Before recording their debut full length album, the band made a line-up change that probably, more than anything, would define the sound of the Satanic Surfers; Rodrigo took over the vocal duties while still playing the drums. Now the band was ready to take on the the world! Satanic Surfers released three consecutive albums on Burning Heart Records between ’95 and ’99: "Hero of our Time", "666 Motor Inn" and "Going Nowhere Fast", with "Hero of our Time" being their most successful release to date reaching 60,000 plus sales. This was during the golden years of melodic punkrock and the band did numerous successful tours in Europe, Canada and Australia with bands like Millencolin, Lag Wagon, Good Riddance and SNFU. Their extensive touring paid off and they soon had a strong following of loyal fans wherever they went, making them one of the biggest punk-rock bands to come out of Sweden at that time.
In 2000, the band decided it was time to make some changes. The collaboration with Burning Heart Records was terminated and Satanic returned to their friends at Bad Taste Records. The two following albums, "Fragments and Fractions" (2000) and "Unconsciously Confined" (2002) showed the band using a less complex songwriting style, with shorter songs. More touring followed and in between the two albums Rodrigo made the decision to hand over the drumming responsibilities and concentrate solely on the vocals. This meant that the band would have a frontman for the first time since 1994 and as a result the live shows became more energetic and the band toured more than ever during 2002.
But enough history. There’s a new Satanic Surfers album about be released on September 12th (slightly different release dates in some territories), the third one on Bad Taste Records. It’s called "Taste the Poison" and sees the band returning to Berno Studios in Malmö, for the second album in a row. After some down time following the 2002 tours, due to members leaving the band and a general need for some time off, Satanic Surfers actually began writing songs for this album more than two years ago. Everyone involved agreed that, since there were no tours booked and no deadlines to meet, there was no rush to record the album. Instead the most important thing was to gather the strongest material possible and enter the studio with the best Satanic Surfers songs ever. With Andy (bass) and Robert (drums) joining Rodrigo, Fredrik and Magnus in 2003 and 2004 respectively, the pieces fell into place and after completing a string of shows during 2004, the band was ready to enter the studio in May 2005. "Taste the Poison" their final album was released by Bad Taste Records and Satanic Surfers disbanded in 2007.
In December 2014, the band announces a reunion, beginning at Resurrection Fest 2015.
False Ambitions
Satanic Surfers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
question nothing swallow everything 'cause obedience is a virtue
Line up the parade of fools and let the games begin
The one with the most possessions when he dies is the one to win
Competition-Emulation-teaches us to win at any cost
Our egotism is rewarded as long we don't-look back at what we lost
Like a burden, those who encumber us can be sacrificed
These false ambitions taste like poison
Where will they lead us now?
In the song "False Ambitions," Satanic Surfers provide commentary on societal norms and expectations that encourage blind obedience, competition, and a focus on material possessions. The opening lines "They teach us how to stand in line and we follow like a frightened herd/ question nothing swallow everything 'cause obedience is a virtue" points to the pressure to conform and follow authority figures without questioning their actions or beliefs.
The song then delves into the negative consequences of this mentality, with lines like "Line up the parade of fools and let the games begin/ The one with the most possessions when he dies is the one to win." The pressure to accumulate wealth and possessions at any cost is critiqued, and the competitiveness and egotism encouraged in society are seen as ultimately empty pursuits. The chorus describes these ambitions as "false" and "poison."
Overall, "False Ambitions" is a critique of societal values that prioritize conformity and material success, and encourages listeners to question these norms and seek out more meaningful pursuits.
Line by Line Meaning
They teach us how to stand in line and we follow like a frightened herd
We blindly conform to authority, without questioning; behaving like a group of scared animals
question nothing swallow everything 'cause obedience is a virtue
They indoctrinate us to follow orders without hesitation, believing conformity is a moral principle
Line up the parade of fools and let the games begin
Society puts on a spectacle of superficial competition, but it only entertains those lacking in genuine values
The one with the most possessions when he dies is the one to win
We measure success by wealth, and accumulate material possessions for short-lived gratification
Competition-Emulation-teaches us to win at any cost
Our culture incentivizes a selfish mentality, where we prioritize personal gain over others' well-being
Our egotism is rewarded as long we don't-look back at what we lost
We prioritize self-importance at the cost of losing sight of others' lives, and our values.
What we have left behind.
We ignore or abandon the consequences of our actions
Like a burden, those who encumber us can be sacrificed
We dispose of those who weigh us down, without considering if we are responsible for having tied them to us in the first place
These false ambitions taste like poison
We're realizing that our superficial pursuits do more harm than good
Where will they lead us now?
We're uncertain where these empty pursuits will eventually take our lives
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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