Heavily influenced musically and politically by mid-1990s vegan straight edge metal/hardcore acts such as Earth Crisis, Day of Suffering, Loxiran and Morning Again, their music also displays influences from metal acts such as At the Gates, Metallica, Sepultura and Slayer.
The year of 1999 saw Maroon releasing a demo cassette entitled The Initiate, signalling a new era of vegan straight edge culture in Germany. All four of the songs were to be found on later releases.
Their first cd, Captive in the Room of the Conspirator, was recorded at Headquarters Studion in Berlin in spring 2000 and released that year on the now-defunct Kerosene Recordings label, featuring songs like The Solution strongly advocating a vegan lifestyle and support for animal liberation and earth liberation. The band began touring Europe, opening for many hardcore acts including their idols Earth Crisis and Morning Again.
Later in the year Maroon released an untitled split 7" with Absidia on the Crap Chords label, featuring the song Wasted. That winter the band went back to the studio to record a split CD with Self Conquest entitled The Key, this time using 101 Studios, also in Berlin. On the heels of this recording, released by Beniihana Records the band went back on the road once more, touring Europe and opening for bands including Heaven Shall Burn and Caliban.
In November 2001 Maroon entered Rape of Harmonies Studios to record their debut full-length, Antagonist, released on legendary US vegan straight edge hardcore label Catalyst Records (http://www.xcatalystx.com). Catalyst is run by Kurt Catalyst, frontman for defunct hardcore legends Birthright and a newer band, Risen. Antagonist featured Maroon's best work to date both musically and lyrically, delivering a number of hard-hitting songs including the vegan straight edge anthem Still Believe in What Has Fallen Apart and a cover of Canon's classic animal liberation rallying call Declaration. The album soon became one of Catalyst's biggest sellers in both the US and Europe, leading to more European tours.
After some line up changes Maroon switched labels to Alveran Records in 2003, who then re-released Antagonist. February 2004 saw the band at Denmark's Antfarm Studio recording a new full length album entitled Endorsed by Hate. Following the recording, original guitarist Marc Zech left the band, and was replaced by Sebastian Rieche. The album was released in Europe in June, and between June and December of 2004 Maroon played 60 shows across Europe, including major festivals such as With Full Force and Pressure Fest. In October the band switched labels again, signing to Century Media Records. In early 2005 Century Media/Abacus released Endorsed by Hate in North America.
Many of Maroon's die-hard vegan straight edge fans felt let down by Endorsed by Hate due to its general lack of overtly topical lyrics, especially after the inspiring "Antagonist". As opposed to previous releases, the new album makes no mention of veganism, straight edge, animal liberation or earth liberation in the lyrics, liner notes or artwork. Another disappointment for these fans was the change of Maroon's website address from "http://www.xmaroonx.com" to "http://www.maroonhate.com", leading many fans to believe that Maroon have "sold out" on straight edge.
2006 saw the release of the new Maroon CD entitled When Worlds Collide which lead to some back-to-the-roots changes a least regarding the lyrics. 24 HourHateor Wake Up In Hell (one of the disco-smashers 2006, deal with animal liberation, while
Like Sword And Bullet advises a life without drugs.
Regarding the music, the new album is more diverse than any of the others. Maroon combine both their old trademarks with some new features (even featuring clean metal-style vocal on Annular Eclipse, even though it somehow lacks the spirit of the older Maroon releaes due to its very clean and sterile production.
In 2009, they released their fifth and last album, called Order.
They announced that they will play their last Tour in 2014, with their last show at the Summerbreeze (15th of August).
The Beginning Of The End
Maroon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You think you don't deserve this.
But you keep working on.
The beginning of the end.
What do you think?
How much pain can she take?
Before she's fighting back.
YOU HURT, YOU KILL, AND NOW YOUR TIME RUNS OUT!
YOU RAPIST, YOU MURDERER, YOU FUCKING LIAR!
