Arcturus was originally formed in 1987 as a death metal act, named Mortem. They released a demo tape in 1989, titled "Slow Death". The line-up consisted of Hellhammer (Jan Axel Blomberg) on drums, Sverd (Steinar Sverd Johnsen) on keyboards, and Marius Vold on bass/vocals.
In 1990, they changed their name to Arcturus, which is the name of a star, meaning Bear Guardian. "My Angel", their debut EP, was released on 8 July 1991.
In 1993 the original line-up was changed when bassist/vocalist Marius Vold was taken out of the band. Arcturus soon became labeled a black metal supergroup, consisting of Garm (Kristoffer Rygg of Ulver) on vocals, Carl August Tidemann on guitar, Skoll (Hugh Stephen James Mingay) on bass, and the two other original members, Hellhammer on drums, and Steinar Sverd Johnsen as main composer/keyboards player.
In 1995, Arcturus released "Aspera Hiems Symfonia". Acclaimed to be one of the most innovative black metal album ever, it is a mix of early 1990s Norwegian black metal, classical melodies and a refined touch of nordic coldness. The lyrics concentrate on the themes of winter and the darkness of night.
In 1997 Arcturus released the much acclaimed "La Masquerade Infernale" album. The theatrical, almost carnivalesque, style built around Sverd's keyboards was introduced by the large vocals range of Garm, becoming their trademark.
After a remix album "Disguised Masters", Arcturus offered their third major effort with "The Sham Mirrors", whose keyboards' dynamic melodies also received good reviews.
In 2004, after three full-length albums, Kristoffer Rygg left the band. He was initially replaced by Øyvind Hægeland from the band Spiral Architect. Øyvind performed live with the band, but did not appear on any recordings. In 2005 the band announced that Øyvind had moved too far away for his continued involvement to be practical and they had parted ways. In 2005 Simen Hestnæs (aka ICS Vortex of Dimmu Borgir), who had previously performed guest vocals on three Arcturus tracks ("Master of Disguise", "The Chaos Path", and "Painting My Horror") on "La Masquerade Infernale", became the new vocalist of the band.
With "Sideshow Symphonies", released in 2005, Arcturus moved towards more progressive tones and a strong lunar sound, leant on a space trip concept narrated by Simen's ethereal voice. A DVD, "Shipwrecked in Oslo" was released in June 2006.
The band split up after the successful tour of Australia in March 2007.
In early September of 2009, after being ejected from Dimmu Borgir, Simen released a statement on his blog with the following quote: "There is another meeting also planned with Arcturus members to discuss about the future of the band and a possible reunite.".
In 2011 ICS Vortex confirmed an Arcturus reunion show at ProgPower USA 2011 Festival. In addition, Vortex also said "Beloved freaks! ProgPower USA 2011 will host the first Arcturus concert in 5 years. This is our first performance in the United States, and since we're all retarded, probably the last.". The show was later cancelled due to "hibernation sickness" and "outdated parts".
Arcturus was supposed to play its first reunion show at Avant-Garde Night vol. 2 in Poland, but it was cancelled and they rescheduled show to January. They played a show September 9th, 2011 at the KICK Nattklubb & Scene in Kristiansand, Norway. When asked about it by a fan on his facebook, Vortex said "yes I can confirm once again that Arcturus is on" In an interview published by Lords of Metal webzine, ICS Vortex said Arcturus were working on a new album. The band's fifth album, Arcturian, was released in 2015.
Official Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/arcturusnorway
Official Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/arcturusnorway
The Arcturian Sign
Arcturus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Riding hard
For one too many a day
Elude at all cost
All meaning is lost
Hope dies last
My escape I forecast
And into the vast
Deep unknown
Alienated so alien I go
The plans came to me in a vision
Behold my hands
Guided by the supernatural
And the spiral it spirals
Plot the way trip away tip the scale
The stars align the fuel is fine
And we explode into oblivion
The Arcturian sign
In "The Arcturian Sign" by Arcturus, the lyrics paint a picture of a desire to escape from the confines and limitations of the current reality. The singer expresses a yearning to break free from the mundane and repetitive routine of everyday life. They seek to elude the constraints and seek meaning in the unknown.
The phrase "Hope dies last" suggests a resilience and determination to hold on to a glimmer of hope for a better future. The singer foresees their escape, metaphorically represented by going "over the rainbow and into the vast, deep unknown." They feel alienated from society and choose to embrace their uniqueness, embarking on a journey that is "alien" to the norm.
