Novembers Doom formed in 1989, but it was not until 1992 that Novembers Doom would receive some attention in the metal world. An early deal with Regress Records, of Italy, allowed Avantgarde Records to hear the band. This demo (Her Tears Drop) was heavy, combined with moods of darkness and despair. The two songs would lead to the release of the band's full length debut CD, Amid Its Hallowed Mirth on Avant Garde and Nuclear Blast. Exploring and expanding, the band added female backing vocals and continued its thick, eerie brand of metal. A compilation track for Pavement Music soon followed. In 1997, Novembers Doom released the EP For Every Leaf That Falls. The album was well received, leading to favourable reviews and response worldwide. Novembers Doom has since released their second full length album Of Sculptured Ivy and Stone Flowers, with Martyr Music Group. This new offering had received rave reviews.
In May of 2000, Novembers Doom entered the recording studio once again, to record the follow up to Of Sculptured Ivy and Stone Flowers. The band has recorded The Knowing with Studio One's Chris Djuricic. The CD is an extension of the previous material, only taking steps in new directions to enhance their already original sound.
In July of 2000, Novembers Doom officially became a member of Dark Symphonies. Realizing the bands potential, they constructed a deal with Martyr Music Group, to include the band on its roster, releasing The Knowing to the public.
Now, with their third full length release receiving praise, and a European licensed release of the CD through Pavement Music, Novembers Doom secured themselves more attention than before.
To Welcome the Fade
In October 2002, Novembers Doom entered the studio to begin work on their second full length of new material for Dark Symphonies. The band's fourth full length album would be entitled To Welcome the Fade, only this time they recruited the talents of the Grammy Award-winning producer, Neil Kernon. Kernon, best known for his work with acts like Hall & Oates, Kansas, Yes, Queensrÿche, Judas Priest, and more recently Nevermore and Cannibal Corpse, brought a new power and clarity to the sound of the band. This album was chosen as the Number One metal album of 2002 in Metal Maniacs magazine by one of its head editors, Novembers Doom was also a featured cover story on their January 2003 issue.
Signing with The End
In 2004, a successful tour in North America with The Gathering eventually leading to a signing with The End Records that summer. The band entered the studio in the fall to record their fifth album, The Pale Haunt Departure. This time around the band enlisted the help of the very respected producer and artist Dan Swanö (Edge of Sanity, Bloodbath and Nightingale) for the mixing duties, and the mastering went to metal guitarist and producer James Murphy (Testament, Obituary and Disincarnate).
In March 2005, The Pale Haunt Departure was released with a tour supporting it. Novembers Doom continues to forge ahead, meshing diverse musical styles and textures in the pursuit of always creating a new and unique listening experience with each new release, while retaining their heavy sound and dark lyrics.
The Novella Reservoir
In June 2006, the band's sixth full-length album, The Novella Reservoir, was announced on The End Records' website. The album will contain eight tracks. It is a follow-up to The Pale Haunt Departure.
Discography
* Her Tears Drop (Demo 1995)
* Amid Its Hallowed Mirth (Full-length 1995)
* For Every Leaf That Falls (EP 1997)
* Of Sculptured Ivy and Stone Flowers (Full-length 1999)
* The Knowing (Full-length, 2000)
* To Welcome the Fade (Full-length 2002)
* Reflecting In Grey Dusk (Best of/Compilation 2004)
* The Pale Haunt Departure (Full-length 2005)
* The Novella Reservoir (Full-length 2007)
* Into Night's Requiem Infernal (Full-length 2009)
* Aphotic (Full-length 2011)
* Bled White (Full Length 2014)
* Hamartia (Full Length 2017)
Animus
Novembers Doom Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Out of sight from your God's eyes
In the city we walk for days
The mission of life's most awkward lull.
Dodge the sun for the light is wasted
Searching for the criminal who stole your heart
Scour the dark while hunting the scum
He has what is mine, and I need it back
Taken without warning from the wounded one
Without permission makes you a thief
And your punishment will be bold.
