Incubus is a five-man al… Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple artists using this name:
Incubus is a five-man alternative rock band formed in 1991, based in Calabasas, California. Members include Brandon Boyd (vocals and percussion), Mike Einziger (guitar), Ben Kenney (bass), Jose Pasillas II (drums) and DJ Chris Kilmore (turntables). Former members of the band include Gavin Koppel (a.k.a. DJ Lyfe) (turntables) and Alex Katunich (a.k.a. Dirk Lance) (bass). The band's name may seem a peculiar choice to fans, as an incubus is a type of demon that, in mythological lore, comes in the night and has sex with women while they are sleeping; it seduces them in their dreams The story behind the name is that the band needed to think of a name hours before their first show and, after a few failed choices, Mike looked in a dictionary and chose "Incubus" almost at random. Mike says that the name was chosen because it sounded silly; Brandon holds that it was chosen because they were teenagers and the definition had the word "sex" in it. "We really didn't want to rape women in their sleep. But, we were fifteen and it seemed harmless to us then, and we never changed it," says the band.
Incubus has received both critical acclaim and commercial success, reaching multi-platinum sales, as well as releasing several successful singles. The band earned mainstream recognition with the release of their 1999 album Make Yourself. In 2001, Incubus became even more successful with the single "Drive" and their follow-up album Morning View. Their sixth studio album, Light Grenades, debuted at No. 1 in 2006 and has received Gold certification in the U.S. Incubus released their first greatest hits album Monuments and Melodies in June 2009, accompanied by a tour of the United States, Japan and Canada. The band's most recent album, 8, was released on April 21st, 2017.
2. A death/thrash metal band from Metairie, Louisiana. The band was made up of Francis Howard (guitar/vocals), Moyses Howard (drums), Andre Luiz (bass), and Luiz Carlos (guitar). The two Howard brothers are actually from Brazil, and immigrated to Louisiana. This Incubus has released one demo, and two albums, with one album being remastered and re-released with a different track listing. This band has changed their name to Opprobrium.
3. A death/thrash metal band from Georgia who released one demo in 1987. The drummer, Mike Browning, went on to Morbid Angel and later Nocturnus fame.
4. A thrash metal band from São Paulo, Brazil that released 2 demos in 1986 and 1988.
5. A thrash metal band from João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil.
6. A New Wave of British Heavy Metal band that released a full-length album "To the Devil a Daughter" in 1984. Still a favorite among NWOBHM fans.
7. A death/thrash metal band from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Released a demo "Sinful Dreams" in 1987. Changed their name to Spectral Birth in 1988.
8. A Techno/Rave combo.
Damnation
Incubus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Swallow it down.
A little bit of something instigating your frown.
The moon on the town, the blood on your gown.
You're always picturesque.
Stomp the haunted mood in your crown.
I used to think about it then I...
Chose the word indulgence, now I...
Why I live this way? Who knows.
Why I live this way? He knows.
Is this damnation? Or a beginning?
I'll take "B".
So once again the thought into my.
And visualize the blood as the life.
Is to bend the wheel of my own kind.
I wish you'd see the hope in my eyes.
All in all sublime on this side.
Then again you'd have to leave this life... ....behind.
Why I live this way? Who knows.
Why I live this way? He knows.
Is this damnation? Or a beginning?
I'll take "B".
The lyrics of Incubus's song Damnation are quite cryptic and can be interpreted in a number of ways. As I listen to the song, I can see someone who is going through a tough phase in their life searching for their purpose or direction. Follow me down could be the invitation to someone to come on this journey with him. Swallow it down could be a metaphorical statement that tells the listener to accept their current circumstances and make the best of it. The moon on the town and the blood on your gown paint a depressing picture of the environment around the singer. The picturesque description is probably meant to show the contrast between the seemingly beautiful surroundings and the painful reality of the singer. Stomping the haunted mood in your crown could be seen as a call to action to shake off the negativity that he feels or the challenges that he has to face.
