Inspired by the work of doom metal giants such as Candlemass and Saint Vitus, Celestial Season formed in 1991 and initially featured vocalist Stefan Ruiters, guitarists Robert Ruiters and Jeroen Haverkamp, bassist Lucas van Slegtenhorst, and drummer Jason "Bong-Ra" Kohnen. The "Promises" demo and Flowerskin EP from 1992 set the stage for their independent debut of the following year, Forever Scarlet Passion, which boasted competent if rather unadventurous pure doom metal.
The similarly slothful and depressing Solar Lovers album from 1995 would redress this issue somewhat, enriching the band's sound with the addition of full-fledged violin arrangements, courtesy of Jiska ter Bals and Maaike Aarts. Guitarist Pim van Zanen and guitarist/bassist Olly Smit had replaced Haverkamp and van Slegtenhorst for this release (which was supported by a European tour with countrymen the Gathering), but before the year was out, Celestial Season would undergo a drastic metamorphosis with the arrival of new singer Cyril Crutz and the transitional Sonic Orb EP.
Inspired by the new gospel being preached by California desert stoner rock combos such as Masters of Reality, Fu Manchu, and especially Kyuss, the group was soon stripped down to the bare-bones quartet of Crutz, van Zanen, Smit, and Kohnen for the recording of 1997's brusque creative facelift, Orange. Signifying a virtual product relaunch of Celestial Season Mark II, the album delivered a surprisingly convincing "California desert party" feel, considering it was coming from a Dutch band. But with the subsequent departure of last remaining original member Kohnen (replaced by former Kong drummer Rob Snijders), there was no denying that Celestial Season had effectively become an entirely new group. This lineup, plus new bassist Jacques de Haard, carried on for three further releases of pounding stoner rock, namely 1999's Chrome (which led to appearances at the Dynamo and Roadburn festivals), 2000's Lunchbox Dialogues, and 2001's Songs from the Second Floor EP, before calling it quits, claiming that the band's musical quest had been "fulfilled."
MEMBERS
Last line-up
* Cyril Crutz (1995 - 2001) - Vocals (also drums 1996-99)
* Rob Snijders (1999 - 2001) - Drums (see also Agua de Annique, Kong, Garcia Plays Kyuss)
* Olly Smit - (1994 - 2001) - Guitar (Bass 1994 - 95 )
* Pim Van Zanen (1994 - 2001) - Guitar
* Jacques de Haard (1999 - 2001) - Bass (see also Agua De Annique, Garcia Plays Kyuss)
Former members
* Stefan Ruiters (1991 - 95) - Vocals
* Jason Kohnen (1991 - 97) - Drums (Bass 1996 - 97) (see also Bong-Ra)
* Robert Ruiters (1991 - 96) - Guitars
* Jiska ter Bals (1994 - 95) - Violins
* Maaike Aarts (1995) - Violins
* Jeroen Haverkamp (1991 - 93) - Guitars
* Lucas van Slegtenhorst (1991 - 93) - Bass
Session musicians
* Edith Mathot - Violin on "Forever Scarlet Passion".
* Sylvester Piyel - Keyboards on "Forever Scarlet Passion".
* Atie Aarts - Cello on "Solar Lovers".
* Lex Vogelaar - Vocals on "Solar Lovers"
Discography
* Promises (Demo, 1992)
* "Flowerskin" (Single, 1993)
* Forever Scarlet Passion (1993)
* Fire in the winter/Above azure oceans (Split with Lords of the Stone, 1994)
* Promo 1994 (Demo, 1994)
* Solar Lovers (1995)
* Sonic Orb (EP, 1995)
* 3 Track Demo (Demo, 1996)
* "Black Queen is Dynamite" (Single, 1997)
* Orange (1997)
* Demo '99 (Demo, 1999)
* Chrome (1999)
* Lunchbox Dialogues (2000)
* Songs from the Second Floor (EP, 2001)
Wallaroo
Celestial Season Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
they took my heart away
into the border land, feelings so inside me
into a strangers head
Wallaroo
desert queen you are the only
desert queen you are the only
but it has been so long
I've been too long, nothing
Wallaroo
The first verse of Celestial Season's "Wallaroo" creates a vivid image of a person standing alone in the desert. As they stand there, they feel emotions starting to grow inside them. It's unclear what is causing these feelings, but they seem to be overwhelming, almost as if they are taking the person's heart away. As they move deeper into the desert, they become more disconnected from the world they knew. The phrase "into a stranger's head" suggests a detachment from their own thoughts and a sense of entering into a foreign or unknown realm.
The chorus introduces the concept of the "desert queen," who is the only one who has the power to connect the person with the stars. The desert queen is a mysterious figure who exists in a world beyond what most people can see or understand. The repetition of the phrase "it has been so long" hints at a feeling of longing or nostalgia for a time when this connection was more present in the person's life. The final line of the song, "I've been too long, nothing," seems to express a sense of resignation or defeat, as if the person has been wandering the desert for so long that they have lost touch with everything else.
Line by Line Meaning
Into the desert sand, feelings grow inside me
As I journey through the barren desert, a range of emotions stir within me
they took my heart away
Someone or something has robbed me of my ability to feel deeply
into the border land, feelings so inside me
As I approach the edge of civilization, my internal landscape becomes more complex and intense
into a strangers head
I find myself immersed in the thoughts and emotions of someone completely foreign to me
Wallaroo
The name of this place, which holds great significance for me
desert queen you are the only
With your vast expanse and otherworldly beauty, you are the most important thing to me
to connect me with the stars
You provide a gateway to the celestial realm, where I find solace and meaning
but it has been so long
However, it feels like ages since I last connected with the higher planes
I've been too long, nothing
I have been away from this sacred space for too long, and as a result, I feel empty and disconnected
Contributed by Jake V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
StationDead96
it's incredible how a song like this can mean so much
malverde
«Into the desert sand, feelings grow inside me
They took my heart away, they took my heart away
Into the border land, feelings so inside me
Into a strangers head, into a strangers head
Wallaroo, yeah
Desert queen you are the only
To connect me with the stars
Desert queen you are the only
But it has been so long
I've been too long, nothing
Wallaroo, yeah»
Filip Stadler
I fucking love this shit!