1) A doom meta… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least three bands with the name Penance:
1) A doom metal band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
2) Band from London.
3) A punk band from Perth, Western Australia
1) Penance was born from the ashes of Dream Death, when several members decided to pursue a more traditional doom direction. Dream Death existed during mid eighties and played speciphic mixture of doom, hardcore and thrash metal.
Founders of Penance were drummer Mike Smail and guitarist Terry Weston (both previously a members of Dream Death) and they were the core of the band from its early days to the disbanding. The band changed various line-ups, and one of their most notable members were Mary Bielich (Novembers Doom).
Penance's debut The Road Less Travelled was released 1992, under Lee Dorrian's label Rise Above Records. Alongside with Revelation's debut, it was a first doom metal album released on this label. They would embark on a European tour in support of doom legends Cathedral and Sleep.
Their second album, Parallel Corners, was released 1994, by the European metal label Century Media. Many fans consider this the band's best album, and it's also considered one of the classics of 90s (traditional) doom metal. On the next releases Penance adopted a slight range of psychedelic influences, but still remained fairly closed to their traditional doom roots.
Spiritualnatural (2003) would be the band's final album. They embarked on a European tour in 2004 partnered with Well of Souls and Orodruin. They split that same year. The Road Revisited was released posthumously in 2005, which is the unreleased original recorded version of the first album.
Mike Smail went on to join Internal Void and Pentagram.
2) Penance Last Rites From London: "From the ashes of a dead God, the remains of a broken society and through the fires of creation, we were formed to absolve the world of sin and usher in a new age of man.
To know our name is to know sacrifice,
for we are many, we are eternal, we are the alpha and the omega.
WE ARE PENANCE!"
www.penance-band.com
3) A punk band from Perth, Western Australia. Penance began jamming mid-2013 and have since released a 7 track demo.
Born To Suffer
Penance Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[Lyrics: Smail/Weston/Goodbread]
All this suffering yet I cannot feel it
Words of consolation I bring to you
I am torn by grief and sorrow
For me there's no tomorrow
For your peace of mind
I've lived and learned with gifts bestowed on me
But I was left behind
I reach for you but you're illusion
Please excuse me for my intrusion
Once hopeful but now just living
Why must I be punished for giving
Youth memories that once had sheltered me
Kill me in the end
Born to suffer live by standard die in despair
Born to suffer again
Who are your heroes? Where are the morals?
Somewhere in limbo but surely not here
Can't you see my misery maybe tomorrow I'll be all right
Blasphemy and irony of a world on it's knees
Reality's gain is my loss, until a change
I will suffer
The lyrics to Penance's song Born to Suffer bring forth themes of pain, suffering, and hopelessness. The opening line "All this suffering yet I cannot feel it" suggests a feeling of numbness and detachment from the pain despite experiencing it. The singer seems to be offering words of comfort to someone who is seeking solace in their pain. However, the singer's own pain and sorrow are evident as well, as they express that they have no tomorrow.
There is a sense of frustration and despair in the lines "Hiding under your shroud of security/ For your peace of mind/ I've lived and learned with gifts bestowed on me/ But I was left behind." The singer seems to feel ignored and forgotten, despite trying to offer comfort and support to others. They still reach out for the illusion of comfort and seek forgiveness for their intrusion. The chorus "Born to suffer live by standard die in despair/ Born to suffer again" suggests a cyclical pattern of pain and suffering that the singer cannot seem to escape from.
The song also touches upon the idea of morality and the lack of heroes in the world. The singer laments that they cannot see any morals or heroes around them, and their misery persists with no hope of being okay. The lines "Blasphemy and irony of a world on its knees/ Reality's gain is my loss, until a change/ I will suffer" suggest a critical view of the current state of the world and the reality that the singer is forced to endure.
Overall, the song explores the experiences of pain and suffering in a world that seems to offer no hope or solace. The singer's perception of their own pain and that of others highlights the cyclical nature of suffering, and their sense of isolation underscores the feeling of despair that accompanies it.
Line by Line Meaning
All this suffering yet I cannot feel it
Although I am constantly surrounded by suffering and pain, I have become numb to it and am unable to truly feel anything.
Words of consolation I bring to you
Despite my own struggles, I offer comforting words to those around me who are also suffering.
I am torn by grief and sorrow
I am deeply affected by the pain and sadness present in my life and in the world.
For me there's no tomorrow
I feel hopeless and as though there is no positive future ahead for me.
Hiding under your shroud of security
You find comfort in your routine and in the feeling of being secure.
For your peace of mind
To maintain your inner calm and contentment.
I've lived and learned with gifts bestowed on me
I have had unique experiences and opportunities in my life that have taught me important lessons.
But I was left behind
Despite these gifts, I feel as though I have been abandoned and left to suffer alone.
I reach for you but you're illusion
I seek connection and support from others, but often find that it is unattainable or not what it seems.
Please excuse me for my intrusion
I apologize for reaching out and asking for help or support, knowing it can be burdensome for others.
Once hopeful but now just living
I used to have a sense of optimism and purpose, but now I am just trying to get through each day.
Why must I be punished for giving
I have tried to help others, but it has come at the cost of my own well-being and it feels unfair.
Youth memories that once had sheltered me
Memories of my youth were a source of comfort and protection for me in the past.
Kill me in the end
However, in the present, these same memories cause me pain and contribute to my suffering.
Born to suffer live by standard die in despair
I feel as though my destiny is to endure hardship and despair, and this is the norm I have come to expect from life.
Who are your heroes? Where are the morals?
I question the values and ethics of society, and wonder if those we look up to are truly worthy of admiration.
Somewhere in limbo but surely not here
I feel as though morality and virtue may exist, but they seem absent or far away from my immediate surroundings.
Can't you see my misery maybe tomorrow I'll be all right
Despite my attempts to hide it, I am in a great deal of emotional pain and wish those around me could better understand and help me. I still hold onto some hope that things may improve in the future.
Blasphemy and irony of a world on its knees
The current state of the world, full of suffering and injustice, seems to contradict the idea of a benevolent higher power.
Reality's gain is my loss, until a change
As reality continues to be harsh and difficult, I will continue to suffer and feel a sense of loss, until something changes or improves.
I will suffer
I am resigned to the fact that suffering is an unavoidable part of life and I will continue to endure it.
Contributed by Sophia K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.