Comets on Fire are a psychedelic rock band from Santa Cruz, California. The… Read Full Bio ↴Comets on Fire are a psychedelic rock band from Santa Cruz, California. The band was formed in 1999 by guitarist and vocalist Ethan Miller and longtime friend bassist Ben Flashman, who were seeking to create rhythmically and sonically intense music that paid no attention to categorizations.

The band's self-titled debut was released in 2001 and eventually issued on the Alternative Tentacles label. Recorded on a four-track, it was a garage/psych freakout of intense if not epic proportions. Comets on Fire became a staple on the underground jam rock scene, as one of the New Weird America bands to watch. The Comets expanded their musical reach on 2002's Field Recordings from the Sun, released by Ba Da Bing. The band employed a host of guests in creating a noisy, acid-drenched overdriven rock that owed as much to Hawkwind as it did the MC5. This was augmented by a host of guest musicians playing everything from saxophones to layers of percussion.

Before the next record the band officially added Ben Chasny of Six Organs of Admittance to their lineup in 2003. He had previously performed and recorded with them. With this line-up they got a deal on Sub Pop Records and released their critically acclaimed Blue Cathedral. The record, drenched with psychedelic prog-rock influences, exposed them to a whole new fan base and the record found favor with enough people for Comets on Fire to tour as the opening act for Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr. In 2006, they released their fourth album Avatar which showed the band turning away from their more heavy psychedelic noise jams for a more melodic and subdued sound.

Band members

* Ethan Miller - vocals, guitar
* Noel von Harmonson - electronics
* Ben Flashman - bass
* Utrillo Kushner - drums
* Ben Chasny - guitar

Albums

* Comets on Fire (2001)
* Field Recordings from the Sun (2002)
* Blue Cathedral (2004)
* Avatar (2006)

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comets_on_Fire"

"The dark sibling, the chained-up-twin-in-the-closet of Blue Cathedral, is a mysterious release entitled Bong Voyage (a great and witty title, really). From what I've gleaned off the internet in relation to the origin of this sucker, I gather that, while the band itself did not release this "bootleg," they knew or were in contact with those who did. This could correspond with the fact that it seems to be more a parody or celebration of a bootleg than an actual one. The cover art is great drug-metal art, complete with one or more hidden messages ("dave sweetapple"?) and satanic leanings. The title Bong Voyage can't be found anywhere on the sleeve, nor a tracklisting, line-up, label name, dates...blank black labels...no info included, actually more boot than most boots. Ultra-bootleg. And then there's the actual sound of the recording, like a badly made mix-tape someone whipped up in a mad rush. The first song is lowest-fi noise; next song cuts in already in progress; next we get a section of random crowd noise; next up is the very end note of another live song, followed by the crowd all goin' "WOOOO!" for twenty seconds, followed finally by the next song. It's quite insane that anyone would actually commit this to vinyl, it all just sounds like a poorly edited tape release. The twist is that it's in fact all completely awesome live recordings and beautiful weird demo-type stuff (there is even a song very similar to Chasny's opus on Field Recordings, starts with his acoustic improv and then is swallowed by a super-distort wailing solo...is that a moog er what the f**k is it?). This is what you miss out on with Blue Cathedral, and is actually the perfect sister album. The main issue for one to consider is whether or not one enjoys crazy f**ked-up live recordings or not. Personally, I enjoy the entire spectrum, from polished studio masterpiece to raw noise jam taped on a handheld from across the room. This is definitely the latter, but maybe if you've seen Comets on Fire live you will be leaning towards this exploding mystery bag album, more of a document of what these serious rockers actually do dish up when you step out to see em. "

Lucifer
Comets on Fire Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Whitethorn ordained
Applause from the masses
A trite execution
To placade and please
Obscured by the light
Suffuse for the sake
While they dance on the grave
Amassed and acclaimed

Bound for lands end
Destined for the gallows
Down the road most travelled
From sterling to death
The demons command
A life most desired
In envy they conspire
For vengeance is stealth

No need for sight
No need for mourning
No need for sound
No need for mourning

Wither and lithe, recognise the last defeat
Farewell to arms, shoulder no more, rest in peace
A judgement severe, dissolve and adhere, the grand retreat
Wither and lithe, simonize the bomb.

The darkness devours
In it's own silent way
In fathoms of decay
Lesser the beast
The dray horse resigns
As they watch from a distance
Without face or resistance
Heed the command
Dragged to the steps
Put forth for example
Bludgeoned and battled
A Satyrs despair
A Slight of the hand
And all is forgotten
Thrush spirits left haunted
Tidings at bay

No need for sight
No need for mourning
No need for sound
No need for mourning

Wither and lithe, recognise the last defeat
Farewell to arms, shoulder no more, rest in peace
A judgement severe, dissolve and adhere, the grand retreat
Wither and lithe, simonize the bomb.

