For a period of eight years from 1992 until August 2000, Zachary Stevens was the lead singer of Savatage. After five albums with the group, he left in 2000 citing family reasons. During the winter of 2001, Zak started his comeback with long-time friend and co founder of the band, Dan Campbell, co-writing material with former Savatage lead singer Jon Oliva and guitarist Chris Caffery what would become the songs for the Circle II Circle debut album, Watching in Silence. The second CIIC record The Middle of Nowhere featured Zak's vocals along with band members Paul Michael Stewart, Andy Lee, Tom Drennan and Evan Christopher.
The band's third release was a concept album, entitled Burden of Truth, based around the concept of Jesus' descendants. It was released on June 6, 2006. Stevens and the band then signed with Intromental Management. Their fourth album, entitled Delusions of Grandeur, was released on April 25, 2008.
Artwork for the band's logo and first three album covers were designed by Dan Campbell and rendered by artist Thomas Ewerhard. Additional artwork for the concept album Consequence of Power (2010) was created by Claudio Bergamin. On January 25, 2013, Circle II Circle released their Seasons Will Fall album on earMusic. The live album, Bootleg Live at Wacken 2012, was released on June 20, 2014. A studio album, Reign of Darkness, was released on October 16, 2015. On December 7, 2016, their former drummer, Adam Sagan, died from cancer at the age of 35.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circle_II_Circle
Studio albums
Watching in Silence (2003)
The Middle of Nowhere (2005)
Burden of Truth (2006)
Delusions of Grandeur (2008)
Consequence of Power (2010)
Seasons Will Fall (2013)
Reign of Darkness (2015)
Anathema
Circle II Circle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Did you heed the warning
You lie awake in your cell
Hear the evil calling
Look inside
This extraordinary place
Never know what you’ll find
So please understand
You must weigh the cost
You soul belongs to me now
No way out
It’s what you live for
You will never know
Until its right before your eyes
Nothing will ever show
Open up your mind and recognize
You’re not immortal
Just a soldier of fortune
At the crossroads of your life
In the shadows of death
I tried to reach you
What’s going on your head
Hope you come back real soon
There’s a chance you take
To escape on the ocean
Your debt is hardly paid
They removed your emotions
I was forged to leave
Running for so long
Now I’m on the dark sea
What will be
It’s what I live for
You will never know
Until its right before your eyes
Nothing will ever show
Open up your mind and recognize
Your last decision
Fulfil your vision
At the crossroads of your life
Live the lie
Tell the story
A lifetime on this earth
If you die
What’s waiting for you
Will the voice be heard
One more time
One for glory
Leave behind the hurt
Remember now
Through all the changes
The silence always burns
You will know the truth
It will keep you from harm
I know you feel the sadness
The madness
Deep within your heart
You will never know
Until its right before your eyes
Nothing will ever show
Open up your mind and recognize
Your last decision
Fulfil your vision
At the crossroads of your life
On the lonely road to redemption
The lyrics to Circle II Circle's song "Anathema" paint a picture of a dark journey through life's challenges and temptations. The opening lines reflect the idea of being trapped in a figurative Hell, perhaps brought on by one's own actions. The warning signs were present, but the person chose to ignore them and now finds themselves wrestling with the consequences. The second verse brings up the idea of making choices and weighing the cost of one's soul. The lines "You will never know/Until it's right before your eyes/Nothing will ever show/Open up your mind and recognize" suggest that things may not always be clear in life, and that we need to be open to possibilities that we may not have considered before.
The chorus reinforces the theme of choices, and how one's decisions can have an impact on their life. The line "Your last decision, continue your vision" suggests that even at life's crossroads, one needs to be true to themselves and their goals. The bridge brings up the idea of living a lie, and the toll that can take on someone over a lifetime. The line "Remember now, through all the changes/The silence always burns" hints at the emotional scars that can plague someone despite their outward appearance.
Overall, "Anathema" speaks to the human experience of grappling with what is right and wrong, and how the choices we make can shape our lives. The lyrics are filled with vivid imagery and thought-provoking ideas that encourage listeners to examine their own lives and thoughtfully consider their next steps.
Line by Line Meaning
In the garden of hell
In a place of great suffering
Did you heed the warning
Did you pay attention to the advice given
You lie awake in your cell
You are alone with your thoughts and fears
Hear the evil calling
You are being tempted to do wrong
Look inside
Reflect on your inner self
This extraordinary place
This place of great significance
Never know what you’ll find
You cannot predict what you will discover
But there’s no room for mistakes
The consequences of error can be dire
So please understand
I implore you to comprehend
You must weigh the cost
You need to consider the price
Your soul belongs to me now
Your destiny is in my control
No way out
There is no escape
It’s what you live for
This is your reason for being
You will never know
You cannot comprehend
Until its right before your eyes
Until you experience it first-hand
Nothing will ever show
There will be no clear signs
Open up your mind and recognize
Expand your perspective and acknowledge the truth
You’re not immortal
You are not invincible
Just a soldier of fortune
You are only a mercenary
At the crossroads of your life
At a critical moment in your existence
In the shadows of death
In a perilous situation
I tried to reach you
I attempted to communicate with you
What’s going on your head
What thoughts occupy your mind
Hope you come back real soon
I hope to see you again soon
There’s a chance you take
There is a risk involved
To escape on the ocean
To flee by sea
Your debt is hardly paid
You have barely repaid what you owe
They removed your emotions
Your feelings have been taken from you
I was forged to leave
I was compelled to depart
Running for so long
Fleeing for an extended period
Now I’m on the dark sea
Now I traverse dangerous waters
What will be
What the future holds
It’s what I live for
This is my motivation
Live the lie
Deceive yourself
Tell the story
Fabricate a narrative
A lifetime on this earth
A duration of existence
If you die
When you pass away
What’s waiting for you
What lies in store for you
Will the voice be heard
Will your message continue to resonate
One more time
One final occasion
One for glory
One for a noble purpose
Leave behind the hurt
Abandon the pain
Remember now
Recall at present
Through all the changes
Despite all alterations
The silence always burns
The quiet agony persists
You will know the truth
You will comprehend the reality
It will keep you from harm
It will protect you from danger
I know you feel the sadness
I understand your sorrow
The madness
The insanity
Deep within your heart
Buried in your soul
Your last decision
Your final choice
Fulfil your vision
Achieve your aspiration
At the crossroads of your life
At a pivotal point in your existence
On the lonely road to redemption
On the solitary path to salvation
Contributed by Camilla M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.