Elend is a neoclassical darkwave band from France formed in 1993 by compose… Read Full Bio ↴Elend is a neoclassical darkwave band from France formed in 1993 by composers and multi-instrumentalists Iskandar Hasnawi and Renaud Tschirner. The band's name is German for "misery", however "im Elende sein" is also an Old German expression for "to be far away". The music can be described as gothic and orchestral music with post-romanticism undertones, or simply violent neoclassical. They are often classed as a metal act due to the fact that in their earlier days, they were signed to a label that released metal music almost exclusively. In actuality, though their sound has sometimes been very violent, they have never been metal of any form.

In an interview with a French magazine posted in June 2007 on their website, Iskander Hasnawi indicated that the costs and difficulties of recording the orchestral music associated with Elend have made it impossible to continue with the Elend project. Both composers will be continuing with personal projects, including L'Ensemble Orphique.

Official website: www.elend-music.org

Charis
Elend Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Beauty dies of beauty
Love of love

In the fever of our waiting
We were deceived, without deceivers
Betrayed, without betrayers

A mirror waits for your face

And I have been awaiting you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Elend's "Charis" are a hauntingly beautiful reflection on the fleeting nature of beauty and love. The first two lines, "Beauty dies of beauty, love of love," suggest that the very aspects that make something or someone beautiful or lovable can also lead to its downfall. This could be interpreted as a commentary on the fickle nature of love and how easily it can be lost.

The next lines, "In the fever of our waiting, we were deceived, without deceivers, betrayed, without betrayers," paint a picture of a situation where those involved were waiting and hoping for something to happen, only to be let down without anyone else actively deceiving or betraying them. This could be read in a more personal or societal context, as we can all relate to moments where we feel let down by circumstances beyond our control.

The final line, "A mirror waits for your face, and I have been awaiting you," is perhaps the most romantic of the entire song. It suggests that the singer has been waiting for someone they deeply care about, and that the image of this person is so indelibly imprinted on their mind that even a simple mirror can bring them to mind.

Overall, "Charis" is a powerful meditation on love, beauty, and the ways in which we deceive ourselves and are deceived by circumstance.

Line by Line Meaning

Beauty dies of beauty
The beauty that impresses us fades away with the passage of time.

Love of love
The love we cherish also ceases to exist with the end of love.

In the fever of our waiting
In the intensity of our longing for someone or something.

We were deceived, without deceivers
We were misled or tricked even though there was no one intentionally misleading us.

Betrayed, without betrayers
We felt betrayed even though we cannot find anyone to blame for it.

A mirror waits for your face
A mirror indicates that someone is expected to stand before it to show their reflection.

And I have been awaiting you
I have been eagerly anticipating your arrival or presence.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS