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.
Man Made
Kevorkian Death Cycle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They couldn't believe me when they saw how I had rotted
I kneel to the priestess and I kneel to my rite
I saw you staring back at me with an angel in the firelight
A virus taking over me
A cure sent to the sea
They said a prayer to my corpse and left me to diease
Looking to the ground with his head between his knees
No frustration
Don't act in slow motion
Amputate
Radiate
Give me back my sun beam
My bloodstream
My blaspheme
It's too late
Don't live on emotion
Take your fate inside devotion
Just cause, and it's just the same
No one to blame and no one to feel it
I can swim these seas and no one will follow
It's just the illness talking must keep on walking
And don't pretend
It's only the end
Please stay with me
Don't deceive me
The earth, the sky, the tears in my eyes
The failures creeping and I keep weakening
God!
It's a mountain
A mountain of loneliness
Heal me but don't cheat me
Hey, kid!
Take a look at me, don't run
I'm a clown
The thin repulsive aching coward
The thing you hate to see in your dreams
Don't buy into illusion, don't let in the confusion
I've watched the frozen days of tomorrow
The sun stays lit outside my grave
The lyrics to Kevorkian Death Cycle's song "Man Made" are both haunting and powerful. The song seems to be about a person who has been overcome by illness, possibly from a virus, and is begging for someone to stay with them and not deceive them. The imagery in the lyrics is gruesome, with talk of rotting bodies and prayers to corpses. There also seems to be a theme of hopelessness and loneliness, with lines like "It's a mountain of loneliness" and "The failures creeping and I keep weakening".
The line "I saw you staring back at me with an angel in the firelight" is particularly interesting, as it suggests that even in the depths of illness and despair, there can still be beauty and hope. The line "Just cause, and it's just the same / No one to blame and no one to feel it" seems to suggest resignation to fate, that sometimes bad things happen for no reason and there is no one to blame.
Overall, the lyrics to "Man Made" are open to interpretation and can mean different things to different people. However, the song's message of facing illness and despair with dignity and hope is universal.
Line by Line Meaning
A cell taking over my broken body
My body has succumbed to a diseased cell that is taking over.
They couldn't believe me when they saw how I had rotted
Others were shocked at how my body had rotted away from the disease.
I kneel to the priestess and I kneel to my rite
I submit to the power of religion and the rituals associated with it.
I saw you staring back at me with an angel in the firelight
I experienced a vision of someone staring at me in the midst of an intense, fiery emotion.
A virus taking over me
I am being gradually overtaken by an infectious virus.
A cure sent to the sea
A possible cure has been discarded in the ocean, leaving me with no hope.
They said a prayer to my corpse and left me to diease
Despite praying for me, my body was left to suffer from terminal illness.
Looking to the ground with his head between his knees
He is physically and mentally exhausted and dejected, with no hope or optimism.
The burning inside him he said "Take caution please"
He is warning others to proceed with caution to avoid a sense of burning or pain and misery that he is currently experiencing.
No frustration
He is urging others to stay calm and avoid frustration.
Don't act in slow motion
He cautions others not to delay or act slowly in response to the challenges faced in life.
Amputate
Figuratively or literally, he is suggesting that sometimes it is necessary to cut away that which is causing us pain and suffering.
Radiate
He is suggesting that we should radiate positivity and hope to counteract negativity and despair.
Give me back my sun beam
He is yearning for brighter times and better days when the sun will shine on his face again.
My bloodstream
He is referring to his own inner spirit and energy, which is being drained due to his illness.
My blaspheme
He is admitting his own flaws and mistakes that may have led him to this point.
It's too late
The damage is already done, and it is too late to reverse course.
Don't live on emotion
He cautions that we should avoid making decisions based on emotions alone.
Take your fate inside devotion
Rather than simply accepting what fate has dealt us, we must approach it with a sense of commitment and dedication.
Just cause, and it's just the same
No matter the reason for our pain and suffering, the pain is still very much the same.
No one to blame and no one to feel it
He is suggesting that sometimes we suffer alone without anyone to blame or witness our pain.
I can swim these seas and no one will follow
He is prepared to face his challenges head-on, even if he must face them alone without others to offer support.
It's just the illness talking must keep on walking
He is acknowledging that his thoughts and feelings may be distorted by his illness, but he must continue to push on anyway.
And don't pretend
He urges others to be authentic and genuine, and not to pretend to be something they are not.
It's only the end
Perhaps he is suggesting that death is not necessarily something to fear or dread, but simply a natural end to our existence.
Please stay with me
He is pleading with someone not to leave him alone in his time of need.
Don't deceive me
He is afraid of being deceived or betrayed by someone he trusts.
The earth, the sky, the tears in my eyes
He is experiencing deep emotions and feeling the weight of his situation.
The failures creeping and I keep weakening
He feels like he is constantly losing ground and weakening due to his own failures and struggles.
God!
An exclamation of frustration, pain or suffering.
It's a mountain
Referring to his struggles, which feel insurmountable and overwhelming like a mountain.
A mountain of loneliness
He is suffering not just from physical illness, but also from a sense of intense loneliness.
Heal me but don't cheat me
He is asking for help and healing, but insisting that it be genuine and sincere and not just a cheat or false hope.
Hey, kid!
An informal way of addressing someone, perhaps calling out to someone for help or guidance.
Take a look at me, don't run
He is asking someone to face him and look him in the eyes, rather than running away from the truth or the situation at hand.
I'm a clown
He is making light of himself, acknowledging that he may not always be taken seriously.
The thin repulsive aching coward
He is calling himself names and expressing a sense of weakness and disgust about himself.
The thing you hate to see in your dreams
He is referring to the parts of himself that are ugly, dark, or difficult to acknowledge, that even he does not want to confront.
Don't buy into illusion, don't let in the confusion
He is advising others to avoid being misled by illusions or confusion, and to stay grounded in reality.
I've watched the frozen days of tomorrow
He has endured a long period of depression, anxiety, or despair, where every day feels like a frozen, hopeless repeat of the one before.
The sun stays lit outside my grave
Although he may die or succumb to his illness, the world will continue on without him, with the sun shining as always outside his grave.
Contributed by Isabelle H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.