Near the closure of 2004 the self produced demo album, Empire of the Fallen, was released; a four track obscure and prominent contribution to the doom metal underground. The demo was very well received and led to a deal with the Finish label Firedoom Music (extreme doom metal specialist label of Firebox Records).
Soon after that the debut album Aeternum Vale was recorded and finally released in 2006 and made very good reviews throughout the doom metal community.
In January 2008 the work began on yet another album. Dead Words Speak was written and recorded by Johan himself at the DRACONIAN rehearsal room. With a heavier approach regarding the sound than previous efforts, the music is both darker and more eerie than ever before. Filled with emotion and despair, Dead Words Speak is a personal settlement with the past.
Empire of the Fallen
Doom:VS Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yesterday has vanished and died
Everything dies within
Grey skies
Barren land
My empire...turns into sand
Broken down
Beyond repair
My empire...lost with despair
Dreams I thought were mine
Crushed by the wheel of time
Everything dies within
The lyrics of "Empire of the Fallen" by Doom:vs convey a sense of loss, despair, and acceptance towards the inevitability of the passage of time. The opening lines, "Lost thru motions of time, Yesterday has vanished and died," suggests a sense of time slipping away, with nothing to be done to prevent it. The theme of time continues throughout the song in phrases such as "Broken down beyond repair," and "Crushed by the wheel of time." These lines give a sense of things falling apart and breaking down with the passage of time, leading to a sense of despair and Helplessness.
The chorus of the song, "My empire...turns into sand" adds to the overarching theme of the song. An empire is strong, powerful, and able to withstand conflict and change. However, as time passes and things continue to break down, even the strongest empires will crumble and fall. The final line of the song, "Everything dies within," is a stark reminder that despite all efforts to preserve or extend life, everything is ultimately subject to the harsh reality of death.
Line by Line Meaning
Lost thru motions of time
Confused and aimlessly wandering through the passing of moments in time
Yesterday has vanished and died
The past is gone and cannot be retrieved or revisited
Everything dies within
All things, including emotions and desires, fade away and perish eventually
Grey skies
Dull and lifeless atmosphere devoid of color and hope
Barren land
A desolate and uninhabited place where nothing can grow or thrive
My empire...turns into sand
The once great and mighty kingdom has crumbled to dust and ruin
Broken down
Shattered and ruined beyond repair
Beyond repair
Unable to be fixed or restored to its former state
My empire...lost with despair
The once powerful and affluent society has succumbed to hopelessness and misery
Dreams I thought were mine
Hopes and aspirations that were once held dear and seemed within reach
Crushed by the wheel of time
Completely destroyed and overwhelmed by the passage of time and its effects
Contributed by Nathaniel R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.