Spiritual Front is a neofolk band from Rome, Italy. Its members describe th… Read Full Bio ↴Spiritual Front is a neofolk band from Rome, Italy. Its members describe their music as "nihilist suicide pop", although elements of neoclassical and rock music are prevalent, along with a recurring experimental feel.

The band began in 1999 as a project fronted by Simone Salvatori (a.k.a. "Hellvis"), a guitarist and singer from Italy, and has since worked extensively with other projects in the same genre of neofolk, along with releasing their own music to the public.

Spiritual Front's so-called "Mafia-Folk" has been in release since 1999, in which time Simone Salvatori, the lyricist and conceptualist behind SF, has been known to create a unique feel within their traditionally folk style. Their most noticeable recurring output is Simone's charismatic playing of the acoustic guitar, along with martial drum beats characteristic of the neofolk genre. Slow and often melancholic vocals (leaning towards dark folk) are often contrasted with cabaret-like, somewhat comedic "swing-singing" and are reminicent of swing revival sound (particularly noticeable in their album Nihilist Cocktails For Calypso Inferno), showing the absolute dichotomy of Salvatori's compositions. Emotional piano chords are also frequently featured, with occasional violin playing and solos.

The use of field recording is also apparent in many of Spiritual Front's albums, often attributing an ambient feel to their work.

Albums
Songs For The Will - (1999)
Nihilist Cocktails for Calypso Inferno - (2001)
Armageddon Gigolò - (2006)
Rotten Roma Casino (2010)

Singles
Twin a Tin Tin Towers - (2002)
No Kisses on the Mouth - (2003)

EPs
Nihilist EP - (2003)

Collaborative Releases
Satyriasis - (2005; with Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio)
Bedtime / Badtime - (2005; with Naevus)

Compilation Albums
Angel of Ashes: a Tribute to Scott Walker - (2006)

Love Through Vaseline
Spiritual Front Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Pretend to love my imperfection at least for a minute
Infect my dreams with your taste
You know how to enter in me
You know how to softly torture
You know how to torture my innocence
There's a falling bridge between my heart
And your upside down world

Let your saliva drip which I hold you tight
If only I had the capacity to reject my love
The crazy, the soldier, the weak and the heroes love
But not us my love
Your saliva runs slowly
Runs down on my body

I'll need a cruel master who will save my vicious soul
But a master I will hate or that maybe will save me
But I'll hate him save me... Come on
Come on... Inside me because this way you will save me
For a moment forget you love me
Push yourself push inside me
Because this way you will save me
For a moment forget you love me
Push yourself

I'm so disgusted by the victories
I never conquered
I feel sorry for the defeats
I am roughly headin' to
Love me all the same when i'll sing to you
'bout 'vaseline and lead

Look at me all the same when
I'll be jester of violence and pity

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Spiritual Front's "Love Through Vaseline" are intense and evoke emotions of vulnerability and sadness. The first stanza is about the desire for someone to accept them as they are, despite their imperfections. The imagery of infecting dreams with taste and softly torturing innocence shows a yearning for a closeness that is both physical and emotional. However, there seems to be a divide between the singer and the one they are addressing, as there is a "falling bridge" between their hearts.

The second stanza has more explicit sexual undertones, with the singer asking for their lover's saliva to drip while they hold them tight. There is also a mention of needing a "cruel master" to save their "vicious soul," but it is unclear whether this refers to the person they are addressing or someone else entirely. They also express discomfort with their own successes and failures, and ask to be loved no matter what they do or say.

Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of desperation and longing for acceptance and closeness, but also a fear of vulnerability and the potential pain that can come with it.

Line by Line Meaning

Pretend to love my imperfection at least for a minute
Act like you love me, flaws and all, even if it's only for a short time

Infect my dreams with your taste
Make your presence felt even in my subconscious thoughts

You know how to enter in me
You have a way of getting close to me that is hard to explain

You know how to softly torture
You know how to cause me pain in a gentle, subtle way

You know how to torture my innocence
You have the ability to destroy my pure, naive state of being

There's a falling bridge between my heart
There is a divide between my emotions and yours, and it's collapsing

And your upside down world
And your reality is completely opposite to mine

Let your saliva drip which I hold you tight
Let your saliva drip as we embrace each other

If only I had the capacity to reject my love
If only I could stop loving you, but I can't

The crazy, the soldier, the weak and the heroes love
All types of people can love, but we have a unique love that defies categorization

But not us my love
We do not fit any mold when it comes to love

Your saliva runs slowly
Your saliva drips slowly, emphasizing the intimacy of the moment

Runs down on my body
Your saliva falls on my skin, marking me as yours

I'll need a cruel master who will save my vicious soul
I require someone who will be harsh with me to help me overcome my inner evil

But a master I will hate or that maybe will save me
The person who helps me may not be someone I will appreciate at first, but they will ultimately rescue me

But I'll hate him save me... Come on
Even though I may resent the person who saves me, I am asking for their help

Come on... Inside me because this way you will save me
Enter me because this act of intimacy and domination will help me overcome my inner struggles

For a moment forget you love me
Temporarily forget your feelings for me

Push yourself push inside me
Dominate me physically to help me emotionally

I'm so disgusted by the victories I never conquered
I am envious of others' accomplishments that I could never achieve

I feel sorry for the defeats I am roughly heading to
I am sorry for the failures I am inevitably going to experience

Love me all the same when I'll sing to you
Continue to love me even when I express myself in a strange or disturbing way

'bout 'vaseline and lead
Even if what I say is unusual or unpleasant, love me anyway

Look at me all the same when I'll be jester of violence and pity
Even if I act strangely or erratically, continue to love and accept me

Contributed by Kaitlyn E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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