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.
Still Alive
Alkemyst Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You might find it beyond...
"No one's beyond, we killed our gods"
So the answer is lost...
What are we here for?
Hoping for a piece of paradise
Praying...kneeling...
To open our eyes!
Free our mind
And scream!
Look!
We're living like dogs
We crawl, our values were sold
Slavery : that the price we're gonna pay
Our power...wasted
"For the time has come"
To build a new world,
Free our mind
And scream!
As I know the truth, I won't be saved
Then I won't be damned
I'm my own master I'll never accept to surrender
In the depths of my head
Always proud,
A voice is still screaming
I'm still alive
The opening lines of Alkemyst's song Still Alive are a plea for answers. The singer is seeking answers to the existential questions of life - what are we here for and what is the point of it all? However, the answer they receive is that there is no answer. The line "No one's beyond, we killed our gods" suggests that humans used to look to a higher power for answers but have destroyed that option. The implication is that we are alone in the universe and must forge our own way.
The verse continues with a call to action. The singer is dissatisfied with the way humans are living - like dogs, crawling and selling their values for a bit of comfort. They are slaves to their circumstances and must pay the price for their complacency. The time has come, they declare, to open our eyes and free our minds. The chorus repeats this message, demanding that we scream out for change.
The final verse is a declaration of defiance. Although the singer has not found answers to their questions, they refuse to be defeated or give up. They know the truth that there are no easy answers or divine intervention, but they will not be saved or damned - they will make their own fate. They are their own master and will never surrender. The song ends with the powerful refrain, "I'm still alive," suggesting that even in the face of uncertainty and hardship, the will to survive and fight on is what matters most.
Line by Line Meaning
Hear us call, need an answer now !
We are seeking immediate guidance and require assistance.
You might find it beyond...
The solution lies in a realm outside of our current comprehension.
"No one's beyond, we killed our gods"
We have destroyed any potential for divine intervention or guidance.
So the answer is lost...
Due to our rejection of external help, we are lost and without direction.
What are we here for?
Our purpose and reason for existence are unclear and undefined.
Hoping for a piece of paradise
We desire a utopian existence free from suffering and strife.
Praying...kneeling...
We are humbling ourselves before a higher power in the hope of receiving aid and guidance.
"For the time has come"
The current moment is crucial and calls for immediate action.
To open our eyes!
We must awaken ourselves to the reality of our situation.
Free our mind
We must liberate our thoughts from the constraints of societal norms and expectations.
And scream!
We must vocalize our frustrations and demand change.
Look!
Take notice and observe the reality of our situation.
We're living like dogs
Our existence is one of subservience and inferiority.
We crawl, our values were sold
We have sacrificed our principles and beliefs for the sake of material gain.
Slavery : that the price we're gonna pay
Our actions have led us to a state of bondage and subjugation.
Our power...wasted
Our collective strength and influence have been squandered through inaction and complacency.
"For the time has come"
The current moment is crucial and calls for immediate action.
To build a new world,
We must construct a better and more just reality than the one we currently inhabit.
As I know the truth, I won't be saved
Even with awareness of the situation, personal salvation is unlikely or impossible.
Then I won't be damned
Nor will I be punished for my lack of salvation.
I'm my own master I'll never accept to surrender
I am in control of my own destiny and refuse to give up my autonomy.
In the depths of my head
Deep within my mind and being.
Always proud,
Maintaining a sense of self-worth and dignity.
A voice is still screaming
Despite the chaos and turmoil, a voice within calls for change and progress.
I'm still alive
I am present and actively pursuing change despite the difficulties and obstacles.
Contributed by Hannah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Arnaud M.
Thanks for all the nice comments. Check up the new songs : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODQpCxwGh-A