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).
Heavy Water
Discordance Axis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Doted topography a pronounced disillusion
Coherent area, alienation
And they dynamics of living a lie.
Omniscient turbines grinding
Analytical glare of anti-glee
Refined into asbestos
Captured in this circle - composition
Stooped by patently ulterior cares
The hushed quiver, of a semi-life
As the machine rolls on
The lyrics in Discordance Axis's song Heavy Water paint a picture of a disorienting, alienating landscape. The "doted topography" and "pronounced disillusion" suggest that the singer is observing a world that is warped and fragmented, lacking a clear sense of direction or coherence. The "dynamics of living a lie" further emphasises this sense of disconnection from reality and a feeling of being trapped in some kind of false existence. The line "omniscient turbines grinding" adds to this sense of dystopian industrialisation, with the "analytical glare of anti-glee" implying a calculated, joyless approach to life.
The later line "refined into asbestos" is particularly striking. Asbestos is a dangerous and potentially fatal substance that can cause respiratory illness if inhaled. This suggests that the world described in the song is not only disorienting and alienating, but actively harmful to those who exist within it. The final image of the "machine" rolling on implies that this bleak and oppressive existence is self-sustaining, and that there is little chance of escape.
Line by Line Meaning
Detailed arcs, rout individual
Precise paths, but isolate each person
Doted topography a pronounced disillusion
Scattered landscape, a strong sense of disappointment
Coherent area, alienation
United region, yet distant from oneself
And they dynamics of living a lie
The way of pretending to be someone else
Omniscient turbines grinding
All-knowing machines constantly working
Analytical glare of anti-glee
A analyzing, joyless stare
Refined into asbestos
Made pure, but harmful
Introduced to preempt wonder
Unveiled earlier to prevent amazement
Captured in this circle - composition
Trapped in this cycle of composition
Stooped by patently ulterior cares
Bent by visibly hidden concerns
The hushed quiver, of a semi-life
The quiet shaking of a partially lived life
As the machine rolls on
As the system continues to operate
Contributed by Kaelyn A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@irrelephantone
one of my favorites from this album
@rootxdown
10/10 perfect
@plzineedtogowayrn6353
Kills
@curly_wyn
The production is hot garbage, the guitar has no distortion at all and is just plug straight into a Marshall, and it’s all fast and angry and cryptic.
And I love it.
@charliecooper5354
Sounds like a Strat that's plugged in