From the beginning, Balzac was highly influenced by the sound and image of the famous horror punk band The Misfits and, especially during the very early years, Glenn Danzig's Samhain, adopting and combining the musical and visual style of both bands to create their own. To this day, they are considered by many to be the Japanese counterpart to The Misfits. Recently the band has put on a work consisting on a new sound created by them along Takeshi Ueda of The Mad Capsule Markets fame. This new sound was called "new digital horrorpunk sound" or just "digital horrorpunk" for short. It used elements of Balzac's classic sound plus an strong influence of digital hardcore, already found on a lesser degree on previous works.
The band often stays away from the "campy" horror lyrics and image found in most horror punk bands, as the lyrics by Hirosuke tend to be more like dark poetry and, though not always serious, deal with themes of darkness, loneliness and fear.
The band has gained a certain amount of recognition and exposure outside of their native country, where they are well known. Currently they have five official clothing brands (Shocker!!!, Dementia 13, Culture, XXXxxx and Balzac) with one store in Japan and one in Germany. They also have their own official record label called Evilegend 13 Records on which they have released EPs, singles and videos. Balzac is also well known for its toy releases, some created by the companies T.W.I.M. and SECRET BASE, its extensive discography with multiple singles, compilations, albums, EPs and musical side-projects such as Zodiac and The Deranged Mad Zombies.
The current lineup of the band consists of Hirosuke Nishiyama (vocals), Atsushi Nakagawa (guitar/chorus), Akio Imai (bass/chorus), and Takayuki Manabe (drums/digital effects/chorus). Musically the band has drawn from punk, pop and digital hardcore across their various releases.
Complete article in: Wikipedia - Balzac Article
Distraction
Balzac Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tightens around our actuality
From illusion that knows no hesitation
Leads to a loss of all memory
Pushed to god-like limits
Destruction and regeneration reverebate
Even if you escape it's path
Left in it's current state
It makes me sick
Recklessly, entrusting the dark
Liberal desilusions, Paranoia
Distraction
Balzac's lyrics "Distraction" paints a vivid picture of the consequences of getting sidetracked from reality. The line "A stabbing sensation tightens around our actuality" expresses how losing sight of reality can lead to pain and discomfort. The illusion that distracts us from what is real is tempting, but it comes at a great cost - "Leads to a loss of all memory."
The stanza "Pushed to god-like limits, Destruction and regeneration reverberate" refers to the idea that when we are distracted, we can spiral out of control. We are capable of causing destruction and chaos, but we are also capable of healing and regeneration. However, these qualities can become extreme and god-like, leading us further away from reality. Even if we manage to escape the path of destruction, the line "An eternal night overcomes" suggests that the damage has already been done.
The chorus of the song brings together these ideas of distraction and its consequences. "Left in its current state, it makes me sick" depicts the sickening feeling that comes with living in a state of constant distraction. "Recklessly entrusting the dark, liberal delusions, Paranoia" elaborates on the ideas of recklessness and paranoia that can arise from being too distracted to face reality. The idea of entrusting the dark suggests that we are willing to take risks even when we know they are dangerous.
Overall, Balzac's "Distraction" highlights the dangers of distraction and the importance of staying grounded in reality.
Line by Line Meaning
A stabbing sensation
A feeling of intense pain or discomfort
Tightens around our actuality
It grips our reality and makes it harder to escape or ignore
From illusion that knows no hesitation
The source is an illusion that has no hesitation in making us feel this way
Leads to a loss of all memory
The result is a complete loss of memory
Pushed to god-like limits
Taken to the extreme point of our abilities
Destruction and regeneration reverebate
The cycle of destruction and regeneration repeats itself
Even if you escape it's path
Even if we manage to avoid falling into its trap
An eternal night overcomes
An endless cycle of darkness falls upon us
Left in it's current state
When it's left as it is in its current condition
It makes me sick
It brings a feeling of disgust or sickness
Recklessly, entrusting the dark
Foolishly putting our trust in darkness or negativity
Liberal desilusions, Paranoia
Ideas or beliefs that are loosely defined and unfounded, leading to a state of paranoia
Distraction
All these elements come together to create a sense of distraction or chaos
Contributed by Keira E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.