Goodbye to the century
Farewell to amnesty
Christen the sons and daughter
Let it lie
Let it bleed
Goodbye to the century
Farewell to amnesty
Christen my sons and daughter
Let it lie
Let it bleed

Let it lie
Let it bleed

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Comets on Fire's song Lucifer are quite abstract and open to interpretation. At first glance, they seem to be describing some sort of public execution or sacrifice, with mentions of "applause from the masses" and being "put forth for example". The second stanza talks about "the demons command[ing] a life most desired", possibly suggesting some sort of devilish pact or manipulation.

The chorus repeats "no need for sight, no need for mourning, no need for sound, no need for mourning", which could be interpreted as a comment on the senselessness of the violence being described. The third stanza seems to include some kind of military imagery, with references to a "grand retreat" and "simonize the bomb". The final stanza is perhaps the most enigmatic, with mentions of "christen[ing] the sons and daughter", "letting it lie", and "letting it bleed".

In general, the lyrics of Lucifer seem to be trying to evoke a sense of oppression, violence, and unease, but without a clear narrative or storyline. The repetition of certain phrases in the chorus and throughout the song help to emphasize the mood and add a sense of cohesion to the lyrics.

Line by Line Meaning

Whitethorn ordained
The situation is blessed and ordained, but this blessing is meaningless.

Applause from the masses
The masses are approving, but their approval is superficial and does not mean anything.

A trite execution
The execution is mundane and cliche; it is done more out of obligation than conviction.

To placade and please
The execution is done to satisfy the need of the people and avoid any rebellion.

Obscured by the light
The true essence of the situation is hidden by a facade of positivity.

Suffuse for the sake
The situation is superficially positive and is inflated for the sake of appearances.

While they dance on the grave
The people seem to enjoy the execution and its aftermath, without truly understanding the weight of their actions.

Amassed and acclaimed
Despite the true nature of the situation, the people have come together to support and praise it.

Bound for lands end
The situation is nearing its end, finality is near.

Destined for the gallows
The situation is leading towards an unfortunate end.

Down the road most travelled
The journey towards the end is predictable and well-known.

From sterling to death
The situation has gone from being praiseworthy (sterling) to being fatal (death).

The demons command
The situation is being controlled by darker powers.

A life most desired
The situation is desirable, but at the cost of something greater.

In envy they conspire
Others may desire the same thing, leading to vengeful motives.

For vengeance is stealth
Retaliation can be subtle and tactical, not always overt.

No need for sight
The situation is beyond the sensory realm.

No need for mourning
The situation is beyond the emotional realm.

No need for sound
The situation is beyond the auditory realm.

Wither and lithe, recognise the last defeat
The situation is decaying and weakening, and it's time to acknowledge the inevitable end.

Farewell to arms, shoulder no more, rest in peace
The situation is over, and it is time to lay down arms and rest in peace.

A judgement severe, dissolve and adhere, the grand retreat
The situation is not merely ending, but it is being judged in a severe manner; it's time to dissolve and withdraw from it.

Simomize the bomb
The situation is disastrous and needs to be addressed properly.

The darkness devours
The situation is becoming more ominous.

In it's own silent way
The situation is uncommunicative and unresponsive.

In fathoms of decay
The situation is deteriorating continuously.

Lesser the beast
The situation has become worse over time.

The dray horse resigns
The situation has exhausted all its power and strength, and is now giving up.

As they watch from a distance
Other people are observing the situation carefully, but without interfering.

Without face or resistance
Those observing the situation sign off silently, without any resistance or objection.

Heed the command
It is necessary to pay attention and follow the given command.

Dragged to the steps
The situation has reached an irreversible point, where even those not involved are being drawn in.

Put forth for example
There is an attempt to set an example out of the situation.

Bludgeoned and battled
The outcome of the situation is evidently violent and traumatic.

A Satyrs despair
The despair in the situation is overwhelming.

A Slight of the hand
The situation is deceptive, and the truth is being deliberately kept hidden.

And all is forgotten
Even the gravity of the situation will ultimately fade away from memory.

Thrush spirits left haunted
The situation is ghostly and will leave an everlasting impact on those involved.

Tidings at bay
The situation is resolved, and any future warning of it is unnecessary.

Goodbye to the century
The situation is symbolic and is the last of its era.

Farewell to amnesty
There is no forgiveness for the situation.

Christen the sons and daughter
A new beginning and new hope can come out of the present situation.

Let it lie
The situation needs to be left to rest.

Let it bleed
The situation needs to be allowed to let out whatever it needs to in order to resolve itself.

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: BEN CHASNY, BENJAMIN EPHRAIM FLASHMAN, ETHAN PRAUSS MILLER, NOEL VON HARMONSON, UTRILLO KUSHNER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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