Formed in late 2000 as an experiment, the project became successful when introduced online with its over-processed vocals and intense melodic sequences. In only a short year, Dismantled was signed to both Metropolis Records in the US and Dependent Records in Europe and released the single "Dystopia" and the self-titlted album to highly positive reviews, hailing Dismantled as the newcomer of the year and as "Album of The Month" in three major German alternative magazines: Zillo, Sonic Seducer, and Orkus.
After a series of shows in the Northwest with such acts as Pigface, Hanzel und Gretyl, and Dita Von Teese, the end of 2003 saw the release of the Exit EP on Dependent Records, a somber ballad with clear vocals and a memorable piano. Included were a haunting cover of AFI's Morningstar approved by Davey Havok himself and a remix by Christian Antkow of id Software (Quake, Doom series), both long-time fans and supporters of the project. The full-length, PostNuclear, followed in 2004, upgrading the sound to be more rock-oriented and unusual with its mesh of pop and moody electronics, earning praise from industrial legends Rudy Ratzinger from Wumpscut and Daniel Myer of Haujobb.
To fully realize the vision of PostNuclear, the band set out on its first nationwide tour in 2004 with Adrian White on drums whose previous work included Delerium, Front Line Assembly, and Strapping Young Lad. The success of the tour had prompted the release of the third album in 2006, titled, Standard Issue, a sarcastic take on the simplicity and emptiness of the current musical climate. Finally getting to play in Europe at the Wave Gothic Festival after Standard Issue commercially failed in the US yet succeeded in Europe, Dismantled recorded one more album for the closing label Dependent titled "When I'm Dead," slated for 2007 and parted ways with Metropolis Records. As a result, Gary Zon is busy pursuing other projects, including the indie pop rock electro outfit Aerodrone and the female fronted electro / synth / rock band No Not Never.
Extirpation
Dismantled Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Blind with rage
Faces strapped to tubes
Devoid of human flesh
Fire blindly into
growing walls of steel
Retaliation starts
Helments melt into this concrete smear
The end is brightest
When the withered hands
are reaching for the sky
Their fading cries deforming
As the shockwaves rip the stars apart
Still alive
Barely crawling
Hands blown off
Limbs torn away
All shields breached
Decimation rising
Red sky falling faster
As the wave deletes your fears
Annihilation
Swept the ruins away
The tubes that once clung to the melted flesh
Have frozen
And crumbled on the mud of broken faces
The end is brightest
When the withered hands
are reaching for the sky
The end is brightest
When you never look away from your fate
The lyrics of Dismantled's song Extirpation paints a vivid picture of a post-apocalyptic world where there is a violent war between humans and machines. The first verse describes the humans' blindly aggressive action against the machines, even to the extent of using human faces as shields, but it is their retaliation that unleashes a catastrophic event. The line "helmets melt into this concrete smear" could suggest that the humans' violence is ultimately futile, as the machines are stronger and more advanced.
The second verse portrays the aftermath of the war, where the remaining humans are barely alive, wounded, and without limbs. The words "red sky falling" could signify the destruction and bloodshed that came with the war. However, the phrase "the end is brightest" could imply that even in the bleakest moments, there is still hope for survival and resilience. The chorus reinforces the idea of accepting one's fate – that "the end is brightest" – and to never look away from it.
Line by Line Meaning
Marching forward
Advancing ahead with determination
Blind with rage
Fueled by intense anger and fury without rational thought
Faces strapped to tubes
Humans hooked up to machines, causing them to lose their identity
Devoid of human flesh
Lifeless bodies with no humanity left in them
Fire blindly into
Shoot recklessly without precision or careful calculation
growing walls of steel
Rising barriers made of metal that keep growing higher
Retaliation starts
The act of revenge commences
Helmets melt into this concrete smear
The protective gear liquefies and merges with the ground after being exposed to extreme heat and violence
The end is brightest
The final moments are illuminated with intense and bright energy
When the withered hands
The weakened and desperate grasp of the dying
are reaching for the sky
Pleading for mercy, help or salvation from above
Their fading cries deforming
Their voices fading and becoming distorted
As the shockwaves rip the stars apart
Explosions cause a powerful ripple effect, shattering the celestial bodies
Still alive
Hanging onto life, despite being severely injured or mutilated
Barely crawling
Crawling in a feeble and laborious manner, with very little mobility
Hands blown off
Limb amputations caused by explosions or other traumatic events
Limbs torn away
The physical breakdown of body parts being ripped apart or detached from the body
All shields breached
The protective barriers and shields have been destroyed, leaving individuals exposed and vulnerable
Decimation rising
A large-scale destruction increasing significantly
Red sky falling faster
The color of the sky turns red, possibly due to wildfires or other catastrophic events, with the sky falling more quickly
As the wave deletes your fears
A large force that wipes out all forms of anxiety and apprehension
Annihilation
The complete and utter destruction of everything
Swept the ruins away
A force that clears away the remnants of anything that was left after a calamity or catastrophe
The tubes that once clung to the melted flesh
The machines that were once attached to bodies are now fused to the liquified flesh
Have frozen
The objects have turned into ice, possibly due to exposure to cold temperatures
And crumbled on the mud of broken faces
And have disintegrated on the wet ground, adjacent to people with shattered expressions and damaged bodies
When you never look away from your fate
When you are always staring directly at your destiny, never averting your eyes or ignoring what's coming
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind