The group was founded in May 1988 by Mike Van Portfleet, in the summer of that year Will Welch joined the project. In November, Welch was replaced by John Fair. In 1989, "Wake" was recorded, defining their droning ethereal guitar sound.
John Fair left Lycia in 1990, and Will Welch returned. In the same year Lycia signed to Projekt Records and released "Ionia" in late 1991 after aborting the original first release, titled "Byzantine". They became one of the cornerstones of the Projekt label for over a decade, and one of the most influential bands in the American darkwave scene in the 1990s. They forged a relentlessly dark and driving sound with a wall of shimmery guitars and keyboards, pounding drums, overlaid by Van Portfleet's unmistakable whispered vocals.
1992 saw the release of "A Day in the Stark Corner" and Lycia began its first live appearances. In 1993 David Galas became a permanent member, and their sound evolved with a more mature and polished depth.
In 1994 Tara Vanflower, being a huge fan of the band, decided to meet Mike, and joined as backing vocalist contributing vocals on a couple of songs that were supposed to be for compilation appearances, but ended up on "The Burning Circle and Then Dust" (1995). Tara Vanflower and Mike VanPortfleet married two years later.
The band's sound became comparatively less dark, especially on their final two albums, "Tripping Back Into the Broken Days" and "Empty Space", mostly due to Vanflower's influence. This shift away from their original sound alienated some long-time fans and eventually Lycia broke up in 2003, with Van Portfleet pursuing a solo career.
Lycia reformed in August of 2006 with Mike Vanportfleet, Tara VanFlower and David Galas. "We’ve been slowly working on new material. This time, what we are doing is each of us are bringing in our own songs and then expanding from the initial ideas".
On December 2012, Lycia announced a new release, "Quiet Moments", through their Facebook page. It was released in August 2013.
Discography:
1989 - Wake
1991 - Ionia
1993 - A Day in the Stark Corner
1995 - Live
1995 - The Burning Circle and Then Dust
1997 - Cold
1998 - Estrella
2000 - The Time Has Come and Gone (originally released as under the name Estraya)
2001 - Compilation Appearances, Vol. 1
2001 - Compilation Appearances, Vol. 2
2002 - Tripping Back into the Broken Days
2004 - Empty Spaces
2010 - Fifth Sun (EP)
2013 - Quiet Moments
2015 - A Line That Connects
2018 - In Flickers
Side projects
Bleak - Vane (1994) really just Lycia recording under a different name and exploring a "harsher" sound.
Estraya - The Time Has Come and Gone (2000) accoustic side project with Van Portfleet and Vanflower
El diablo
Lycia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wrapped around her spine
Coils inside her mind
Bleeds her eyes so blind
She is killing time
Casting pearls to swine
Trapped beneath her crime
Burnt, her skin seeps wine
She is lead
Welcome sleep, lost her head, monster dreams
She is dead
See the serpent twine
Crush her alibi
Intoxicating lie
Devils sing their lullaby
Caught up in their schemes
Drops down to her knees
Begging baby pleas
Serpents have their needs
Devils have her (serpents twine)
The lyrics of Lycia's song "El Diablo" are shrouded in mystery and symbolism, but they seem to depict a woman who is trapped in the clutches of evil forces that have taken over her mind and are guiding her actions. The serpent that is twined around her spine is a powerful and ancient symbol of temptation and corruption, suggesting that the woman has been seduced or possessed by a demonic force. The serpent coils inside her mind, bleeding her eyes so blind, indicating that she is unable to see the truth or distinguish between good and evil.
The woman is described as killing time, casting pearls to swine, and being trapped beneath her crime. This suggests that she is engaged in futile or meaningless activities, and that she has committed some kind of terrible sin or transgression that she is unable to escape from. Her skin seeps wine, indicating that she is bleeding or suffering in some way, and that her pain and suffering are being exploited by the dark forces that have taken control of her.
The chorus of the song is particularly haunting, with its description of a moon that turns red and a woman who is lost in monster dreams. The devils sing their lullaby, suggesting that they are whispering lies and false promises to her, and that she is powerless to resist their seduction. Ultimately, the woman is described as being dead, suggesting that she has been consumed by the dark forces that have taken over her, and that there is no hope of salvation or redemption for her.
Line by Line Meaning
See the serpent twine
Observe how the snake winds its way around and through her body
Wrapped around her spine
The serpent coils itself around her backbone
Coils inside her mind
The snake's presence is not just physical, but also psychological as it affects her thoughts and emotions
Bleeds her eyes so blind
The snake's venom causes her eyes to bleed and obscures her vision
She is killing time
She's passing the time without any real purpose or direction
Casting pearls to swine
She's wasting her valuable resources on unappreciative and unworthy individuals
Trapped beneath her crime
She's caught in a situation where she's carrying the weight of her own misdeeds
Burnt, her skin seeps wine
She's been branded by her wrongdoing, resulting in her skin oozing wine-like substances
Moon turns red, silence speaks
The red moon represents the onset of an ominous change; eerie silence ensues
She is lead
She's been led astray and is now at the mercy of external forces
Welcome sleep, lost her head, monster dreams
She invites sleep as she's lost control of herself, and her dreams are now haunted by monsters
She is dead
A metaphorical death--her former self is now gone, changed for the worse
Crush her alibi
The truth is revealed, and her defense falls apart
Intoxicating lie
Her captivating and yet dangerous falsehood has lured people in
Devils sing their lullaby
Evil forces are trying to soothe her into a dangerous slumber
Caught up in their schemes
She's been entangled in the diabolical schemes of the devils
Drops down to her knees
She's hit rock bottom and is in complete submission
Begging baby pleas
She's resorting to childish pleas in a desperate attempt to escape her situation
Serpents have their needs
The snakes have their own agendas and won't stop until they have what they want
Devils have her (serpents twine)
Both the devils and the snakes have taken full control of her, enmeshing her in their grip
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind