Clawfinger is a rapcore or rap metal band from Stockholm, Sweden formed in … Read Full Bio ↴Clawfinger is a rapcore or rap metal band from Stockholm, Sweden formed in 1989 and was one of the earliest bands to adopt this sound. Clawfinger is known for aggressive but melodic music and tackling political and anti-racist themes in their songs. As good friends of Rammstein, they often toured together during their careers. In the Rammstein Mutter tour they performed the Ramones classic Pet Sematary together at a few dates, dedicating it to Joey Ramone. One of these performances was released on the Ich Will single. Both bands also share the same producer for their albums, Swedish producer Jacob Hellner

The band's origin dates back to the summer of 1989 when Zak Tell and Jocke Skog met while working together at the Rosenlund Hospital somewhere in the vicinity of Stockholm. In 1990 they were joined by the Norwegian guitarists Bård Torstensen and Erlend Ottem who were also working at the same hospital. Soon the four realized their similar interests in music. Bård and Erlend previously played in a band called Theo in their hometown Arendal back in Norway. Their free time was invested in exploring the musical world, composing and writing songs while evolving into a band.

Their original demo comprising three tracks (Waste of Time, Nigger and Profit Preacher) quickly secured them local radio airplay and consequently brought them to the attention of the MVG label. "Nigger" is an anti-racism statement that caused quite a stir and was a massive success; it was also released as a single. By the beginning of the 1990s, Clawfinger self-released their debut Deaf Dumb Blind. This sold in over 600,000 copies worldwide and was critically acclaimed in Swedish press. With the addition of André Skaug and drummer Morten Skaug, Clawfinger went on tour and played at countless European festivals including major support slots with Anthrax and Alice in Chains.

The band received many awards, including two home Grammies at the Swedish Grammy Awards in 1994 for best hard rock band and best music video. After touring, they went straight back in the studio to record their second album, Use Your Brain. After the release of this album they went on yet another touring campaign, most notably participating at Ozzy Osbourne's Monsters of Rock Festival in Brazil and Chile, rocking alongside American metal counterparts like Megadeth, Faith No More, and Alice Cooper. Back in Europe they continued their touring campaign by participating at festivals and countless gigs.

Their self-titled album Clawfinger was released in 1997. The first song on the album is Two Sides, which expanded the band's reach by using female choir vocals and a Middle Eastern sound. The rest of the album continues with the band's typical aggressive voice and socio-political lyrics.

A Whole Lot of Nothing was the fourth album released on 23 July 2001. The music showcases the same aggressive guitars, with more distortion effects and sounds, adding a whole new level of diversification. As for the synthesizers, on this particular album they're more present than on any other of Clawfinger's works.

Zeros & Heroes was released in 2003 and it caused controversy in America because the song Step Aside did not sit well with most American audiences due to the fact it slams George W. Bush and the post 9/11 (and not only) military politics of the US. It offers yet another style change for the ears of the listener. The electronic sound and synthesizers from A Whole Lot of Nothing are gone and replaced by a more complex and melodic guitar riffing.

Hate Yourself With Style was released in 2005. The album continued the path entered on Zeros & Heroes and is characterized by hardrock style melodic speedy guitar riffs. The keyboards which particularly characterized A Whole Lot of Nothing have completely disappeared.

Life Will Kill You was released in 2007. It has spawned three singles: Prisoners, The Price We Pay, and Little Baby.

The band officially disbanded in 23 August 2013.

Current members:
Zak Tell — vocals
Jocke Skog — keyboards
Bard Torstensen — guitar

Henka Johansson — drums
Andre Skaug — bass

Die High
Clawfinger Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Going down slow, how long can you get
Before you break yourself and wake up in a sweat
On the killing floor with the damage done
You can pity yourself but your race is run
You can climb the walls without reaching the top
And the higher you feel the further you drop
But you just want to get high
Going one step further, slipping down the line

