A few months in, things were beginning to take off for the band. A limited 1000-disc run of the debut album 'Tsunami' was released and quickly sold out. It was reprinted and, pretty much instantly, sold out again. The band was taken by surprise by the phenomenal response and signed with a management company to enable them to keep focusing on the music, rather than the business.
Without having signed a record deal, Khoma started to work on the follow-up to 'Tsunami'. It soon became obvious that they had to do something about the line-up. As Khoma began as a side project, members often were scattered around the globe making it almost impossible to play live. The members didn't even consider themselves a real band, merely a project filling a musical void, something created because of a need to play together. Khoma decided to create two faces: one that writes, rehearses, and records songs and another that gathers to play live.
The band hail from varied musical backgrounds and all members still play in a number of different groups: Cult of Luna, The Perishers, and The Deportees to name three. With no pressure and total creative freedom, the members write the music they personally want to hear.
Besides playing music, all band members hold strong views on issues and ideologies spanning from anarchism, feminism and socialism to animal and environmental rights.
In creating their most recent music, the band have broadened their perspective and introduced new elements most notably cello and piano.
Jan Jämte - Vocals
Johannes Persson - Guitar
Fredrik Kihlberg - Guitar/Vocals/Piano
When the band signed to Roadrunner in 2005 and it became clear that the next records were going to be released outside of Scandinavia the band realised that the name Koma (under which they released their debut CD) was already taken – by quite a few artists! So, instead of changing to something else, the band simply changed the spelling to Khoma.
In April 2006 their second album 'the second wave' was released. It includes three songs from the debut.
The band recently made their UK festival debut on Sat 17th June 2006 at the Download Festival.
Last Call
Khoma Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Beat in turns... I'm off
I couldn't run, count blows while I'm down
I couldn't run
I felt your touch
Been missing for weeks now
Somethings that are so very hard to grasp
And you are gone
Your voice died in silence
Somethings that are so very hard to
Closing time, I'll leave for you
Screams that reached the shore
I couldn't run, count blows while I'm down
I couldn't run
I felt your touch
Been missing for weeks now
Somethings that are so very hard to grasp
And you are gone
Your voice died in silence
Somethings that are so very hard to
If I could change you know I would
Reaching back through time
I'd risk it all
I'd save you somehow
Like you saved me
I felt your touch
Been missing for years now
Somethings that are so very hard to grasp
And you are gone
Your voice died in silence
Old memories come back to haunt me still
The song "Last Call" by Khoma is a poignant reflection on the aftermath of a painful breakup. The opening lines set the scene in a bar, as the singer observes the end of the night and the departure of the other patrons. However, the focus quickly shifts to an absent lover who has left a significant void in the singer's life. The phrase "Beat in turns... I'm off" suggests a feeling of defeat or exhaustion, as though the singer has been beaten down by the emotional turmoil of the relationship.
Throughout the song, the singer grapples with feelings of loss and emptiness, struggling to come to grips with the reality that the person they once loved is no longer present. However, there are also moments of tenderness and gratitude, as the singer recalls the positive moments they shared with their former partner. The lines "If I could change you know I would / Reaching back through time / I'd risk it all / I'd save you somehow / Like you saved me" reveal a desire to turn back time and prevent the relationship from falling apart.
Ultimately, "Last Call" is a moving exploration of the complexities of love and loss, and the ways in which memories can continue to haunt us even when we try to move on. The song's emotional intensity is heightened by its atmospheric instrumentation, which evokes a sense of longing and melancholy.
Line by Line Meaning
Closing time and there you are
As the time to close arrives, the person he longs for is still present.
Beat in turns... I'm off
The 'beat' or rhythm of the situation changes, and the singer leaves.
I couldn't run, count blows while I'm down
The singer was unable to escape or defend themselves from an attack.
I felt your touch
The singer experienced physical contact from the person they long for.
Been missing for weeks now
The person they long for has been absent for a long time.
Somethings that are so very hard to grasp
The situation or emotions are difficult to understand or comprehend.
And you are gone
The person the singer longs for is no longer there.
Your voice died in silence
The person the singer longs for is no longer communicating with them.
Closing time, I'll leave for you
The singer will depart when it is time to close, for the sake of the person they long for.
Screams that reached the shore
There were loud, possibly distressing noises that could be heard from far away.
If I could change you know I would
The singer would alter the outcome of events if they could.
Reaching back through time
The singer is wishing they could go back in time.
I'd risk it all
The singer would take great chances or sacrifices to change what happened.
I'd save you somehow
The singer wishes they could prevent something bad from happening to the person they long for.
Been missing for years now
The person they long for has been absent for an extremely long time.
Old memories come back to haunt me still
Painful or unpleasant memories from the past continue to affect the singer.
Contributed by Stella G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Krzysztof Kostyra
why aren't you guys more popular? you are really amazing, you need to be known in alt-music world :)!
Juice !
One of my all time favorite songs.
Magnus Torell
This song is amazing...
Diogo Vieira
besides their album, do you guys know more music like this guitar melody? sounds something like melancholy, nostalgy, morbid, dont know how to explain
dahun lee
@punifu no problem, just some of the soundscape I enjoy hehe. I added another band/singer as well, if you get bored : )
punifu
@dahun lee thank you very much, underoath fan for some years now, but gonna check the other ones :D
dahun lee
and of course, check out their other band 'Cult of Luna' ('Passing Through - Acoustic', where they play outside in a snowstorm, is a favorite of mine)
dahun lee
a little late reply, but some of Underoath's softer stuff has a similar vibe (maybe something off of their 'Define the Great Line' album)
and for similar vocals, some of 'A Funeral for a Friend''s softer stuff is nice too. (Drive, History, Your Revolution is a Joke, Juneau (acoustic), Sonny, etc.)
Also 'From Autumn to Ashes''s softer stuff is pretty cool as well (Streamline, I'm the Best at Ruining my Life, No Trivia), and the same singer's other bands Biology (The Measure of my Worth, Public Art) and Tidal Arms (Several Circles is a good song imho)
BurnWitchBurn
Mi piace!
Mannuel Rojas
Que Buena xD