Goatsnake is an American doom metal band from Los Angeles, California. Goat… Read Full Bio ↴Goatsnake is an American doom metal band from Los Angeles, California. Goatsnake was formed in 1996 from the ashes of The Obsessed. After The Obsessed's demise, the rhythm section consisting of Guy Pinhas (former bassist of the Dutch stonerband Beaver) on bass and Greg Rogers on drums began jamming with guitarist Greg Anderson (Thorr's Hammer, Burning Witch, Sunn O)))). They soon found a vocalist in Pete Stahl (Scream, Wool, Earthlings?, Desert Sessions). Goatsnake recorded and released two 7" EPs in 1998 and were featured on several metal compilations. They released their debut full-length, 1, in 1999 on Man's Ruin Records/Rise Above Records.

Goatsnake toured the Europe in support of their debut album and played with bands such as Unida, Fatso Jetson, and Electric Wizard. They returned in 2000 for a U.K. tour with Orange Goblin and Sunn O))), another Anderson project.

In 2000 Pinhas left Goatsnake to join Acid King and was replaced by Stuart Dahlquist of Burning Witch. Goatsnake released a split with Burning Witch on Hydra Head Records that same year. They also released the Dog Days EP on Anderson's Southern Lord Records that same year. Later that year they released their second album, Flower of Disease on Man's Ruin Records/Rise Above Records.

Joey Castillo (Eagles of Death Metal, Queens of the Stone Age) replaced Goatsnake's original drummer Greg Rogers after his departure in 2001, but that was short lived. The band split up in 2001 and Anderson continued with Sunn O))) and played in Teeth of Lions Rule the Divine.

In 2004 the band reformed with Anderson and Stahl being joined by bassist Scott Reeder (The Obsessed, Kyuss) and drummer JR (Cave In). They recorded three songs which were released on the Trampled Under Hoof EP along with two previously vinyl-only tracks. This same year also saw the release of the compilation 1 + Dog Days by Southern Lord Records, which combines the first album and the Dog Days EP as well as a track from the Man of Light EP.

In 2010 the band played a headlining set at Roadburn 2010 and continued the reunion tour into 2011 with a string of american and european dates.

Flower of Disease
Goatsnake Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Voices in my head say hello
Silence greets my lips echo
I touch these walls of this place I know
Death is standing right outside the door

I smile inside to hide the cries
That pain just loves to mutiply

These scars are mine the sores I know
Cuts me deep and slowly takes my soul
I face these walls of this place alone
I know your love but still it can't follow

I smile inside to hide the cries
That pain just loves to mutiply
I search for ways through my tears
To find a way to destroy my fears

Watering this flower of disease.

Overall Meaning

The song 'Flower of Disease' by Goatsnake is a deep reflection upon the struggles with one's own inner demons, the pain and scars that they carry with them and the inevitability of death. The lyrics express the singer's inner turmoil as they hear voices in their head, see death waiting outside their door and feel the wounds that have been inflicted upon them. Despite feeling alone and knowing that their love cannot follow them into this dark place, they put on a false smile to cover up their cries and try to find a way to destroy their fears.

The lyrics suggest that the singer is battling with some sort of mental illness or addiction, represented by the flower of disease that they are watering. This could be seen as a metaphor for their personal struggles that they are trying to overcome. The pain that they feel is all-consuming, and they feel as though their soul is slowly being taken away. Yet, they are determined to find a way to break free from the chains that are holding them back, even if it means struggling through their tears and fighting with everything that they have.

Overall, 'Flower of Disease' is a deeply personal and introspective song that resonates with anyone who has ever struggled with their own inner demons. It encourages us to face our fears head-on and seek help when we need it instead of succumbing to the darkness that threatens to consume us.

Line by Line Meaning

Voices in my head say hello
I am tormented by thoughts that keep nagging me all the time.

Silence greets my lips echo
Despite the chaos inside, I maintain a stoic and reserved outer persona.

I touch these walls of this place I know
I am imprisoned in my own suffering, and I know this pain all too well.

Death is standing right outside the door
I am always at the brink of succumbing to this unbearable agony.

I smile inside to hide the cries
I put on a brave front, even if it means internalizing my emotional torment.

That pain just loves to multiply
The more I try to suppress my agony, the more it relentlessly grows within me.

These scars are mine the sores I know
I have lived with my wounds for so long that they have become a part of me.

Cuts me deep and slowly takes my soul
My agony is so profound that it chips away at the very essence of my being, slowly sapping my spirit away.

I face these walls of this place alone
Despite the people around me, I am trapped in my own grief and I must bear it on my own.

I know your love but still it can't follow
Even though I am aware of your support, the pain and sorrow are so overpowering that love cannot heal me.

I search for ways through my tears
Amidst all the anguish, I am always looking for a way out to escape the unbearable suffering.

To find a way to destroy my fears
I am determined to overcome my fears that entrap and feed into my pain, and I will fight to reclaim my semblance of happiness.

Watering this flower of disease.
My despair is like a toxic plant, which keeps growing and thriving despite my efforts to get rid of it.

Contributed by Nora F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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