Originally working as Grid, they began their career as crusaders for the right to die, with their earliest tapes bearing many songs rallying around the Kevorkian banner.
Changing their name to Kevorkian Death Cycle (the name is politically motivated -- not merely an attempt at shock), the band released their first full length CD on the now extinct Ras Dva label, Collection for Injection, and began to appear on numerous compilations. Coupled with nationwide appearances (including a successful 1997 tour with Spahn Ranch and a sold out appearance at CMJ's New York City music marathon), the underground community was soon all abuzz about KDC. Combining social issues with throbbing synthetics and dance floor beats, this duo appealed both to the body and to the mind.
In 1998, Kevorkian Death Cycle signed to Metropolis Records, and issued their sophomore release, Dark Skies, in the fall. Still keeping with the darker side of industrial, KDC added more beats and electro attacks to their political formula, creating an astonishing sounding release. The band also had the opportunity to appear in concert with the fathers of the genre, Front 242; and embarked on a nationwide tour, culminating a series of dates with Front Line Assembly.
Kevorkian Death Cycle released their third CD in 1999 entitled A+O(M), and embarked on a two month tour of North America, loosely called the "Free Jack" tour - Jack as in Dr. Jack Kevorkian. The release explored a more electro side of KDC, and contained the dance floor favorites "Death To the Flesh", "Pulse", and a cover of Frankie Goes To Hollywood's "Relax".
The highly sought after debut, Collection For Injection was re-issued in 2000, and a re-mix single of "Relax" featuring mixes by KDC, Assemblage23, and Nikki Shifter, as well as a new version of "Kill For Christ" from the debut was released in 2001.
Faithless
Kevorkian Death Cycle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The man bringing down the mountain
His fire takes control of the air
The cities rise raping clear blue skies
While the tanker in the desert glares
No one can take a piece of me
I'm immortal
The judgement possessed
While we slowly regress
Draining the rain from the brain
The loosed cloud of the anti-existent
And a saint a mirror to the sinner
Tugging at the air a stench of regret
I stare like the gun in the face of a god who has raped the daughter of a man
Don't believe in what you see or what you hear
It will force you down to the ground
The guilt weavers
The cheap deceivers
The children writhing at the sound
They drink your blood as they turn you on
Kiss me, feel the touch of my claws
Hold me close
I will keep you safe
Take heed
Run for your life
Give back the flesh
No, I have taken the blood
Give back the resurrection
No return...
The lyrics of Kevorkian Death Cycle's song "Faithless" are quite enigmatic, but they seem to paint a picture of a dystopian society where humanity is abusing the natural world and losing touch with spirituality. The opening lines suggest that the children are unaware of the true nature of the world, as they fail to see the "light" that exists outside of their urbanized environment. This is contrasted with the image of a man who is destroying a mountain, implying a willful destruction of nature in pursuit of human progress.
The lyrics then take on a more spiritual flavor, with references to judgment and the consumption of power. The idea of "draining the rain from the brain" suggests a loss of knowledge or wisdom, with the "anti-existent" cloud representing the presence of something that shouldn't exist. There is a sense of regret and despair, manifesting in the metaphorical image of a gun staring down a god who has committed a heinous act.
The final lines of the song seem to suggest a struggle between life and death, with the singer implored to "give back the flesh" and offer up a sense of renewal. However, the singer refuses, instead claiming to have taken someone's blood and refusing to return it. This creates a sense of ambiguity, suggesting that the struggle between life and death will continue unabated.
Line by Line Meaning
Do the children know that the light is outside?
Do the naïve youth comprehend that the possibility of salvation lies elsewhere?
The man bringing down the mountain
The human assaulting the environment to satisfy their insatiable greed.
His fire takes control of the air
The inferno fuelled by his insensitivity tampers with the atmosphere relentlessly.
The cities rise raping clear blue skies
The urbanization disregards the environment to attain unrealistic economic growth.
While the tanker in the desert glares
As the barren land endures monotonous exploitation by the oil industry.
No one can take a piece of me
I claim immortality and resolute conviction that nothing can alter.
I'm immortal
My existence is invincible.
The judgment possessed
The forces of punishment become possessed by evil and vengeful motives.
what you empower I devour
I restrain and quell all processes of positive transformation.
While we slowly regress
As we lethargically deplete our existing resources.
Draining the rain from the brain
The rainwater needed for sustenance is contaminated and manipulated for selfish causes.
The loosed cloud of the anti-existent
The polluted air hampers the existence of our surroundings.
And a saint a mirror to the sinner
A divine being that reflects and illuminates the shortcomings of the immoral.
Tugging at the air a stench of regret
The pitiful smell of sorrow permeates the atmosphere due to our unwise actions.
I stare like the gun in the face of a god who has raped the daughter of a man
I confront my creator like a bullet would pointed towards them, as they have wronged us by desecrating the sanctity of women.
Don't believe in what you see or what you hear
The unreliability of human senses and worldly information which corrupt truth and knowledge.
It will force you down to the ground
It will eventually lead to a humbling fall from imperviousness due to this realization.
The guilt weavers
The manipulators that are responsible for inducing guilt without a just cause.
The cheap deceivers
The dishonest who try to find a quick-fix solution to their problems.
The children writhing at the sound
The youth who must suffer due to the grim reality being imposed upon them.
They drink your blood as they turn you on
They use you up even as they influence and entice you with pleasures.
Kiss me, feel the touch of my claws
A flirtatious attempt to lure in the victim towards their definitive doom.
Hold me close
Aiming to gain acceptance and dependency.
I will keep you safe
False promises of safety ensnared with temptations of sin.
Take heed
A warning to be wary of the dangers that lie ahead.
Run for your life
Desperation and urgency to escape from the danger and horror.
Give back the flesh
Returning what has been taken from us, literally and metaphorically.
No, I have taken the blood
Refusal to return what has been taken and utter self-indulgence.
Give back the resurrection
A plea to revive what has been destroyed as only resurrection can return balance to our existence.
No return...
Not being able to go back and change what has been done or escape from the irreversible consequences.
Contributed by Sydney K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.