Farmakon was a four-piece Progressive Death Metal band from Finland. The ba… Read Full Bio ↴Farmakon was a four-piece Progressive Death Metal band from Finland. The band formed in April 2001, in the city of Tampere. The band combine funk and jazz elements into their music.

The band released its first demo in 2001, which caught the attention of Lee Barrett and the band was quickly signed onto Elitist Records, a branch of the infamous Earache. The bands debut album A Warm Glimpse was released in the year 2003. It turned out to be a success, especially among the progressive metal circles, and Farmakon was widely noted by the metal press as a band to keep an eye out for.

Farmakon was signed onto by the Finnish FS Records after Elitist Records came crashing down. The band's second album Robin was released in early 2007. The album continues with the band's trademark twist, but also introduces a darker and more focused side of Farmakon.

In 2010 they split-up.

Band line-up (as of october 2007):

Marko Eskola - Vocals
Toni Salminen - Guitars
Pekka Kauppila - Bass
Riku Airisto - Drums

A Temporary Death
Farmakon Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Fainting and vanishing
To a rhythm of a heartbeat
Borderline and near the edge

Slow and firm grip
Cool and lifeless
Patiently parting the world in two

I've never said anything meaningful
Timeless and true
My game was silence

I am but a grain of sand
But nonetheless eternal
Not the lack of direction
But of understanding

The strain in me
Another train into
A temporary death in me

Linear sequence of choice points
The circle of my history
The feelings prevail

Control now
Lost on its way
Like a tear in the rain

The instant of my purity
No excuses, no solutions
Only the helplessness

Before this all ends

I want her to know
Just how much I love her

Overall Meaning

The song "A Temporary Death" by Farmakon is a thought-provoking piece that invites contemplation on the transient nature of our existence. The lyrics describe a sense of fading away, fainting, and vanishing to the rhythm of a heartbeat. The singer is on the borderline of existence and near the edge of what seems to be a temporary death. They describe their grip on life as slow and firm, cool and lifeless, parting the world in two with patience. The lyrics suggest that the singer has never really said anything meaningful, and their game has always been silence. The singer feels like a mere grain of sand, but one that is eternal, not because of their direction, but because of their understanding. They feel like a train going through a strain, leading them to a temporary death.

The lyrics carry a sense of ambiguity and uncertainty, where the singer's history is described as a linear sequence of choice points that make up a circle. The feelings seem to prevail, and the sense of control is lost. The singer describes the instant of their purity, where there are no excuses, no solutions, only helplessness. As the song progresses, the singer's tone seems to shift, and they express a desire to let someone know just how much they love them before it all ends.

This song's meaning is open to interpretation but generally portrays a sense of existentialism, where the singer is grappling with the idea of death and the impermanence of life. It encourages listeners to reflect on the choices they make and the impact they have on their lives, and the people they love.

Line by Line Meaning

Fainting and vanishing
Feeling faint and disappearing from reality

To a rhythm of a heartbeat
In sync with the beat of a heart

Borderline and near the edge
On the edge of losing control

Slow and firm grip
Holding on tight and steady

Cool and lifeless
Emotionless and detached

Patiently parting the world in two
Splitting the world apart methodically

I've never said anything meaningful
Not uttering anything of significance

Timeless and true
Eternally accurate

My game was silence
I communicated through silence

I am but a grain of sand
I am small and insignificant

But nonetheless eternal
But still everlasting