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.
Rust Cleansing
Madder Mortem Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They have all failed to hold their chairs
Shame left its print on their faces
Muted and perfectly there
And so am I
Rust, cleansing in harm
Echoes of laughter and beauty
Cleverly disguised and still and cold
In every eye silver mirrors (without compassion)
Plasterlike face ignores the call
And so will I
Rust, cleansing in harm
The unforgiving mask that drives the lesson home
The fear that ties us down and leaves us all alone
We are all alone
Screaming beneath placid gazes
No one is there to break the fall
Spineless and amazed we greet the metaphor
That leaves us as beggars at the door
And so we tie
Rust, cleansing in harm
The bond that ties us holds
Hate the price we pay
The song Rust Cleansing by Madder Mortem delves into dark and complex themes of shame, loneliness, and the struggle to break free from one's scars. The opening lines "Silence has already spoken, They have all failed to hold their chairs" suggest a past event or conversation where individuals faced a failure or challenge, and ultimately remained silent in the face of it. Shame is prescient and evident on their faces, and the persona is also present, indicating they are also struggling with feelings of inadequacy and failure.
The lines "Rust, cleansing in harm" seem to connote a dual meaning - while rust causes harm, it can also act as a cleanser, purging and purifying a surface. In the same vein, perhaps the persona's scars and shame can serve as a purging mechanism, ridding them of harmful feelings and beliefs.
The lyrics continue exploring this dichotomy with "The unforgiving mask that drives the lesson home, The fear that ties us down and leaves us all alone". The metaphorical mask symbolizes societal pressure to suppress emotions and present a perfect facade, leading to inauthenticity and feelings of isolation. Fear becomes a driving force preventing growth and progress, resulting in stagnation and alienation.
In conclusion, Rust Cleansing is a powerful exploration of the human psyche, capturing the experience of shame, loneliness, and the struggle to break free of societal norms to achieve inner peace and growth.
Line by Line Meaning
Silence has already spoken
All the unspoken words have already made their impact
They have all failed to hold their chairs
Everyone has lost their position and power
Shame left it's print on their faces
The guilt and embarrassment is evident on their faces
Muted and perfectly there
Although everyone is quiet, the emotions still exist and can be felt
And so am I
The same applies to me as well
Rust, cleansing in harm
The pain and corrosion is actually purifying and cleansing
Echoes of laughter and beauty
The pleasant memories still remain
Cleverly disguised and still and cold
The same memories are now masked and distant
In every eye silver mirrors (without compassion)
No one truly understands or empathizes with the situation
Plasterlike face ignores the call
Even when asked for help, the response is empty and unresponsive
And so will I
I will also pretend as though nothing is happening
The unforgiving mask that drives the lesson home
The harsh reality that forces one to learn from their mistakes
The fear that ties us down and leaves us all alone
The fear of making mistakes that will make us lose those around us and become isolated
We are all alone
We all face our struggles alone
Screaming beneath placid gazes
The pain and desperation is hidden under a calm and collected front
No one is there to break the fall
There is no one to help or save us from our struggles
Spineless and amazed we greet the metaphor
We are stunned and powerless as we face the symbolism of our struggles
That leaves us as beggars at the door
That reduces us to a state of helplessness and desperation
And so we tie
We continue to be held back and restrained
The bond that ties us holds
The connection that we have with our struggles remains strong and unrelenting
Hate the price we pay
The cost of our struggles is too high, and it brings us nothing but pain and misery
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Jason_1985
A fantastic doomy prog metal song. I started listening to Madder Mortem 13 years ago back in 2009 when aged 24. This song is in my heart and in my sole. Lost count of the times i have cried at hearing this song. Reminds me of the hardest times and greatest obstacles I have surmounted in my life time. Not least addiction isolation unemployment and hopelessness.
@NemoUtopian
Such an amazing balance between the discordant and the melodic.
@mr.maulen6577
Great track.
@dtd1986
Great fucking song!
@Huija
the chorus melody is really glorious.
@borknoggano
Madders i love you y all,!!
@pridenk
love it .