Belphegor was founded as Betrayer in 1991 by vocalist and bassist Maxx, guitarists Helmuth and Sigurd, and drummer Chris. The band released their first demo Kruzifixion in April 1991, and Unborn Blood later on. After adopting the name Belphegor in 1993, they released another demo, Bloodbath in Paradise on Maxi-CD format. At somepoint before or after the release of this demo, Maxx departed from the band, resulting in Helmuth assuming his role as both vocalist and guitarist of Belphegor since. In between 1993 and 1996 session member A-X performed bass, after which bassist Mario "Marius" Klausner joined the band as a full-time member.
The band was briefly signed to Perverted Taste Records, the label on which the demo Obscure and Deep was released in 1994. This release featured a cover of the Black Sabbath song Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. Their first album, The Last Supper, was released by Lethal Records in January 1995. At this time the band's logo was also redesigned to include two inverted crosses surrounded by blood.
Chronicles Of Crime
Belphegor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stripped down to the flesh
Youth is drained - virginity trashed
Instinct beyond the animal
Nights of endless suffering
Philosophy of sacrilege
Carnal debauch - suffocates the neophyte
CHRONICLES OF CRIME
Sacrilege beyond torment
CHRONICLES OF CRIME
Sacrilege beyond heresy
CHRONICLES OF CRIME
Torment upon torment
Stripped down to the flesh
Declarations - of impassioned vice
Instinct beyond animal
Give way to blood - drenched visions
A cycle of vicious law
Breaking trough all dimensions
CHRONICLES OF CRIME
Sacrilege beyond torment
CHRONICLES OF CRIME
Sacrilege beyond heresy
CHRONICLES OF CRIME
Convents - crushed trough desire
Blood perversion - primitive brutality
Chained upon - a wheel of fate
Blood perversion - primitive brutality
Cruelty impresses
Anal torment
Blood perversion
The lyrics of Belphegor's song chronicle an unfathomable world of debauchery and torment. The first two lines paint a picture of a brutal and cruel world, where the singer is stripped down to flesh, with youth and virginity being destroyed. The lyrics go on to depict the horror of the situation, with nights of endless suffering and philosophy of sacrilege thrown in. The carnal debauchery of this world suffocates the neophyte (a person just learning something) with their experiences of horror and brutality. The name of the song - Chronicles of Crime - aptly captures the grim world of violence and debauchery.
The second verse of the song continues the horrifying and brutal image, with declarations of impassioned vice, blood-drenched visions, and cycles of vicious laws. The Chronicles of Crime serves as a record of all these heinous crimes, and the sacrilege that goes beyond torment and heresy. The third verse sees religion being dragged into the carnage, with Convents being crushed through desire. Blood perversion and primitive brutality rule the day, as the singer is chained upon a wheel of fate. The final line sums up the brutality of the song with "Cruelty impresses, Anal torment, Blood perversion."
Line by Line Meaning
Torment upon torment
Continued pain and suffering
Stripped down to the flesh
Being stripped of all defenses
Youth is drained - virginity trashed
Violation of innocence and purity
Instinct beyond the animal
Primal behavior beyond animal instinct
Nights of endless suffering
Long periods of unceasing pain
Philosophy of sacrilege
Belief system that defies religious conventions
Carnal debauch - suffocates the neophyte
Sexual excess leading to suffocation of novices
CHRONICLES OF CRIME
Record of unlawful behavior
Sacrilege beyond torment
Defiance of religious laws beyond pain
CHRONICLES OF CRIME
Record of unlawful behavior
Sacrilege beyond heresy
Defiance of religious laws beyond sin
CHRONICLES OF CRIME
Record of unlawful behavior
Declarations - of impassioned vice
Statements of intense immoral behavior
Give way to blood - drenched visions
Mental images soaked in blood
A cycle of vicious law
A repeating pattern of brutal justice
Breaking trough all dimensions
Penetrating every aspect of reality
Convents - crushed trough desire
Nunneries destroyed by lust
Blood perversion - primitive brutality
Primitive, violent acts involving blood
Chained upon - a wheel of fate
Trapped in a cycle of destiny
Blood perversion - primitive brutality
Primitive, violent acts involving blood
Cruelty impresses
Violence leaves an impact
Anal torment
Painful suffering of the anus
Blood perversion
Act of committing violent bloodshed
Contributed by Micah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.