Chris Impellitteri formed Impellitteri in 1987 together with Rob Rock as vocalist. That year, they released an EP called the black album. The selftitled EP was well-received, and Impellitteri regrouped, this time with Graham Bonnet as lead singer, and release the full-length album Stand In Line in 1988.
After some touring and label deals, Impellitteri returned (again with Rob Rock on vocals) with Grin and Bear It in 1992. The following year, they released another EP titled Victim of the System. In 1994, they released Answer To The Master.
In 1996, Impellitteri released Screaming Symphony, which has become one of the most acclaimed albums of the band. In 1997 they released yet another EP titled Fuel For The Fire, in preparation for their next full-length album. The next year, they released another of their most acclaimed works: Eye of the Hurricane. They followed it in 2000 with Crunch.
Shortly after, Rock decided to pursue a solo career so Impellitteri recruited Graham Bonnet again, and started working on his next album. In 2002, they finally released System X. That year, they also released a compilation of hits called The Very Best of Impellitteri.
The union with Bonnet would be short-lived as they parted ways some time after, and Impellitteri recruited Curtis Skelton, finally releasing Pedal To The Metal in 2004, one of their most aggressive albums to date.
Chris Impellitteri is currently working with an LA band (as a member, not leader) and has announced that they will release a new album soon.
Chris Impellitteri has been ranked together with Deicide drummer Steve Asheim and bassist Adrian Davison as perhaps the fastest musicians on their respective instruments.
The band is currently on hiatus as Chris recently joined a Los Angeles band, and is working with them on a new album.
Dance With the Devil
Impellitteri Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Welcome to the gates of hell
Tell me did you dance with the devil
Or did you just sell your soul
Come children
Come to the darkside
And welcome to hell
For this world to end
He marches on with his masquerade
Taking God's good men
All the kings, the presidents
Sold their soul for greed
Now the world burns
For all of eternity
In his hell
If you dance with the devil
Hell is the price you must pay
If you dance with the devil
On the streets of Paris France
London and L.A.
The devils men are tempting you
With money and his fame
With the money and the fame
Superstars, the money and cars
Girls and sex machines
Made the world turn
For all of eternity
In his hell
If you dance with the devil
Hell is the price you must pay
Burns your face to the concrete
You'll become obsolete
Demons come without warning
And you're just a moth to the flame
There's no chance for redemption
[Solo]
The world has fallen into a trance
Do we even stand a chance
If you dance with the devil
Hell is the price you must pay
Burns your face to the concrete
You'll become obsolete
Demons come without warning
And you're just a moth to the flame
There's no chance for redemption
Here lies the obsolete
If you dance with the devil
The image you slay is yourself
Burns your fist to the concrete
The lyrics to "Dance With the Devil" by Impellitteri describe the consequences of selling one's soul to Satan. The song opens with a chilling invitation to the gates of hell, warning the listener that they will face eternal damnation if they dance with the devil or sell their soul. The rest of the song highlights the various ways in which people are tempted to make deals with the devil - money, power, fame, sex, and more - and the ultimate price they pay for succumbing to these temptations.
The lyrics contain a strong sense of urgency and warning, with the repeated refrain of "if you dance with the devil, hell is the price you must pay" hammering home the message that there are dire consequences to trading your morality for short-term pleasure. Satan is portrayed as a malevolent force that seeks to corrupt and destroy everything good in the world, and those who do his bidding are doomed to eternal suffering. The song ends on a dark note, with the singer warning that there is no chance for redemption once you have made a deal with the devil - all that awaits you is the cold, hard concrete.
Overall, "Dance With the Devil" is a cautionary tale about the dangers of temptation and the high cost of giving in to our darkest impulses. It warns us that the devil is always lurking, ready to offer us anything we desire in exchange for our souls, and that we must be ever-vigilant if we hope to avoid his clutches.
Line by Line Meaning
Welcome
Introduction to the song
Welcome to the gates of hell
You have entered the gates of hell
Tell me did you dance with the devil
Have you made a deal with the devil?
Or did you just sell your soul
Did you trade your values for temporary gains?
Come children
Invitation to follow the wicked path
Come to the darkside
Join the forces of evil
And welcome to hell
You are now in the realm of eternal suffering
I hear that Satan's calling
The devil is summoning his followers
For this world to end
The end of the world is near
He marches on with his masquerade
The devil disguises his evil plans
Taking God's good men
The devil deceives the innocent
All the kings, the presidents
Even those in power are corruptible
Sold their soul for greed
They sacrificed their morals for personal gain
Now the world burns
The world faces eternal consequences
For all of eternity
Forevermore
In his hell
The devil's domain of torture
If you dance with the devil
Making a deal with the devil has a price
Hell is the price you must pay
The cost is eternal damnation
On the streets of Paris France
The devil's influence is global
London and L.A.
The devil's grasp reaches major cities
The devils men are tempting you
The devil's followers lure with temptation
With money and his fame
Offering wealth and notoriety
Superstars, the money and cars
Celebrities and their opulent lifestyles
Girls and sex machines
Offering lustful pleasures
Made the world turn
Whims and desires drive the world astray
For all of eternity
Forevermore
If you dance with the devil
Making a deal with the devil has a price
Burns your face to the concrete
Your fate is very unfortunate
You'll become obsolete
Your worth vanishes
Demons come without warning
Demonic forces strike suddenly
And you're just a moth to the flame
You are drawn to your own destruction
There's no chance for redemption
Hopeless to recover from the end result
[Solo]
Musical interlude
The world has fallen into a trance
The world is mesmerized by wickedness
Do we even stand a chance
Can we escape the devil's influence?
Here lies the obsolete
The worthless ones succumb to hell's grasp
The image you slay is yourself
The person you destroy is your own self
Burns your fist to the concrete
Your fate is inescapable
Contributed by Adrian O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.