1) Neurosis was a post-metal band based in Oakland, CA, United States. Thei… Read Full Bio ↴1) Neurosis was a post-metal band based in Oakland, CA, United States. Their unique sound draws influences from progressive metal, hardcore punk, tribal, post-punk, ambient and industrial music. They are often considered as pioneers of post-metal. To date, the band have released eleven full-length studio albums as well as a number of live albums, split records, and EPs.

In late 1985, Scott Kelly, Dave Edwardson and Jason Roeder (formerly members of Violent Coercion) founded the band as a hardcore outfit, borrowing from British crust punk such as Amebix. It has gradually progressed through a variety of styles, arriving at a mixture of heavy metal and acoustic, minimalist ambiance which has proved influential on the doom metal scene.

From 1990 to 1993, Adam G. Kendall was recruited to create the visuals and perform live with the band. Following his departure from touring, Pete Inc. took over the job, although Kendall continued to contribute visuals for the band until as late as 1997. Kendall also shot the footage for the "Locust Star" video. Josh Graham took over live visuals in early 2000, and was with the band until late 2012 when he left to pursue his band A Storm of Light full time. He also created album artwork for 2004's The Eye of Every Storm and 2007's Given to the Rising.

Often experimental and psychedelic in nature, the visuals have added to the reputation of Neurosis' live performances. Many of the visuals for their tours supporting Through Silver in Blood can be found in Ken Russell's film Altered States. Other images are included in the enhanced portion of the Sovereign mini album, and on the A Sun That Never Sets DVD video release. The majority of the DVD release was directed by Josh Graham, with an additional video by Chad Rullman.

Additionally, the band have founded their own independent record label, Neurot Recordings, which, in addition to releasing material from Neurosis and its associated projects, has since become home to several innovative musicians.

Scott Kelly left Neurosis in 2022 following his admission of family abuse since then band went on hiatus. Remaining members concentrated on their own projects and due to the fact that Scott was one of leading composers and singer in the band it is unlikely to see Neurosis performing again.

Band members:
Scott Kelly - guitar, vocals (left /was expelled in 2022)
Steve Von Till - guitar, vocals
Dave Edwardson - bass guitar, keyboards, synthesizer, vocals
Noah Landis - organ, piano, samples
Jason Roeder - drums
Josh Graham - visual artist

2) Neurosis are a thrash metal band from Bogotá, D.C., Colombia, formed in 1987. They play in the raw, relentless South American style, influenced equal amounts by hardcore punk as death metal. They were known as Neurosis Inc. for some time and released a full-length, a live album, a split and a compilation under that name. Before adding "Inc." in their name, they toured under War Messiah in the United States to avoid confusion with the domestic Neurosis.

Flight
Neurosis Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Power
Too weak to stand up the power
Mentally castrated
Seeking security in sedation
Sedation amidst the hum of the machine

Playing on
Grinding on weakness

Grinding on the weak

Punishment for the feel
Rebellion manifests in those who are strong
and Punishment for the feel

Only way out or out there
But out there is the end

Sick, sick
They're damned good at it
Last straw, no more, fight

Her eyes rolled back
Her eyes rolled back

NO!!
The mutiny has been electrocuted

Overall Meaning

The song "Flight" by the American post-metal band, Neurosis, is a profound reflection on the corruptive nature of power and the plight of the weak in its grip. The opening lines "Power, Too weak to stand up the power, Mentally castrated, Seeking security in sedation" emphatically capture the loss of self-determination that accompanies a surrender to power. The hum of the machine metaphorically represents the impersonal and insidious nature of power that grinds and preys on weakness. The second stanza reveals the brutal reality that rebellion, which manifests in the strong ones, earns punishment for the emotion it ignites. The only way out of this cycle of oppression is through an act of willful resistance, even if it puts the mutineers in jeopardy. In the third stanza, the listener is confronted with the impact of an unchallenged dictatorship upon a helpless victim whose "eyes rolled back." In this final plea, the song warns against the futility of attempting to escape the grip of a powerful tyrant by opting out, for doing so ultimately leads to doom.

Line by Line Meaning

Power
The concept of power

Too weak to stand up the power
Individuals feeling too feeble and helpless to contend with the concept of power

Mentally castrated
The debilitating impact of power on the psyche, resulting in people being weakened and demoralized

Seeking security in sedation
People attempting to find solace and safety in sedation

Sedation amidst the hum of the machine
Describing the act of sedation and the all-encompassing nature of modern society

Playing on
The relentless nature of power and its persistence in people's lives

Grinding on weakness
Exploiting people's psychological and emotional vulnerabilities for the purposes of power-maintenance

Grinding on the weak
The same point as the line before

Punishment for the feel
The ways in which rebellious feeling results in punishment from those who maintain power

Rebellion manifests in those who are strong
The link between individual strength and rebelliousness

And Punishment for the feel
The continuing punishment for any arising rebellious feelings