Novembers Doom is one of the earliest U.S. death/doom metal bands that are … Read Full Bio ↴Novembers Doom is one of the earliest U.S. death/doom metal bands that are still active today. The band is from Chicago, Illinois. They are currently signed to Prophecy Productions.

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)

They Were Left To Die
Novembers Doom Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Drawn upon insight to purify
Voices call to a sinners world

One by one, gagged and bound
Hollow eyes, they were left to die

Right from wrong, lines divide
Black and White, obey his word

Follow the path those blindly walk
Life of fear for the dying weak

One by one, gagged and bound
Hollow eyes, they were left to die

No remorse for tales told
Cities burned in perfect wrath
Cleansing life for eternal bliss
Paradise for those who fall

One by one, gagged and bound
Hollow eyes, they were left to die

Drawn upon insight to purify
Voices call to a sinners world

Glimmer of white to pierce the throat
Crestfallen, youre the only one
Bathe in moonlight against his law
The cold grip of lust is powerless

Will you repent and follow his lead
Before time steals the only life you have
Beaten and torn, displayed for spite
The strong are nailed and cast aside

One by one, gagged and bound
Hollow eyes, they were left to die

Overall Meaning

The song "They Were Left To Die" by Novembers Doom is a dark and haunting commentary on the destructive power of religious fanaticism. The lyrics suggest that those who blindly follow the dictates of a charismatic leader can become dehumanized and helpless, as they are stripped of their dignity and left to perish. The song begins with the line "Drawn upon insight to purify", which could be interpreted as a call to arms for those who believe they are on a holy mission. The "voices" mentioned in the second line may refer to the manipulative speeches and propaganda that can be used to indoctrinate people and convince them to do terrible things in the name of faith.

In the second verse, the lyrics describe the harrowing fate of those who have been led astray. They are "gagged and bound" with "hollow eyes", and are essentially waiting to die. The binary thinking of the religious leader is evident in the lines "Right from wrong, lines divide/Black and White, obey his word/Follow the path those blindly walk". The imagery here suggests that there is no room for nuance or questioning in the leader's ideology, and those who deviate from the prescribed path are punished severely.

The chorus serves as a bleak refrain, as it describes the victims' eyes as "hollow" and reinforces the idea that they have been left to die. The third verse takes a more extreme turn, describing how the leader and his followers show "no remorse" as they "cleanse" the world of those who do not share their beliefs. The final verse switches to a more personal perspective, asking the listener if they will "repent and follow his lead" or be left to suffer the same fate as those who were bound and gagged. The final line, "Hollow eyes, they were left to die", serves as a haunting reminder of the terrible toll that religious extremism can take.

Line by Line Meaning

Drawn upon insight to purify
Using deep understanding to cleanse

Voices call to a sinners world
Urging sinners to listen

One by one, gagged and bound
Each person restrained individually

Hollow eyes, they were left to die
Emptied gazes of the abandoned and doomed

Right from wrong, lines divide
Dividing morals and ethics

Black and White, obey his word
Following strict commands without deviation

Follow the path those blindly walk
Trusting in others without thought

Life of fear for the dying weak
Weak individuals living in terror

No remorse for tales told
No regret for stories shared

Cities burned in perfect wrath
Urban areas destroyed with merciless anger

Cleansing life for eternal bliss
Eliminating existence for an ideal afterlife