Sometime in 1997 a handful of bored Norwegian metalheads were drinking beer… Read Full Bio ↴Sometime in 1997 a handful of bored Norwegian metalheads were drinking beer at the local pub. Someone came up with the idea to form a band. What started out as musicians killing time, soon developed into something a lot more more serious.

Their first demo landed them a record deal, and the debut album Edge of Tomorrow was released in 2001. The album received great reviews and the band made loyal fans all over the world. Both a Brazilian- and a German fan site were made by devoted fans. The band did shows all over Norway and played almost every metal festival in the country.

The second album Machines of Mental Design was recorded in 2004. This time the album was released through Massacre Records in Europe, Spiritual Beast in Asia, The End Records in USA and FaceFront Records in Scandinavia. Machines of Mental Design received great reviews all over the world. The music was by many labeled as «thinking man’s metal» and were often compared to the epic masterpiece Operation: Mindcrime for its well thought composition and lyrics. Guardians of Time joined the 2004 «Scream Tour» playing all over Norway, and pivoted by playing at Norway’s biggest festival, the «Quart Festival», opening for Slipknot on the main stage, proving that Guardians of Time had indeed become a great live act.

During 2004 two of the members quit, leaving the band in limbo. Bernt and Paul were the only members that would still be involved in music the next years, and though other bands were joined and formed (Paul played in Trail of Tears), the legacy of the Guardians could not be forgotten, and an urge to continue this legacy was ever present.

Finally the time had come for the Guardians of Time to rise once again! The year was 2009, and a new line-up was shaped. The main songwriters of the band, Bernt Fjellestad and Paul Olsen teamed up with guitarist Bent Lindebø, drummer Øivind Vågane and bassist Jonkis to bring the band back to life, and to take it to new heights!

Guardians of Time have completed their 3rd album these days. Recorded in Mayhem-music studio. Produced by Audun Grønnestad, who has worked with such bands as Trail of Tears, Angel and Imperia. This is the bands strongest album to date, rock solid songs and musicians that are more determined and more experienced than ever before! Guardians of Time are under contract to Mayhem Music (Norway). The record will be distributed world wide through Indie Distribution and promoted by Metal Revelation.

PayBack
Guardians of Time Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

So your life seems shining bright,
Time to turn day into night.
There's a price upon your head now.
Just one chance to:

Pay you back. Make you bleed.
Face the fact. Make you scream.

So your day has turn to night,
And my night has turn to day.
All because that hidden thought.
The thought that wants to:

Pay you back. Make you bleed.
Face the fact. Make you scream.

Raging, hating, driven. Purpose of the soul.
Flying like a bullet aiming for its goal.
No more bright horizon. No more lighten land.
Amused by the thought that you died by my hand.

Now I am beyond the skies.
Raised above what lies behind.
As the darkness clouds my mind,
Hate is growing, easy to find.

Pay you back. Make you bleed.
Face the fact. Make you scream.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Guardians of Time's song "Payback" seem to speak of the desire for revenge. The opening lines hint at envy or jealousy towards someone whose life is seemingly perfect ("So your life seems shining bright"). The singer then suggests that it's time to turn the person's day into night, meaning to ruin their life. There's a price on the person's head now, indicating that they have done something that has angered the singer or his associates, leading to the desire for revenge. And the opportunity to do so is just one chance away.

The chorus repeats the desire for revenge with the lines "Pay you back. Make you bleed./ Face the fact. Make you scream," implying that the singer wants the person to suffer and understand the severity of their wrongdoing. The second verse plays on the idea of opposites, as the singer suggests that their night has turned into day, and vice versa for the person who's the target of their revenge. The cause of the revenge is still left unstated but is attributed to "that hidden thought" that "wants to pay you back."

The final verse paints a picture of an individual consumed by rage, hate, and purpose, who has no qualms about destroying someone else's life. The singer seems to have succeeded in obtaining his revenge and now revels in the satisfaction of their success. Overall, the song's lyrics explore the themes of revenge, jealousy, and hatred, portraying someone consumed by these vengeful thoughts.

Line by Line Meaning

So your life seems shining bright,
Your life appears happy and prosperous.

Time to turn day into night.
It's time for a change, to turn good times into bad.

There's a price upon your head now.
You are now a target and will face consequences.

Just one chance to:
This is your only opportunity to pay the price.

Pay you back. Make you bleed.
I will exact revenge on you and cause you harm.

Face the fact. Make you scream.
You will come to terms with what you've done and suffer the consequences.

So your day has turn to night,
Your life has taken a turn for the worse.

And my night has turn to day.
My life has improved at your expense.

All because that hidden thought.
This all happened because of a thought or plan that was kept hidden.

The thought that wants to:
The thought that desires to exact revenge.

Raging, hating, driven. Purpose of the soul.
I am filled with anger and hate, and this is my mission.