The band was originally formed in 1995 under the name Our Haunted Kingdom. They released a split 7" with Electric Wizard in 1996 on Rise Above Records before adopting the moniker Orange Goblin. The band's first three albums were stoner/doom metal. On 2002's Coup de Grace they began to add punk, doom metal, and other influences to their sound.
Their first five releases were issued by Rise Above Records. Rhythm guitarist Pete O'Malley left the band in 2004 to pursue a career as an artist. On December 16, 2005 the band celebrated its tenth anniversary with a concert at the Underworld club in Camden also featuring Scissorfight and Blood Island Raiders. Their 2007 album, Healing Through Fire was released on Mayan/Sanctuary Records. On September 3, 2008 the band announced that they had signed with Candlelight Records and were working on material for a new album with a September 2009 release date in mind. It was then announced in May 2009 that "Songwriting for the new album is ongoing but looks very promising with the skeleton of four or five new songs already in place. Two rough working titles for the new songs include Red Tide Rising and The Bishop's Wolf". The band had earlier announced that it had postponed the recording sessions for the new album due to "unforeseen circumstances" and apologized to the fans assuring them that "it will be worth the wait". Twelve months later, in March 2010, a statement was issued by the band stating that while they were not necessarily never going to release a new album ever again, the prospective forthcoming album was to be postponed for the foreseeable future. The band announced they will be recording new material in August 2011. Once mentioned on Ricky Gervais' XFM radio show. This recording was indeed completed in September 2011 and is set to be released early in February 2012 under the name of 'A Eulogy for the Damned' by Candlelight Records.
In mid 2010 the band's back catalog was reissued on Rise Above Records in digipack form. In mid-December 2010 they celebrated their fifteenth anniversary with support coming from British blues-rock band Firebird - featuring previous members of Carcass and Spiritual Beggars - and American doom-rock band Solace culminating in their annual Christmas show in London.
They have also played as one of the acts playing the 2011 edition of the Maryland Deathfest music festival in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States.
King Of The Hornets
Orange Goblin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Looking to the sun for a destination
Majesty in awe of the serpent's wonder
Chaos in the shape of a girl named Thunder
Apocalypse now, better hold tight, baby
Wizard of the ancient keys won't save me
Empires fall with the cosmos burning
Riding through the stars to the twilight oceans
Astral tides that flow with demonic notions
Entities of horror bringing Armageddon
Rockets flying to the blackest sun I'm setting
Swarm of electric death is growing
Seeds of eternal doom they're sowing
Plans for galactic domination
Living in the soul of your mind's frustration
Acid rain is burning
Through the temples of my dreams
As the world stops turning
Can you tell me what that means
God's on my side, baby
But the Devil calls my tunes
And I've been feeling lately
This whole universe is doomed
The lyrics to "King of the Hornets" by Orange Goblin paint a picture of a world on the brink of destruction, with chaos, horror, and doom surrounding the singer. The first stanza sets the scene, with the singer feeling trapped in their own mind, searching for a way out. They see the beauty of the world around them (the "majesty" of the serpent's wonder) but also the danger (the "chaos" personified as a girl named Thunder). This tension between beauty and chaos sets the tone for the rest of the song.
In the second stanza, the singer speaks of the apocalypse, with destruction looming on the horizon. They note that even the ancient keys, the symbols of power and control, won't be able to save them from what is about to happen. The third stanza paints a vivid picture of this destruction, with the singer riding through the stars to the sound of demonic entities and rockets flying towards a black sun. The final stanza brings the focus back to the singer themselves, struggling to make sense of the world around them as they feel torn between the call of God and the Devil.
Taken as a whole, "King of the Hornets" is a song about the end of the world - a warning of the chaos and destruction that awaits us if we aren't careful.
Line by Line Meaning
Living in the soul of your mind's frustration
Existing within the depths of your mental anguish
Looking to the sun for a destination
Searching for a purpose or goal by looking towards the sun
Majesty in awe of the serpent's wonder
Awe-inspired by the majesty and wonder of the serpent
Chaos in the shape of a girl named Thunder
A female named Thunder personifying chaos
Apocalypse now, better hold tight, baby
The world is ending and one should brace themselves
Wizard of the ancient keys won't save me
Even the most powerful wizard cannot prevent the apocalypse
Empires fall with the cosmos burning
The destruction of the universe results in the fall of empires
Destruction of the void, now the world stops turning
The destruction of the emptiness of space freezes the rotation of the planet
Riding through the stars to the twilight oceans
Traveling through space towards the ocean at dusk
Astral tides that flow with demonic notions
Oceanic currents influenced by malevolent entities in space
Entities of horror bringing Armageddon
Terrifying beings causing the end of the world
Rockets flying to the blackest sun I'm setting
Flying towards the blackest star as the sun sets
Swarm of electric death is growing
A deadly swarm of electricity is expanding
Seeds of eternal doom they're sowing
Planting the beginnings of everlasting destruction
Plans for galactic domination
Strategies to rule the galaxy
Acid rain is burning
Corrosive precipitation is causing harm
Through the temples of my dreams
Within the deepest parts of my subconscious
As the world stops turning
As the planet ceases to rotate
Can you tell me what that means
Asking for an explanation of the situation
God's on my side, baby
Believing that a higher power is in favor of oneself
But the Devil calls my tunes
One's actions and decisions are influenced by the Devil
And I've been feeling lately
Recently experiencing a feeling or emotion
This whole universe is doomed
The entire universe is destined for destruction
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BEN WARD, CHRISTOPHER TURNER, JOE HOARE, MARTYN MILLARD, PETE O'MALLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind