Apocalyptica is a band from Helsinki, Finland consisting of three classical… Read Full Bio ↴Apocalyptica is a band from Helsinki, Finland consisting of three classically-trained cellists and a drummer. Their speciality is heavy metal music on cellos, though they also play classical music.

They started in 1993 by playing covers of Metallica, but once the concept became popular they wrote their own original works, maintaining the thrash metal influences on their albums Inquisition Symphony (mainly covers as well) and Cult. Since Reflections they have added drums to their recordings and live performances.

Members:
Eicca Toppinen - Cello
Perttu Kivilaakso - Cello
Paavo Lötjönen - Cello
Mikko Sirén - Drums

Former members:
Sami Kuoppamäki - Session Drums
Perttu Kivilaakso - Cello (1995)
Antero Manninen – Cello (1996–1999, usually plays live)
Max Lilja – Cello (1996–2002, when he joined Hevein)
Dave Lombardo - Drums [session member] (2003-2004, from the band Slayer. Also contributed drums on the songs Betrayal/Forgiveness, Last Hope and 2010 from 7th Symphony)

Sanitarium
Apocalyptica Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Welcome to where time stands still
No one leaves and no one will
Moon is full, never seems to change
Just labeled mentally deranged

Dream the same thing every night
I see our freedom in my sight
No locked doors, no windows barred

No things to make my brain seem scarred

Sleep my friend and you will see
That dream is my reality
They keep me locked up in this cage
Can't they see it's why my brain says Rage

Sanitarium, leave me be
Sanitarium, just leave me alone

Build my fear of what's out there
And cannot breathe the open air
Whisper things into my brain
Assuring me that I'm insane

They think our heads are in their hands
But violent use brings violent plans
Keep him tied, it makes him well
He's getting better, can't you tell?

No more can they keep us in
Listen, damn it, we will win
They see it right, they see it well
But they think this saves us from our hell

Sanitarium, leave me be
Sanitarium, just leave me alone
Sanitarium, just leave me alone

Fear of living on natives getting
Restless now, mutiny in the air
Got some death to do

Mirror stares back hard

Kill, it's such a friendly word
Seems the only way for reaching out again

Overall Meaning

The song "Welcome Home" by Apocalyptica presents a narrative of someone trapped in a mental institution, where they feel trapped and unable to escape. The singer of the song describes this place as one in which "time stands still," and "no one leaves and no one will." The moon is always full, representing a lack of change or progress. The singer dreams of freedom, where "there are no locked doors, no windows barred, no things to make my brain seem scarred," painting a bleak picture of their current reality. The singer feels as though they are being held captive and that their captors don't understand that it's the captivity causing their rage.

The lyrics describe the institution as a "sanitarium," a term used in the past for institutions that housed individuals with mental health conditions. This terminology adds an element of historical context to the song. The singer's portrayal of the institute as a place that is holding them back from happiness and sanity is reminiscent of the negative effects that such institutions could have on people.

Throughout the song, there is a sense of rebellion and a desire to escape. The singer believes that their freedom is within reach, and they will "listen, damn it, we will win." The lyrics describe the anger and frustration that come with being held against one's will in such an environment. The final lines, "Fear of living on natives getting restless now, mutiny in the air, got some death to do. Mirror stares back hard, kill, it's such a friendly word, seems the only way for reaching out again," suggest that the singer may need to resort to violent means to escape their situation.

Overall, "Welcome Home" is a dark, intense song about the struggle of being trapped in an institution meant to care for you. It illustrates the frustrations and sense of confinement that individuals with mental health conditions can feel when they are not given the freedom to live their lives on their terms.

Line by Line Meaning

Welcome to where time stands still
This is a place where time doesn't change, where everything is static and nothing moves forward.

No one leaves and no one will
Nobody is free to leave this place, they are all trapped within it.

Moon is full, never seems to change
The moon is constantly full, which suggests that nothing changes and everything is the same.

Just labeled mentally deranged
The people in this place have been labeled as mentally deranged because of their inability to conform to society's expectations.

Dream the same thing every night
The artist dreams every night of their freedom, and it consumes their thoughts and desires.

I see our freedom in my sight
Freedom is within reach, and the singer can see it clearly in their mind.

No locked doors, no windows barred
In their dreams, the singer sees a world without limitations or restrictions.

No things to make my brain seem scarred
Without the stresses and constraints of society, the artist's mind is free from trauma or harm.

Sleep my friend and you will see
If you sleep, you too can dream of this freedom and the possibilities it holds.

That dream is my reality
The artist sees their dreams as reality, a world they hope to one day create.

They keep me locked up in this cage
The world around them has confined them to a restricted and confined space.

Can't they see it's why my brain says Rage
The frustration and anger they feel is a direct result of their inability to live their lives the way they want.

Sanitarium, leave me be
The singer is begging to be left alone and to be allowed to live their life on their terms.

Sanitarium, just leave me alone
The singer is pleading to be able to live outside of the confines of society's expectations and restrictions.

Build my fear of what's out there
The world outside of their confinement has been painted as something to be feared and avoided.

And cannot breathe the open air
The artist is unable to experience the beauty of the world outside, and is confined to the stale air of their cage.

Whisper things into my brain
The world outside is constantly seeping in, trying to convince them that they are crazy for wanting to leave their confinement.

Assuring me that I'm insane
The whispers make the singer question their own sanity and desires.

They think our heads are in their hands
The outside world thinks they have control over the minds of those inside the sanitarium, but they don't understand that the minds inside are strong and persistent.

But violent use brings violent plans
If the confinement continues, those inside will eventually push back in order to gain their freedom.

Keep him tied, it makes him well
The sanitarium believes that keeping the patients confined and restricted is the best way to treat their ailments.

He's getting better, can't you tell?
The sanitarium believes that their methods are working, when in fact they are only causing more harm and resentment.

No more can they keep us in
The time has come for the patients to take control of their own lives and demand their freedom.

Listen, damn it, we will win
The patients are determined to succeed and will not be silenced or deterred.

They see it right, they see it well
The patients can see the world outside and know what they want and need in order to be happy and fulfilled.

But they think this saves us from our hell
The sanitarium believes they are doing right by their patients, when in fact they are only causing more pain and misery.

Fear of living on natives getting
The people in the sanitarium are afraid of the world outside and the unknown dangers that lie in wait.

Restless now, mutiny in the air
There is a growing sense of unrest and rebellion within the sanitarium.

Got some death to do
The rebellion will bring about violent and deadly consequences.

Mirror stares back hard
The singer looks at themselves in the mirror, but the reflection is unrecognizable and distorted.

Kill, it's such a friendly word
The idea of violence and rebellion has become normalized, and violence is now seen as a friendly act.

Seems the only way for reaching out again
Violence and rebellion appear to be the only way to break free from the confines of the sanitarium and re-enter the outside world.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: James Alan Hetfield, Kirk L. Hammett, Lars Ulrich

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS