During the band's early years, In Flames had a varying group of musicians recording with them, including many session musicians. By the release of Colony (1999), the group had established a stable lineup. Their sixth studio album Reroute to Remain (2002) showed the band moving toward a newer style of music that moved further away from melodic death metal and closer to alternative metal. This decision was criticized by fans of the group's heavier metal sound; however, it increased the band's mainstream audience and bolstered their album sales. As of 2008, In Flames has sold over two million records worldwide.
Since the band's inception, In Flames have released thirteen studio albums, three EPs, and two live DVDs, their latest release being their thirteenth studio album I, the Mask in 2019. In Flames has been nominated for three Grammis Awards. They won two of these nominations; one for Soundtrack to Your Escape (2004) in the "Hard Rock/Metal of the Year" category, and one nomination for their following album Come Clarity (2006) in the same category.
The Hive
In Flames Lyrics
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And we run like muscles through the stagnant nodes of man
Blood-bridges lean towards the gaping synapses
To disarms the stars within us
Hornet Hive-dark
Severed wings in vainless beating
Buzz out from inferno of fangs
We should have been
So much more by now
Too dead inside
To even know the guilt
Waning Ring-deep
A halo of thorns
Sips now down in the sheets of sharp silver
To disarm the star within us
The lyrics to In Flames's song The Hive paint a desolate picture of the human condition, with the opening line invoking the dark and somber mood of an April nighttime. The subsequent lines hint at a sense of aimless wandering, with the characters in the song running like muscles through stagnant nodes of man. The imagery is raw and unrefined, with the singer describing blood-bridges leaning toward gaping synapses like some macabre scene from a horror film. There's also a sense of catharsis in the final lines, as the characters dive headfirst into the inferno of fangs to disarm the stars within them.
The overall meaning of the song can be interpreted as an attempt to reconcile the inner turmoil within us all. This is reflected in the lyrics that speak to a sense of guilt and regret for the things that we could have been but aren't. The title of the song, The Hive, reinforces this theme, evoking a sense of communal activity and uniformity, as well as a sort of insect-like hive-mind mentality.
Line by Line Meaning
April night-time
The setting of the scene and time of day.
And we run like muscles through the stagnant nodes of man
Running through the stationary parts of humanity like muscle fibers.
Blood-bridges lean towards the gaping synapses
Metaphorically describing neurons and blood vessels and how they interact with each other.
To disarms the stars within us
The imagery of stars within us being disarmed or extinguished, perhaps metaphorically representing emotions or experiences.
Hornet Hive-dark
Describing a dark, ominous place with the metaphor of a hornet's hive.
Severed wings in vainless beating
The wings of something are severed and are beating uselessly, suggesting metaphorical paralysis.
Buzz out from inferno of fangs
The sound of buzzing, perhaps from hornets or other creatures with fangs.
We should have been
So much more by now
Too dead inside
To even know the guilt
A reflection on how the artist feels they should have accomplished more, but a sense of apathy and detachment stopped them from feeling guilty about it.
Waning Ring-deep
Describing a deep ring that is fading in intensity.
A halo of thorns
Sips now down in the sheets of sharp silver
The halo of thorns is moved or disintegrates and settles down onto sharp silver sheets.
To disarm the star within us
Repeating the earlier line about disarming the metaphorical stars within us.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANDERS PAR FRIDEN, BJOERN INGVAR GELOTTE, JESPER CLAES HAAKAN STROEMBLAD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind