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)
tension
Harmful Lyrics
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About the useless fights we have
A tension is showing in my smile
For more than a while
Magic slips into the air
I have known that nothing's fair
Leaving blood and shattered bones
I don't want to live alone
Bad company
A loyalty we cannot live
If there is a right thing to say
We're miles away
Two lonely satellites
Out of mind and out of sight
All is clear but still denied
Open minded suicide
Why does it feel so cold inside?
The lyrics of Harmful's song "Tension" delve into the deep feelings of shame and regret that arise from holding onto pointless fights with friends or loved ones. This tension is visible on the singer's smile and has been present for a long time. The lyrics capture the sense of isolation and loneliness entrenched in these arguments, which often leave one feeling guilty and ashamed.
The second verse talks about the magic that existed before things got bad, but now all that remains is brokenness, leaving behind only blood and shattered bones. The singer laments the prospect of living alone and cold, and how even in the company of bad friends, it can be a better alternative than being alone. The toxic loyalty that appears in the chorus is the thread that keeps these relationships going, even though they are clearly not healthy.
The bridge is perhaps the most poignant part of the lyrics, in which the singer acknowledges that things are not fine between them and that they are miles away from each other, like two lonely satellites. Despite everything being crystal clear, they deny reality and instead opt for an open-minded suicide that sees them still clinging onto false hope. It is a powerful image of the struggle to let go even when it is clear that it is the right thing to do.
Line by Line Meaning
I will always feel ashamed
I will always be embarrassed and sorry
About the useless fights we have
About the pointless arguments we get into
A tension is showing in my smile
You can tell I'm tense from my smile
For more than a while
For quite some time now
Magic slips into the air
There's a certain feeling in the air
I have known that nothing's fair
I've come to understand that life isn't fair
Leaving blood and shattered bones
We cause physical harm in our fights
I don't want to live alone
I don't want to be lonely
Why does it feel so cold inside?
Why do I feel so empty and cold?
Bad company
I'm in bad company
A loyalty we cannot live
Our loyalty to each other can't sustain us
If there is a right thing to say
If there's a way to fix things
We're miles away
We're very far apart
Two lonely satellites
We're like two isolated satellites
Out of mind and out of sight
We're not in each other's thoughts or view
All is clear but still denied
We understand each other but refuse to acknowledge it
Open minded suicide
Being open-minded is self-destructive in this situation
Why does it feel so cold inside?
Why do I feel so empty and cold?
Contributed by Elliot F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.