1. Covenant is a Swedish electronic band formed in Helsingborg in 1988. The band is currently composed of Eskil Simonsson and Joakim Montelius in the studio, while live shows consist of Simonsson along with touring members Daniel Jonasson of Dupont, Andreas Catjar and Daniel Myer of Haujobb.
Their music comprises a mixture of synthpop and electronic body music. They have been releasing music since the early 1990s.
History
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, electronic music and several of its subgenres became a preferred musical style among European underground culture. It gained favor initially within major cities and eventually trickled into the continent's more secluded regions. This new wave of music was discovered at different instances by a group of friends living in Helsingborg, a scenic town in south western Sweden. Eskil Simonsson, Joakim Montelius and Clas Nachmanson, three teenagers with mutual, youthful curiosities for science, philosophy, and matters of existence, were all enthralled by the unique presentation and the emotional content of the music, specifically by that of bands such as Kraftwerk, The Human League, Depeche Mode, Front 242 and Nitzer Ebb. It was after attending the first Front 242 show in Scandinavia that the trio and others familiar to them decided to start a band.
The friends carried this fascination with them to university life in the historic town of Lund, approximately 50 kilometres (31 mi) southeast of Helsingborg. In between their academic endeavors and discussions of worldly affairs, they assembled a small recording studio in Nachmanson's bedroom and began to experiment with their own musical compositions. In 1988, the name "Covenant" was selected for the group—a name derived from the unspoken spiritual bond the trio professed to share.
As Covenant, the three produced their first publicly released track, "The Replicant", by invitation of Swedish record label Memento Materia. "The Replicant" was released on a compilation album in 1992, and the track thrilled label executives, prompting them to ask for a full album. In 1994, the group compiled enough songs to release the album, which became Dreams of a Cryotank. Dreams was well received by critics and fans alike, and with its success, the boyhood friends decided to take their musical efforts more seriously. They upgraded and added more equipment, relocated their studio, and committed to tour.
In 1995, Covenant performed at a festival in Germany at the request of Off-Beat Records. The band impressed Off-Beat's attending A&R representative, who signed them to a record deal the following day. Excited by the prospect of broader exposure, the band members eased further away from their educational pursuits and devoted themselves to completing a new album, 1996's Sequencer. Later in 1996, the band released the "Stalker" single before embarking on a tour with Haujobb and Steril across Germany, Belgium, and Holland.
With Sequencer, the band sought to improve upon the weaknesses they found in Dreams by combining sequencing, diverse melodies, and commanding lyrics. It became an instant classic among many observers, some of whom boldly declared it "the best electro album of the decade." It would go on to be re-released a number of times throughout the world and remains a club favorite in many settings.
Later in the year, San-Francisco-based record label 21st Circuitry agreed to distribute Covenant's albums in the United States, expanding the band's reach in the process. As a result, the group created the Theremin EP in 1997 specifically for North American release and started to accept tour dates throughout the US and Canada.
The trio's third full-length album, Europa, debuted in 1998. Europa carried Covenant's initially aggressive, often distorted brand of music into the beat-driven realm of synth pop, marking the beginning of a gradual evolution in the band's collective sound. In the U.S., the album peaked at #101 on the CMJ Radio Top 200 and reached #3 on the CMJ RPM charts.[8] Also in 1998, they sued the Norwegian black metal/Industrial metal band The Kovenant (then known as Covenant) for the rights to the name "Covenant", arguing that they had established use of the name first and forcing the Norwegian band to change the spelling of their name.
Covenant spent 1999 touring, changing record labels, and on the preparation of another album. Off-Beat Records went out of business, and Dependent was created by former Off Beat employees. Together with a few selected former Off-Beat acts, Covenant joined Dependent. In addition, Covenant were signed with SubSpace Communications in Sweden, effectively ending their tenure with Memento Materia. Meanwhile, 21st Circuitry Records ceased operations, leading the three to find a new home in America with Metropolis Records (Metropolis had bought the rights to the 21st Circuitry back catalogue). Shortly thereafter, the band's first three albums and the Theremin EP were re-issued in the US under the Metropolis label.
United States of Mind was released in 2000, and with it, Covenant's tendencies strayed further into synth pop. Also released that year was a stand-alone single, Der Leiermann. Sung to the tune of the album track Like Tears in Rain, it was a version of the German Art song of the same name. The song was originally a poem by Wilhelm Müller, set to music by Franz Schubert as part of the poem cycle "Die Winterreise". S. Alexander Reed asserts that this point in Covenant's career marks a distinct break from previous work in an attempt to project a sense of the "sublime built on wonder, rather than abjection."
