The band worked under the name Morgöth until the year 1990, when they changed their monicker to Suffocation and decided to become much more extreme concerning the musical direction. After their first demo tape "Festering Flesh" they were again forced to change their band name because of the upcoming US Suffocation and their first vinyl appearance. After having found a constant band name in Fleshcrawl they released their first 7'' EP "Lost in a Grave" in 1991 on Morbid Records. One year later Fleshcrawl inked a record contract with Black Mark Production. In June 1992 they recorded their debut album "Descend into the Absurd" at Montezuma Studio, Stockholm. Shortly after, Mike Hanus replaced Gero Schmitt on guitar. In 1993 Fleshcrawl's second album "Impurity" was produced in Dan Swanö's Unisound Studio. They proved their power at the Easter Bash Tour '95 where they were joined by Deicide, Cathedral and Brutal Truth.
In December '95 Fleshcrawl recorded their third album "Bloodsoul" being followed by their fourth album "Bloodred Massacre" in 1997 - both recorded at Abyss Studios by Peter Tägtgren. Having been the debut for the new singer Sven Gross who took over the place of Alex Pretzer, "Bloodred Massacre" earned the best reviews since their first album in 1992.
In 1998 Tobias Schick occupied the long time vacant bassist slot. After the release of "Bloodred Massacre", Fleshcrawl cut the ties with Black Mark and went on a four week European Tour with Vader and Kataklysm, also participating in festivals with Cannibal Corpse and Dark Funeral. Back from the tour, Fleshcrawl signed a contract with Metal Blade Records. In January 2000 "As Blood Rains from the Sky - We Walk The Path Of Endless Fire" - produced at Fredman Studios in Gothenburg - was released. Press reactions and reviews for this album turned out to be the best since the band came together in 1987.
In June 2000 Fleshcrawl went out to tour Europe together with Vader and Vital Remains for a 25 show trek. Several single shows and festivals followed throughout the summer (e.g. Czech Dynamo Festival, Summer Breeze Festival). In the meantime, Fleshcrawl started preparing their new song material for their 2nd album on Metal Blade. In January 2001 they supported Bolt Thrower on a warm-up tour of Germany and Holland followed by the Torture-Tour in June 2001 supporting Six Feet Under. That same year Fleshcrawl performed live on the Party-San Open Air. In September 2001 the band entered Studio Underground in Västeras, Sweden, to produce album No. 6 - "Soulskinner". After having returned from the studio with the best feeling ever, the band went out to promote "Soulskinner" supporting Bolt Thrower and Benediction on a 4 week European Tour in January 2002.
Having played a few single shows in Germany and Europe throughout spring and early summer 2002, Fleshcrawl performed on Wacken 2002. This also was the first appearance of new guitarist Oliver Grbavac substituting founding member Stefan Hanus, who quit the band for personal and private reasons. In fall 2002 the band appeared on the Westfalenfestival in Dortmund amongst other things. Another premiere took place in November 2002: Fleshcrawl played their first tour of Japan supporting Hypocrisy from Sweden. This was a very intense and huge experience in the band's career. In retrospect, the year 2002 became the most successful since the band's foundation.
After having returned from Japan, Fleshcrawl started writing for the next album. During the year 2003 the band made itself scarce concerning live shows in order to intensely prepare the new song material for the follow-up to "Soulskinner". In November 2003, Fleshcrawl again headed up to Studio Underground in Sweden to record album No. 7, entitled "MADE OF FLESH",
"MADE OF FLESH" was released 23rd February 2004 in Europe and 9th March 2004 in the U.S.
In support of "MADE OF FLESH", Fleshcrawl supported Six Feet Under in February/March 2004 throughout a european tour. During the summer of 2004, the band performed several single shows as well as on some of the major european openair festivals for extreme metal (Party-San OpenAir, Summer Breeze Open Air, Metalcamp Slovenia, Rock Harz, Skeleton Bash, Kaltenbach OpenAir).
Rotten
Fleshcrawl Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bleed ... everyone
Shelter of the weak
Eyes of the dead
Inside their mind i creep...
Rotten
Rotten
R o t t e n ...
Rotten, i will die
Rotten, sacrificed
Rotten, in hell i'll be
Rotten, my flesh will bleed
I am the one
Torture of my soul
Dying in sin
I'm rotting from within...
Rotten
Rotten, evil dead
Rotten
R o t t e n ...
The song "Rotten" by Fleshcrawl is a dark and intense piece that delves into the themes of death, decay and inner turmoil. The opening lines depict a scene of chaos and destruction as the singer speaks of bleeding and the shelter of the weak, perhaps implying that the weak are being preyed upon by a stronger force. The next line, however, takes on a more ominous tone as the singer refers to the "eyes of the dead" and creeps inside their minds, suggesting a level of supernatural power or control.
The chorus repeats the word "rotten" multiple times, emphasizing the decay and corruption that the singer is experiencing. The subsequent lines speak of death and sacrifice, pointing towards a sense of inevitability and resignation. The final line of the chorus, "my flesh will bleed", serves as a visceral reminder of the physical toll that this decay is taking.
In the second verse, the singer speaks in first person and describes himself as the "one" who is experiencing this torment. He refers to himself as a "torture of my soul", further emphasizing the internal nature of his struggle. The last line, "I'm rotting from within", is a powerful image that encapsulates the entire song in just a few words.
Overall, "Rotten" is a haunting and intense song that deals with themes of death and decay, both physical and emotional. The repeated use of the word "rotten" creates a sense of unease and dread, while the imagery of bleeding flesh and decaying souls serves as a constant reminder of the mortal coil we are all bound to.
Line by Line Meaning
Bleed ... everyone
I want everyone to suffer and feel pain, both physically and emotionally.
Shelter of the weak
I prey on the vulnerable and the powerless, luring them into a false sense of safety before attacking them mercilessly.
Eyes of the dead
The lifeless and soulless eyes of those I have already killed haunt my thoughts and memories.
Inside their mind i creep...
I invade the thoughts and dreams of my victims, tormenting them with unrelenting fear and unease.
Rotten
I am corrupt to the core, consumed by an insatiable desire to inflict pain and suffering on others.
Rotten, evil dead
I am a malevolent spirit, cursed to wander the earth forever, seeking out new victims to torture and destroy.
R o t t e n ...
The very sound of my name should strike fear into the hearts of all who hear it.
Rotten, i will die
My end will come eventually, but until then, I will continue to indulge in my twisted pleasures.
Rotten, sacrificed
My victims are the sacrificial offerings that fuel my insatiable appetite for destruction and despair.
Rotten, in hell i'll be
When I finally do meet my end, I know without a doubt that I will be damned to an eternity of unspeakable torment and suffering.
Rotten, my flesh will bleed
Even my own body is rotting and falling apart, a testament to the depravity and wickedness of my soul.
I am the one
I am the embodiment of evil and darkness, an unstoppable force of cruelty and malice.
Torture of my soul
My own internal struggles and torments only serve to fuel my lust for pain and destruction upon others.
Dying in sin
Even as I slowly rot away from the inside out, I cling fiercely to my perverse and sadistic nature, refusing to let my hold over others slip away.
I'm rotting from within...
My soul is dying, consumed by its own wickedness and corruption. But until my final breath, I will continue to wreak havoc and destruction wherever I go.
Writer(s): Sven Gross, Stefan Hanus, Michael Hanus, Tobias Schick, Bastian Herzog Copyright: Crushing Skulls Music, Artist Publisher Designee
Contributed by Juliana M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.