As of 2019, the band has released ten full-length albums (three via Spinefarm Records and seven via Nuclear Blast), their most recent being Talviyö on September 6, 2019.
Picturing the Past
Sonata Arctica Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lays a man who sees more with his eyes
Picturing the past before him,
In a bed, alone, with clothes on
Paying for a service he doesn't really need
With his eyes, he sees more love and lust
More tears, far too much to handle
Too much of burning bushes too much for his weak soul
In his mind, oh so jaded, he's gone too far behind
Of all the visions seen, this one makes him scream
He cannot live neither die in this world
Burning sensation inside, you know how that hurts?
Making up for the crimes of your life
With scythe as your sword,
You must fight 'till the end of time
Don't look behind, or you will fall through the time
Only time can make you see behind of the curtain hiding
The secret. Your time is up when you see the light
You can live as a noble man but when time,
You won't be left behind
With the sound of time ringing in his head,
He leaves the house where no-one never sleeps
Job well done knowing that at least one will be pleased
Hiding is always useless, pictures will fade with time
Seeking for a winner of the day, prize of life is here
Of all the visions seen this one makes him scream
The lyrics of Sonata Arctica's "Picturing the Past" tells the story of a man who cannot sleep and is haunted by his past. He sees vivid images of love and lust, as well as tears, and is overwhelmed by the intensity of his memories. Despite paying for a service that he does not need, he is unable to silence his mind and escape the guilt of his actions. He is trapped in a never-ending cycle of self-punishment, unable to live or die peacefully, and burdened by the weight of his past transgressions. He must fight until the end of time with scythe as his sword, seeking redemption for the crimes of his life.
The lyrics are a poignant commentary on the human experience of regret and the consequences of our actions. They highlight the power of memory to shape our perception of reality and the pain that comes with living a life haunted by past mistakes. The theme of time is also significant, as it represents both a healer and a destroyer of memories and experiences.
Overall, "Picturing the Past" is a haunting and thought-provoking song that delves deep into the complexities of human emotion and the human psyche. It is a reflection on the importance of acknowledging our past mistakes, learning from them, and moving forward.
Line by Line Meaning
In a house where no one never sleeps,
The man lives in a place where people are never awake.
Lays a man who sees more with his eyes
The man has an ability to see more things than what is visible on the surface.
Picturing the past before him,
He visualizes past events in his mind.
In a bed, alone, with clothes on
He is lying alone in his bed, fully clothed.
Paying for a service he doesn't really need
He is unnecessarily spending money on a service he does not require.
With his eyes, he sees more love and lust
His ability allows him to see deeper emotions like love and lust.
More tears, far too much to handle
He can see more tears than he can bear.
Can't tell a soul, not this time, they'd lock him right up
He cannot share his secret with anyone as it is labeled as madness in society.
Too much of burning bushes too much for his weak soul
The intensity of the images he sees takes a toll on him and makes him feel weak.
In his mind, oh so jaded, he's gone too far behind
The never-ending visions have created a sense of exhaustion in him, making him feel left behind in life.
Of all the visions seen, this one makes him scream
This particular vision causes him deep distress and pain.
He cannot live neither die in this world
He feels like he is stuck in a world between life and death.
Burning sensation inside, you know how that hurts?
The agony of his visions and emotions are too much to bear.
Making up for the crimes of your life
He feels like he is being punished for something he has done in the past.
With scythe as your sword,
He has to fight his battle with time just like a warrior would go to battle with their scythe.
You must fight 'till the end of time
He must continue to fight and endure until his time on this earth is over.
Don't look behind, or you will fall through the time
He is warned not to dwell on his past as it can lead him through a spiral of time travel.
Only time can make you see behind of the curtain hiding
With time, he might be able to see the truth that is hidden behind the veil of his visions.
The secret. Your time is up when you see the light
The mystery he has been hiding all his life will be exposed before he meets his end.
You can live as a noble man but when time, You won't be left behind
No matter how dignified and upright you are in life, eventually, you will leave everything behind when your time comes.
With the sound of time ringing in his head,
He has the constant ringing of time in his mind, which he cannot escape.
He leaves the house where no one never sleeps
He exits from the place where he lives, which is devoid of life.
Job well done knowing that at least one will be pleased
Despite his inner turmoil, he is satisfied that he has helped someone out.
Hiding is always useless, pictures will fade with time
No matter how much you hide, everything will eventually come to light and the pictures in his mind will lose their intensity with time.
Seeking for a winner of the day, prize of life is here
He hopes to find someone who has won at the game of life, as a prize for his own trials and tribulations.
Of all the visions seen this one makes him scream
This particular vision causes him deep distress and pain.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JANI ALLAN LIIMATAINEN, TONI KRISTIAN KAKKO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Pablo David Barreto
In a house where no one never sleeps,
Lays a man who sees more with his eyes
Picturing the past before him,
In a bed, alone, with clothes on
Paying for a service he doesn't really need
With his eyes, he sees more love and lust
More tears, far too much to handle
Can't tell a soul, not this time, they'd lock him right up
Too much of burning bushes too much for his weak soul
In his mind, oh so jaded, he's gone too far behind
Of all the visions seen, this one makes him scream
He cannot live neither die in this world
Burning sensation inside, you know how that hurts?
Making up for the crimes of your life
With scythe as your sword,
You must fight 'till the end of time
Don't look behind, or you will fall through the time
Only time can make you see behind of the curtain hiding
The secret. Your time is up when you see the light
You can live as a noble man but when time,
You won't be left behind
With the sound of time ringing in his head,
He leaves the house where no-one never sleeps
Job well done knowing that at least one will be pleased
Hiding is always useless, pictures will fade with time
Seeking for a winner of the day, prize of life is here
Of all the visions seen this one makes him scream
Pridery27
Wooow, de las mejores canciones del Ecliptica, tiene mucha velocidad, fuerza , es una cancion que no aburre por su Dinamismo. Sencillamente el Mejor album de la historia del Power metal !!!
Pablo David Barreto
In a house where no one never sleeps,
Lays a man who sees more with his eyes
Picturing the past before him,
In a bed, alone, with clothes on
Paying for a service he doesn't really need
With his eyes, he sees more love and lust
More tears, far too much to handle
Can't tell a soul, not this time, they'd lock him right up
Too much of burning bushes too much for his weak soul
In his mind, oh so jaded, he's gone too far behind
Of all the visions seen, this one makes him scream
He cannot live neither die in this world
Burning sensation inside, you know how that hurts?
Making up for the crimes of your life
With scythe as your sword,
You must fight 'till the end of time
Don't look behind, or you will fall through the time
Only time can make you see behind of the curtain hiding
The secret. Your time is up when you see the light
You can live as a noble man but when time,
You won't be left behind
With the sound of time ringing in his head,
He leaves the house where no-one never sleeps
Job well done knowing that at least one will be pleased
Hiding is always useless, pictures will fade with time
Seeking for a winner of the day, prize of life is here
Of all the visions seen this one makes him scream
gunther the condomfiller
my friend played yugi oh amv with this song and i know i couldnt sleep anymore without this music style... im all over power metal now ... one of the best tings happen in my life
SmallDickNinja
There is something very primal and incredibly pure about this, have fun exploring the genre and please do not kill dragons unless you have no other choice !
Lalita Lowen
Ecliptica is my fav Album, 8th Commandment, Kingdom for a Heart, Replica, Picturing the Past, Blank File...All such Marvelous songs
khaspyr
Go Jani, seems like the songs he put his touch to became amazing. This, 8th commandment, replica, My selene. Jani Liimatainen RULES!
Zak
I freaking love this song. Main riff is amazingggg
Francisco Perez
After this song, I've decided. I'm gonna buy the damm album and add it to Days Of Grays, Silence, and Songs Of Silence live in Tokio :D
FerretOverlord
Anyone else get that feeling during the chorus where you think "Yeah, this is awesome" and then he concludes it and you're like "SOMEONE GET ME A FUCKING DRAGON TO FIGHT RIGHT NOW"
Esteban Sáez
este si que es un temazo .. rapido, contundente !! y muy bueeeeeno po !! W(^_^)W