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.
And Deepest Sadness
Diabolique Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Summer came and passed away without a sound
But it's over now and what can I do?
Dark are the days now, all year through
Can you hear the silence
Can you feel the thorns
Can you feel the silence
Oh you were sad then in a time long gone
Not with you I drifted off into dead zones
And you were sick back when, chasing those fears
Needed me close and still I wasn't there
Can you hear the silence
Can you feel the thorns
Can you feel the silence
Can you hear the storms
We fade away
The lyrics of Diabolique's song "And Deepest Sadness" capture a sense of melancholy and loss as the singer reflects on the past and contemplates the present. The opening verse, "Rose die with me, fruits embitter and swans drown / Summer came and passed away without a sound," uses metaphorical language to suggest a sense of life slipping away and beauty fading. The singer is mourning the loss of something precious, but it's unclear what that is or whether it's connected to a specific person or experience. The second verse, "Oh, you were sad then in a time long gone / Not with you I drifted off into dead zones / And you were sick back when, chasing those fears / Needed me close and still I wasn't there," reveals a bit more about the singer's regret for not being there for someone when they needed them. The sense of distance and separation is palpable and the lyrics suggest that the singer was unable to provide the support or comfort that was needed.
The chorus, "Can you hear the silence / Can you feel the thorns / Can you feel the silence / Can you hear the storms," adds to the mood of isolation and despair by emphasizing the absence of sound and the presence of negative emotions. The use of repetition creates a hypnotic feeling that underscores the sense of being stuck in a loop of pain or emptiness. The final line, "We fade away," is a bleak acknowledgment of life's transience and the inevitability of our own mortality. The song is a meditation on the fragility of human connections and the pain of regret.
Line by Line Meaning
Rose die with me, fruits embitter and swans drown
The situation is so bleak and depressing that it's as if everything else in the world is dying and falling apart as well.
Summer came and passed away without a sound
The good times and happy memories that they used to have are now long gone, and they were unable to fully appreciate them while they lasted.
But it's over now and what can I do?
There is a sense of hopelessness and resignation in the face of adversity, with no clear path forward or way to make things better again.
Dark are the days now, all year through
The sadness and despair have become a constant companion, with no respite or relief in sight.
Can you hear the silence
There is a palpable sense of emptiness and absence, as if the world has gone quiet in mourning of what has been lost.
Can you feel the thorns
The pain and sorrow are so sharp that they are almost tangible, manifesting as a feeling of being pricked and wounded.
Can you feel the silence
The quiet is so profound that it becomes a physical presence, something that can be sensed and experienced in a visceral way.
Can you hear the storms
The inner turmoil and chaos are just as intense as any external, physical storm, with emotions raging like wind and rain.
Oh you were sad then in a time long gone
The sadness and heartache have been present for a long time, perhaps even since the beginning of the relationship or friendship that has since deteriorated.
Not with you I drifted off into dead zones
The distance and disconnect between them is so great that it's as if they are operating in different emotional realms, unable to connect or communicate effectively.
And you were sick back when, chasing those fears
The other person has had their own struggles and challenges, with their own fears and anxieties that they were trying to conquer or escape from.
Needed me close and still I wasn't there
Despite their need for support or companionship during difficult times, the artist was unable or unwilling to provide it, adding to the other person's sense of isolation and despair.
We fade away
The relationship or connection between them has deteriorated to the point of disappearing entirely, with nothing left but memories of what used to be.
Contributed by Penelope Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.