Peccatum was formed by singer Ihriel (Heidi Solberg Tveitan), her husband I… Read Full Bio ↴Peccatum was formed by singer Ihriel (Heidi Solberg Tveitan), her husband Ihsahn (of the well-known black metal band Emperor), and her brother Lord PZ (Source of Tide) in Norway. The group released five albums between their inception in 1998 and their split on March 4, 2006. Lost in Reverie, released in 2004 after Lord PZ's departure, demonstrated a change in a more classical, avant-garde and musically opaque direction.

Lost in Reverie and the 2005 EP The Moribund People were both produced under the label Mnemosyne Productions, owned and operated by Ihriel and Ihsahn themselves.

On March 4th, 2006 Peccatum split, leaving room for Ihriel to continue with Star of Ash and Ihsahn to work on his solo work. They still work together in their other project Hardingrock.

Veils Of Blue
Peccatum Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Lights underneath
from lights above
trial by water after all
two by the ocean
waves crashing in
a witness of the deep
the swimmer can swim
a thousand lengths

clockwise and reverse
I cannot swim in you
absorbed in itself
all the way down
to the ever hushed cry
the threat of its stillness
mirror the sky
one, two, me and you
the swimmer can swim
a thousand lengths

clockwise and reverse
I cannot swim in you.

Overall Meaning

The song "Veils of Blue" by Peccatum is a poetic reflection on the limitations of the human experience and the boundaries between individuals. The mention of "lights underneath" and "lights above" creates an image of being surrounded by celestial bodies, perhaps indicating a sense of being observed or judged from above. The idea of a "trial by water" suggests a purification or cleansing process, and "two by the ocean" could represent two individuals standing together, facing the unknown depths of life, and seeking to support or understand each other. The "swimmer" who can "swim a thousand lengths, clockwise and reverse" may symbolize the human ability to endure and persevere through life's challenges, but the line "I cannot swim in you" points to the limitations of each individual's perspective and the barriers that keep us separated from one another.

As the verse continues, the imagery becomes more abstract and surreal, with references to being "absorbed in itself" and the "ever hushed cry." The "stillness" that threatens the swimmer could be a metaphor for the overwhelming and crushing feeling of being trapped or stuck in one's own thoughts or circumstances. The mention of a "mirror" could suggest a reflection of our true selves or the interconnectedness between individuals, while the final repetition of "I cannot swim in you" reinforces the sense of boundaries and distances that exist between us.

Line by Line Meaning

Lights underneath
The view of the underwater lights.

from lights above
The view of lights from above water.

trial by water after all
An individual's test by water, ultimately.

two by the ocean
Two individuals by the seaside.

waves crashing in
The sound of crashing waves.

a witness of the deep
Someone observing the depths of the ocean.

the swimmer can swim
The swimmer can endure long swims.

a thousand lengths
The swimmer can do a thousand long swims.

clockwise and reverse
The swimmer can swim in both directions.

I cannot swim in you
I am not able to swim in the same direction as you.

absorbed in itself
The ocean is completely focused on itself.