss the place the hours?
Are you longing for the passage of time to end, or do you cherish the time we spend together...?
(to) Guide me through this passage unknown?
Can you lead me through the uncertain and mysterious path that lies before me...?
Contributed by Oliver W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.