Diabolique are a Swedish gothic metal band, formed in 1995 after the dissol… Read Full Bio ↴Diabolique are a Swedish gothic metal band, formed in 1995 after the dissolution of Liers in Wait. The group is heavily influenced by The Sisters of Mercy, Black Sabbath, and Fields of the Nephilim, and in sound are similar to the styles of Charon, Tiamat, Moonspell, and Type O Negative.

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.

Darkman
Diabolique Lyrics

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I am the dark man
Dagger of the night
I am the dark man
Cloak of the Styx

I am the dark man
Colder than freezing ice
I am the dark man

Hotter than blazing fire

I am the dark man
Flesh for the moon
I am the dark man
Blood for the sun

In the shameful heavens
She bears my shadow
And in darkness she caresses my form
She knows my love from Death
She knows my love is Death's

I am the dark man
Her soul's sleep desire
I am the dark man
Burning her higher

She knows my love from Death
She knows my love is Death's

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Diabolique's Darkman are cryptic and mysterious, evoking a sense of danger and darkness. The song is sung from the perspective of the eponymous Darkman, who appears to be a supernatural entity with powers that are both chilling and scorching. The first verse introduces him as a figure who wields a "dagger of the night" and is shrouded in a "cloak of the Styx." These associations with death and the underworld suggest that Darkman is a being to be feared. However, the second half of the verse complicates this impression by describing him as having a dual nature, being both "colder than freezing ice" and "hotter than blazing fire." This suggests that Darkman is not simply a force of destruction, but also has the capacity to bring about transformation and change.

The subsequent verses deepen the sense of ambiguity around Darkman's character. The third verse describes him as being "flesh for the moon" and "blood for the sun." These lines suggest a connection to natural forces and cycles, but it is not entirely clear what this connection entails. The final verse introduces a female character who is somehow connected to Darkman. She "bears [his] shadow" and "caresses [his] form," which suggests an intimate relationship. However, the lyrics also suggest the possibility of violence and danger, with the woman knowing that Darkman's "love is Death's." The repeated line "she knows my love from Death" underscores the sense of fatalism and impending doom that pervades the song.

Line by Line Meaning

I am the dark man
I am an embodiment of darkness and evil

Dagger of the night
I am a weapon of the night, sharp and deadly

Cloak of the Styx
I am a dark and mysterious figure, draped in eternal darkness

Colder than freezing ice
My heart is cold and unfeeling

Hotter than blazing fire
My anger and rage burn like a raging inferno

Flesh for the moon
I offer myself as a sacrifice to the dark forces of the night

Blood for the sun
I spill the blood of my enemies in tribute to the light of day

In the shameful heavens
Even the heavens look down on my dark deeds

She bears my shadow
Even my lover is consumed by my dark aura

And in darkness she caresses my form
My lover finds comfort and pleasure in my darkness

She knows my love from Death
My lover understands that my love is tied to the darkness of death