In the beginning of 1998 Johan Svensson showed interest in the band and joined on guitar/bass. This new line-up didn’t last long since we had different aims and after some months Forest of Shadows was once again a one-man band. After Johan’s departure I started to redo the recordings of the old songs and in may 1998 the same four songs were released on the first real demo, titled “The Silent Cry”. During the release of the demo I got in contact with a friend of a friend, Micce Andersson, who found my band interesting and wanted to help me out. Almost instantly we wrote the opening riff of “Eternal Autumn” and started discussing some old songs to re-record.
In the beginning of 1999 we contacted Katatonia and asked them if we could do a cover of their masterpiece “Rainroom”. They approved and we recorded the song as well as a new version of “The Silent Cry”. In may 1999, a year after the release of the first demo, we released a promo called “promotion-cd 1999” which featured these two song. The intention of the promo was to show our new direction and sound which was a success since we recieved good critics from both friends and zines. We were really satisfied with what we had accomplished and ready to take it all a step further.
To read more, please visit: www.forestofshadows.com
Moments in Solitude
Forest of Shadows Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[Arranged by Niclas Frohagen 2006-2007]
[Lyrics originally written by Niclas Frohagen in 1997 rearranged in 2006]
Embraced by shadows
Feels like I'm dead to this world
This withering grey existence
A paradise for a sleepwalking kind
Suppressed screams echo inside
They carve at my fragile state
I'm plagued by my own pathetic misery
A creation of a diverted mind
These moments in solitude
Makes me wanting to escape
Far, far away from here
To where I rule my own life
A kingdom for myself
A place without fear
And with no need of your gods
That's where I find eternal peace
Somewhere among nowhere
That's where I linger
In my moments in solitude
Seeking comfort beyond my grasp
But it's all an empty vision
And I'm still here
Falling through skies of darkness
That shrouds my life with hatred and lies
I never wanted to feel sorry for myself
But I can't seem to find another way out
The lyrics of Forest of Shadows' song "Moments in Solitude" paint a vivid picture of isolation and alienation. The singer feels as though they are "embraced by shadows" and "dead to this world." Their existence is characterized by "withering grey existence" which makes for a "paradise for a sleepwalking kind." The singer is plagued by suppressed screams which create a sense of fragility within them. They feel as though they are "carved at" by these suppressed screams, and they are forced to confront their own "pathetic misery." This misery is entirely of their own making, as the singer is a "creation of a diverted mind."
Despite this acknowledgement of personal responsibility, the singer still longs for escape from their current reality. They find solace in moments of solitude, which make them want to "escape far, far away from here." The singer desires control over their own life, a "kingdom for myself." They seek a place without fear and without the need for gods. This is where they find "eternal peace" that is "somewhere among nowhere." However, the singer remains grounded in reality and knows that this is only an "empty vision." They are "still here" falling through the "skies of darkness" that shroud their life with "hatred and lies." They conclude by acknowledging that they never wanted to feel sorry for themselves, but they can't seem to find another way out.
Line by Line Meaning
Embraced by shadows
I feel like I'm surrounded by darkness and negativity.
Feels like I'm dead to this world
I feel like I don't belong and have lost my purpose.
This withering grey existence
Life feels dull and unfulfilling.
A paradise for a sleepwalking kind
Life is great for people who are content to just go through the motions.
Suppressed screams echo inside
I'm holding in a lot of pain and frustration.
They carve at my fragile state
My emotional state is delicate and these suppressed feelings are causing damage.
I'm plagued by my own pathetic misery
I am suffering from my own feelings of self-pity and sadness.
A creation of a diverted mind
My negative thoughts and emotions are the result of a fluctuating mental state.
These moments in solitude
When I'm alone with my thoughts,
Makes me wanting to escape
I feel a strong desire to get away from my current situation.
Far, far away from here
I want to be as far removed from my current life as possible.
To where I rule my own life
I want to be in control of my own destiny.
A kingdom for myself
I want a place where I can be the master of my own fate.
A place without fear
I want to be in a state where I'm not constantly worried.
And with no need of your gods
I don't need to rely on anyone or anything to find inner peace.
That's where I find eternal peace
This is where I will be truly at peace.
Somewhere among nowhere
This is a completely anonymous place where no one knows who I am.
That's where I linger
This is where I spend my time in thought.
In my moments in solitude
When I'm alone with my thoughts,
Seeking comfort beyond my grasp
I'm looking for something that seems impossible to attain.
But it's all an empty vision
This is all just a fantasy.
And I'm still here
Despite these feelings, I'm still stuck in my current reality.
Falling through skies of darkness
I feel like there's no hope and no light in my life.
That shrouds my life with hatred and lies
I feel like my life is full of negativity and deceit.
I never wanted to feel sorry for myself
I don't want to be stuck in a place of self-pity.
But I can't seem to find another way out
Despite my efforts, I am still struggling to find a solution to my problems.
Contributed by Lucas D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Swan Sonian
Amazing!
InMusicCro
I just recently discovered this shit, and this shit is the shit!!!
Fuck my life, it seems to me all the great bands have either gone stale or stopped playing entirely.
This would sound fucking awesome live!!! :( \m/
Plumbingtomb 939
Embraced by shadows
Feels like I'm dead to this world
This withering grey existance
A paradise for a sleepwalking kind
Suppressed screams echo inside
They carve at my fragile state
I'm plagued by my own pathetic misery
A creation of a diverted mind
These moments in solitude
Makes me wanting to escape
Far, far away from here
To where I rule my own life
A kingdom for myself
A place without fear
And with no need of your gods
That's where I find eternal peace
Somewhere among nowhere
That's where I linger
In my moments in solitude
Seeking comfort beyond my grasp
But it's all an empty vision
And I'm still here
Falling through skies of darkness
That shrouds my life with hatred and lies
I never wanted to feel sorry for myself
But I can't seem to find another way out
Tripticket
It works nicely in some songs, however, like in Thy Light - In My Last Mourning but I completely agree with you here. The song itself is good, but the intro and outro are a bit long.
Ali Altuntas
you are so value band thanks for all songs
chuck gardner
EXCELLENT DOOM WHY ISN,T IT KNOWN BETTER HERE IN THE USA
NaturReise
pretty good
Arkanai111
this is beyond words description
bartjudo
;D beautiful:D hail Frohagen :D he is a master
A.R.A Akka
silence can speak now