The band was founded in 1992. Rather than taking the normal route of releasing Demos, DA instead recorded a multitude of limited edition split albums, though rehearsal tapes and demos were released later on various compilation sets. Some of these have such poor sound quality that they just sound like blasts of noise, whereas later releases like The Inalienable Dreamless have very clear production which revealed the complexity of the guitar riffs.
They split up in 2003 when guitarist Rob Marton developed tinnitus from standing too close to the amp during rehearsals and live shows. They gained somewhat of a cult status post-split, and are renowned as one of the foremost art-grind bands.
The band was notable both for having no bassist and for packaging most of their full-length releases in DVD cases rather than standard CD cases, presumably to accommodate the unusually large booklets (normally with liner notes for each song longer than the lyrics).
Harmony Battery
Discordance Axis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Inherent abuse takes shape
Submitted for strategic
Rape
Trace the steps of contentedness with empty traditions
So called alternative is nothing but more of the same
Possessive nature of the mutual farce that is harmony battery
Denounce our repression or save face?
In "Harmony Battery," Discordance Axis is critiquing the way that society blindly follows certain traditions and norms without questioning their consequences. The first line, "Rigidly perpetuated unawares," suggests that people continue to perpetuate harmful behaviors without even realizing it. The "inherent abuse" described in the second line seems to refer to the harm that comes from blindly following harmful societal expectations. The next line, "Submitted for strategic rape," is a disturbing metaphor that describes how people willingly subject themselves to harmful beliefs and traditions.
The second stanza continues this critique, suggesting that people who try to rebel against these societal norms are often just perpetuating the same harmful patterns in a slightly different form. The line "So-called alternative is nothing but more of the same" suggests that even those who try to find alternatives to harmful societal norms are often just replicating the same patterns. The final line of the stanza, "Possessive nature of the mutual farce that is harmony battery," conveys a sense of frustration with the societal pressure to conform.
The final line, "Denounce our repression or save face?" is a call to action, asking listeners to consider whether it's more important to preserve their reputation and go along with societal expectations, or to speak out against harmful norms and seek to make a change.
Line by Line Meaning
Rigidly perpetuated unawares
Unconsciously continuing to support and maintain oppressive systems
Inherent abuse takes shape
The inherent nature of these systems leads to abusive behavior
Submitted for strategic
Giving in to these systems as a strategic move to survive or succeed
Rape
Using and violating individuals for personal gain or pleasure
Trace the steps of contentedness with empty traditions
Following outdated and meaningless traditions in an attempt to find happiness
So called alternative is nothing but more of the same
Claiming to offer an alternative solution, but it is not truly different and only perpetuates the same problems
Possessive nature of the mutual farce that is harmony battery
The false sense of unity created by conforming to oppressive systems only serves to reinforce the power dynamics at play
Denounce our repression or save face?
Should we speak out against the oppressive systems we uphold, or continue to save face and perpetuate the cycle?
Contributed by Tristan I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.