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.
My Name Is Silence
Madder Mortem Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pulling your eyelids down
Over my silence, over your blind eyes
Building myself an anomaly
Building with breaking hands
Shutting the noise out
Driving the nails in
I have no name
I have no pain
Who would save you now?
Pulling myself through the windowpane
Kissing the broken glass
Drawing the walls close
Stitching my mouth shut
Resting my head on the demagogue
Leaning on burning sound
Tearing my words up
Putting my works down
I have no use for your bloodless compassion
Don't waste your indulgence on me
Nodding my head with the grinning ghost,
Loving the lucid flow
Too many mercies
Too many stale hopes
Turn my face to avoid your eyes
Swearing to let it go
Too many failures
Too many favours
The song "My Name Is Silence" by Madder Mortem is complex and introspective. The lyrics are dark and haunting, with a sense of pain and isolation seeping through every line. The singer seems to be withdrawing from the world, creating a kind of fortress of solitude around themselves, where they can experience their own perspective without outside interference.
The first verse sets the tone for the song. We see the singer constructing something unusual, an "anomaly," and doing so with "breaking hands." There's a sense of determination here, but also a sense of urgency - this is something the singer needs to do, but it's not easy. The second line, "pulling your eyelids down," suggests a kind of blindness or ignorance on the part of the outside world - the singer is building something new, but no one else seems to be paying attention. The final lines of the verse, "I have no name / My name is silence / I have no pain / Who would save you now?" create a sense of emptiness, of not being seen or heard. The singer's "silence" is not just a lack of sound - it's a lack of identity, a sense of isolation.
The second verse continues with this theme of isolation and withdrawal. The singer is pulling themselves through a windowpane, but they're not going outside - they're drawing the walls close, stitching their mouth shut. There's a sense of self-imposed confinement here, but also a sense of control. The singer is choosing to withdraw, to shut out the world. The final lines, "Too many failures / Too many favours," suggest a kind of weariness and bitterness - the singer has been let down too many times to keep reaching out, and they're tired of being indebted to others.
Overall, "My Name Is Silence" is a song about isolation and introspection. The singer is withdrawing from the world, creating their own reality where they can exist without interference. It's a dark and haunting song, but one that resonates with anyone who has experienced a sense of loneliness or isolation.
Line by Line Meaning
Spelling my name in analogies
I'm defining myself using comparisons to different things and concepts
Pulling your eyelids down
Forcing you to see what you've been ignoring
Over my silence, over your blind eyes
My silence masks what you are too blind to perceive
Building myself an anomaly
I'm creating something unique and unusual within myself
Building with breaking hands
Despite my flaws, I persist in my building
Shutting the noise out
I'm blocking out the external chaos to focus on myself
Driving the nails in
Securing myself to my vision with conviction
I have no name
I don't define myself with labels
My name is silence
My identity is defined by the absence of noise
I have no pain
I'm numb to external influences
Who would save you now?
I have no obligation to save anyone, not even you
Pulling myself through the windowpane
Breaking through my own barriers to reach the other side
Kissing the broken glass
Acknowledging pain and embracing it
Drawing the walls close
Creating a safe space within myself
Stitching my mouth shut
Holding back my words, choosing silence
Resting my head on the demagogue
Finding comfort in my own beliefs
Leaning on burning sound
Finding strength in the intensity of my emotions
Tearing my words up
Ridding myself of my own voice and opinions
Putting my works down
Rejecting my own achievements and creations
I have no use for your bloodless compassion
I don't need your empty sympathy
Don't waste your indulgence on me
Your generosity is lost on me
Nodding my head with the grinning ghost,
Acknowledging my own mortality
Loving the lucid flow
Finding beauty in the clarity of my own mind
Too many mercies
I see kindness as a weakness
Too many stale hopes
Hope is just an illusion
Turn my face to avoid your eyes
Avoiding others that might try to change my ways
Swearing to let it go
Promising to overcome my own demons
Too many failures
Despite my struggles, I persist in my search for myself
Too many favours
I don't want to owe anything to anyone
Contributed by Logan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Valentine In
Великолепная же песня, жаль так мало людей это понимает
Talita Nosferatu
Viciada nessa música <3
Bert Berw
+Talita Nosferatu Idem. Estou muito decepcionado por não ter descoberto essa banda antes.
Daniel Cardozo
They are awesome!
SARCOOD
The album that made me realise what I wanted to do with my life.
Joshua Cotterino
this is rad! ~they have some subtle hints of extol in their sound, i think. so cool
Christian prz
he escuchado otras canciones de esta banda y me aburren, esta en cambio
esta chingona¡¡
Joe Bruno
Omfg I love the vocals!
Дмитрий Колачёв
Круто \m/
Katie Barratt
dammmmmn this is good!