With members hailing from various regions of the country, the quartet permanently relocated to Ohio and began playing small shows and building a devoted following. After being tapped to support bands like Soilwork and Helmet, the group garnered local attention in 2008, but the outfit experienced an unexpected hiatus following a facial injury suffered by Jividen, which left him unable to sing for several months. Upon Jividen’s recovery, CETERUM independently released the EP Proportions a year later – a collaboration with multi-platinum, award winning producer Michael Seifert (Dave Matthews Band, Tori Amos). The track “Insolence.Recoil” has since received significant regional airplay reaching all the way to Knoxville, Tennessee, as well as being featured on WJCU’s Metal on Metal program to enthusiastic feedback.
After the release of Proportions, the band continued to write and sonically mature, as guitarist Matt McFarland expanded the lineup to a five-piece. Armed with an arsenal of diverse material after having solidified their own style of dynamic, heavy rock, CETERUM's debut full-length album is slated for a winter release.
Sidewinders
Ceterum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dive on in if you really feel it will revive
If you feel you'll survive
You should never close your eyes, even if it appears alright
The current has a way of shedding light
Purest eyes lost your innocence to
These starving serpents that squeeze so tight
You will find their sick dark rants
Hissing absurdities in my eyes;
Slither out from the filthy hole where you hide
You should save yourself, you're no higher send your fire down
Swell to induce us all to have your way, difficult not to feel disdain
The way you move the way to draw them down and in this treachery
Sickens me to the bitter end
Spit your lunacy in my eyes;
Slither out from the filthy hole where you hide
You should save yourself,
Passed off as higher almighty in your hooded shroud
Swell to induce us all to have your
Way, posturing; intent to render fear
Unwavering ability to draw them in, hypnotize
Difficult to not watch you drown
You should get out while you're alive
P absurdities in my eyes;
Slither back to the filthy hole where you hide
Sacrifice yourself, sell your fire;
Send your fire down now blossoming intent to fuel despair
The way you move the way to draw them down and in this treachery
Sickens me till your bitter end
The lyrics of Ceterum's song Sidewinders explores the theme of temptation and deceit, using the metaphor of water snakes to convey its message. The song warns against the allure of temptation, represented by the snakes, and encourages listeners to resist falling for its promises of pleasure and fulfillment. The opening lines, "Waist deep into the water, so convinced it's alright; Dive on in if you really feel it will revive" suggest a sense of confidence and excitement in facing the unknown, but the following lines caution against blindly following one's desires, which could lead to dangerous consequences. The line "These starving serpents that squeeze so tight" evokes the image of someone being constricted and trapped by temptation, losing their innocence as a result.
The lyrics also criticize those who use deception to lure others, represented by the "hooded shroud" and the "absurdities" hissed by the snakes. The line "intent to render fear; unwavering ability to draw them in, hypnotize" shows how such manipulators prey on people's fears and vulnerabilities, leading them to their downfall. The chorus repeatedly urges the listener to resist falling for these temptations and to "save yourself" from their grip.
Overall, Sidewinders is a cautionary tale about the dangers of temptation and the importance of being aware of one's surroundings and motivations, so as not to fall victim to deceitful influences.
Line by Line Meaning
Waist deep into the water, so convinced it's alright
Being immersed in a situation that seems fine, but which we are not entirely sure of.
Dive on in if you really feel it will revive.
Take the plunge if you believe it may rejuvenate you.
If you feel you'll survive
If you are confident in your ability to endure.
You should never close your eyes, even if it appears alright
Don't relax because things seem good initially.
The current has a way of shedding light
Eventually, the true nature of things will be unveiled.
Purest eyes lost your innocence to
Even the most innocent are not immune to temptation.
These starving serpents that squeeze so tight
Seductive entities that consume anyone who falls for their tricks.
You will find their sick dark rants
You will eventually hear the twisted opinions of these entities.
Whisper beautiful harmonies intended to blind
They will lure you with sweet melodies to hinder you from seeing the truth.
Hissing absurdities in my eyes;
Spewing nonsense into someone's vision.
Slither out from the filthy hole where you hide
Emerging from a place of wrongdoing.
You should save yourself, you're no higher send your fire down
You are not any better off from others, save yourself and do not try to impose your ways on others.
Swell to induce us all to have your way, difficult not to feel disdain
Attempting to manipulate and control others can be frustrating and difficult to bear.
The way you move the way to draw them down and in this treachery
The methods used to sway others can lead them to ruin and dishonesty.
Sickens me to the bitter end
It is nauseating, even until the very end.
Spit your lunacy in my eyes;
Project their madness onto others.
Slither out from the filthy hole where you hide
Reemerge from a dark, nefarious place.
You should save yourself,
Save yourself from the wrong path you are on.
Passed off as higher almighty in your hooded shroud
Putting on a façade of superiority when it is not the case.
Swell to induce us all to have your
Trying to compel others to follow in your footsteps.
Way, posturing; intent to render fear
Pretending to be in control with the intention of inducing fear in others.
Unwavering ability to draw them in, hypnotize
The ability to attract and entice others is never-ending, almost hypnotic.
Difficult to not watch you drown
It is hard not to want to witness their demise.
You should get out while you're alive
Get out as soon as you can, while you still have the chance.
Sacrifice yourself, sell your fire;
Giving oneself up in exchange for something else, losing oneself in the process.
Send your fire down now blossoming intent to fuel despair
Spreading negative emotions and actions with the intention of causing others to lose hope.
The way you move the way to draw them down and in this treachery
The techniques used to manipulate and bring others down are treacherous and damaging.
Sickens me till your bitter end
It enrages and disgusts me even until your ultimate fate.
Contributed by Elizabeth P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.