Dodge the sun for the light is wasted
Searching for the criminal who stole your heart
Scour the dark while hunting the scum
The vile scent burns the air we breathe.
I live in animus to tear your world apart
I breathe the hate and my hate is pure
I'm hunting you down, that you can be certain of
And when I find you, may your God have mercy on your soul.
The distance I travel, so far and so vast
My blood leaves this trail to find my way back
The flesh turns white for color is lost
This body is weak and slowly drying out.
I will not hesitate when the time is before me
To strike the heart of the beast who dwells
Extinguish the life of that selfish sin
And carry your heart home in a golden case.
Here I live in animus to tear your world apart
I breathe the hate and my hate is pure
I'm hunting you down, that you can be certain of
And when I find you, may your God have mercy on your soul.
The lyrics of Novembers Doom's song "Animus" paint a picture of a bitter, vengeful person on a mission to reclaim what was stolen from them. The first verse describes the shadows and hiding away from God's sight in order to pursue this mission, which is to reclaim the stolen heart. The second verse talks about hunting down the thief who took the heart and seeking vengeance with a "pure" hate that consumes the singer. The final verse concludes with the promise of not hesitating to strike down the thief and take back the stolen heart.
The lyrics are metaphorical and can be interpreted in various ways. It could be viewed as a battle cry to seek revenge against an ex-lover who broke someone's heart and left them feeling bitter and consumed by anger. Alternatively, it could be seen as someone who has lost their passion for life and is on a mission to reclaim it from those who have taken it from them.
Line by Line Meaning
Tread lightly through the shadows
Be cautious, move quietly and with stealth in the darkness
Out of sight from your God's eyes
Stay hidden and unnoticed from divine surveillance
In the city we walk for days
Live a life of monotony, wandering aimlessly without purpose
The mission of life's most awkward lull.
Living in a state of suspended animation, aimless and unfulfilled
Dodge the sun for the light is wasted
Avoid exposure to light and its positivity because of its irrelevance to the task at hand
Searching for the criminal who stole your heart
Seeking someone who has wronged you in a significant and emotional way
Scour the dark while hunting the scum
Search far and wide in the unforgiving darkness for the person responsible
The vile scent burns the air we breathe.
The stench of the perpetrator's wrongdoing is suffocating and inescapable
He has what is mine, and I need it back
Someone has taken something that rightfully belongs to the artist, and they want it returned
Taken without warning from the wounded one
The article taken was important to the artist and was removed without any notice or indication of intent
Without permission makes you a thief
Taking something that doesn't belong to you without prior consent is an act of larceny
And your punishment will be bold.
The person found guilty will receive severe and stringent punishment
I live in animus to tear your world apart
The singer resides in an atmosphere of animosity and hate with the goal of destroying the other person's life
I breathe the hate and my hate is pure
The singer's animosity is all-consuming and untainted by any other emotions
I'm hunting you down, that you can be certain of
The singer is determined to find the person who has wronged them and bring them to justice
And when I find you, may your God have mercy on your soul.
The artist will show no mercy when they find the guilty party, and hope that their God also punishes them for their sins
The distance I travel, so far and so vast
The artist has traveled an immense distance to bring justice to the person who has wronged them
My blood leaves this trail to find my way back
The singer has left their own figurative blood behind as a trail to help them find their way home once their mission is complete
The flesh turns white for color is lost
The singer has undergone a traumatic experience and has lost their ability to experience or feel anything other than their animosity
This body is weak and slowly drying out.
The artist's physical body is deteriorating due to the mental and emotional strain of their quest for justice
I will not hesitate when the time is before me
The artist will not waste time or second-guess themselves when the moment of truth arrives
To strike the heart of the beast who dwells
The artist will act with deadly force against their enemy
Extinguish the life of that selfish sin
The singer will take measures to remove the guilty party from the world
And carry your heart home in a golden case.
The artist will take the heart of their enemy as a trophy, returning home with it as evidence of their triumph
Contributed by Caleb T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.