The band's current and former line-up has consisted of many musicians from progenital Gothenburg melodic death metal bands; Kristian Wåhlin, Johan Osterberg, and Alf Svensson were in Grotesque (a predecessor of At the Gates, who Alf would eventually join); and Daniel Svensson briefly played drums with the group before going on to major success with In Flames.
The band's most recent release was The Green Goddess (2001). Various sources differ as to band's status. However, Hans Nilsson's full-time involvement with Dimension Zero and Wåhlin's extensive contributions as an album cover artist and musician for other Scandinavian-area extreme metal bands may be attributable to the long period of no activity.
Absinthe
Diabolique Lyrics
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Grey dusk envelops the dying stream
Failing yet holding sway
Slowly going away
Grind me down, into the ground
Down again, when I drown
I've failed again
Absinthe always this way
Absinthe my loveless angel
Shaking nervously with intenser days
The pissant drags a bloody soul away
Building beds out of flesh
Rotting time, an empty caress
Grind me down, into the ground
Down again, when I drown
I've failed again
Absinthe always this way
Absinthe my loveless angel
A long way to go when chained to the earth
Yesterday was mourning today's a brighter dirge
The song "Absinthe" by Diabolique delves into the emotions and thoughts of a person going through a difficult time in their life. The first verse describes a bleak and dying stream, enveloped in the darkness of the approaching dusk. The image of something failing yet holding sway is a metaphor for the person's own struggles with life. They may be deteriorating, but they are still trying to hold on and keep going. The repetition of the phrase "Slowly going away" emphasizes the idea that the person is slipping further and further away from themselves and their goals.
The second verse introduces the idea of being ground down and drowned repeatedly. This could represent the difficulties and setbacks that the person is faced with, which they are unable to overcome. The line "Absinthe always this way" suggests that this pain and suffering is always present and that there is no escape from it. The repeated reference to absinthe as a "loveless angel" could be interpreted as a way of coping with the pain - by using absinthe as a means of escape or distraction.
The final verse brings in the idea of being chained to the earth and having a long way to go. Despite the bleakness of the situation, the final line suggests that there is still a glimmer of hope for the future - even if it is still a mournful one. The song ultimately paints a picture of someone struggling with their own mortality and the weight of their own existence.
Line by Line Meaning
Take this down ca 1993
The song's origin was in 1993 and it's being recorded now.
Grey dusk envelops the dying stream
The stream is almost dying and the surrounding is enveloped in greyish dusk.
Failing yet holding sway
The stream is not in the best condition, but it still manages to hold its ground.
Slowly going away
The stream is slowly losing its existence.
Grind me down, into the ground
Life is slowly wearing me down and pushing me to the ground.
Down again, when I drown
Every time I fail, I go down, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
I've failed again
I've failed one more time, life's a struggle.
Absinthe always this way
Absinthe, the drink, always gives off a similar feeling.
Absinthe my loveless angel
Absinthe is like a lover to me, yet it doesn't love me in return.
Shaking nervously with intenser days
The days are getting tougher and more intense, and it's causing me to shake nervously.
The pissant drags a bloody soul away
A weakling is dragging a dead soul away, far away from life.
Building beds out of flesh
A reference to sleeping on the flesh of the dead.
Rotting time, an empty caress
The passing of time feels like an empty stroke of the hand on a face.
A long way to go when chained to the earth
It's a long journey to make when tied down to the earth, a reminder of the burden of life.
Yesterday was mourning today's a brighter dirge
Yesterday was a period of mourning, but today is a little brighter, even though it's still sad.
Contributed by Brayden Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Satura83
amazing song