Death in June emerged in 1981, reuniting singer/multi-instrumentalist Douglas P. and bassist Tony Wakeford; drummer Patrick Leagas completed the original lineup, which made its live debut late the following year with an opening slot for the Birthday Party.
The 12-inch Heaven Street soon followed, and in 1983 Death in June issued their first full-length effort, The Guilty Have No Pride. From the outset, the group was criticized for its adoption of fascist imagery, and charges of Nazism dogged Pearce throughout his career. However, Pearce is openly homosexual and has also collaborated with various ethnic Jews throughout his discography; the official Death in June web site used to sport an Israeli flag, and Death in June played live in Israel on June 18, 2004 for a predominantly Jewish audience.
Upon completing the Burial LP, Wakeford left the lineup to form Sol Invictus. Following the release of 1985’s Nada!, only Pearce remained, with Leagas exiting to form his own project, Sixth Comm.
Beginning with the 1986 double album The World That Summer, Pearce continued Death in June primarily as a solo concern, aided by a revolving group of collaborators including Current 93’s David Tibet, Boyd Rice and Coil’s John Balance. The abrasive electronics and martial rhythms of early efforts gave way to an increasingly expansive sonic approach over the course of subsequent outings including 1987’s Brown Book, 1989’s The Wall of Sacrifice and 1992’s But, What Ends When the Symbols Shatter?, the latter evoking Pearce’s longstanding interest in traditional European folk music.
The first British act to perform in Croatia following the outbreak of Yugoslavia’s civil war, Death in June documented their experiences on 1993’s Something Is Coming. Subsequent efforts include 1995’s Rose Clouds of Holocaust, 1998’s Take Care and Control, 2000’s Operation Hummingbird, and 2001’s All Pigs Must Die.
The official web site of Death in June is maintained at http://www.deathinjune.net.
Official Death In June merchandise can be bought here http://www.plastichead.com/catalogue.asp?ex=backlist&category=merch&target=DEATH+IN+JUNE.
Cathedral Of Tears
Death in June Lyrics
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We shall tear your heart
Into pieces of emotion
And only dreams can redeem your life
Where only dreams have received your life
Overwhelm me
With nothing
And nothing
Overwhelm me
With nothing
But nothing
And nothing
Never before this thrill, this motif
Never before this vision, this salvation
And never again this past and this future
But I cannot right what I have done wrong
And we'll never return to where we have gone but I cannot right what I have done wrong
And we'll never return to where we have gone but I cannot right what I have done wrong
And we'll never return to where we have gone but I cannot right what I have done wrong
Nothing and nothing but nothing and nothing
The lyrics to "Cathedral of Tears" by Death in June explore themes of overwhelming emotions, redemption, and the inability to change past mistakes. The line "In this cathedral of tears, we shall tear your heart into pieces of emotion" suggests that the song is about experiencing intense emotions, perhaps as a result of a difficult situation or event. The line "and only dreams can redeem your life, where only dreams have received your life" touches on the idea that dreams and hopes are what keep us going, even through tough times. The repetition of "overwhelm me with nothing but nothing" may represent a desire to escape the overwhelming emotions that are being experienced.
The second stanza of the song speaks to the idea of salvation and the impossibility of changing past actions. The lines "never before this thrill, this motif, never before this vision, this salvation" suggest that the singer is experiencing something new or profound, perhaps a moment of clarity or insight. However, the lines "and we'll never return to where we have gone but I cannot right what I have done wrong" highlight the regret and sense of inability to change past mistakes that the singer is feeling.
Line by Line Meaning
In this cathedral of tears
We are in a place where sadness and sorrow prevail.
We shall tear your heart
We will cause you great emotional pain.
Into pieces of emotion
Your feelings will be shattered into fragments.
And only dreams can redeem your life
The only hope for salvation is through dreaming.
Where only dreams have received your life
Your life has been defined and shaped by your dreams.
Overwhelm me
I want to be consumed by something greater than myself.
With nothing
I desire to be overcome by emptiness or nothingness.
But nothing
I crave the absence of all things.
Never before this thrill, this motif
I have never experienced such a powerful and recurring feeling before.
Never before this vision, this salvation
I have never seen or perceived such a profound sense of deliverance before.
And never again this past and this future
The experiences of the past and the possibilities of the future will never be the same after this.
But I cannot right what I have done wrong
I am unable to correct my mistakes.
And we'll never return to where we have gone
We cannot go back to where we have been.
Nothing and nothing but nothing and nothing
Only absence and emptiness remain.
Contributed by Allison G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.