Khemmis combines the soul of Black Sabbath, the soaring harmonies of Thin Lizzy and Iron Maiden, and the visceral weight of contemporary sludge and doom metal.
No regurgitation. No gimmicks. No trends.
In July 2015, the band released Absolution, a six track, forty-minute journey through transcendent melodies and pure auditory annihilation. Recorded with Dave Otero (Cobalt, Primitive Man) and Shane Howard at Flatline Audio, the album earned praise from listeners and critics alike. Decibel Magazine named it the #9 metal album of 2015, while Pitchfork named it their #5 release of the year. It earned accolades from NPR, Apple Music, Invisible Oranges, Noisey, and No Clean Singing, among others.
Above the Water
Khemmis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Above the water, flickering,
So lonely it seemed, so fragile was its beam,
In storm waters, threatening,
Churning tides keep me awake,
While I'm still asleep,
Can't take my eyes off the failing light,
But I won't die, it isn't my time,
Here is a part of me,
Up on the deck, 'neath the failing light
Sinking into the sea
There in the darkness, I felt it was too late,
I saw my father swept away,
Just like my lover, who sipped beneath the sheets,
Into the water, rippling
Under the light that keeps me awake,
Call out to the sea,
That takes me in and holds me tight,
But I cannot breathe,
If the fates align, it isn't my time,
More than a part of me,
Under the deck, submerged in the night,
Carried away in the stream silently.
The song "Above the Water" by Khemmis is a poetic portrayal of a person's struggle for survival amidst a stormy sea. The lyrics evoke a sense of impending doom, as the singer describes how he witnessed fate flickering above the water in a vulnerable and fragile manner. The imagery of churning tides keeping the singer awake while still asleep is a poignant reminder of how uncertain our lives can be.
The singer fixates on the failing light that floats upon the sea, unable to take his eyes off it. Even as he fears for his safety, he asserts that it's not his time to die yet. However, as the song progresses, we learn that the singer has lost loved ones to the unforgiving sea, including his father and lover. The singer sings about how he too is carried away by the stream, powerless to resist.
Through its vivid, haunting lyrics, "Above the Water" drives home the fragility of life and our lack of control over it, ultimately leaving us to confront our own mortality.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was younger I caught a glimpse of fate,
As a young person, I saw a small sign of destiny
Above the water, flickering,
It was visible just above the surface of the water like a flicker
So lonely it seemed, so fragile was its beam,
It felt very isolated and its light was weak
In storm waters, threatening,
It was in danger because of a storm that was brewing
Churning tides keep me awake,
The rough waters keep me awake at night
While I'm still asleep,
Even though I'm tired and should be sleeping
Can't take my eyes off the failing light,
I can't stop staring at the dim source of light
That floats upon the sea,
As it bobs on the surface of the ocean
But I won't die, it isn't my time,
Despite the circumstances, I know it's not my time to go
Here is a part of me,
A piece of me is linked to this situation
Up on the deck, 'neath the failing light
Standing on the deck, under the dim light
Sinking into the sea
Watching it slowly sink into the ocean
There in the darkness, I felt it was too late,
In the dark, I felt like everything was over
I saw my father swept away,
I witnessed my dad being taken away by the water
Just like my lover, who sipped beneath the sheets,
Similar to how my partner drowned while sleeping
Into the water, rippling
Slipping into the water, creating ripples
Under the light that keeps me awake,
Under the same dim light that's been keeping me up
Call out to the sea,
I cry out to the ocean
That takes me in and holds me tight,
The water engulfs and embraces me
But I cannot breathe,
I'm unable to breathe as I'm being held
If the fates align, it isn't my time,
If everything happens as it's supposed to, I'll survive
More than a part of me,
My entire being is tied to this situation
Under the deck, submerged in the night,
Below the deck, under the darkness of the ocean
Carried away in the stream silently.
Quietly carried away in the current
Contributed by Luke A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
MaggieTourelles
on A Conversation with Death
Oh Mort
Voulez-vous m'épargner pour une autre année ?
Eh bien qu'est-ce que c'est que je ne peux pas voir,
Avec des mains glacées qui me saisit ?
Eh bien, je suis la mort, personne ne peut exceller.
J'ouvre la porte du paradis ou de l'enfer.
Oh Mort
Oh Mort
Trop tard, trop tard, adieu à tous.
Mon âme est condamnée, alors écoutez-moi bien.
Tant que Dieu demeura dans le ciel,
Votre âme, votre âme criera en enfer.
Oh Mort
Oh Mort
Oh Mort
MaggieTourelles
on A Conversation with Death
Oh Mort
Oh Mort
Voulez-vous m'épargner pour une autre année ?
Eh bien qu'est-ce que c'est que je ne peux pas voir,
Avec des mains glacées qui me saisit ?
Eh bien, je suis la mort, personne ne peut exceller.
J'ouvre la porte du paradis ou de l'enfer.
Oh Mort
Oh Mort
Trop tard, trop tard, adieu à tous.
Mon âme est condamnée, alors écoutez-moi bien.
Tant que Dieu demeura dans le ciel,
Votre âme, votre âme criera en enfer.
Oh Mort
Oh Mort
Oh Mort