History: Formation and EPs
In 2011, half-brothers Zack Anderson (bass) and Cory Berry (drums), formerly of Radio Moscow, were in Iowa and met singer Elin Larsson, who was staying in California. Together they recorded two demo tracks and published them on YouTube, after which label "Crusher Records" offered them a deal. The band toured to Spain and France, where they met 16-year-old guitarist Dorian Sorriaux, whom they invited to Örebro and made a member of the band. The name of the band came from their friend, Jens Heide, who had a music blog called BluesPillz with obscure 60s and 70s underground music.
In May 2012 they released an EP called "Bliss", followed by the "Black Smoke" single in July. The band toured extensively during 2013 with appearances in Berlin's "Desertfest" in April, in Bad Kötzting's "Void Fest" and Geel's "Yellowstock Festival" in August, in Bonn's "Crossroads Festival" in October and Melbourne's "Cherry Rock Festival" in November 2013.
In July 2013, Blues Pills signed a contract with the "Nuclear Blast" label and released their "Devil Man" EP in October. Their appearance at the "Crossroads Festival" was recorded and released in the form of the "Live at Rockpalast" EP in March 2014.
The debut album
In July 2014 they released their first album, Blues Pills, the special edition of which included a DVD of their appearance in the "Hammer of Doom" festival from the year before. Shortly after the release of the first album, Cory Berry was replaced with new drummer André Kvarnström.
In the summer of 2014 they appeared in the "Sweden Rock Festival", in Gelsenkirchen's "Rock Hard Festival" in June and in the famous Montreux Jazz Festival in July 2014.
The album became successful in Europe, climbing to No. 4 in Germany and No. 10 in Switzerland, while it also reached British charts at No. 68.
2016–present: Lady in Gold
During the end of 2015 and the start of 2016, the band started writing and recorded for their second album. On 22 April, 2016, Blues Pills announced that Lady in Gold will be released on August 5, 2016 through Nuclear Blast Records with a ten track set-list.
In 2016, Blues Pills will tour with Kadavar, play festivals in the summer in North America and Europe followed by a UK tour in November.
Studio albums
Blues Pills (2014)
Lady in Gold (2016)
Black Smoke
Blues Pills Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Death came up with his black robe on and took all the sinners to hell
Is there nothing left to see, have we ever been
Is this all a dream, or a haunting in my sleep
Sixteen demons haunt me in my sleep
Never leaving a moment of peace
Just keep wondering and drifting alone in this life till I'm dying
All of the forests were burning and black smoke was rising up through the air
God came down with his white beard long and damned all the sinners who dared
Thousand thoughts going through my mind
Dreams I once had I left behind
Got an angel knocking at my door
Accept and let go
I wave goodbye to my soul
The lyrics to Blues Pills' song Black Smoke are incredibly powerful and evoke a sense of despair and hopelessness. The first verse refers to a catastrophic event where gallons of water are flowing, causing people to float up into the air. Death is personified as wearing a black robe and takes all the sinners to hell. This creates a bleak image of death and damnation, where there seems to be no escape from the consequences of one's actions. The second verse is a reflection on life and its purpose. The singer questions whether there is anything left to see, or if life is just a dream or a haunting in their sleep. This reflects the sense of confusion and apathy that exists in many people's lives, where they feel lost and unsure of their place in the world.
The chorus introduces the idea of demons haunting the singer's sleep. Sixteen demons, to be precise, which never leave a moment of peace. The demons are symbolic of the singer's internal struggles and the battles that they face every day. The demons prevent the singer from discovering their true self or their purpose in life. The phrase "just keep wondering and drifting alone in this life till I'm dying" further reinforces the sense of despair and hopelessness that exists in the singer's life.
The third verse introduces a new catastrophic event, where all the forests are burning and black smoke is rising up through the air. God is personified as coming down with his white beard and damning all the sinners who dared. This creates a sense of judgment and condemnation, where there seems to be no escape from one's fate. The final verse is a reflection on the singer's life and the choices they have made. They have left behind the dreams they once had and are now faced with an angel knocking at their door. The singer must accept their fate and let go of their old life, waving goodbye to their soul.
Overall, the lyrics to Black Smoke are incredibly powerful, creating a sense of despair and hopelessness. The lyrics are filled with symbolism and personification, creating a bleak and haunting image of life and its many struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
Gallons of water was flowing and people were floating up to the air,
The world is in chaos and people are struggling to survive
Death came up with his black robe on and took all the sinners to hell
Those who have lived a life of sin are being punished
Is there nothing left to see, have we ever been
Are we truly alive or is this simply an illusion?
Is this all a dream, or a haunting in my sleep
Is this reality or just a nightmare?
Sixteen demons haunt me in my sleep
The artist is tormented by their inner demons
Never leaving a moment of peace
The inner demons are always present and causing turmoil
Sixteen reasons I'll never know who I am
The singer feels lost and confused about their identity
Just keep wondering and drifting alone in this life till I'm dying
The artist feels aimless and directionless in their life journey
All of the forests were burning and black smoke was rising up through the air
The world is being destroyed by the sins and mistakes of humanity
God came down with his white beard long and damned all the sinners who dared
God has arrived to punish those who have been living a life of sin
Thousand thoughts going through my mind
The singer is overwhelmed with thoughts and emotions
Dreams I once had I left behind
The artist has given up on their dreams
Got an angel knocking at my door
Hope has arrived in the form of an angel
Accept and let go
The singer needs to let go of their past and accept their present
I wave goodbye to my soul
The singer is ready to start anew and leave their old self behind
Contributed by Brooklyn V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Whisker89
Just discovered Blues Pills.
My mission for today: check every song, thumbs up everything because they're so goooood.
Kerem
They are out of this world, such a find!
Jessica Bedolla
Oh my! That guitar and that voice together are like a BOOM! Cheers from Mexico (:
Fokker TISM
The spirit of the 70s is still alive!
The Fox Mind
oh yes Man and that's stunning
Frater Trismegistos
Muito bom o som dessa banda! bem ao estilo setentista.
Frater Trismegistos
@Patrick Oliveira lembra Led mesmo! as vezes lembra de longe purple também.Conhece Rival Sons? se não, procura aí!
Br é nóis! aushaushsu
Patrick Oliveira
@Raphael Santos o som deles me lembram muito led zepplin, Brasil é nóis huaheuahuehuahue
Jake Mcaulay
Blue Pills and Blood Ceremony are really leading the way on amazing female vocalists in rock
Soeren H
Try checking out Don't (us)
Check this song. - you keep cutting through.