Sieges Even was a progressive rock/metal band from Munich, Germany. The ban… Read Full Bio ↴Sieges Even was a progressive rock/metal band from Munich, Germany. The band was originally formed under the name Sodom (not to be confused by fellow German band Sodom) in the early 80s and released their first demo in 1983 before becoming Sieges Even in 1985.

The only constant members of Sieges Even were brothers Oliver Holzwarth (Blind Guardian) and Alex Holzwarth (Rhapsody of Fire, ex-Avantasia, ex-Angra) who performed bass and drums respectively. Original guitarist Markus Steffen originally departed in 1992, but later returned.

Sieges Even's early works are often criticised for resembling closely those of tech-metal pioneers Watchtower and then their forerunners Rushbut by the time of the band's fourth album, Sophisticated (1994), they had left those comparisons behind.

Shortly after 1997's Uneven the band split, primarily due to the prior commitments of the Holzwarth brothers. However, by 1999 the brothers had begun meeting up with Steffen again and sounding out fledgling new projects. Of these, the project to reach the most advanced stage was arguably Looking-Glass-Self featuring vocalist Andre Matos, however even this project did not progress much further than a four track promo cd when the group parted ways.

It took the trio two years to replace Matos in Looking-Glass-Self, but Dutch unknown Arno Menses was eventually chosen, triggering a name change to VAL'PARAISO just one year before the 2004 first show once again under the Sieges Even banner. The following 2005 album The Art of Navigating by the Stars was considered a long overdue comeback and was highly regarded by fans and music press.

The band's new lease of life, however, didn't last long as following just two studio albums and the live album Playgrounds with the final line-up the band decided to split due to internal differences in September 2008. Markus Steffen and Arno Menses, however, continue their partnership in Subsignal

Eyes Wide Open
Sieges Even Lyrics

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Like a brilliant thief
You stole into the room
Night was so long
Now all the lights are way too bright

One small voice
Of conquest and doubt
One deep breath

Easily sweeps the stars away

A world of pantomime in black and white
A wingless angel on a willful flight

With eyes wide open - through an opened door
With eyes wide open - swim the river running deep
With eyes wide open - that chase the clouds away
In skies wide open - eyes of knowing, opened eyes, and they've already seen it all

Go out at night
Perplex the dark with light
Stretch out this life
To see what it is, what it means

Build a stronghold
Of keepsakes and air
And dreams you can cling to
After the magic has all gone

In places of turmoil and uncertain sights
Untouched you'll grow in the shadow of a wall

With eyes wide open - through a boundless room
With eyes wide open - the road unfolds ahead
With eyes wide open - paint your sky in red and blue
In nights wide open - I rest beside of you
Watching every pulse and the peace of your sleep

A world of pantomime in black and white
A wingless angel on a willful flight

With eyes wide open - through a boundless room
With eyes wide open - the road unfolds ahead
With eyes wide open - paint your sky in red and blue

In nights wide open - I rest beside of you
Watching every pulse and the peace of your sleep

Overall Meaning

The song "Eyes Wide Open" by Sieges Even speaks about opening oneself to the world and experiencing the wonders it has to offer. The opening lines refer to the metaphorical entry of the singer into a vibrant room, which was previously dark and dull. The brightness of the room serves as an analogy for the various possibilities of life that illuminate before the singer.

The lyrics "one small voice of conquest and doubt, one deep breath easily sweeps the stars away" is a testament to the singer's inner voice, which is both determined and indecisive. The singer is aware that only a single spark is needed to trigger a great change in their life, but they still have their doubts. The singer wants to break free from a mundane life and realizes that he can achieve that by embarking on a journey of self-discovery, which is what the lyrics "A world of pantomime in black and white, a wingless angel on a willful flight" seems to suggest.

The chorus "With eyes wide open - through an opened door, with eyes wide open - swim the river running deep, with eyes wide open - that chase the clouds away, in skies wide open - eyes of knowing, opened eyes, and they've already seen it all" suggests the various experiences that the singer can have with an open mind: diving deep into the river of life, pursuing dreams, and gazing towards the infinite skies.

Lastly, the lyrics "amongst places of turmoil and uncertain sights, untouched you'll grow in the shadow of a wall" indicates that despite the tumultuous times that the singer might face in his journey, he needs to hold on to his inner strength and grow silently amidst chaos. He will eventually emerge victorious.

Line by Line Meaning

Like a brilliant thief
You entered the room with the cunning and stealth of a master thief.

You stole into the room
You surreptitiously infiltrated the space.

Night was so long
The darkness seemed interminable.

Now all the lights are way too bright
The sudden onslaught of illumination is almost blinding in comparison.

One small voice
A solitary source of sound.

Of conquest and doubt
Mixed emotions of triumph and uncertainty.

One deep breath
A single inhalation of air.

Easily sweeps the stars away
Dispels all obstacles with ease.

A world of pantomime in black and white
A monochromatic realm of illusion.

A wingless angel on a willful flight
A figurative, non-physical entity soaring purposefully without wings.

With eyes wide open - through an opened door
With unobstructed sight, you step through a doorway.

With eyes wide open - swim the river running deep
With full perceptiveness, you navigate the profound depths of a river.

With eyes wide open - that chase the clouds away
With vigilant vision, you drive away all obfuscation.

In skies wide open - eyes of knowing, opened eyes, and they've already seen it all
In expansive celestial spaces, your insightful, already-experienced eyes have seen everything.

Go out at night
Venture forth during darkness.

Perplex the dark with light
Confuse the darkness with light.

Stretch out this life
Prolong this lifetime.

To see what it is, what it means
Understand the true essence and significance of existence.

Build a stronghold
Create a fortress.

Of keepsakes and air
Comprising memories and emptiness.

And dreams you can cling to
Aspirations that you can hold onto.

After the magic has all gone
Once all enchantment has been lost.

In places of turmoil and uncertain sights
Amid tumultuous and ambiguous surroundings.

Untouched you'll grow in the shadow of a wall
You'll develop unscathed within the barrier's shelter.

With eyes wide open - through a boundless room
With unbounded perception, you enter a spacious area.

With eyes wide open - the road unfolds ahead
With heightened awareness, you observe the path ahead.