Wakeford founded Sol Invictus in order to pursue his own musical ideas. He was an original member of Crisis and Death In June with Douglas P.. He formed Sol Invictus in 1987, working with Ian Read and Karl Blake. He has been the sole constant of the group, as it continues to bring forth new forms and conceptions.
Wakeford has described Sol Invictus as a "cabaret band from Hell for the fin-de-siècle" and has referred to his work as folk noir. He has said the name "comes from a pre-Christian Rome-based cult. Many of its trappings were taken over by the church. The name means 'the unconquered (or victorious) sun', and it was brought back by the legionnaires returning from Persia. The sun has always been an important symbol and as the cult of Sol Invictus nearly defeated Christianity at one point it seemed a good name to use. I also love the sound of Latin. "
Sol Invictus' imagery and lyrical content, especially initially, was strongly influenced by an antipathy for the modern world and materialism. The band also had considerable interest in Heathen and Mithraist themes, often reflecting an explicit antipathy to Christianity. Wakeford has written from a melancholic position of doomed Romanticism, which laments the loss of beauty, love, and Culture. He sees Americanism as a scourge upon Europe, as expressed with pitch-black humour in his song, "Death of the West" from the album of the same name.
In 2007 Tony Wakeford started working with Israeli producer and musician 'M'. The German label Prophecy will release a new Sol Invictus studio album, 'The Cruelest Month' in 2010.
The World Shrugged
Sol Invictus Lyrics
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I see a flag, a bloody torn rag
Oh, the games we play
Oh, the lies we tell
Oh, the hearts that are broken
Between heaven and hell
And the stones will fall, never to rise
In this black night
In these jaws of steel
All our battles lost
Beneath an iron hill
Oh, what damned mankind
And all his woes
And I'd murder Cupid
With his bow
And the stones will fall, never to rise
And the world will shrug, and close her eyes
Across this earth
A poison seeps
From house to house
That plague does creep
With smiles and whispers
To blunt our swords
With fools' gold
For us all
And the stones will fall, never to rise
And the world will shrug and close her eyes
And simply say "goodbye"
In this song, Sol Invictus describes a world that is full of pain, deceit, and suffering. The first verse talks about the visible symbols of our society's failures: a rotten cross and a bloody flag. The chorus mourns the fall of the stones, representing the collapse of everything we have built, and the closing of the world's eyes, which are full of utter despair. The second verse speaks to the battle mankind has lost, referencing the allusion to the Battle of the Iron Hill in Tolkien's The Hobbit, emphasizing the futility of struggle. And while love is often seen as the answer, the final line shows a deep frustration with the idea that love can overcome. The last verse describes how the world is being ravaged by a plague that is carried from house to house, metaphorically referencing the endless cycle of pain and suffering that we create ourselves.
Overall, the song is a pessimistic statement about humanity's failures, and the cycle of despair that we create for ourselves. Through the use of powerful metaphors, Sol Invictus evokes strong emotions in the listener, as we are called to confront the ugly truths that we often push aside.
Line by Line Meaning
I see a cross, so rotten and sad
The singer observes a symbol of Christianity that appears decayed and sorrowful.
I see a flag, a bloody torn rag
The singer notices a flag that has been ripped and bloodied, symbolizing the destruction of nations and the loss of identity.
Oh, the games we play
The singer reflects on the deceptive and manipulative actions that humans often engage in.
Oh, the lies we tell
The artist acknowledges the prevalence of dishonesty and deceit among people.
Oh, the hearts that are broken
The artist empathizes with the emotional distress that results from these games and falsehoods.
Between heaven and hell
The singer sees the negative consequences of human nature as existing on a spectrum between the positive and negative afterlife destinations of Christianity.
And the stones will fall, never to rise
The singer predicts inevitable ruin and downfall for individuals and societies alike, with no hope for resurrection.
And the world will shrug, and close her eyes
The artist envisions the Earth as an apathetic entity that will look away from the suffering of human beings, perhaps indicating a sense of cosmic nihilism.
In this black night
The artist describes a sense of hopelessness and despair.
In these jaws of steel
The artist endures a metaphorical imprisonment and restriction of freedom.
All our battles lost
The singer believes that all human struggles and conflicts are ultimately meaningless and futile.
Beneath an iron hill
The artist evokes an image of a cold and oppressive environment.
Oh, what damned mankind
The singer condemns humanity as a whole for its flaws and failings.
And all his woes
The singer reflects on how the problems of the world are caused by human behavior and decisions.
And I'd murder Cupid, with his bow
The singer expresses frustration with the unpredictability of love and the pain it can cause.
Across this earth
The artist speaks of the entire planet.
A poison seeps
The artist envisions a toxic influence that spreads insidiously throughout society.
From house to house
The singer describes the way in which harmful ideas and actions can penetrate even the most private spaces.
That plague does creep
The singer uses an epidemic metaphor to convey the sense of a pervasive and destructive force.
With smiles and whispers
The artist implies that these negative influences come disguised as innocuous or even appealing suggestions.
To blunt our swords
The artist suggests that these influences disarm people of the ability to fight back or resist negative forces.
With fools' gold
The artist refers to the worthless material that is sometimes offered as a substitute for genuine wealth or value, implying that the cultural or societal elements being referenced are similarly fake or misleading.
For us all
The singer reflects on the way in which the negative aspects of society affect all people, indiscriminately.
And simply say 'goodbye'
The artist envisions the world as a dispassionate entity that will not mourn the loss of humanity.
Contributed by Samuel S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Igor Barbosa Pereira
this album is a masterpiece! omg...fabulous!
Monad
Thank You