A pioneer of the progressive metal movement, Fates Warning has been referred to as one of the "Big Three" of the genre, creating and popularizing the style along with Queensrÿche and Dream Theater. Their early work, influenced by the new wave of British heavy metal, is also important in the development of American power metal. Fates Warning has released thirteen studio albums, two live albums, one compilation album, one VHS cassette, three DVDs (each featuring live concerts) and four demo tapes. The band experienced its first commercial success with the 1986 release of their third studio album, Awaken the Guardian, which peaked at No. 191 on the Billboard 200 and became the first album released on Metal Blade to enter that chart. Their next three albums—No Exit (1988), Perfect Symmetry (1989) and Parallels (1991)—were also successful; the first two peaked at No. 111 and No. 141 on the Billboard 200, respectively. By 2001, Fates Warning had sold over a million albums worldwide. Their thirteenth studio album, Long Day Good Night, was released on November 6, 2020.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fates_Warning
Studio albums
Night on Bröcken (1984)
The Spectre Within (1985)
Awaken the Guardian (1986)
No Exit (1988)
Perfect Symmetry (1989)
Parallels (1991)
Inside Out (1994)
A Pleasant Shade of Gray (1997)
Disconnected (2000)
FWX (2004)
Darkness in a Different Light (2013)
Theories of Flight (2016)
Long Day Good Night (2020)
Buried Alive
Fates Warning Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
in body and in soul.
Dead wall of stone I cry out
for twenty years alone.
Exanimate a penance
not fit for man nor beast.
Innocent of mortal sin,
do hear me out at least.
Man of strong mind and soul
deserves a second chance.
Just to see a glimpse of light
would warm my icy hands.
Any kin or family
just an echo in my mind.
Silence loudens tribulations
that I left behind.
Just then a beam of light projects
from underneath a rock.
Could it be escape I'm free.
I'll dig my fingers raw.
Man of strong mind and soul
deserves a second chance.
Just to see a glimpse of light
would warm my icy hands.
Deep in your mind look for the answer,
it'll be there.
Life, strange illusion,
stay low, it'll take care.
Time is the sentence in which
you must abide.
Make sin your companion,
then Satan be your bride.
The tunnels deep and twisting
as I press my body through and through
Entrapped in this one way passage,
in light I must pursue and soon.
I grasp the bars at the end of my crawl,
as I gape down to the sea.
The skeleton of a man who tried,
a fool just like me.
Man of strong mind and soul
deserves a second chance.
Just to see a glimpse of light
would warm my icy hands.
Deep in your mind look for the answer,
it'll be there.
Life, it's a strange illusion,
take it slow, it'll take care.
No time is the sentence in which
you must abide.
Make sin your companion,
then Satan be your bride.
The lyrics of Fates Warning's "Buried Alive" begin by painting a picture of a dark and damp place where the singer has been trapped for two decades, isolated from the rest of the world. The singer, who appears to be innocent of any wrongdoing, is seeking a way out of this prison when they see a beam of light shining from underneath a rock. Believing this to be their chance for escape, they endeavor to dig their way out with their bare hands.
As the lyrics progress, the singer speaks of the importance of second chances for individuals with strong minds and souls, while recognizing the difficulty of finding answers in life's strange illusions. They also speak of the concept of time being a sentence that one must abide by, and suggest that one should make sin their companion and Satan their bride. This final idea may suggest a sort of fatalistic approach to life, where the acceptance of sin and temptation is seen as the only way to find happiness or escape from a difficult situation.
Overall, the lyrics of "Buried Alive" juxtapose the idea of confinement with the desire for freedom and second chances. The singer seeks to escape their physical and emotional constraints, but also grapples with larger questions about the purpose and meaning of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Dark and dampness lingers
The haunting and depressing atmosphere surrounds him
in body and in soul.
It affects him both physically and mentally
Dead wall of stone I cry out
He feels trapped and helpless in front of a rigid and impenetrable barrier
for twenty years alone.
He has been stuck in this hopeless situation for two decades
Exanimate a penance
His punishment is a living death
not fit for man nor beast.
It's a terrible fate that should not be wished upon anyone
Innocent of mortal sin,
He did not commit any crime that deserves such a cruel punishment
do hear me out at least.
He appeals for mercy and understanding despite his dire situation
Man of strong mind and soul
He believes that he is resilient and tough
deserves a second chance.
He hopes to be given a way out of his confinement
Just to see a glimpse of light
He longs for hope and the end of his suffering
would warm my icy hands.
It would give him comfort and relief from the cold and darkness
Any kin or family
He feels alone and forgotten by those who used to care for him
just an echo in my mind.
Memories of his loved ones haunt him and keep his hopes alive
Silence loudens tribulations
The lack of sound amplifies his suffering and frustration
that I left behind.
He regrets the choices that led him to this fate
Just then a beam of light projects
A sign of hope finally appears
from underneath a rock.
He discovers a way out of his confinement
Could it be escape I'm free.
He hopes that he has finally found his way out of the darkness
I'll dig my fingers raw.
He's willing to do anything to escape and be free
Deep in your mind look for the answer,
He encourages others to search for their own solutions to their problems
it'll be there.
The answer is within us all if we take the time to search for it
Life, strange illusion,
He reflects on the paradoxical nature of existence
stay low, it'll take care.
He advises to not worry too much and let time take its course
Time is the sentence in which
He recognizes that time is a powerful force that affects us all
you must abide.
We have no choice but to live with the consequences of the passing of time
Make sin your companion,
He suggests that embracing our flaws can help us cope with life's challenges
then Satan be your bride.
He uses an extreme metaphor to illustrate that we should embrace our darker selves as a way of finding peace
The tunnels deep and twisting
He describes the physical obstacles that he faces in his escape
as I press my body through and through
He describes the physical strain and effort required to find his way to freedom
Entrapped in this one way passage,
He is stuck in a linear path with no other choice but to move forward
in light I must pursue and soon.
He must find his way to the light before he runs out of time
I grasp the bars at the end of my crawl,
He finally reaches the end of the tunnel and finds salvation
as I gape down to the sea.
He sees the vast expanse of the ocean and is awe-struck by its beauty
The skeleton of a man who tried,
He sees the remains of someone who tried and failed to escape like he did
a fool just like me.
He realizes that he is not so different from the man he sees, and that we are all fallible and flawed
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JIM MATHEOS, JOHN ARCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind