In 2010, Channel Zero made a widely noted comeback. At the request of fans, they played six reunion concerts in Brussels which quickly sold-out. They also released a new single. They are also scheduled to play at Graspop Metal Meeting (Dessel). In January 2010, Channel Zero features a slightly different line-up: Mikey Doling (ex-Soulfly, ex-SNOT) replaces Xavier Carion on lead guitar, since the latter suffers from ear damage.
GOLD
Channel Zero Lyrics
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Caressed my mind, attracted my view
It happened in the attic of a friend party
I stood on the side of the uninitiated
All the others say you really make it
I passed the edge and got myself loaded with gold
turns me so cold
Rays of gold shine through the rivers of my blood
I touch your skin and you get me fixed up
I'm the tear-away of the neighbourhood, I steal, I infest
I'm hunting for your beauty that separates you from the rest
I admit my addiction, in spite of a code
The season is often and I need to score
I'm after spring tide like a fish on the shore
I crack for the needle that puts me in the mood
With gold
Makes me so cold inside
Rays of gold shine through the rivers of my blood
I touch your skin and you get me fixed up
Panoramic sight sitting in a chair
On top of a mountain making love with the air
Big white whales pass me by
Give me some time to consider
Don't leave 'cos I feel so good
Food for graves, that's for sure
Don't leave I start leaving cold
You got another thing coming
I crawl on my knees searching for your smell
I want you on top of me, you treat me so well
Got no time to waste and loads of things to taste
OVER-DOSE
The song "Gold" by Channel Zero talks about addiction to drugs and how it affects the mind and body. The lyrics describe how the singer first encounters the drug, which is represented as something desirable and valuable, but later on it becomes an obsession that turns them cold from the inside. The reference to gold and how it turns the singer cold suggests that money and fame can be just as addictive as drugs and can have a similar effect on one's psyche.
In the second verse, the lyrics become more explicit in terms of drug addiction, with the singer admitting to stealing and infesting the neighborhood in order to score drugs. They describe how addiction has overridden any moral code they may have had before and how they are constantly searching for their next fix. The use of the metaphor of a fish cracking for a needle to describe the singer's urge to use drugs is particularly evocative.
The last verse is more abstract, with the lyrics invoking a panoramic sight and making love with the air, which could be interpreted as a hallucination brought on by drug use. The reference to big white whales passing by adds to the surreal atmosphere of the song. The lyrics end with the singer crawling on their knees searching for the smell of the drug and declaring that they have no time to waste and lots of things to taste, suggesting an urge to consume more and more of the drug that may inevitably lead to an overdose.
Line by Line Meaning
The very first time that I saw you
When I first laid eyes on you
Caressed my mind, attracted my view
You captured my attention both physically and mentally
It happened in the attic of a friend party
The meeting took place at a party hosted by a mutual friend
I stood on the side of the uninitiated
At the time, I was an outsider to your world
All the others say you really make it
Everyone I knew spoke highly of you
I passed the edge and got myself loaded with gold
I took a risk and got involved with something addictive (likely drugs) represented as 'gold'
Turns me so cold
The addiction has numbed my emotions
Rays of gold shine through the rivers of my blood
The addictive substance I'm using is flowing through my veins
I touch your skin and you get me fixed up
Being around you provides me with a similar feeling of being high
I'm the tear-away of the neighbourhood, I steal, I infest
I'm known as a troublemaker in my community, and my actions harm those around me
I'm hunting for your beauty that separates you from the rest
I'm drawn to your unique qualities that make you stand out
I admit my addiction, in spite of a code
I acknowledge my dependency, despite knowing it goes against societal norms
The season is often and I need to score
My addiction is a constant need that needs to be fulfilled
I'm after spring tide like a fish on the shore
I'm desperately seeking a new high, like a fish that's out of water
I crack for the needle that puts me in the mood
I crave the drug that will put me in the right state of mind
With gold
Representing the substance I'm addicted to
Makes me so cold inside
The addiction has made me emotionally numb
Panoramic sight sitting in a chair
In a moment of clarity, I'm taking in the scenery around me
On top of a mountain making love with the air
I feel free and liberated, as if I'm making love to the freedom itself
Big white whales pass me by
This is likely a metaphor for larger problems or potential dangers passing by, while I'm caught up in the moment of escape
Give me some time to consider
I need time to reflect on my current situation and decide what to do next
Don't leave 'cos I feel so good
I don't want to lose the feeling of being high or the comfort of your presence
Food for graves, that's for sure
This line is a metaphor suggesting that this lifestyle will ultimately lead to a destructive end
Don't leave I start leaving cold
If you leave or if my sources of addiction leave me, I will feel even more emotionally numb
You got another thing coming
This phrase carries a threatening tone, indicating that there will be consequences if my source of addiction were to abandon me
I crawl on my knees searching for your smell
I'm desperate for the source of my addiction, represented here by the smell of the drug
I want you on top of me, you treat me so well
I want the addiction to take control of me, showing how highly dependent I am on this substance
Got no time to waste and loads of things to taste
There's a sense of urgency to fulfill this addiction, but there is still so much more to explore and try
OVER-DOSE
This final line is significant, marking the potential end of the downward spiral that comes with addiction
Contributed by Madison D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.