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.
Only in a Dream
Psychotic Waltz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
lying still with broken wings
till his eyes close to pass the night
and part the tears
he slips into a dream
see him fly o like an arrow
in the skies he rules as king
though he's never really left the ground
I can fly
o I can even touch the sun
chase me to the sun
run down his face, tears of a blind man
eyes that never seen the sun
waiting for the light of morning to come
to end this seemingly endless night
where is the light
I've never seen you
but I've seen your many faces
in my dreams
I have seen you
but I must fly away again
now dim his ears to silence
never heard a church bell ring
still his eyes are closed for evermore
still the chains are on his wings
lord hear him song
I'll cease to find the point in living
only if I cease to dream
The lyrics of Psychotic Waltz's song Only in a Dream tell a story about a dying sparrow. The sparrow has broken wings and lies motionless as its eyes close to pass the night. The sparrow slips into a dream where it can fly like an arrow in the sky ruling as a king in the skies, even though it's never left the ground. The lyrics speak of flying so close to the sun, chasing after it, with tears streaming down his face like a blind man's who has never seen the sun.
The song's lyrics speak of the sparrow's dream of flying away, hoping to see the light and the end of the darkness. He's seen the many faces of the light in his dreams even though he has never seen it in his waking life. The sparrow sings that he'll cease to find the point in living if he ceases to dream. He has the belief that dreaming and flying gives him a purpose and a sense of freedom that he cannot find on the ground.
The song’s metaphor of a dying sparrow's dream of flying away gives a sense of hope to its listeners. It tells us that we can find solace even in our darkest moments by dreaming and pursuing freedom. The song's message reminds us to find meaning in life and to keep our dreams alive even when everything seems hopeless.
Line by Line Meaning
there lies a dying sparrow
There is a tiny bird that is on the verge of death
lying still with broken wings
It is lying motionless, its wings damaged and unusable
till his eyes close to pass the night
Until its eyes close and it falls asleep to pass the night
and part the tears
The tears flow from its eyes as it falls asleep
he slips into a dream
The dying bird enters into a dream state
see him fly o like an arrow
In his dream, he is flying like an arrow
in the skies he rules as king
He feels powerful and majestic in the sky
though he's never really left the ground
Despite being unable to fly in reality, he can fly in his dreams
lord you should hear him sing
His joy and ecstasy are reflected in his singing in the dream
I can fly
The dream bird is flying in his dream state
o I can even touch the sun
He feels that he can fly so high that he can even touch the sun
chase me to the sun
He is encouraging someone to join him in his dream and follow him to the sun
run down his face, tears of a blind man
The tears signify the emotional release of a blind man who has never seen the sun
eyes that never seen the sun
The blind man has never seen the sun in his life
waiting for the light of morning to come
The blind man is waiting for the morning light to come and bring him warmth and hope
to end this seemingly endless night
He hopes for an end to his long and difficult period of darkness
where is the light
He is searching for the source of light and joy in his life
I've never seen you
He has never seen the light, either in a literal or symbolic sense
but I've seen your many faces
He has come across many different versions and interpretations of the light
in my dreams
He hopes to find the light in his dreams
I have seen you
He has seen glimpses of the light in his dreams
but I must fly away again
He knows that he must leave his dream and return to reality
now dim his ears to silence
The bird's ears are now deafened to the outside world
never heard a church bell ring
He has never experienced the sound of a church bell
still his eyes are closed for evermore
The bird has passed away in its sleep
still the chains are on his wings
Even in death, its wings remain damaged and tied down
lord hear him song
The bird's singing continues to echo in the peaceful silence
I'll cease to find the point in living
Without being able to dream, the artist believes there is no point in living
only if I cease to dream
The artist believes that without the ability to dream, life loses its meaning
Contributed by Colin J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.