In the beginning Madder Mortem was formed in 1993 as Mystery Tribe, and recorded the demo "Days in Sorrow". The name was changed to Madder Mortem, and in January 1997, the MCD "Misty Sleep" was recorded. The result was mailed around, Misanthropy Records reacted and the debut "Mercury" (X-ray Studios) was released in February 1999. "Mercury" was well received, but sadly, Misanthropy decided to close down, which left the Madders with neither company nor contract.
In 1999 Christian Ruud (guitars), Boye Nyberg (bass) and Sigurd Nielsen (drums) left the band to pursue educations and other pastimes.
This was naturally a setback, but after some time Agnete and BP found new musicians. Eirik Ulvo Langnes (guitars), Pål Mozart Bjørke (bass) and Mads Solås (drums) joined the band. All former acquaintances, the new members fitted in perfectly.
In December 1999 Century Media got in touch. The Madders promptly got to work, and in January 2000 a new demo was recorded (Space Valley Studios). This demo, containing three of the "AFIG" songs, saw the Madders turn in a new and heavier direction. Century Media received this demo exclusively and Madder Mortem became a CMR band. Madder Mortem's second album, "All flesh is grass" (Studio Underground, Sweden) was released in February 2001, with cover art from former guitar player Christian Ruud. Reviews were very good, and the aggressive and driven music lent another face to Madder Mortem.
September/October 2001, Madder Mortem supported Tristania, Rotting Christ and Vintersorg on a 23-date European tour. Returning back home, the Madders started writing again. Studio Underground was re-invaded in May 2002, and after a hard-as-hell period of three weeks, "Deadlands" was born. It is darker and groovier than its' predecessor, but also shows even more sides to the Madder face. Music, lyrics and cover art (by Christian) was developed together, and the conceptual whole is a bleak but organic monster not fit for the faint of heart.
"Deadlands" was released 21st October 2002. The End Records licensed it for the US, and on 11th February 2003 we had our first album release in the US.
In February and March 2003 Madder Mortem supported Opeth on the European leg of their "Deliverance" tour. A chance like that doesn't come often, and the reason for it was Mr Åkerfeldt's personal interest in the Madder music. We had 6 fantastic weeks on the road with a band that have mastered both musical and social skills, and we're very grateful to the Opeth guys for giving us this opportunity. In addition to taking us all over Western Europe, the Opeth tour also saw us entering the UK shores for the first time.
2006 saw the release of Madder Mortem's 4th full length studio album, Desiderata. The album is more polished than deadlands and sees a shift back away from any "nu-metal" stylings that had crept into the deadlands album.
Eight Ways is the all new album from Madder Mortem, released in June 2009.
Distance Will Save Us
Madder Mortem Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Feel the pressure on the surface
Too long buried arrogance
Rising up to reign
Palpable and crystal pure
Sovereign and without master
Perfected and far too sure
It is on its way
Save us
Stay your hand
We are born too far from morality
This is where it all began,
Where the wounds were left to fester
Here the feeder will unhand
Those that could not choose
Here, at last, it all comes true
See the pity and devotion
In the scar that marks you, too
It is on its way
Save us
Stay your hand
We are born too far from morality
The stones in our hands uncloud the senses
No time for demands. Time moves against us
Dawn is breaking in the clouds and the starkness of light is blinding
Give us a moment to savour your face and to worship and love our murder
Save us
Stay your hand
All we need is one more chance at life
The song "Distance Will Save Us" by Madder Mortem talks about the aftermath of a tragedy or conflict. The first verse describes a place where there have been many casualties - "This is where the bodies fell." The pressure felt on the surface indicates that the tragedy is not yet over and there are still reverberations felt. There is an arrogance that led to the tragedy and it is resurfacing again. There is a feeling of certainty and sovereignty that is palpable, and it seems that it is on its way to take control. The chorus is a plea for help to save them from this inevitable fate.
The second verse talks about the beginning of the tragedy and how the wounds were left to fester. The feeder refers to the force that caused the tragedy, and how it has let go of those who could not choose to avoid it. The scars that mark everyone involved are a testament to the pity and devotion that they feel. The chorus is repeated, emphasizing the plea for help.
The final lines of the song refer to the need for action, the need to move forward and live life. They refer to the unclouding of senses and the lack of time for demands, indicating a need to act fast. The dawn breaking in the clouds brings newfound hope, but it is blinding in its starkness. There is a desire to worship and love, even in the face of murder, and the hope that they will be given another chance at life.
Line by Line Meaning
This is where the bodies fell
This is the place where people have died.
Feel the pressure on the surface
The tension can be sensed in the atmosphere.
Too long buried arrogance
Prideful behavior that has been hidden for too long.
Rising up to reign
It is coming back to control everything.
Palpable and crystal pure
Clearly present and pure.
Sovereign and without master
In complete control and without any authority above it.
Perfected and far too sure
It has become perfect and too confident in its abilities.
It is on its way
It's coming soon.
Save us
Help us avoid this danger.
Stay your hand
Stop what you're doing.
We are born too far from morality
We were not born with enough moral guidance.
This is where it all began
This is where everything started.
Where the wounds were left to fester
Where the injuries were neglected and allowed to worsen.
Here the feeder will unhand
Here the one who was feeding us will let go.
Those that could not choose
Those who did not have a choice in the matter.
Here, at last, it all comes true
Finally, everything comes to fruition here.
See the pity and devotion
Observe the feeling of compassion and dedication.
In the scar that marks you, too
Even you are injured and affected by this somehow.
The stones in our hands uncloud the senses
The weapons we hold cause us to lose our rational thinking.
No time for demands. Time moves against us
We have no time for requests because time is running out.
Dawn is breaking in the clouds and the starkness of light is blinding
The sun is rising and it's too bright to see clearly.
Give us a moment to savour your face and to worship and love our murder
Let us appreciate your appearance and glorify our act of killing you.
All we need is one more chance at life
We just want another opportunity to live.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind