Oi! band from Göteborg, Sweden, started in 1993. Following decades of activ… Read Full Bio ↴Oi! band from Göteborg, Sweden, started in 1993. Following decades of activity and sold-out shows across major European cities and the US, some have dubbed Perkele one of Europe's biggest Oi! bands and an important part of the genre's evolution. Their sound has been described as Oi! with '70s/'80s heavy metal influences and elements of blues, jazz, and even classical music.
The band members actually started out as punks drawing some inspiration from Swedish folk music, but gradually the Oi! genre started having a greater influence on their development and around 1997/1998 Perkele became skinheads.
Despite their Swedish origin, perkele—the noun used for the band's name—is, in fact, a Finnish profanity. In a 2003 interview, lead vocalist and founding member Ron Halinoja cited his "roots in Finland" and the word's expressively vulgar nature as the main reasons behind choosing this for the band's name. Perkele claim to be strongly against all kinds of racism, nationalism, fascism, sexism, and homophobia as well as being opposed to hate, war, and environmental pollution. Despite this, in the past their appearance at traditionally left-wing events has caused controversy due to some of their songs featuring lyrical themes of Swedish and Finnish nationalist sentiments. Due to the background of their bassist Chris as an adoptee originally from Sri Lanka, the band have at one point experienced racist abuse from the audience at a concert in Belgium.

Pure hate
Perkele Lyrics

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Pure Hate
I can feel the anger, I can feel the pain
My heart beats faster and the battle is a fact

Take a look around, what do you see ...

Ref:
The hate is running in my veins - It's time to fight

The hate is running in my veins - Get out of my sight
The hate is running in my veins - It's time to win
The hate is running in my veins - Let the struggle begin

I can feel the pressure, it's hard to take
My mind is rushing and something must be done

Take a look around, what do you see...

Ref (2x)

Overall Meaning

"Pure Hate" by Perkele is a song that expresses the intense emotions of anger and pain that the singer is experiencing. The song begins with the lyrics "I can feel the anger, I can feel the pain, my heart beats faster and the battle is a fact." This sets the tone for the rest of the song, as the singer is clearly in a state of intense emotional turmoil. The chorus ("The hate is running in my veins - It's time to fight, the hate is running in my veins - Get out of my sight, the hate is running in my veins - It's time to win, the hate is running in my veins - Let the struggle begin") emphasizes the sense of aggression that the singer is feeling and suggests that they are ready to take on anyone or anything that is standing in their way.

As the song progresses, the singer continues to describe the intense pressure and rush of thoughts that they are experiencing. They say that "something must be done" and that they must take action to deal with the emotions that are consuming them. The song is ultimately a call to action, urging listeners to confront their own feelings of anger and pain and to fight for what they believe in.

Overall, "Pure Hate" is a powerful expression of emotion that is meant to inspire listeners to take action and fight for their beliefs. It is a song that resonates with anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed by negative emotions and is looking for a way to channel their energy and make a change in their lives.

Line by Line Meaning

I can feel the anger, I can feel the pain
I am experiencing intense emotions and suffering

My heart beats faster and the battle is a fact
My adrenaline is high and I am ready for a fight

Take a look around, what do you see ...
Observe the world and identify what is causing the anger and pain

The hate is running in my veins - It's time to fight
My intense hatred towards something/someone has become a motivation for me to act upon it

The hate is running in my veins - Get out of my sight
I need to eliminate the source of my hatred to get rid of it

The hate is running in my veins - It's time to win
I am determined to achieve victory over this source of hatred

The hate is running in my veins - Let the struggle begin
I am ready to face the challenges and difficulties that come with fighting against the source of my hatred

I can feel the pressure, it's hard to take
I am under a great deal of stress and finding it difficult to handle

My mind is rushing and something must be done
My thoughts are racing and I have decided that action needs to be taken

Writer(s): Ronnie Halinoja

Contributed by Jeremiah B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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