The band features guitarists John Berry and Jon Noble, bassist James Evans, drummer Gary Holtzman, and frontman Chaz Bond. The groups first major release was in 2000 with their self titled album Jacobs Dream which was released on Metal Blade Records. The bands original vocalist David Taylor left after the second album Theater of War due to family commitments. Taylor was then replaced by ex-Biogenesis vocalist Chaz Bond who first appeared on the 2005 album Drama of the Ages. The sound of the band could be described as that of Iron Maiden or Judas Priest with slightly more progressive tendencies, similar to that of Queensrÿche or Fates Warning, but heavier.
Tempest
Jacobs Dream Lyrics
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She calls to me
Lifts me from my sleep
To come and see
Steal away the stars
From the sky
This tempest turns me and I don't know why
Empty promises and compromise
Conspiring now to fill
My head with lies
Clear the clouds from my mind
Take me away to
Where you reside
Through the veil
I see a mystery
Carnival of fools
Before their kings
Eternity
She beckons me
Wakes me with a scream
To come and see
"Father
Where, art thee?
Fathern
Don't hide from me!"
"God is not there;
He cannot hear you!
Don't waste your time,
He never speaks!
You've lost your sight;
You have no vision.
Don't be a fool!
I own your dreams…"
Lying drained too
Tired for sleep
Father take
My soul to keep
"Where is your God?
What are you thinking?
Call to him louder;
Perhaps he's asleep
Maybe he's laughing…
You're such a fool!
It's been quite awhile;
Leave him in peace…"
Where's the voice of peace
That comforts me
Touch me with your fire and heal me
Racing thoughts
That seem to chase the wind
On an isle of doubts
I'm waiting
Why have you forsaken me?
"Hear me now!",
I'm pleading
"God is not there;
He cannot hear you!
Don't waste your time,
He never speaks!
Your God has left you!
Your cries sicken me!
Where is your pride?
Get off your knees…"
"Here I stand
In the midst of your pain
I still the storm and trials within."
The song "Tempest" by Jacobs Dream is a reflection of an individual's struggle with their own faith and destiny. The lyrics suggest that the singer is being called by "Destiny," and is then lifted from their sleep to witness something unknown. The mood of the song is exceptionally intense, and the lyrics describe the tempest that seems to turn the singer, causing a clouded judgment of their own beliefs. The singer questions their own faith as their mind is filled with empty promises and compromise-driven lies. Through the lyrics, the singer begs to be freed from their clouded judgment and brought to clarity.
The lyrics refer to the singer's doubts about their faith, as they question whether God exists and is listening to their prayers. They hear the voice of an unknown entity that tells them God has abandoned them, and as doubts fill their mind, they cry out from the depths of their soul for help. The song's bridge appears as a cry for help and a plea for the almighty to hear their prayer, heal their wounds and lift them from the depths of their despair.
In summary, "Tempest" by Jacobs Dream carries a message of hope and the search for hope amid a sea of doubt, fear, and uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
Destiny
The inescapable fortune that awaits us all.
She calls to me
An intangible force summoning the dreamer.
Lifts me from my sleep
A waking vision in the dreamer's mind.
To come and see
A beckoning message urging the dreamer to follow.
Steal away the stars
The tempest's magnetic pull absorbs the night sky.
From the sky
The heavens hold no power over the tempest.
This tempest turns me and I don't know why
The dreamer is lost and manipulated by the tempest's whims.
Empty promises and compromise
The dreamer's attempt at rationalizing deception and disappointment.
Conspiring now to fill
A scheme designed to corrupt the dreamer's mind.
My head with lies
A web of falsehoods that ensnare the dreamer's reasoning.
Clear the clouds from my mind
The dreamer's desire to see things clearly and objectively.
Take me away to
A plea for escape and salvation from the dreamer's predicament.
Where you reside
An invocation of a higher power's presence and guidance.
Through the veil
A glimpse into an unseen world.
I see a mystery
A pervasive enigma that defies explanation.
Carnival of fools
A spectacle of ineptitude and excess.
Before their kings
A display of vanity and pretension before their peers.
Eternity
The notion of everlasting and boundless time.
She beckons me
A commanding invitation from a force beyond human comprehension.
Wakes me with a scream
An abrupt and forceful awakening that startles the dreamer.
To come and see
A summons to an unknown destination.
"Father
A plea to a divine figure for guidance and protection.
Where, art thee?
A desperate inquiry into the whereabouts of a higher power.
Fathern
A variation of 'Father', with additional emphasis on the question at hand.
Don't hide from me!"
An earnest request for assistance and assurance.
"God is not there;
A nihilistic rebuttal to the dreamer's request.
He cannot hear you!
A dismissal of the dreamer's concerns and worries.
Don't waste your time,
A cynical admonishment to cease seeking divine intervention.
He never speaks!
A declaration that a higher power remains silent and indifferent to the woes of mortals.
You've lost your sight;
An accusation that the dreamer's discernment is flawed and misguided.
You have no vision.
An embellishment on the accusation, suggesting incapability and incompetence.
Don't be a fool!
A reprimand for the dreamer's delusions of grandeur and naivete.
I own your dreams…"
A sinister admission of power over the dreamer, emphasizing the hold of the tempest.
Lying drained too
A state of exhaustion and vulnerability.
Tired for sleep
A paradoxical state of restlessness and fatigue.
Father take
A plea for salvation, with emphasis on the divine figure.
My soul to keep
A transfer of ownership of the dreamer's essence.
"Where is your God?
An ambiguous question, possibly rhetorical or secondary to the tempest's presence.
What are you thinking?
A mocking inquiry into the dreamer's mindset.
Call to him louder;
A dismissive challenge to the dreamer's efforts to reach a higher power.
Perhaps he's asleep
A derisive insinuation that a higher power is inattentive or careless.
Maybe he's laughing…
A cruel suggestion that the dreamer's plight is amusing to a divine figure.
You're such a fool!
A reproach for the dreamer's weakness and feebleness of spirit.
It's been quite awhile;
A suggestion that divine intervention is unlikely to happen anytime soon.
Leave him in peace…"
A final admonishment to abandon hope of divine assistance.
Where's the voice of peace
A plaintive inquiry into the whereabouts of comfort and solace.
That comforts me
A nostalgic reference to the presence of a higher power's soothing voice.
Touch me with your fire and heal me
An invocation for divine intervention and cure, emphasizing spiritual strength and power.
Racing thoughts
A turbulent mental state filled with worries and doubts.
That seem to chase the wind
An intense feeling of helplessness and futility in coping with one's situation.
On an isle of doubts
A metaphor for feeling isolated and unsure in one's beliefs and values.
I'm waiting
A passive state of inaction and anticipation for a resolution to one's predicament.
Why have you forsaken me?
A dramatic outcry of abandonment and despair, often associated with religious heroes.
"Hear me now!
An assertive declaration of intent to be heard.
I'm pleading
An appeal to a divine figure, with emphasis on emotional appeal.
"God is not there;
A repetitive nihilistic message, emphasizing hopeless futility.
He cannot hear you!
A reiteration of divine disregard, emphasizing the dreamer's insignificance.
Don't waste your time,
A repetitious dismissal of divine intervention, emphasizing pointlessness.
He never speaks!
A redundant declaration of divine silence, emphasizing the dreamer's isolation.
Your God has left you!
A declaration of divine abandonment, emphasizing a personal sense of betrayal.
Your cries sicken me!
A malicious attack on the dreamer's emotional state, emphasizing divine contempt.
Where is your pride?
A rhetorical question intended to provoke self-reflection and introspection.
Get off your knees…"
A final admonishment to abandon supplication and face reality without relying on divine intervention.
"Here I stand
An authoritative declaration of a divine figure's presence and power.
In the midst of your pain
A metaphorical claim of a divine figure's ability to alleviate the dreamer's suffering.
I still the storm and trials within."
A final proclamation of a divine figure's power to overcome all obstacles and turmoil, and reaffirmation of faith.
Contributed by Aiden H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.