1) Silentium is a gothic metal band whose songs often talk about love, pain, sorrow, and yearning. The band formed in Jämsänkoski, Finland in 1995. The band currently consists of Riina Rinkinen (female vocals), Juha Lehtioksa (guitars), Toni Lahtinen (guitars), Matti Aikio (bass, vocals), Sami Boman (keyboards, vocals), and Jari Ojala (drums).
Silentium's first demos and EPs have been released in tape format, and their albums have only been released in Europe and some Asian countries, although Silentium's last single (Dead Silent) has been uploaded to some Finnish music legal sites to download worldwide.
The story of Silentium goes back to December 1995 into the ashes of a death metal/gothic metal band called Funeral. From the remains of Funeral, keyboardist Sami Boman and original vocalist Matti Aikio created Silentium by adding violin player Jani Laaksonen, guitarists Toni Lahtinen & Juha Lehtioksa and drummer Jari Ojala into the line-up. Silentium's first recording was the four-song-demo-tape "Illacrimó" which was released in the end of year 1996. Their second, six-song Ep-tape "Caméne Misera" was released in 1998 and featured female vocals by Tiina Lehvonen who then became a permanent member of the band. This second tape caught the attention of Sami Tenetz who was at the time setting up his record label Spikefarm. After some negotiations Silentium signed a deal with Spikefarm and their first Spike-release "Infinita Plango Vulnera" in 1999 had the honor of becoming Spikefarm's first CD, NAULA001. The record also introduced the new drummer, Janne Ojala.
"Infinita Plango Vulnera" got extremely good feedback, pleasing goths worldwide, as did its successors, the 2001 CD "Altum" and Altum's little sister, the "SI.VM E.T A.V.VM" mini-CD.
Silentium headed to the Walltone studios of Savonlinna, Finland in January 2003 to record their third full-length album "Sufferion: Hamartia of Prudence". This was the first time they decided to use a non-member producer for their album: Tuomas Holopainen of Nightwish. "I felt I needed an outsider's view for my songs and Tuomas crossed my mind. He's definitely one of the greatest song writers in the scene, and has also showed interest towards our music. While Nightwish was on a break, he also had the time and the passion to do this project.", says Sami. Before the recordings took place Silentium suffered a major setback: Tiina Lehvonen took a time-out from Silentium for personal reasons. The leading part of Prudence in "Sufferion: Hamartia of Prudence" was then given to Anna Ilveskoski, and a second female vocalist Maija Turunen (ex-Avernal Oath) was also asked to join the recording process. Mixing of the album was done in February 2003 by Walltone's Tuomo Valtonen and Tuomas Holopainen. "Sufferion: Hamartia of Prudence" was then finished by Mika Jussila at Finnvox studios, and the results are unlike anything heard on the field of melodic goth and doom before. It is not just a melodic metal work, it's also a theatrical music experience, a tale of the star-crossed lovers Antracone and Prudence written and performed by Silentium in a true Shakespearean style.
In 2004, drummer Janne Ojala announced he's got a lack of motivation and is leaving the band. Also Jani Laaksonen and Anna Ilveskoski, who already gained the status of permanent vocalist, left and the whole band lived on the edge for awhile. But the guys didn't want to give up and the help was found surprisingly near; the original drummer Jari Ojala was willing to join in again and Riina Rinkinen (ex-Caledonian) joined to replace Anna. Anna, Janne, and Jani were later known to form their new band Evilion.
Silentium's fourth studio album, "Seducia", was released in Finland on January 25, 2006, worldwide on January 27, 2006 and in Germany, Austria & Switzerland on April 23, 2006. It is their first album which features the appearance of the new female singer Riina Rinkinen. The album has so far spawned two singles: Frostnight and Dead Silent.
Official site: http://www.silentivm.com
2) SiLENTiUM is an Indonesian folk ballad band. Founded in Jakarta, SiLENTiUM started with Zen (guitar), CJC (vocal), Aristo (bass) and Bentar (percussion). They described their musical genre as minor/light and cited REM, Pearl Jam, Iwan Fals, Live, Death Cab for Cutie and Bimbo as their influences. Their musical style derived from minimalist acoustical guitar, bass and percussion with socio-cultural/political themed song lyric. SiLENTiUM released their debut record as a part of Sang Pemimpi movie soundtrack latter in 2009. By March 2010, SiLENTiUM released EP titled Post Scriptum, with 6 songs. The first single was Lawan, released earlier in February 2010.
