The first incarnation of the band was under the name Aslan, after a character in the novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis. With money earned from local shows and T-shirt sales, they recorded a self-titled demo tape in 1986. After discovering another band with the same name, they changed theirs to Psychotic Waltz and recorded a new four-song demo in 1988.
In 1990, they debuted with their independently financed debut A Social Grace, which was released in Europe via a licensing deal with the German label Rising Sun Productions. The album was very well received in Europe, being named album of the month in some European magazines,[citation needed] The situation in US was more difficult, as the album was released under the band's own Sub Sonic Records label. With practically no promotion and minimal distribution, it remained an extremely underground item. In 1991, the band appeared in the Dynamo Festival in Holland.
After the tour, the band's guitarist, Dan Rock, suffered a near-fatal accident after falling off a bridge while rappelling. The band went on to record their second album, Into the Everflow. The album was recorded from August–October, 1992, at Phoenix Studios in Herne, Germany, and was produced by Mekong Delta's main man, Ralph Hubert. After recording the album, but before its release, the band did a small tour while Dan Rock recovered from his accident. The CD was released in Europe on Dream Circle Records, and was very well received, getting album of the month honors in many European magazines.[citation needed] After Rock recovered, the band was nominated as the Best Hard Rock band at the 1992 San Diego Music Awards.
By that time, the band was at the peak of its popularity. They signed with Ralph Hubert's own label, Zardoz Music, for their third album, Mosquito. Recording took place in late 1994 in Record Plant and Madhatter studios in Los Angeles, with the help of the famous metal producer Scott Burns. The initial response for this album was mixed, as the more conventional songwriting that the band followed led some hardcore fans of the band to label it as a sell-out. This was the last album that was recorded with their initial lineup, as bassist Ward Evans left the band after two tours in Europe and was replaced with Phil Cuttino.
They entered the studio once again in 1996, for what proved to be their last studio work together, Bleeding. This time, Scott Burns did the engineering, but the record was mixed by Dan Rock and engineer Woody Barber. Before the band started touring in support for the new album, guitarist Brian McAlpine announced that he would not be able to follow the band due to familial obligations. He was replaced by Steve Cox for the band's final two European tours. Phil Cuttino filmed a promotional video for the track "Faded". This proved to be disastrous for the band, as a crew member sued the band in April 1998, claiming that a light on the set caused him to go blind.
The lengthy court battle that followed, coupled with the different musical interests that the band members had, contributed in the band's demise. Buddy Lackey was the first to leave the band. For a short while, the remaining band members tried to continue with the band, but eventually each went his own way. Rock recorded two instrumental albums with his project Darkstar. Norm Leggio and Steve Cox created the band Teabag, and Buddy Lackey formed the band Deadsoul Tribe, where he performs using his real name, Devon Graves.
Psychotic Waltz reunited in 2010, will tour Europe in support of Nevermore and Symphony X, and are planning to write, record and release a new album.
...And the Devil Cried
Psychotic Waltz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
as the dark dealer smiles to the play
dear player of my little game
I don't believe I caught your name
that's alright now lay your hand down
queens slay your nines
the fortune you've lost now is mine
take a spin and lay down your claim
your number loses, not to blame
you see my friend,they're all the same
you can not win now, play again now
taste of earthly pleasures
see the harlots smiling
feel the evil passion
clawing, crying, crying on
...and the devil cried
well could you pay the price
if we rolled of the dice
just a piece of your soul down again
the rules are simple as they seem
just roll a one or roll thirteen
and all is back now, free and clear now
your soul and your mind
the fortune you've lost now is mine
The first stanza of Psychotic Waltz's "And the Devil Cried" sets the stage for a shadowy encounter with the "dark dealer." The lines "be seated now, lay your small ante down / as the dark dealer smiles to the play" suggest a sense of foreboding and danger. The singer, who remains unnamed throughout the lyrics, invites the addressee to participate in their "little game." Although the singer claims not to know the addressee's name, they immediately ask them to "lay [their] hand down," essentially giving up their cards for the game.
In the second stanza, the singer reveals that the game involves gambling and that the stakes are high. The lines "queens slay your nines / the fortune you've lost now is mine" suggest that the game involves some form of poker, with the singer using the card imagery to taunt and belittle the addressee. The singer urges the addressee to keep playing, saying "you can not win now, play again now," which indicates that they know the addressee is doomed to lose.
The third stanza takes on a distinctly darker tone, as the singer offers the addressee a chance to win back their losses by rolling dice for their soul. The lines "well could you pay the price / if we rolled of the dice / just a piece of your soul down again" suggest that the singer is a demonic figure who is willing to bargain with humans for their souls. Although the rules seem simple enough ("just roll a one or roll thirteen"), it's clear that the consequences are dire. The final lines of the song echo the first stanza, with the singer claiming "the fortune you've lost now is mine" and emphasizing their power over the addressee's fate.
Line by Line Meaning
be seated now, lay your small ante down
Take a seat and place your small bet.
as the dark dealer smiles to the play
The sinister dealer is pleased with the game so far.
dear player of my little game
The dealer addresses the player.
I don't believe I caught your name
The dealer doesn't know the player's name.
that's alright now lay your hand down
The dealer instructs the player to reveal their hand.
queens slay your nines
In this game, queens are superior to nines.
the fortune you've lost now is mine
The dealer has taken the player's bet.
quick to the deal, let us step to the wheel
The dealer quickly moves onto the next round of the game.
take a spin and lay down your claim
The player should take a turn and place their bet.
your number loses, not to blame
The player's bet has lost, but it's not their fault.
you see my friend,they're all the same
The dealer points out that all rounds of the game are similar.
you can not win now, play again now
The dealer encourages the player to keep playing despite their losses.
taste of earthly pleasures
Indulge in worldly delights.
see the harlots smiling
Observe the prostitutes smiling.
feel the evil passion
Experience the sinful passion.
clawing, crying, crying on
The harlots cry and plead.
...and the devil cried
The devil lamented the player's continued participation in sin.
well could you pay the price
Are you prepared to pay the cost of this game?
if we rolled off the dice
If the dice determine the outcome of the game.
just a piece of your soul down again
The cost of continued participation in the game is damaging to one's soul.
the rules are simple as they seem
The game's rules are straightforward.
just roll a one or roll thirteen
To win, the player must roll a one or a thirteen.
and all is back now, free and clear now
If the player wins, everything will be returned to them, without consequences.
your soul and your mind
The player's spiritual essence is at risk in this game.
the fortune you've lost now is mine
The dealer has taken everything the player has lost to the game.
Contributed by Wyatt V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.