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.
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Long Way
Balzac Lyrics
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Feel fear and anxiety
Always gazing on
Feel beauty and longing
How many times, how many times,
Is the mountain of idol hide away?
How many times, how many times,
Long way, long way!
Before it shut from the light
Long way, long way!
Before the day goes over the night (x2)
How many times, how many times,
Is the mountain of idol hide away?
How many times, how many times,
Is the sea of idol wash away?
Long way, long way!
Before it shut from the light
Long way, long way!
Before the day goes over the night (x2)
The lyrics of Balzac's song "Long Way" are both reflective and introspective, offering a contemplative look at the emotions that arise from one's experiences of fear, anxiety, beauty, and longing. The song is characterized by a repetitive structure that emphasizes the cyclical nature of these emotions, with the singer constantly "gazing on" and questioning the transience of their positive and negative experiences. The refrain "Long way, long way!" further emphasizes the distance they must travel in order to reach a state of equanimity.
The use of the phrases "mountain of idol" and "sea of idol" adds a mythical and symbolic dimension to the song. The "idol" here may refer to an object of worship or desire, or an idealized version of oneself. The repetition of the question "how many times" suggests a certain weariness or resignation, as if the singer is no longer surprised by the fleeting nature of these experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
Always gazing on
Constantly observing and examining
Feel fear and anxiety
Experiencing emotions of apprehension and unease
Feel beauty and longing
Experiencing emotions of admiration and desire
How many times, how many times, Is the mountain of idol hide away?
How often does the obstacle of idolization obstruct one's path?
How many times, how many times, Is the sea of idol wash away?
How frequently do the waves of idolization fade away?
Long way, long way! Before it shut from the light
There is a significant journey to be undertaken before the opportunity is lost
Long way, long way! Before the day goes over the night
There is a significant journey to be undertaken before time runs out
How many times, how many times, Is the mountain of idol hide away?
How often does the obstacle of idolization obstruct one's path?
How many times, how many times, Is the sea of idol wash away?
How frequently do the waves of idolization fade away?
Long way, long way! Before it shut from the light
There is a significant journey to be undertaken before the opportunity is lost
Long way, long way! Before the day goes over the night
There is a significant journey to be undertaken before time runs out
Contributed by Gianna P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.