3) Silentium is a black metal (early) and dark ambient (later) act from Vologda, Russia, formed in 1996. Later became Binan Ath.
4) Silentium is an ambient / dungeon synth project from Ukraine, formed in 1988 by Vladislav "Munruthel" Redkin (also member of Crystaline Darkness, Finist, Коло, Munruthel, Nokturnal Mortum, Piorun, Suppuration, Thunderkraft, Вече). A demo tape titled "The Ancients' Wisdom" was released in 1995.
5) Silentium was a black metal band from Berlin, Germany formed in 1993. Released a 5-track demo in 1994.
Unbroken
Silentium Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The time for shade of hope or fear
Sometimes I wonder, am I breathing
When was it when we were dreaming
When did the sun, stop from shining
Remember when I felt the rain
Sometimes I wonder, Am I fading
Did I need the pain just to feel alive
Did I get this numb just to survive
Did I need the rain just to feel alive
Did I get this cold, just to survive
Was there a child who was dreaming
When did I loose the sense of me
Sometimes I wonder, am I sleeping
When stopped I desiring
Did I need the pain just to feel alive
Did I get this numb just to survive
Did I need the rain just to feel alive
Did I get this cold, just to survive
Would you please, could someone please
Could someone make me unbroken again
Is there someone I could reach
Could someone make me whole again
Was there a time when I was feeling
The time for shade of hope or fear
Sometimes I wonder, am I breathing
When was it when we were dreaming
... we were dreaming
The lyrics in Silentium's song Unbroken speaks about introspection and self-doubt. It begins with a rhetorical question if there was a time when the singer had hope and faith, and if there was a time when life was not overshadowed by fear. They then wonder if they are even alive, as they cannot differentiate between their dreams and reality. The following verse speaks about the memories of the past, when the sun used to shine, and when the singer used to feel alive. But now they feel numb and have become indifferent to life. The verses that follow tend to ask more existential questions, like the purpose of pain and suffering and if there was a need for them to feel alive or survive. The chorus, "Would you please, could someone please, could someone make me unbroken again?" shows the singer's desire to be fixed or healed. They wish to feel complete and whole again, just as they were before. The song ends by repeating the first verse, emphasizing the singer's need for hope and the urge to come out of their numbness.
Line by Line Meaning
Was there a time when I was feeling
Was there a point in the past where I genuinely experienced emotions
The time for shade of hope or fear
A period of uncertainty where there was a possibility of positive or negative outcomes
Sometimes I wonder, am I breathing
At times I question if I'm actually alive and present
When was it when we were dreaming
When was the last time we had aspirations and hopes for the future
When did the sun, stop from shining
At which point did happiness cease in my life
Remember when I felt the rain
Recalling a past moment of sadness or despair
Sometimes I wonder, Am I fading
There are instances where I question if I'm slowly disappearing or not being true to myself
When we were hurting
During a time of pain or suffering
Did I need the pain just to feel alive
Questioning if the only way to feel alive was to experience suffering and discomfort
Did I get this numb just to survive
Am I emotionally detached from situations as a way to cope with difficulties
Did I need the rain just to feel alive
Did I have to experience sorrow to appreciate what it means to be truly happy
Did I get this cold, just to survive
Wondering if becoming distant and unfeeling towards people and events was simply a survival mechanism
Was there a child who was dreaming
Was there a point in my life where I was full of hope and optimism
When did I loose the sense of me
At what moment did I lose my sense of identity or sense of purpose
Sometimes I wonder, am I sleeping
In certain situations, I question if I am really living or just going through the motions of life
When stopped I desiring
At what moment did I stop yearning for something more in life
Would you please, could someone please
Requesting for someone to help or assist with personal struggles
Could someone make me unbroken again
Asking for someone to help mend emotional wounds and restore a sense of self
Is there someone I could reach
Wondering if there is someone who can be there and connect with me during difficult times
Could someone make me whole again
Asking for someone to help me rebuild a sense of completeness and contentment in life
When was it when we were dreaming... we were dreaming
A reflection on a past time period where hopes and dreams were still a possibility and not just a figment of the past
Contributed by Leo I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.