The lines "The plans came to me in a vision / Behold my hands" indicate a revelation or epiphany that guides the singer's actions. They believe in a supernatural force that is leading them towards their desired escape. The reference to the Arcturian sign signifies a celestial alignment and a sense of destiny. The chorus, "The stars align, the fuel is fine, and we explode into oblivion," represents the culmination of their journey, where they finally break free from the constraints and limitations and venture into the unknown.
Line by Line Meaning
I want out of this plane
I desire to escape from this mundane existence
Riding hard
Striving vigorously
For one too many a day
For numerous monotonous days
Elude at all cost
Avoiding by any means necessary
All meaning is lost
The sense of purpose is completely gone
Hope dies last
Optimism persists until the end
My escape I forecast
I predict my imminent getaway
Over the rainbow
Beyond what is conventionally possible
And into the vast
And into the immense expanse
Deep unknown
Profoundly unfamiliar
Alienated so alien I go
Feeling estranged, I journey as an alien
The plans came to me in a vision
I received the plans through a divine revelation
Behold my hands
Observe my hands
Guided by the supernatural
Directed by the realm beyond the natural
And the spiral it spirals
And the spiral continues its path
Plot the way trip away tip the scale
Determine the route, depart, and influence the balance
The stars align the fuel is fine
The celestial bodies arrange themselves, the energy is sufficient
And we explode into oblivion
And we burst into the realm of nothingness
The Arcturian sign
The symbol revealing the connection to Arcturus
Contributed by Joshua D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
TM26
Amethyst Leigh
I want out of this plane
Riding hard
For one too many a day
Elude at all cost
All meaning is lost
Hope dies last
My escape I forecast
Over the rainbow
And into the vast
Deep unknown
Alienated so alien I go
The plans came to me in a vision
Behold my hands
Guided by the supernatural
And the spiral it spirals
Plot the way trip away tip the scale
The stars align the fuel is fine
And we explode into oblivion
The Arcturian sign
Oleksii D
Tracklist:
1. The Arcturian Sign
2. Crashland
3. Angst
4. Warp
5. Game Over
6. Demon
7. Pale
8. The Journey
9. Archer
10. Bane
Bonustracks (only available with the book edition and the box):
1. Angst (Industrial Club Remix by Pride And Fall)
2. Archer (Sun Of The Sleepless Geisterbahn Rmx)
3. Game Over (Germ Remix)
4. Warp (Wormhole Remix by Encephalon)
5. Angst (Nailbomb Remix by Fractured)
6. Arcturian Psychedelic Sign (by MøllarN)
7. Warp (Germ Remix)
8. Pale (Necro Deathmort Remix)
Dyllanw
Anyone know the lyrics? here's my "guess"
I want out of this plane
running hard for one too many a day
And elude at all cost
or the evening is lost
?? hoped i stopped, my escape i forecast ??
Over the rainbow and into the mosque
?? A deep hole gone ??
Alienated's the way I go
?? Their passing to me innervision ??
beyond my hands scattered by the supernatural
When the spiral it spirals
let the wind trip away, tip the scale
The stars align, the fuel is fine
and we explode into oblivion
The arcturian sign!
OOOOOOOOoooooooOOOOOOOoooo
Tontsa Vee
I usually do my greatest paintings while listening to Arcturus... since the 90's. Takes me to another level, every time.
Hammer Smashed Spud
Any where I can see them?
Rekindled
Yes please! I'm too curious
Rafael Rosas
demasiado bueno, no he dejado de escucharlo en 2 semanas... que grandes que son Arcturus...
Jim Alop
Listened to this song 11 times today. Absolutely Amazing! I take back what I said earlier about the quality of the production. It's just what it needs to be. Grateful as fuc* that they came out with another album after all these years!
Rafael Carvalho
Muito foda, um dos sons mais massa que ja ouvi na vida. Hail la masquerade!!!
Metal Hammer
Over 25 years since Arcturus first appeared to wow us with their forward-thinking and ambitious experimental metal. They've returned once again after a decade break for their fifth full length track. Intricate songwriting blends with graceful transitions to create a majestically grand effort that's accentuated by flawless musicianship. Arcturian really is a must listen to album.
paolomath
Metal Hammer Official Indeed, "sort-of" intricate songwriting, graceful transitions, flawless musicianship: I agree. But where is the "forward-thinking and ambitious experimental metal" that we love Arcturus for: no trace of that left.
Corpus Callosum
paolomath let's hear some concrete, unnebulous examples of what they should be doing.
paolomath
*****
You mean I should instruct Arcturus, or anyone, on what they should be doing? That'd be strange ;-)