A live album, Synergy, was released later in the year which featured tracks from the band's first four albums. The group continued with 2002's Northern Light, which they portrayed as having a more sombre, cold sound in comparison to their earlier offerings. In another transition between labels, the European release of Northern Light was handled by Sony Music's Ka2 division rather than Dependent or Subspace. (The US release was through Metropolis.)
Whilst they continued to produce music together, Montelius and Simonsson took up residence in separate countries; Montelius residing in Barcelona, Spain, and Simonsson living in Berlin, Germany. Nachmanson remained in Helsingborg.
Covenant released their sixth studio album, Skyshaper, in March 2006 to an overall positive reception. The band toured Europe prior to the album's release and toured the United States beginning in September 2006.
In March 2007, Covenant announced that Nachmanson would not be touring with the band and his replacement would be Daniel Myer of Haujobb. In an interview with Side-Line magazine Covenant's Joakim Montelius said he was not sure if Clas would still continue with Covenant.
In October 2007, Covenant released the road movie "In Transit" on DVD. It contained material from the world tour undertaken in support of the album "Skyshaper" and documented the band's travels in Europe, North America, South America and across Russia over a period of 18 months. The band confirmed Clas' departure in the DVD documentary.
In January 2011, Covenant released their seventh studio album, Modern Ruin — the first album by the band with Myer as a core member. The band released a new EP, "Last Dance" in June 2013. The band released their new album, titled "Leaving Babylon" in September 2013.
In April 2015, the band embarked on a North American tour to promote their eighth album, Leaving Babylon. The band, joined on tour by an opening band called "The Labrynth," performed in approximately 20 cities, including Los Angeles, New York, Washington, D.C, and Austin. Slug Magazine favorably reviewed the 6 April show in Salt Lake City, describing Covenant's stage presence as "exquisite" and "just as powerful as their music."
In October 2015, Covenant headlined the Gothic Meets Klassik festival in Leipzig, Germany, along with British synthpop band Mesh and songwriter and electronic musician Anne Clark.
In November 2016, they released their ninth studio album The Blinding Dark. It was accompanied by a tour in Europe and, in 2018, the UK. and the United States.
In February 2019, the band commenced a ten-city tour through Germany, starting in Berlin on 7 February. The "Fieldworks Tour 2019" show stops offered a new extended play record called the "Fieldworks: Exkursion EP". The EP features five tracks, each written by a member of the band, and one song in collaboration with French electro-industrial newcomer Grabyourface, who also performed opening sets during the band's German tour that year. According to the band's Facebook page, this EP is intended to be the first of an upcoming cycle of records associated with the "Fieldworks" theme. The new music was inspired in part by sounds collected at an electricity plant, according to an interview conducted by a writer for the magazine Zero. "This time we wanted to use the sounds we have collected for many years, from exotic places on the six continents we have visited as a band, as well as the mundane hum of everyday life, as stepping stones for the songs," Joakim Montelius explained in an interview published on Gruftbote.
The band headlined the final day of the Terminus Festival in Calgary on 28 July 2019 and then embarked on a set of five U.S. shows in Seattle (30 July), Portland (31 July), Los Angeles (2 August), Oakland (4 August), and Denver (6 August), respectively.
2. Covenant, now known as The Kovenant, was a Norwegian band which has evolved from a melodic symphonic black metal band to industrial metal/harsh industrial on more recent albums. The band changed the name due to a dispute with the Swedish band that shared the same name.
3. Covenant is also the name of the progressive rock project of Dave Gryder, ex-drummer of metal band Rotting Corpse. So far, he has released one album under the Covenant moniker: 1992’s Nature’s Divine Reflection, on which he plays all the keyboards and drums.
4. Covenant is a Christian rock band from Worcester, Massachusetts. www.covenantrock.net
5. The Covenant is a Modern (blues) Rock/Grunge Band from Holland. http://www.myspace.com/thecovenant.nl
Bullet
Covenant Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I run for cover just like you
Time is like a liquid in my hands
I swim for dry land just like you
Time is like a blanket on my face
I try to be here just like you
Time is just a fiction of our minds
We are the only ones right now that are celebrating
And we are joining hands right now
We are the only ones right now that are suffocating
We are the dying ones right now
As the water grinds the stone
We rise and fall
As our ashes turn to dust
We shine like stars
Kisses on the dancefloor in my past
I need some comfort just like you
Beating like a bass drum time goes by
I want the last dance just like you
Drowning in the flood of morning light
I'm only human just like you
Do you hear the city waking up
I will survive and so will you
We are the ones the only ones
We are the ones the dying ones
We are the ones the only ones
We are the ones and we are joining hands
We are the only ones right now that are celebrating
As the water grinds the stone
The lyrics of the song "Bullet" by Covenant speak about the relentless nature of time and its impact on human life. The first verse establishes the metaphor of time being akin to a bullet, moving fast and with great force behind us. The singer describes their attempts to escape this bullet by seeking cover, just like every other person. Time is also likened to a liquid that slips through our fingers, leaving us struggling to find a way out of the metaphorical water.
