Amber Asylum's music is generally within the neoclassical, post-rock and dark ambient genres, and it tends towards the romantic, introspective, and brooding. Violin and cello are the dominant instruments.
Amber Asylum might sound like the polar opposite of Asunder's crushing doom and Wold's terrifying prairie black metal, but the San Francisco foursome are just as capable of establishing dark moods to rival their Profound Lore labelmates. Firmly rooted in the sedate yet experimental terrain of avant-garde chamber music and post rock, the overall effect of their distinct brand of doom and gloom is far more subversive: What starts out as breathtakingly lovely leaves us emotionally shattered an hour later.
"AmberAsylum...a filmic fusion of modern classical and post-rock...where arias and Art Songs meet in a pale field of electronic disturbance. Equally at home in the opera house or the smoky, raucous din of an underground nightclub, AmberAsylum plumbs the crevass between noise and beauty. Lyrical, confessional, dark yet aspirant, their strings, vocals, and spare percussion billow like furious mists across your consciousness. Dark as it is beautiful, spare as it is complex, its supernaturally decadent powers will overtake you in the remote reaches of your imagination. There's no escaping the Asylum. And no reason you'd want to."
Their first album, Frozen in Amber, was released in 1996.
The Great Valerio
Amber Asylum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The great Valerio is walking
The rope seems hung from cloud to cloud
And time stands still while he is walking
His eye is steady on the target
His foot is sure upon the rope
Alone and peaceful as a mountain
And certain as the mountain slope
We falter at the sight
We stumble in the mire
Fools who think they see the light
Prepare to balance on the wire
But we learn to watch together,
And feed on what we see above
'Till our hearts turn like the seasons
And we are acrobats of love
How we wonder, how we wonder
Watching far below
We would all be that great hero
The great Valerio
Come all you upstart jugglers
Are you really ready yet?
Who will help the tightrope walker
When he tumbles to the net
So come with me to see Valerio
As he dances through the air
I'm your friend until you use me
And then be sure I won't be there
How we wonder, how we wonder
Watching far below
We would all be that great hero
The great Valerio
The song “The Great Valerio” by Amber Asylum tells the story of a tightrope walker named Valerio who performs high up above the crowd. The lyrics depict the skill and precision that Valerio has as he walks the rope, with his eyes focused on the target and his feet steady, alone and peaceful in the midst of the intense pressure from the crowd. The song suggests that, despite Valerio’s seemingly reckless act, he possesses an uncanny assurance in his abilities, and that the sight of him walking above the crowds can inspire others to become acrobats of love, as their hearts turn like the seasons.
The lyrics also suggest that the act of tightrope walking is a metaphor for life itself, with its many ups and downs and constant balancing. The song urges the listener to watch and learn from Valerio as he dances through the air, and to not be discouraged by the fear of failure, but rather inspired to be as strong and confident as he is. The song concludes with the warning that one must be careful not to use others for their own gain, as the tightrope walker may fall and be in need of assistance.
Overall, “The Great Valerio” is a song that encourages the listener to have faith in their own abilities and to be inspired by those who are able to rise above the challenges of life and perform seemingly impossible feats.
Line by Line Meaning
High up above the crowd
Valerio walks on a tightrope suspended high above a group of people.
The great Valerio is walking
Valerio is the name of the tightrope walker.
The rope seems hung from cloud to cloud
The rope appears to be suspended from one cloud to another, as if Valerio is walking through the sky.
And time stands still while he is walking
The crowd is mesmerized by Valerio's performance, and it feels as though time has stopped.
His eye is steady on the target
Valerio's gaze is focused on a specific point in the distance.
His foot is sure upon the rope
Valerio's footing on the tightrope is confident and stable.
Alone and peaceful as a mountain
Valerio appears calm and isolated as he walks the tightrope.
And certain as the mountain slope
Valerio's balance on the tightrope is as sure as the stability of a mountain slope.
We falter at the sight
The crowd watching Valerio is unsure and unsteady when they see the performance.
We stumble in the mire
The crowd watching Valerio feels bogged down and uncertain.
Fools who think they see the light
Some people in the crowd foolishly believe they understand Valerio's performance.
Prepare to balance on the wire
These foolish people are getting ready to attempt the tightrope themselves.
But we learn to watch together,
The group begins to watch and appreciate Valerio's performance as a collective.
And feed on what we see above
They are inspired by Valerio and his performance, and it nourishes them.
'Till our hearts turn like the seasons
Their emotions go through cycles of change, just like the seasons do.
And we are acrobats of love
Watching Valerio has made the crowd feel more connected and empathetic, making them acrobats in the sense that they have achieved great emotional acrobatics.
How we wonder, how we wonder
The crowd is amazed and astonished by Valerio's performance.
Watching far below
The crowd is watching from a distance, looking up at Valerio on the tightrope.
We would all be that great hero
The crowd would all like to be as brave and talented as Valerio.
Come all you upstart jugglers
The singer is calling out to any wannabe entertainers in the crowd.
Are you really ready yet?
The singer is questioning whether these aspiring performers are truly prepared for the risks and rewards of their craft.
Who will help the tightrope walker
The singer is asking who will lend support to Valerio if he falls or needs assistance.
When he tumbles to the net
The 'net' here represents the safety blanket that performers rely on in case of accidents or mistakes.
So come with me to see Valerio
The singer is encouraging listeners to watch Valerio's performance in order to appreciate his bravery and skill.
As he dances through the air
Valerio's movements on the tightrope appear graceful and fluid, like a dance.
I'm your friend until you use me
The singer is suggesting that they will be supportive until someone takes advantage of them in some way.
And then be sure I won't be there
The singer is warning that they will withdraw their support if betrayed or used.
Contributed by Owen M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.