HER PAIN, HER CRIES, ALL THIS IS YOUR DEMISE!
YOU RAPIST, YOU MURDERER, YOU FUCKING LIAR!
EARTH STRIKES BACK!
You think this isn't right.
You think you don't deserve this.
But you keep working on.
The beginning of the end.
What do you think?
How much pain can she take?
Before she's fighting back.
And takes all you love away.
Do you really think you can rape our mother without punishment?
What goes around comes back around, no one is save in the end.
Your cries remain unheard.
There's no one left to listen.
They have been taken away.
The smell of human flesh.
It deafens all your senses.
This must be fucking hell.
YOU HURT, YOU KILL, AND NOW YOUR TIME RUNS OUT!
YOU RAPIST, YOU MURDERER, YOU FUCKING LIAR!
EARTH STRIKES BACK!
The song "The Beginning of the End" by Maroon is a powerful and intense message about justice, retribution, and the consequences of heinous actions. The lyrics convey a strong sense of anger, frustration and retaliation against the offender who is guilty of rape or murder. The beginning of the song features a repetition of the phrase "You think this isn't right, You think you don't deserve this, But you keep working on, The beginning of the end", which alludes to the idea that the perpetrator may choose to ignore their guilt and refuse to acknowledge the beginnings of their downfall.
The song takes a turn as it delves deeper into the actual harm and damage caused by the offender. The lyrics reference the victim's pain, their attempt to fight back and the subsequent loss of everything that they hold dear. The repeated refrain "YOU HURT, YOU KILL, AND NOW YOUR TIME RUNS OUT, YOU RAPIST, YOU MURDERER, YOU F***ING LIAR" takes on an accusatory and threatening tone, strongly emphasizing the gravity of the crimes committed.
The song culminates with the lines "Do you really think you can rape our mother without punishment? What goes around comes back around, no one is safe in the end." The implication here is that the offender has wronged not just the victim, but the entire planet Earth and all its inhabitants. The lyrics suggest that the rapist/murderer will face an inevitable, inescapable punishment for their horrific actions and this is reinforced by the final line "EARTH STRIKES BACK!" which drives the point home.
Line by Line Meaning
You think this isn't right.
You believe that something unjust has been done.
You think you don't deserve this.
You are convinced that you did nothing to receive this punishment.
But you keep working on.
Despite everything, you continue trying to achieve your goals.
The beginning of the end.
Starting the process of failure or collapse.
What do you think?
What are your thoughts on this situation?
How much pain can she take?
Up to what point can she endure suffering?
Before she's fighting back.
Before she starts to resist and retaliate.
And takes all you love away.
And takes away everything that you cherish.
YOU HURT, YOU KILL, AND NOW YOUR TIME RUNS OUT!
Your actions have severe consequences, and now is the time for you to pay for them.
YOU RAPIST, YOU MURDERER, YOU FUCKING LIAR!
You have committed heinous crimes and lied about them.
HER PAIN, HER CRIES, ALL THIS IS YOUR DEMISE!
The pain and cries of your victim contribute to your downfall.
YOU RAPIST, YOU MURDERER, YOU FUCKING LIAR!
You are an abuser and deceiver who deserves punishment.
EARTH STRIKES BACK!
Nature will seek revenge for the wrongs committed against it.
Do you really think you can rape our mother without punishment?
You cannot harm the planet without facing repercussions.
What goes around comes back around, no one is save in the end.
The negative actions that you commit will result in negative consequences that will affect you eventually.
Your cries remain unheard.
Nobody will listen to your pleas for mercy or help.
There's no one left to listen.
There is nobody around to empathize or console you.
They have been taken away.
All the people who could have helped you are gone or unwilling to assist.
The smell of human flesh.
The odor of burning or decaying flesh.
It deafens all your senses.
The overpowering smell incapacitates and desensitizes you.
This must be fucking hell.
This situation is unbearable and feels like a living nightmare.
Contributed by Peyton E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.