When the band first started, they were surrounded by a cloud of mystery, as all of the band members were under contracts with other bands, and thus had to use pseudonyms to avoid any legal problems.
The current line-up is:
Ralf Hubert - Bass
Alex Landenburg - Drums
Benedikt Zimniak - Guitars
Erik Adam H. Grosch - Guitars
Martin Lemar - Vocals
However, big names such as Jörg Michael (Drums, Rage, Stratovarius and Saxon) , Peter Haas (Drums, Krokus), Jochen Schröder (Guitar, Rage, Avenger), Frank Fricke (Guitar, Living Death, U.D.O.), Reiner Kelch (Guitar, Living Death), Uwe Baltrusch (Guitar, Sodom and Peter "Peavy" Wagner (Bass, Rage) have also been members.
Purification
Mekong Delta Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No place left to rest
Inside nothing real
Fear - clean white coats around
Pain - angels might be found
Hate - final truth was told
Tears - freedom not allowed
Constrained limbs
Cold blood all around as proof god is found
Fear - next one could be you
Pain - little gift for you
Hate - out of frozen eyes
Ruth - lamentable life
Darkness
Somewhere lost screaming
Inside first agony
Footfalls
The door gets open
Your body is frozen
Than you can see eyes, cold as ice
Laughing, crying, endless dying
Questions left no way to respond
Fear - clean white coats around
Pain - angels might be found
Truth - never-ending search
Lies - always by your side
Stumbling
Sometimes you're creeping
Mind full of anxious fears
Strapped down
The blade well lighted
A final command
Than you can see eyes, hateful eyes
Right time to tell you
What's their human right for
So that you can die for
Endless cries
Their truth will be found
Fear - clean white coats around
Pain - little gift for you
Truth - never-ending search
Lies - always will be there
Finally
Their words are gently
Inside quite irony
Strapped down
Your face well lighted
Inside the mirror
Than you can see eyes, full of lies
This song, "Purification" by Mekong Delta, explores the topic of purging impurities. The first verse consists of a journey of five steps that leads to nowhere. There is no place left to rest, and everything that was once deemed real is now gone. The repeated line "inside nothing real" emphasizes that the character in the song has to face some sort of purification process. The second and third verses highlight the emotions that come with this process. In the face of fear, we see that there are those who come to help, represented by the clean white coats. In the face of pain, we find "angels," whose true identity is not given, possibly indicating that they are not exactly what they seem. With hatred, the final truth was told, and it seems that the truth is not something pleasant. Finally, with tears, the idea of freedom is unattainable and something that the character is not allowed to have.
The fourth verse breaks the cycle of emotions and focuses on the physical consequences. The restrained limbs and cold blood indicate that the purification process is not without its consequences; proof that God has been found. The fifth verse returns to the emotions, and this time, the focus is on the character's mindset. The idea of stumbling and creeping with a mind full of anxious fears portrays the weight that this process places on the character's mind. The sixth verse is the climax of the song, and it is where the listener is taken through the transformational process. The character is commanded to lie down with a well-lighted blade, indicating the painful nature of the process. In the end, after much laughing, crying, and endless dying, the character sees "eyes full of lies." This line suggests that even after everything that has been done, there is still some level of dishonesty.
Line by Line Meaning
Five steps right
Taking the right path, but uncertain about the destination
No place left to rest
Feeling lost and consumed with doubt
Inside nothing real
Emptiness and confusion within oneself
Fear - clean white coats around
Intimidated by medical professionals and institutions
Pain - angels might be found
Suffering amidst the hope of a better outcome
Hate - final truth was told
Feeling resentful and betrayed by those once trusted
Tears - freedom not allowed
Restrictions on emotional expression and feeling trapped
Constrained limbs
Feeling powerless and restricted
Cold blood all around as proof god is found
Witnessing death and violence, questioning faith
Fear - next one could be you
Fearing for one's own life and well-being
Pain - little gift for you
Suffering inflicted upon oneself
Hate - out of frozen eyes
Intensity of anger and rage
Ruth - lamentable life
Feeling sorrowful and pitiable
Darkness
Feeling lost and despairing
Somewhere lost screaming
Crying out for help and direction
Inside first agony
Initial stages of pain and torment
Footfalls
Sound of steps approaching
The door gets open
Entrance of a new person, event, or opportunity
Your body is frozen
Petrified with fear and tension
Than you can see eyes, cold as ice
Encountering an unwelcoming gaze
Laughing, crying, endless dying
Mix of emotions including despair and agony
Questions left no way to respond
Feeling surrounding by uncertainty and ambiguity
Truth - never-ending search
Perpetual desire for knowledge and understanding
Lies - always by your side
Feeling surrounded by deceit and dishonesty
Stumbling
Tripping or faltering in progress
Sometimes you're creeping
Taking slow and cautious steps
Mind full of anxious fears
Experiencing intense apprehension and unease
Strapped down
Physically restrained and immobile
The blade well lighted
Sensing danger and risk of injury or harm
A final command
Receiving orders or instructions for a conclusive act
Than you can see eyes, hateful eyes
Encountering a malicious and vengeful gaze
Right time to tell you
Timing of the exchange is appropriate or critical
What's their human right for
Questioning morality and ethics
So that you can die for
Sacrificing oneself for a greater cause
Endless cries
Unceasing outpouring of emotion
Their truth will be found
Belief in eventual justice and resolution
Finally
Indicates a long-awaited event or development
Their words are gently
Receiving comforting or supportive messages
Inside quite irony
Humor or sarcasm amidst serious circumstances
Your face well lighted
Bathed in illumination or enlightenment
Inside the mirror
Reflection of oneself, both literally and figuratively
Than you can see eyes, full of lies
Noticing deceit and falsehood in a previously trusted source
Contributed by Vivian Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.