The band, formed in 1987 by vocalist Christian Linderson, guitarist Dan Fondelius, bassist Tommy Eriksson and drummer Christer Pettersson, was called originally Stormvarning. In 1989 they changed their name to Count Raven. A year later, the group released its first album, Storm Warning, for the Hellhound label, which received positive reviews from the European metal press (4 K's in Kerrang!, 10/10 in Rock Hard, 6/7 in Metal Hammer)[3] Then Linderson left to join Saint Vitus (in 2007 he became the member of Lord Vicar), and Fondelius became the frontman, beginning with 1992's Destruction of the Void, released by Nuclear Blast Records[1] to be declared 'Doom Album of the Year' by Rock Hard magazine.[3] Third album High on Infinity appeared one year later, after which the band took a three-year break before returning in 1996 with Messiah of Confusion[1] which dealt with the band's outlook on society and its dubious ways. "The album's name is our bass player's nickname, but when the album began to see the light of day, we thought the title was a good idea. There's a lot of 'messiahs of confusion' out there", drummer Pettersson explained.[3]
In 1998 Count Raven broke up. Fondelius formed a new doom metal band Doomsday Government,[4] Eriksson joined Semlah in 2001. In 2003 the trio reformed, broke up again in 2006 and revived instantly with Fondelius at the helm, Fredrik Jansson (ex-Abramis Brama) on bass and Jens Bock on drums.[2] In 2009 Count Raven's fifth album Mammons War produced by Zeb King and released by I Hate came out, "a killer rebirth", "timeless" and living up "to this outfit's reputation as doom metallers par exellence", according to Kerrang! which gave it a 4K rating.[5]
Count Raven signed a new record deal with I Hate on Feb 1 2019 and are currently working on their sixth studio album.
The dance
Count Raven Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I am so alone
The wind blows outside
It feels like suicide, so come on
This is the same old song
I cannot go but wrong
I'm just a simple man
The first moth of summer's here
Again you disappear
And later the same noon
I'm howling at the moon, come on
Still I hear you say
That life is quite okay
Still I'm the only one
Still I'm the lonely one, so come on
Count Raven's song The Dance explores the feelings of loneliness and despair that can come from a long and difficult journey through life. The opening lyrics, "The road is so long and I am so alone," set the tone for the rest of the song. The singer feels isolated and overwhelmed by the challenges of life, to the point where the wind blowing outside feels like a call to suicide. However, despite these feelings of despair, the singer still reaches out to someone, asking them to "come on" and join him.
The lyrics then turn to the idea that the singer is trapped in a cycle of failure, unable to make progress or improve his situation. He describes himself as a "simple man" who wants to understand and do better, but always seems to "go but wrong." Despite this, he still tries to connect with those around him, calling out for someone to come out from their hiding place and join him in the dance of life.
The chorus of the song speaks to the theme of loss and absence. The singer laments the fact that his loved one has disappeared, and howls at the moon in his frustration and pain. He contrasts this sense of isolation with a memory of someone telling him that life is okay, pointing out that he is still the only one who feels lonely and lost.
Overall, The Dance is a poignant and introspective song that wrestles with themes of loss, despair, and the struggle to find meaning in life.
Line by Line Meaning
The road is so long
The journey ahead of me seems endless and daunting.
And I am so alone
I feel isolated and unsupported in my path.
The wind blows outside
The external forces around me are harsh and unforgiving.
It feels like suicide, so come on
Everything seems to be falling apart, making me wish for an escape or a change.
This is the same old song
Life seems repetitive, with the same struggles and challenges
I cannot go but wrong
No matter how hard I try, I often end up making mistakes and poor choices.
I'm just a simple man
I am not extraordinary, just an average person with simple desires and needs.
Who tries to understand, come on
I strive to make sense of the world and find meaning in my existence.
The first moth of summer's here
Another season has arrived, and things are changing again.
Again you disappear
Someone close to me has left my life or is absent when I need them.
And later the same noon
Time passes by, bringing new moments to face and overcome.
I'm howling at the moon, come on
I am expressing my inner-most feelings, even if it means screaming in pain or frustration.
Still I hear you say
Despite all this, I still remember the words of encouragement and positivity from someone significant in my life.
That life is quite okay
That everything will be alright, and life will get better.
Still I'm the only one
But even with those words, I still feel unaccompanied and solitary in my experiences.
Still I'm the lonely one, so come on
I am still searching for someone or something that can fill the void and bring me happiness and fulfillment.
Contributed by Gabriel C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.