You're living your life on borrowed time
How much abuse can you take from yourself
Is your addiction worth more than life itself
When you make the bet you have to pay the debt
And if you're lucky you can live with your own regret
Or you can get high
Get high push your luck to the limit
You're gonna die high
Get high if you think you can win it
You're gonna die high
Don't lie 'cause you're stuck right in it
You're gonna die high
Get high why the fuck are you in it
You're gonna die
There's a lost of good reasons but no excuse
You can never justify your drug abuse
You can legalize the hit but the problem remain
You still like feel shit the effect's the same
You're wasting your time with that fucking crap
The choice is yours and I can give you that
And you still want to get high
Get high push your luck to the limit
You're gonna die high
Get high if you think you can win it
You're gonna die high
Don't lie 'cause you're stuck right in it
You're gonna die high
Get high why the fuck are you in it
You're gonna die
You can never rely on the drugs you buy
You can never dent all the tricks you try
You can do anything just to get your fix
You can try anything just to get kicks
You don't hesitate to cheat or lie
Any bad excuse is a good alibi
You say you hate yourself and you want to die
But it's all the same you still want to get high
Get high push your luck to the limit
You're gonna die high
Get high if you think you can win it
You're gonna die high
Don't lie 'cause you're stuck right in it
You're gonna die high
Get high why the fuck are you in it
You're gonna die
Get high push your luck to the limit
You're gonna die high
Get high if you think you can win it
You're gonna die high
Don't lie 'cause you're stuck right in it
You're gonna die high

Get high why the fuck are you in it
You're gonna die

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Clawfinger's song "Die High" focus on drug addiction and the self-destructive behavior that often accompanies it. The first verse alludes to the physical and emotional toll that addiction takes on the body and mind, describing the point where someone may have hit rock bottom but still craves the high. The second verse questions whether the pursuit of the high is worth risking one's life, and acknowledges that addiction is often a losing battle. The chorus is a blunt warning that indulging in drug use will ultimately lead to death, no matter how much one believes they can handle it. The final verse points out the desperation that addiction can lead to, including lying and cheating to get a fix, and the internal struggle to hate oneself but still want to use.

Overall, "Die High" is a cautionary tale about the dangers of addiction and the all-consuming pull of drugs. The lyrics suggest that despite any fleeting pleasure gained from drug use, it's ultimately futile and deadly.

Line by Line Meaning

Going down slow, how long can you get Before you break yourself and wake up in a sweat
How long can you continue down the path of addiction before it takes a toll on you and you wake up with regret

On the killing floor with the damage done You can pity yourself but your race is run
Once you've reached rock bottom and caused harm to yourself and others, there's no going back and feeling sorry for yourself won't change anything

You can climb the walls without reaching the top And the higher you feel the further you drop But you just want to get high
The feeling of being high may seem like climbing up walls, but in reality it leads to a further drop and yet the desire for it persists

Going one step further, slipping down the line You're living your life on borrowed time
Taking one step further into addiction is like living on borrowed time, as it slowly takes over your life

How much abuse can you take from yourself Is your addiction worth more than life itself
The toll of addiction on oneself begs the question of whether it's worth losing everything, including one's life

When you make the bet you have to pay the debt And if you're lucky you can live with your own regret Or you can get high
The decision to indulge in addiction comes with a cost, and you can either live with the regret or continue getting high as a coping mechanism

There's a lost of good reasons but no excuse You can never justify your drug abuse You can legalize the hit but the problem remain You still like feel shit the effect's the same
Even with attempts to legalize or justify drug abuse, the problems and negative impact on oneself remain the same

You're wasting your time with that fucking crap The choice is yours and I can give you that And you still want to get high
Addiction is ultimately a waste of time, and while the choice to indulge is a personal one, the fact remains that it's harmful

You can never rely on the drugs you buy You can never dent all the tricks you try You can do anything just to get your fix You can try anything just to get kicks
Addiction is a slippery slope, where one can never rely on the drugs or justify any means to get their fix

You don't hesitate to cheat or lie Any bad excuse is a good alibi You say you hate yourself and you want to die But it's all the same you still want to get high
Addiction can lead to desperate measures like lying and cheating, while the desire to get high persists even in the face of self-hatred and suicidal thoughts

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BARD SVERRE TORSTENSEN, ERLEND OTTEM, JOCKE SKOG, ZAK NIKOLAS TELL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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