Though they seem unheard of to the general populace, Gävle, Sweden’s GADGET… Read Full Bio ↴Though they seem unheard of to the general populace, Gävle, Sweden’s GADGET has roots that trace back to 1997. At that time, GADGET existed as the grinding alter-ego of a metal-core band whose members, including GADGET progenitor William Blackmon, simply switched instruments. This early version of GADGET existed long enough to record one demo and then disappear at the end of '98.

In late '99, Blackmon joined local death metal troupe WITHERED BEAUTY and another local grind outfit in his spare time. The compromises of both were unfulfilling so Blackmon decided to take things back to the proverbial drawing board and, as he recounts, "start making music for myself, by myself and with myself."

The second coming of GADGET was starting to take place. "I just kept the name since I came up with it." Blackmon says. He continues, "GADGET was planned to be a solo project. I was fed up with playing in bands without substance. I was fed up with being in just one of those other projects that disappear after a couple of months. I was fed up with the shallow lyrics and the focus on 'cool' instead of 'honest' or even 'good.' I wanted, but for once, to play grind/metal with something more to offer than just 'cool' music."

Blackmon set to work piecing music together in his rehearsal space with his guitar rig, drum set, and trusty eight-track recorder. Soon enough though he decided this approach wasn’t working. "I got fed up with not being able to try out riffs and beats without the use of my 8-track. It got so lonely in the rehearsal... sitting there drumming and riffing and writing all by myself with no ability to get immediate feedback on what I was constructing. So I decided that if I could find some people with a similar attitude towards the art of grinding, perhaps it would benefit the situation."

Enter guitarist Rikard Olsson who played in one of Gävle’s crustiest bands; SHITSTORM! The duo tried out several drummers and bass players but couldn’t find anyone who fit and thus remained a rehearsal space two-piece. Blackmon recounts, "This way we could do everything except play live, and if that was the price for the music to turn out as we wanted it, so be it." For their writing sessions Blackmon manned the drums.

In March 2000, William and Rikard put their first material to the test. William recorded a ten song session and made a small run of tapes to hand out amongst friends. GADGET soon added vocalist Emil Englund and entered Studio Bandylimpa to record what became their second promo tape, this one a six song affair.

Shortly thereafter, the band was asked to contribute to a split 7” with EXHUMED on Relapse so they went back to Studio Bandylimpa in February 2001 to record. The recording turned out so well that it laid the groundwork of what would turn into a long-term relationship with Relapse.

GADGET recorded again in July (at Studio Blueroom) for what would become their contribution to the infamous Polar Grinder and Swedish Assault compilations (on Relapse and Putrid Filth Conspiracy respectively). This slew of splits and compilations staggered out over the better part of 2002 while the band wrote new material. Rikard also joined crust sensations DISKONTO on bass.

The band signed with Relapse in spring 2003 and entered Gothenberg’s Phlat Planet Studios with producer Frederik Rheinedahl (BURST, PASSENGER, DIMENSION ZERO, etc.) in July to record their debut Relapse full-length, ‘Remote.’ 'Remote' was released on February 3rd delivering Swedish grindcore from a band fast on the rise and with something to prove.

In 2006, Gadget released the follow-up to 'Remote', 'The Funeral March'.

GADGET is:

William Blackmon: Guitar, Drums, Vocals
Rikard Olsson: Guitar
Emil Englund: Vocals
Fredrik Nygren: Bass

GADGET online:

http://www.gadgetgrindcore.com

http://myspace.com/gadgetgrindcore

http://www.livejournal.com/community/gadgetgrindcore

Requiem
Gadget Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The shadows have grown longer
Time is up, realize;
These are the final days
A final breath, a final sigh
We are deprived, in riches
Denied in spirit
Stolen by complexity
Denied the minor

Rectified!
It's all around me, every day; the decay
I can see the fire
I can feel the flames
In every circuit I find
I feel I'm loosing pace
So amplify my senses
Feed me your virus; do it now!
Is there another level?
Is there another drive?

It's all around me, every day; the decay
It's all around me, every day; the decay

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Gadget's song Requiem set the tone of the piece, painting a picture of impending doom and finality. The shadows have grown longer, and time has run out. It's a call to action, urging us to take stock of our lives before they are over. The song seems to be a commentary on the state of the world, with lines like "stolen by complexity" and "denied the minor rectified", suggesting that we have lost sight of what is important and are chasing material wealth at the expense of our spirits. The repeated use of the word "denied" drives this point home.

As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the singer is facing his own battle. He sees the decay all around him, the flames of destruction licking at his heels. He feels like he's losing pace, and the only way to keep up is to amplify his senses and allow himself to be infected with the virus of the world. The final lines, "is there another level? Is there another drive?" show that even in the face of death and decay, there is still a glimmer of hope, a belief that we can rise above it all and find something new.

Overall, Requiem is a powerful piece of music, with a message that is both urgent and universal. It's a call to action, urging us to take stock of our lives and find a way to escape the shadows of destruction that are all around us.

Line by Line Meaning

The shadows have grown longer
The darkness has become more intense with time.

Time is up, realize;
The time has come to acknowledge the truth.

These are the final days
These are the last days of existence.

A final breath, a final sigh
The end is near and inevitable.

We are deprived, in riches
We may have wealth, but we lack fulfillment.

Denied in spirit
Our souls are disregarded and unfulfilled.

Stolen by complexity
We are overwhelmed and oppressed by complexity.

Denied the minor
Even small pleasures are denied to us.

Rectified!
The wrongs will be righted.

It's all around me, every day; the decay
The decay of society and humanity surrounds me constantly.

I can see the fire
I am aware of the impending destruction and chaos.