There are multiple artists with the name Criminal.

1) Formed in 1991… Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple artists with the name Criminal.

1) Formed in 1991 in Santiago, Chile, Criminal’s intense blend of thrash metal, death metal and hardcore made them rise quickly to the forefront of the thriving South American metal scene.

After releasing two demos that created a buzz in the South American and worldwide metal underground and supporting bands such as Kreator and Sepultura, Criminal signed a deal with major label BMG. Their first two albums, “Victimized” (1994) and “Dead Soul” (1996), went on to sell in excess of 10,000 copies each in their home country alone whilst the band enjoyed extensive video airplay on MTV Latino, touring most of the subcontinent including support slots with heavyweights such as Slayer, Exodus, Motörhead and Bruce Dickinson. The video clip for the song “Collide” (off the album “Dead Soul”) was nominated in the “Best Rock Video” category for the MTV Latino Video Music Awards, and Criminal played in front of over 50,000 people at Colombia’s prestigious Rock al Parque festival.

In 1998 Criminal embarked on their first ever US tour, taking part in the famed Milwaukee Metal Fest as well as supporting the likes of Testament, The Haunted and Overkill at selected club shows.

Upon their return from the US and being forced to part ways with the semi-bankrupt Chilean BMG branch, Criminal took matters into their own hands releasing the self-produced “Cancer” album (1999). Just like their previous output “Dead Soul”, “Cancer” was snapped up for the European market by Metal Blade Records, being greeted with an overwhelming response from both metal press and fans.

Frustrated with the state of the South American music scene, the creative core of the band (guitarist/vocalist Anton Reisenegger and guitarist Rodrigo Contreras) relocated to Europe in 2001, soon regrouping in a half-Chilean, half-British line-up with drummer Zac O’Neil (ex-Extreme Noise Terror) and Robin Eaglestone (ex-Cradle of Filth). The line-up also featured additional keyboards by Mark Royce. One of the band’s first live appearances on European soil was at Wacken Open Air, where they played one of the main stages to an enthusiastic crowd despite the early hour.

Criminal soon released the album “No Gods No Masters” (2004), a boldly experimental affair which reflected changes the band had been through in recent times, resulting in extreme, genre-bending songs. Bass duties on “No Gods” were handled by both guitarists, as Eaglestone had been ousted due to personal and business differences.

After touring Europe supporting Six Feet Under, Criminal returned to the four-piece format and the visceral thrash riffs of their early days to release “Sicario” (2005), their most accomplished piece of work to date, only a year after “No Gods”. Featuring original bass player Juan Cueto to temporarily replace the departed Eaglestone, “Sicario” was hailed by the metal press as one of the year’s top thrash albums, being voted by the readers of Terrorizer magazine into the Top Ten Albums of the Year. Criminal played successful shows in support of their new release, opening shows for acts like Chimaira, Brujeria and Lamb of God, as well as taking part in several festivals in Mainland Europe.

With a new line-up featuring Reisenegger, Contreras, O’Neil and new addition Dan Biggin (bass), Criminal released their new album 'White Hell' on 27th February 2009.

2) Criminal is an Ambient and Wave producer releasing "psychoactive recordings" on Delysid.

3) Criminal is a podcast about crime.

4) Criminal is a rock band from the 80s, featuring Patty Zander.

Rise and Fall
Criminal Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Unprovoked aggression
Massive supremacy
Imperial domination
Global hegemony
Constant intervention
Preemptive strike doctrine
Widespread annihilation
Lethal technology

[Chorus:]
Rise and fall
Rise and fall
The day will come
The twilight of empires
Rise and fall

Subversive tactics
Nihilist philosophy
Mass extermination
Suicide strategy
Glorified immolation
Blind fundamentalism
Perpetual confrontation
Self-fulfilled prophecy

[Chorus]

Rise and fall
Rise and fall

Rise and fall
Rise and fall

Overall Meaning

The song "Rise and Fall" by Criminal addresses the issue of humanity's constant struggle for power and domination, which inevitably leads to the downfall of empires. The lyrics highlight the destructive nature of unprovoked aggression, massive supremacy, and imperial domination, which often results in global hegemony - the control and influence of one nation over other nations.

Throughout the song, the lyrics focus on the strategies and tactics used by those in power to maintain and expand their control. These include constant intervention, the pre-emptive strike doctrine, and the use of lethal technology. The chorus emphasizes the inevitable outcome of these actions - rise and fall, the twilight of empires.

The second verse delves deeper into the darker aspects of these power struggles, including subversive tactics, nihilist philosophy, and mass extermination. Suicide strategies, glorified immolation, and blind fundamentalism further compound the destructive nature of these actions. The perpetual confrontation and self-fulfilled prophecy ultimately leads to the collapse of empires, as seen throughout history.

Overall, "Rise and Fall" serves as a warning and cautionary tale against the constant pursuit of power and domination, as it inevitably leads to destruction and downfall.

Line by Line Meaning

Unprovoked aggression
Attacking without provocation

Massive supremacy
Achieving great power and control

Imperial domination
Ruling over others through an empire

Global hegemony
Dominating the entire world

Constant intervention
Frequently intervening in other countries' affairs

Preemptive strike doctrine
Using military force before being attacked

Widespread annihilation
Destroying many things on a large scale

Lethal technology
Developing and using deadly weapons

Rise and fall
The cycle of gaining and losing power

The day will come
A time will come when things will change

The twilight of empires
The end of powerful empires