Paradigma is a band founded in 1991 in Ålesund, Norway. They are one of the… Read Full Bio ↴Paradigma is a band founded in 1991 in Ålesund, Norway. They are one of the first doom metal acts (or 'majestic doom' as they say) that incorporated growling, bass, tenor and female soprano vocals. Besides of main guitar riffs there are cello and synth parts.
Their debut album, titled "Mare Veris", was released in 1995. The group split up in 2001, for 5 years, and reformed in mid-2006. An album, tited "The Beckonings of Lost Light", was recorded in 2001 but has never been released.

Sleep
Paradigma Lyrics

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Light is dim
In fact, it is naught
Spring went into summer,
Yet summer stepped aside
As autumn took its place
Then autumn died
And winter came to stay
Beyond the waste remains of

Autumns decayed suit
Neither heat nor frost
Maketh any difference
Silent solitude
Winter's reign
That which once was
And perhaps once more to be
Sleeps...
In the land where dreams are reality
And reality is no more to be
If thou from 'ere canst see
- Solitaire reality -
Winter thy cryb, and thus,
Thine crypt...

...And by spring's soft embrace you will awake
From winter's peaceful sleep...

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Paradigma's song "Sleep" describe the passing of time and the return of winter, which has brought with it a blanket of silence and solitude. The light is dim and nothing can be seen clearly. Spring has turned to summer, then autumn has overtaken it, only to die away and be replaced by winter. The remnants of autumn lay in waste, and the bitter cold of winter is felt equally whether it is freezing or not. The sense of loneliness runs through the entire song, with a desperate desire for the return of something lost. At the end of the song, the singer speaks to the listener, telling them that winter is their crib - and sleeping in this crib will help them awake to spring's warm embrace.

The song seems to be a meditation on the passage of time and the cyclical nature of life. The singer describes the changing seasons, but also underscores the fact that some things remain the same - the waste of autumn, for example, or the chill of winter. The odd phrasing and archaic syntax of the lyrics give them a timeless, elusive quality, as if the singer is struggling to grasp the truth that lies beyond the physical world. The final lines of the song suggest that this truth may only be found by sleeping and dreaming, a theme that is echoed throughout the song.

Line by Line Meaning

Light is dim
The light is not shining brightly.

In fact, it is naught
It is simply not there at all.

Spring went into summer,
As the season progressed from spring into summer,

Yet summer stepped aside
But then summer ended and gave way to

As autumn took its place
fall, which then,

Then autumn died
came to an end, and

And winter came to stay
winter arrived and settled in for the long haul.

Beyond the waste remains of
Amidst the remnants of

Autumns decayed suit
fall's decayed clothing (leaves and such)

Neither heat nor frost
Despite either hot or cold temperatures

Maketh any difference
there is no change