With their next mini-album Chameleon limited to 777 copies and released in 1996 on Alice In..., they reached the musical highpoint of their established sound.
Nightmare Arrival album, mostly comprised of demos and unreleased material, came out during 18 month long hiatus when one band member was called-up for a military service. On the last album, Demondive (1999), they surprised listeners with the shift to a much heavier, metal influenced sound. They toured with this album across the Europe until the band broke up in 2000.
Circa 2015 they reunited and released two albums, Shape Shifters and Zeitgeist Weltschmerz.
Drowning
Still Patient? Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where noone calls cause everyone's deaf
I've seen dead fishes swimming with the tide
Like plastic clones bying everything
I've never seen the sun sinking
Without the sky turning red
I've seen running people and crowds after them
Steel in my hand I hold
And it's getting colder
I try to breath under water
But my body's getting colder
Feel it's cold
And getting colder
I sang to the sun
But I couldn't hold her
I've seen the butcher sitting in church
Listening to the prayers after killing thousands
Everyweek, everyweek
I see the insanes the insanes
Like you and me
I'm drowning
Drowning in the sea
And my wishes and hopes
Are coming with me
I'm drowning
In the dark dark sea ...
The lyrics to Still Patient?'s song "Drowning" paint a vivid picture of a world that is bleak and hopeless. The singer has reached the end of the road, where no one calls and the only company they have is that of dead fish swimming with the tide, illustrating a desolate landscape. Additionally, the image of "plastic clones bying everything" suggests that consumer culture has overtaken the world, leading to a homogenous and dispassionate society.
The lyrics become even more desperate, as the singer is struggling to survive in this world. They sing of holding steel in their hand, feeling the cold and trying to breathe underwater. There is a sense of isolation and despair in the words "I sang to the sun but I couldn't hold her," which speaks to the loss of hope and the feeling of being trapped in one's own despair.
The lyrics take on a more ominous tone later on as the singer speaks of the butcher sitting in church, listening to prayers after killing thousands. This violent imagery further cements the idea that this is a world of darkness and hopelessness. The final stanza, with the repeated phrase "I'm drowning," reinforces the feeling of being trapped in this world with no escape.
Overall, "Drowning" is a deeply contemplative and dark song with a clear message about the dangers of a world consumed by consumerism and violence. It offers no easy solutions, but rather forces the listener to grapple with the harsh realities of our world.
Line by Line Meaning
I followed the highway to the end of the world
I traveled to an isolated and desolate place
Where noone calls cause everyone's deaf
No one communicates because no one is listening
I've seen dead fishes swimming with the tide
The environment is so polluted that even living things are dying
Like plastic clones bying everything
People mindlessly consume products without question
I've never seen the sun sinking
I haven't witnessed a natural event without some kind of negative consequence
Without the sky turning red
Environmental destruction is always present in some way
I've seen running people and crowds after them
There is chaos and conflict among people
The evidence is on the side of the rich
Wealth and power are dominant and oppressive forces
Steel in my hand I hold
I am prepared for violence
And it's getting colder
The situation is becoming more dire
I try to breath under water
I am struggling to survive in an inhospitable environment
But my body's getting colder
My hopelessness and despair are growing
Feel it's cold
I am aware of my own mortality
And getting colder
My situation is becoming more dangerous
I sang to the sun
I tried to find hope and beauty
But I couldn't hold her
But my efforts were futile
I've seen the butcher sitting in church
Even those who commit atrocities find ways to justify their actions
Listening to the prayers after killing thousands
They place themselves in a position of moral superiority despite their actions
Everyweek, everyweek
These horrors are recurring and never-ending
I see the insanes the insanes
I see the madness and irrationality in everyone, including myself
Like you and me
We are all capable of great harm and suffering
I'm drowning
I am overwhelmed and suffocating
Drowning in the sea
I am drowning in a sea of despair
And my wishes and hopes
All of my desires for a better future
Are coming with me
Are being extinguished by my hopelessness and despair
In the dark dark sea ...
In a place of utter despair and hopelessness
Contributed by Zachary L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.