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.
Lead Us To the Gallows
Satanic Surfers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
we sell ourselves short
left them pave the path to downfall
lead us to the gallows
if there is no struggle there is no progress
If we stand for nothing-we fall for anything
We can stand by watching or do something about it
The lyrics to Satanic Surfers' song "Lead Us To the Gallows" convey a message about the dangers of complacency and the importance of standing up for one's beliefs. The opening line, "With a shrug of the shoulders and a grudging admission we sell ourselves short," suggests that people often give up on their dreams or compromise their principles in order to avoid conflict or please others. This line sets the tone for the rest of the song, which urges listeners to resist this tendency and take a stand for what they believe in.
The next line, "left them pave the path to downfall," implies that by not standing up for ourselves, we allow others to make decisions that ultimately lead to our own destruction. The line "lead us to the gallows" is a powerful metaphor for the consequences of blindly following others or failing to take action when action is needed. The final two lines, "If there is no struggle there is no progress" and "If we stand for nothing-we fall for anything," drive home the message that it is important to fight for what we believe in and not give up in the face of adversity.
Overall, Satanic Surfers' "Lead Us To the Gallows" is a powerful call to action, urging listeners to resist complacency and take a stand for their beliefs. The metaphor of the gallows suggests that failing to do so can have dire consequences, but the song also offers hope that by taking action, we can make a difference in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
With a shrug of the shoulders and a grudging admission
We reluctantly accept and acknowledge our shortcomings
we sell ourselves short
We underestimate our own worth and potential
left them pave the path to downfall
We have allowed others to lead us towards failure
lead us to the gallows
We are headed towards a great downfall
if there is no struggle there is no progress
Struggle is necessary in order to make progress
If we stand for nothing-we fall for anything
If we are not firm in our beliefs and principles, we are easily swayed by anything
The world is on a path of total destruction
The world is headed towards complete ruin
We can stand by watching or do something about it
We can either passively observe the destruction or take action to stop it
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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