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.
Drift
Psychotic Waltz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
rain again forever
drift on my way
lift my soul through the overgrow
stone my soul down below
serenade the dying
cold blind grave, midnight shade
drift on my way, drift on my way
drift away. . .
bells of dawn turn you on
can you hear them ringing?
birds of song flying on
can you hear them singing?
drift on my way, drift on my way
now I drift on my way, drift on my way
drift away. . .
The song "Drift" by Psychotic Waltz speaks about a journey of the soul through death and into the afterlife. The opening lines, "Slow it down, turn around, rain again forever," suggest a sense of resignation or acceptance. The idea of rain that never ends may symbolize the endless cycle of life and death that is the fate of all living things. The next lines, "Drift on my way, lift my soul through the overgrow," suggest that the journey is one of detachment from the physical world and a sense of elevation towards the spiritual or metaphysical. The line "stone my soul down below" may suggest an idea of weight or burden that the soul carries, possibly referring to experiences or choices made in life that affect the soul's journey after death.
The chorus, "Bells of dawn turn you on, can you hear them ringing? Birds of song flying on, can you hear them singing?" speaks to a sense of awakening or calling. The bells and birdsong may represent a symbolic call to the afterlife, a transition from the physical to the spiritual. The repetition of "drift on my way, now I drift on my way, drift away" may reinforce the idea of detachment from the physical world and the journey of the soul towards the afterlife, as well as a sense of acceptance or resignation.
Line by Line Meaning
slow it down, turn around
Pause and reexamine your situation
rain again forever
Describing a tumultuous or unfortunate situation that seems like it will never end
drift on my way
Travel aimlessly, without a specific destination or purpose
lift my soul through the overgrow
Seek relief from the difficulties you are facing
stone my soul down below
Sinking into despair and hopelessness
serenade the dying
Taking comfort in the beauty of life even in the face of death
cold blind grave, midnight shade
The inevitability of death
death embrace this evening
Facing the possibility of death
bells of dawn turn you on
A sense of optimism or hope
can you hear them ringing?
Are you able to appreciate and take advantage of that optimism
birds of song flying on
The beauty and freedom of nature
can you hear them singing?
Are you able to appreciate and take advantage of the beauty and freedom around you
now I drift on my way, drift on my way
Continuing to wander without direction or purpose
drift away. . .
Further disengaging from the world around you
Contributed by Zachary H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.