Studio albums
Black Earth (1996)
Stigmata (1998)
Burning Bridges (1999)
Wages of Sin (2001)
Anthems of Rebellion (2003)
Doomsday Machine (2005)
Rise of the Tyrant (2007)
Khaos Legions (2011)
War Eternal (2014)
Will to Power (2017)
Deceivers (2022)
Avalanche
Arch Enemy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A bullet of betrayal in my brain
No progress comes from pleasure
We smile in ignorance and learn in pain
Willful deceit was your plan
Desperately avoid the blame
Who will you answer to now?
Just to dig your grave
Stand up because the ground is in your way
I won't give you any piece
Yet still you talk
Try to fight but I will watch you fall
Fall
This is sweet revenge
And karma's a bitch
You glutton for punishment
What did you expect?
Sick, sick, sick
I'm sick of being your martyr
Your inglated ego is just dead weight
Bask in all the eyes upon you
Before you know it
The'll have turned away
Stand up as the whole world turns away
I won't give you any peace
Yet still you talk
Try to fight but I will watch you fall
Fall
This is sweet revenge
And karma's a bitch
You glutton for punishment
What did you expect?
Wait and see
Cry yourself a lonesome creek
Your decaying corpse
Can feed the roots
Of my towering free
Just wait and see
You're dead to me
Yet still you speak
Trying to justify what you're doing to me
I will watch you fall
Fall
This is sweet revenge
And karma's a bitch
You glutton for punishment
What did you
What did you expect?
In "Avalanche," Arch Enemy sings about standing up to a manipulative, deceitful person and seeking revenge against them. The singer has been betrayed and wronged, taking hold of fear and betrayal as weapons. They have no interest in finding pleasure out of this, as they've learned that pain is what leads to progress. The guilty party's plan was to deceive and avoid blame, but now they have to answer to the singer. They've dug their own grave and must face the consequences.
The lyrics seem to emphasize that the guilty party had it coming, and their punishment is inescapable. The chorus repeats the lines "this is sweet revenge" and "karma's a bitch," underscoring this point. The singer refuses to give any peace to this person, continuing to watch them fall. In the end, the song suggests that this person is ultimately dead to the singer, and they can feed the roots of the singer's freedom.
The song is a powerful warning to anyone who would think to wrong the singer, that they will face a painful and just retribution. The lyrics also give a nod to the idea that personal growth often comes from experiencing pain, rather than seeking pleasure.
Line by Line Meaning
A fistful of fear in my hands
I am filled with fear and anxiety that I am holding on to tightly.
A bullet of betrayal in my brain
I feel deeply wronged and hurt by someone's betrayal and it is constantly on my mind.
No progress comes from pleasure
I understand that true progress and growth require hard work and sacrifice, not just momentary pleasure.
We smile in ignorance and learn in pain
We often don't realize our mistakes or flaws until we feel the pain of their consequences, which can be a painful but necessary learning experience.
Willful deceit was your plan
You intentionally deceived and misled me, which was a calculated plan on your part.
Desperately avoid the blame
You are trying to shift the blame and responsibility onto someone else to avoid facing the consequences of your actions.
Who will you answer to now?
You must face the consequences of your actions and be accountable for what you have done.
Sharpened your shovels just to dig your grave
Your actions are leading you towards your own downfall and you are actively contributing to your own destruction.
Stand up because the ground is in your way
You must stand up and face the challenges that are blocking your path to growth and success.
I won't give you any peace
I refuse to allow you to continue causing harm or tormenting me.
Yet still you talk
Despite your wrongdoings, you continue to justify your actions and make excuses for yourself.
Try to fight but I will watch you fall
You may try to resist the consequences of your actions, but I will be there to watch you fail and fall.
This is sweet revenge
I am getting satisfaction from seeing you face the consequences of your actions and experiencing your downfall.
And karma's a bitch
You are experiencing the negative consequences of your previous actions, which is a result of karma coming back around to you.
You glutton for punishment
You are someone who continually seeks out and invites punishment or negative consequences for their actions or behavior.
What did you expect?
You should have known that your negative actions or behavior would come back to haunt you in some way.
Wait and see
You will experience the full consequences of your actions in due time.
Cry yourself a lonesome creek
You will be left to face the consequences of your actions alone, with no one to support or console you.
Your decaying corpse can feed the roots of my towering free
Your downfall and failure will serve as a lesson for me to learn from and grow stronger from.
Just wait and see
The full consequences of your actions will become clear to you in time.
You're dead to me
I am done with you and your negative behavior or actions have caused permanent damage to our relationship or interaction.
Yet still you speak, trying to justify what you're doing to me
Even though you have caused harm or wronged me, you are still trying to explain away or justify your actions.
I will watch you fall, fall
I will be there to witness and take satisfaction in your downfall and failure.
What did you expect?
You should have known that there would be consequences to your negative actions or behavior.
Lyrics ยฉ Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Alissa White-Gluz, Daniel Erlandsson, Michael Amott, Nicholas Cordle
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@madmusic341
"Your decaying corpse can feed the roots of my towering tree" might be the most savage line I've ever heard.
@cesarcinilia8373
What does it mean?
@mikeh6286
"Your decaying corpse can feed the roots of my towering tree" Love the vocals here. Corpsegrinder! ๐ค๐ค๐ค๐ค๐ค๐ค
@chrischris_lbr5889
Indeed ! The BEST part of the lyrics in the whole song ! Puts a big smile on my face everytime I hear her sing this sentence
@immaculatemisconception24
The drumming and the riff is just mind blowing! This song is amazing in every single way, Alissa White-Gluz is very talented and her growls are excellent!
@ivankovachev8835
I'd say the leads and the vocals are the strong part of this song, the rhythm riffs and drums are there to compliment those two, but on their own, they aren't special since that's not their purpose. It's standard thrash/death metal.
@harveydjent_
Whoever had any doubts of Arch Enemy getting any more melodic needs to hear this. I especially love the symphonic elements.
@thecarelesssloth9590
DethMetLKhaos agreed
@godfather7174
fucking beast
@konosmar8719
Then you should listen to "Time is black"