When Baltimore based alt-metal act Dog Fashion Disco came to an end, it was… Read Full Bio ↴When Baltimore based alt-metal act Dog Fashion Disco came to an end, it wasn’t the end of frontman Todd Smith, guitarist Jasan Stepp and drummer John Ensminger's musical output.

During the near decade the group spent in Dog Fashion Disco, Smith and his merry band of misfits would amass a loyal underground following of fans (dubbed the “mushroom cult”) through countless tours with the likes of Slayer, Mindless Self Indulgence, Nothingface and Lacuna Coil. Although Dog Fashion Disco never achieved commercial success, their musical legacy gained the respect of musical contemporaries like Serj Tankian of System of a Down (who made a guest appearance on Anarchists of Good Taste), Mushroomhead and American Head Charge, while the group's music lives on through the internet and continues to create new members of the “mushroom cult” long after the band's demise.

While Smith and company may have become sick of living the vagabond lifestyle that a touring metal band requires, the thought of giving up music entirely never even crossed their minds. Within mere months of their former outfits demise the group had created a new group, Polkadot Cadaver to unleash their schizophrenic musical madness.

“Jasan and I decided to start a studio band and Polkadot Cadaver started as shells of songs on Jasan’s computer. After we fleshed out the songs we pitched it Rotten Records, because we loved how they handled the last Dog Fashion Disco album,” says Smith about the formation of the group. “They immediately got behind us and as soon as received a recording budget we went to Wrightway Studios to work and complete the record. Polkadot Cadaver is very similar to Dog Fashion Disco stylistically. The songs are still very quirky and different from each other.” Recorded in the bowels of Baltimore with producer Steven Wright (Jimmie’s Chicken Shack, SR-71), Polkadot Cadaver’s debut album picks up right where Dog Fashion Disco left off. The brilliance of the band’s musical output lies within their ability to sonically shape shift like a musical chameleon that can adapt to any music style. “What’s The Worst Thing” blisters with thrashing Slayer like riffage and then spills into the soothing folk-pop melodies of "Chloroform Girl". The album’s lyrical insanity the delivers homicidal blow to Polkadot Cadaver’s musical homicide, covering gamut of topics ranging from plane crashes, narcissistic models, Christ, the devil and good old Baltimore, MD.

After fulfilling their contractual duties with Rotten Records, The guys decides that they'd had enough of working for the man. Smith and Stepp have since started their own record label, called Razor To Wrist Records, and now record and release albums, all on their own. Every project they now have will be releasing albums under Razor To Wrist [Polkadot Cadaver, El-Creepo! (Todd's Solo Project), Knives Out! (Super Group), and Deimos (Jasan's Solo Project)]. For more info on Polkadot Cadaver and the rest of their happenings, be sure to check out RazorToWrist.com.

Opus Dei
Polkadot Cadaver Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Behind you
The sky is gold
And we're
All alone now
I'm lost
If you turn the tides
Shipwrecked
And so helpless

In a violent sea of skeletons

If this is love I'm falling in
Hold my head under the water

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Polkadot Cadaver's song Opus Dei are dark and full of despair. The singer is addressing their lover, who is standing in front of a beautiful and peaceful sky, while they themselves are lost and alone. The singer describes themselves as being shipwrecked and hopeless, caught in a violent sea of skeletons. They question if what they are feeling is love, and then plead with their lover to hold their head under the water.

The song appears to be a reflection on a relationship that has become toxic and damaging. The singer is drowning in their feelings, overwhelmed with despair and hopelessness. Their lover appears to be oblivious to the depth of their pain, standing in front of a beautiful sky while the singer is left to suffer alone. The imagery of a violent sea of skeletons suggests that the singer feels like they are drowning in their own thoughts and negative emotions.

Overall, Opus Dei is a haunting portrayal of emotional pain and despair. The lyrics convey a sense of desperation and hopelessness that is difficult to shake off. The song's somber melody and unsettling imagery make it a powerful and unforgettable piece of music.

Line by Line Meaning

Behind you
I am following you.

The sky is gold
The sky is beautiful and radiant.

And we're
It's just the two of us.

All alone now
We are isolated and have no one else around us.

I'm lost
I am confused and unsure of what to do.

If you turn the tides
If you change your mind or actions.

Shipwrecked
I am stranded and in danger.

And so helpless
I feel powerless and unable to change the situation.

In a violent sea of skeletons
Surrounded by death and destruction.

If this is love I'm falling in
If this is what love feels like, I am falling deeper into it.

Hold my head under the water
I want to be submerged in these feelings and not come up for air.