In the second verse, the singer starts to introspect and questions why he lives the way he does. The reference to blood as life suggests that the singer is questioning his own mortality and what he wants to do with his life. The last two lines, "Is this damnation? Or a beginning? I'll take B" give the listener a feeling that the singer is determined to take control of his fate and make the best of it. The odd choice of "take B" seems deliberate and sends the message that the singer is not afraid to make difficult choices.
Fact 1: Damnation is the fifth track on Incubus's album A Crow Left of the Murder. It was released on February 2, 2004.
Fact 2: The song wasn't released as a single, but it's still played at their concerts.
Fact 3: The album, A Crow Left of the Murder, was produced by Brendan O'Brien, known for his work with Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots and Soundgarden.
Fact 4: The album's name is a reference to a painting by Frans Snyders.
Fact 5: A Crow Left of the Murder was a top 10 album in the US, the UK, and Austria.
Fact 6: The song was written by the band's lead singer, Brandon Boyd.
Fact 7: Boyd said in an interview that the song is about feeling trapped in your own head and trying to find a way out.
Fact 8: Incubus has received several nominations and awards for their music, including a Grammy Award nomination.
Fact 9: Incubus is known for their genre-defying music that blends rock, funk, and alternative styles.
Fact 10: The band has been active since 1991 and has sold over 19 million records worldwide.
Chords (as played by the band):
Intro: Am, F, C, G
Verse: Am, C, F, G
Chorus: F, G, Am, F, G, Am
Line by Line Meaning
Follow me down.
Come with me on this journey.
Swallow it down.
Deal with your emotions and take control of them.
A little bit of something instigating your frown.
There's something that's bothering you, making you sad or unhappy.
The moon on the town, the blood on your gown.
The setting is dark and you're surrounded by things that give off an eerie feeling.
You're always picturesque.
You always look good no matter how bad the situation is.
Stomp the haunted mood in your crown.
Get rid of the negative thoughts that are weighing heavily on your mind.
I used to think about it then I...
I used to dwell on my problems but now...
Chose the word indulgence, now I...
I've decided to focus on fulfilling my desires and needs.
Just need some room to stand my own.
I just need some space to be myself and do what I want.
Why I live this way? Who knows.
I'm not sure why I live my life the way I do.
Why I live this way? He knows.
Only God knows why I live my life the way I do.
Is this damnation? Or a beginning?
Am I entering something bad, or is this a new start?
I'll take "B".
I'll choose the new beginning.
So once again the thought into my.
Once again, the idea comes to my mind.
And visualize the blood as the life.
I see blood as a symbol of life.
Is to bend the wheel of my own kind.
I want to change the course of my life and forge my own path.
I wish you'd see the hope in my eyes.
I hope you can see that I have a positive outlook on life.
All in all sublime on this side.
Overall, everything is great on this side of things.
Then again you'd have to leave this life... ....behind.
But in order to experience this, you'd have to leave your current life behind.
Why I live this way? Who knows.
I'm still not sure why I live my life the way I do.
Why I live this way? He knows.
God is still the only one who knows why I live my life the way I do.
Is this damnation? Or a beginning?
Am I entering something bad, or is this a new start?
I'll take "B".
I'll choose the new beginning.
Contributed by Connor V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Zulandratronics
Sounds like one of the bigger FNM influenced songs.. alongside "Trouble in 421" =) Love it!
@incubusjb9485
Love this song so much!
@didjerideb
this does sound really old.....but I LOVE IT!
@chrisrossomando8712
big "Alice In Chains" sound
@tessafreeman6304
You have no idea how happy you have made me. Haha
@KaberleeTV
Sounds like fungus among us! And the singer actually sounds like Brandon Boyd! I'm perplexed.
@RAMONES3122
It is Brandon…
@iamnotjulesg
sounds like a b-side from california to me (even though this was way before california)
@GabrielFernandes-td6zx
Like a Morning View song style
@cristophersantanasolar582
grungeee