The following lines continue to explore the theme of time, as the singer describes it as a blanket that smothers them. They express their desire to be present in the moment but acknowledge that time is merely a construct of our minds. Despite the struggle, the lyrics are optimistic in their belief that they will survive, as will we all.
The chorus speaks of the singer and others joining hands to celebrate their lives, even in the face of death. They acknowledge that they are suffocating and dying but also living and celebrating. The closing lines of the song offer an allusion to the circle of life, as we rise and fall like the water grinding against stone. In the end, we all turn to dust, but our memories and legacy continue to shine like stars.
Overall, the song expresses a deep understanding of the human condition and reminds us of the importance of living fully in the time we have.
Line by Line Meaning
Time is like a bullet from behind
Time feels like an impending threat that's constantly looming over us
I run for cover just like you
We all try to shield ourselves from the harsh effects of time
Time is like a liquid in my hands
Time is slippery and hard to grasp, slipping away quickly
I swim for dry land just like you
We all struggle to grab a hold of time as it slips through our fingers
Time is like a blanket on my face
Time can sometimes feel suffocating, like it's holding us down
I try to be here just like you
Despite our struggles, we all try to be present and live in the moment
Time is just a fiction of our minds
Time is a human-made construct that we use to measure our lives
I will survive and so will you
No matter how difficult time can be, we will endure and overcome it
We are the only ones right now that are celebrating
Despite the hardships, we have each other and can find joy in the present
And we are joining hands right now
We come together to support and share in each other's experiences
We are the only ones right now that are suffocating
Sometimes the burden of time can feel overwhelming and stifling
We are the dying ones right now
In the grand scheme of time, we are all slowly moving towards our eventual end
As the water grinds the stone
Time moves in a constant, natural cycle that wears away at all things
We rise and fall
We all experience highs and lows throughout our lives
As our ashes turn to dust
Eventually, everything we are will disintegrate and fade away
We shine like stars
Despite our impermanence, we can still make an impact and leave a mark on the world
Kisses on the dancefloor in my past
Memories of joyful moments in the past linger and bring comfort
I need some comfort just like you
We all seek solace and support during difficult times
Beating like a bass drum time goes by
Time moves in a steady, relentless rhythm that can sometimes be overwhelming
I want the last dance just like you
We all want to make the most of our time and live life to the fullest
Drowning in the flood of morning light
The start of a new day can feel overwhelming and suffocating
I'm only human just like you
Despite our struggles with time, we are all living beings with emotions and vulnerabilities
Do you hear the city waking up
Time's relentless march affects everyone and everything in our world
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOAKIM MONTELIUS, SIMONSSON ESKIL, SIMONSSON ESKIL SIMONSSON ESKIL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ramonnegron959
“Time is like a bullet from behind
I run for cover just like you
Time is like a liquid in my hands
I swim for dry land just like you
Time is like a blanket on my face
I try to be here just like you
Time is just a fiction of our minds
I will survive and so will you
We are the only ones right now that are celebrating
And we are joining hands right now
We are the only ones right now that are suffocating
We are the dying ones right now
As the water grinds the stone
We rise and fall
As our ashes turn to dust
We shine like stars
As the water grinds the stone
We rise and fall
As our ashes turn to dust
We shine like stars
Kisses on the dancefloor in my past
I need some comfort just like you
Beating like a bass drum time goes by
I want the last dance just like you
Drowning in the flood of morning light
I'm only human just like you
Do you hear the city waking up
I will survive and so will you
We are the only ones right now that are celebrating
We are the the dying ones
We are the only ones right now that are dying
And we are joining hands
As the water grinds the stone
We rise and fall
As our ashes turn to dust
We shine like stars
As the water grinds the stone
We rise and fall
As our ashes turn to dust
We shine like stars”
@ShadowPriestBear
Time is like a bullet from behind
I run for cover just like you
Time is like a liquid in my hands
I swim for dry land just like you
Time is like a blanket on my face
I try to be here just like you
Time is just a fiction of our minds
I will survive and so will you
We are the only ones right now that are celebrating
And we are joining hands right now
We are the only ones right now that are suffocating
We are the dying ones right now
As the water grinds the stone
We rise and fall
As our ashes turn to dust
We shine like stars
As the water grinds the stone
We rise and fall
As our ashes turn to dust
We shine like stars
Kisses on the dancefloor in my past
I need some comfort just like you
Beating like a bass drum time goes by
I want the last dance just like you
Drowning in the flood of morning light
I'm only human just like you
Do you hear the city waking up
I will survive and so will you
We are the ones the only ones
We are the ones the dying ones
We are the ones the only ones
We are the ones and we are joining hands
We are the only ones right now that are celebrating...
As the water grinds the stone
We rise and fall
As our ashes turn to dust
We shine like stars
As the water grinds the stone
We rise and fall
As our ashes turn to dust
We shine like stars
As the water grinds the stone
We rise and fall
As our ashes turn to dust
We shine like stars
@A.I.Domain
Here's my thoughts about the meaning of the song's lyrics:
For me, the vocalist in this video is performing an allegory between a man and machine, talking to us from each perspective.
At the beginning of the song, when he talks about time and how it affects life, he's talking on his machine side, warning his human side that he will suffer all the consequences of the passing time again and again, due to the immortal nature of a machine.
"... I will survive and so will you."
Then, when he says "We are the only ones right now etc." he's talking to us with both sides, telling us that they are only one being, crying in cold solitude and suffering in silence... they are two opposite natures inside the same body " accelerating" and "suffocating" as time goes on.
Now, it comes the beauty, the climax... the chorus of the song. He is talking to us with his full human side, looking up to the sky with grief:
"As the water grinds the stone
We rise and fall
As our ashes turn to dust
We shine like stars".
This, for me, is like an ode to the human existence. We are extraordinary, complex and beautiful because "we shine like stars" through history after each generation. The beauty of life itself is transcendent and fugacious. That's what it makes him feel in pain.
The second part is all about endless nostalgia. Yearning his past, knowing that his future will be no more than the same feelings, day after day, without no end. He's talking from his machine side to his human side again.
"Kisses on the dancefloor in my past
I need some comfort just like you
Beating like a bass drum time goes by
I want the last dance just like you
Drowning in the flood of morning light
I'm only human just like you
Do you hear the city waking up
I will survive and so will you"
With the end of the song near, the atmosphere turns into a vortex with digital sounds and voices, emphasising all the previous feeling even more. (This part, in the full version of the song, is a bit more longer.)
"We are the only ones right now that are celebrating
We are the dying ones
We are the only ones right now that are dying
And we are joining hands".
Finally and one last time, the chorus. :'(
Thank you for take the time to read all this craziness xDD But I really love this song and I just wanted to share my personal emotions about it. Hope you listen this song with a different perspective from now on ;)
@ASP987
Still watching here in 2023 absolutely love Covenant. one of my favorite bands of all time!! Forever timeless and always relevant!! Seeing them Easter Sunday in San Francisco so excited about it!! 🖤🖤🖤
@Aether-Entropy
Same here. Trying to buy all their vinyl but so expensive!
@Fogwell94
I have always wondered if vinyls are that good at sound quality. I bought a house now and it would be nice to set up a relax room with a decent music player, instead of just listening to you tube, and I was wondering if vynils are worth it
@Aether-Entropy
@@Fogwell94 dude, just had my brother in-law visit. Showed him my vinyl and he legit thought it was digital. It sounds incredible, trust me.
@HorusHeresy1982
17/01/24. I win.
@IrisCorven
Man, I miss the EBM/Electro-Industrial era of the 2000's. There are so many solid groups from that time: VNV Nation, Covenant, Seabound, Rotersand, Icon of Coil, TOY, Neuroticfish, Colony 5, De-Vision, etc...
I was around 14 or 15 when these songs all started hitting, and being the only goth kid in my friend group who listened to the older stuff - The Cure, Siouxsie, Sisters of Mercy, Fields of the Nephilim, and the ilk - in a time where everyone my age was gaga about Manson, Slipknot, Tool, etc... Shit was life changing. And put me in a unique position at my age to introduce a lot of friends to it, which led to friendships I still maintain to this day.
@adamczak_
Miss those days also, and all my goth friends dissapeared😢
@Nattfridur
A masterpiece. Timeless. Breathtaking. From many songs on many Covenant albums, this will always be one of my favorites. I heard it so often that it has become a piece of me. <3
@XMistressLolaX
How does this not have a billion views? Seriously. Absolute musical perfection.
@digitalbeat666
good music is not popular music