The band played at the Scandinavian Roskilde Festival in 2004. At one time they were signed to Burning Heart Records, which houses a number of Swedish punk rock and hardcore punk bands.
In 2010 Hagman received a serious electrical shock during a concert in Sundsvall when he touched a power cable which had been punctured by a riot fence. He collapsed on the stage.
The band's album Veil of Ignorance, released in 2009, placed on the Swedish charts and was nominated for a Swedish Grammy Award. Many of the songs on this album were written by Hagman.
In 2013 Raised Fist signed a two-album contract with Epitaph Records. In 2015, after working on the songs for five years, Raised Fist released an album From the North.
Vocalist Alexander appeared in an interview on Swedish television TV4 where he criticizes the EU Directive on the enforcement of intellectual property rights in EU countries.
Illustration of Desperation
Raised Fist Lyrics
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It's so hard to explain the strength of the chain that binds us.
We keep this inside shining of pride knowing that you're existing.
You always denied us, tried to divide us into everything.
Lack of communication takes the breath out of me.
I'm pleading without seeing
I'm looking for my enemy.
The only thing that satisfies you is when I bleed.
This is an illustration of desperation.
When you're getting your education from the fucking TV station.
I seem to fade away.
I seem to fade away.
I want to fade away!
This part goes out to those fucking fools who are breaking our hearts into pieces.
Making up names, setting their aims to talk shit about all releases.
I want to extend this to some of the people I usually bump into.
The running man without a band who thinks he's everything just because of a fucking tattoo.
The lyrics of Raised Fist's song "Illustration of Desperation" are a powerful critique of a society that is divided and driven by greed. The song is an anthem for those who have been denied and divided by the system, and a call to action for those who want to break free from the chains that bind them.
The first verse speaks directly to those who believed that change was possible, but who have been held back by the strength of the chain that binds us. The singer acknowledges the pride that comes from existing in a world that denies and tries to divide us. He pleads with his enemy, looking for a way to communicate and understand, even as he is filled with anger and frustration.
The second verse describes the desperation of a society that is fed its education through the TV station. The singer rails against the greed that drives his enemy, the only thing that seems to satisfy them is when he bleeds. This desperation is illustrated in the chorus, where the singer fades away, wanting to escape from a world that seems to be falling apart.
Overall, "Illustration of Desperation" is a powerful critique of a society that has lost its way. It is a call to action for those who want to break free from the chains of greed and division, and a reminder that change is possible if we are willing to stand up and fight for what we believe in.
Line by Line Meaning
This part goes out to people like you who knew that this could come through.
The singer is addressing people who had faith in their cause from the beginning and knew they would succeed.
It's so hard to explain the strength of the chain that binds us.
The connection between the singer and their comrades is difficult to articulate, but it is strong and unyielding.
We keep this inside shining of pride knowing that you're existing.
The pride that comes from knowing their comrades exist is something they keep inside but is a shining beacon of strength.
You always denied us, tried to divide us into everything.
The singer's oppressors have constantly tried to deny them and break them apart in every way possible.
Lack of communication takes the breath out of me.
The inability to communicate with their comrades is suffocating for the singer.
I'm pleading without seeing
The singer is begging for understanding from people who refuse to see their point of view.
I'm looking for my enemy.
The singer is actively seeking out their oppressor.
I have no patience to see that you're filled with greed.
The singer cannot stand the sight of their oppressor’s greed.
The only thing that satisfies you is when I bleed.
The oppressor finds joy in the suffering of the singer.
This is an illustration of desperation.
The song is a vivid depiction of the despair and hopelessness the singer feels.
When you're getting your education from the fucking TV station.
The singer criticizes those who uncritically accept what they are told by the mainstream media.
I seem to fade away.
The singer feels like they are disappearing or losing themselves.
I want to fade away!
The singer desires an escape from their pain and suffering, even if it means fading into nothingness.
This part goes out to those fucking fools who are breaking our hearts into pieces.
The singer is addressing the people who are causing them distress and heartbreak.
Making up names, setting their aims to talk shit about all releases.
Those who oppose the singer are making up lies and spreading false information to discredit them.
I want to extend this to some of the people I usually bump into.
The singer wants to include some of the people they encounter in their message.
The running man without a band who thinks he's everything just because of a fucking tattoo.
The singer criticizes people who believe their tattoos or other superficial things make them superior to others.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DANTE HOLMBERG, ANDREAS JOHANSSON, OSKAR KARLSSON, MARCO ERONEN (STIM), ALEXANDER HAGMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind