Harmful was originally a trio, founded in 1992 by members Aren Emirze, Chris Aidonopoulos and Nico Heimann. Their 2007 album 7 was produced by former Faith No More bassist and record producer Billy Gould who subsequently joined the band as a fourth member.
Album discography:
* 1995: Harmful (BluNoise)
* 1997: Apoplexy.136 (BluNoise)
* 2000: Counterbalance (Firestarter/BMG)
* 2001: Wromantic (Firestarter/BMG)
* 2003: Sanguine (Steamhammer/SPV)
* 2005: Sis Masis (Nois-o-Lution)
* 2007: 7 (Nois-o-Lution)
* 2010: Cause (PIAS)
Incline to Fail
Harmful Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You shake and sweat!
Punishment decides fate Sets your decline Pushed forward back... to masticate the bad!
You shake and sweat!
Your incline to fail...
At a surface level, "Incline to Fail" seems to be about the experiences of someone who is struggling to maintain their footing in life. The lyrics pivot between vague statements that reference feelings of anxiety or fear and concrete images of punishment or struggle. The opening lines, "Proven doubtful reproach / Prudent tactic rules" suggest that the singer of the song is facing criticism from others or perhaps from internal forces, and that they are trying to approach their problems with logic and prudence. Later lines like, "Punishment decides fate / Sets your decline" seem to imply that these tactics are not always effective, and that the singer is suffering under the weight of their setbacks.
The phrase that ties the whole song together is "Your incline to fail." This is a powerful statement that seems to encapsulate the feeling of being overwhelmed by life's challenges. The singer is not necessarily saying that they want to fail, but rather that they feel almost powerless to resist the forces that are pushing them towards failure.
Line by Line Meaning
Proven doubtful reproach
Criticized and questioned repeatedly
Prudent tactic rules
Using careful strategy to guide actions
Supplicate to turn off
Begging for relief from suffering
No escape: to be bruised!
Unable to avoid pain and harm
You shake and sweat!
Experiencing intense fear and anxiety
Punishment decides fate
The consequences of actions determine future outcomes
Sets your decline
Causes you to fail and deteriorate
Pushed forward back... to masticate the bad!
Being forced to confront and deal with negative experiences
You shake and sweat!
Continuing to feel intense fear and anxiety
Your incline to fail...
Your tendency to experience failure
Contributed by Ethan Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.