Athera (vocals)-Tjodalv (Drums)-Memnock (bass)-Cyrus (Guitar)-Elvorn (Guita… Read Full Bio ↴Athera (vocals)-Tjodalv (Drums)-Memnock (bass)-Cyrus (Guitar)-Elvorn (Guitar)

Susperia may have their roots in Norway’s black metal scene, but that is merely a starting point for a band that describes their music as “extreme metal with melodic twists”. Their simple philosophy of “no boundaries” – as reflected on the album ‘Unlimited’ – demonstrates how Susperia have no hesitation in embracing and exploring a variety of musical avenues with ease. They feel that originality is the essence of surviving the music industry today and their willingness to experiment has seen development and progression over their three-album career, to a point where they are managing to carve out their own identity within the metal genre.

The origins of the Oslo based band can be traced back to 1998 when Tjodalv, then occupying the drum seat with Dimmu Borgir, and long time friend Cyrus (Satyricon, Old Man´s Child) would get together regularly to share ideas and write songs. These sessions developed rapidly into the foundations of what would eventually become the band Susperia. By March 1999 Tjodalv had left Dimmu Borgir to concentrate fully on building a band that was capable of sharing one vision and performing a challenging style of music. A chance meeting between Athera and Tjodalv at 1999’s Wacken Festival in Germany proved to be beneficial and would eventually lead to the completion of the Susperia line up. Athera had been handed a CD of ideas that Tjodalv and Cyrus had been working on. Suitably impressed by what he heard, Athera wasted no time in agreeing to join the fledgling band, bringing along with him from his own band, bass guitarist Memnock and guitarist Elvorn.

With the line up complete Susperia entered Pitfire Studios near Oslo to record the five-song ‘Illusion Of Evil’ demo, which immediately caused a buzz with various record labels. A bidding war ensued with ten labels chasing the bands signature. Susperia eventually opted for Nuclear Blast, finalising their deal in early 2000. October of the same year saw the band hard at work in the legendary Abyss Studios, Sweden producing their debut album ‘Predominance’. The album was released to critical acclaim in March 2001, with the international press praising Susperia as one of the freshest and most interesting bands around at the time. Tours with In Flames, Nevermore, Lacuna Coil, Dimmu Borgir and a headline appearance at Portugal’s Extremo Open Air Festival followed, placing the band in front of excited audiences around Europe.

The second album ‘Vindication’ followed in 2002 with the band once again utilising Abyss Studios for the recording. ‘Vindication’ equally impressed both fans and critics alike, being championed as one of extreme metals’ groundbreaking albums. However cracks were beginning to appear in the bands’ relationship with Nuclear Blast, mainly due to a lack of live promotional support from the label. As a result the band took their destiny into their own hands and asked to be released from their contract. They subsequently parted company with the label on amicable terms. Summing up the situation at the time, vocalist Athera commented, “we couldn’t sit on our arses waiting for something to happen”. Despite the upheavals, Susperia still managed to get out on the road, appearing mainly at European festivals, but also fitting in a performance at the Milwaukee Metalfest in the USA.

By 2003 the band were fielding offers from various labels, eventually finding a new home with upcoming Norwegian label TABU – a division of TUBA Records. After sorting out their business affairs, Susperia set about writing their new album. Retreating to the tranquillity of Memnock’s cabin in the Norwegian woods, they shut themselves away for four weeks and aided by a touch of alcohol, wrote the songs that would appear on ‘Unlimited’. Recording of the album took place at Subsonic Studios in Norway and Studio Fredman in Sweden, with production duties handled by the band. However prior to entering the studios to record the album, Susperia had a couple of “firsts”, undertaking tours of the UK and headlining dates in Mexico for the first time.

With ‘Unlimited’ Susperia came of age, producing their best selling album to date. It was an album that showed a new maturity in song writing and performance. The five highly skilled musicians combined their technical prowess and individual personalities to deliver one of the metal genres outstanding albums of 2004. Entering Norway’s ‘Official Album Chart’ at Number 43, the album quickly became a favourite with both fans and media around the world. Further recognition came with a nomination in the 'Metal' category for Norway's respected ‘Alarm’ awards. In the USA, ‘Unlimited’ made an immediate impact, becoming the third most added album at influential CMJ Loud Rock Radio and achieved the number three position on the ‘Crucial Spin Charts”, while the video for the song ‘Chemistry’ received regular TV airplay on MTV Headbangers Ball and Havoc TV amongst others. The band was creating an impact in both Europe and the USA. An exhausting nine-week European tour in support of ‘Unlimited’ late in 2004 established the band as a great live experience.

The increasing profile paid off in 2005 when the band was invited to be the main support on the ‘Reunion European Tour’ of Bay area thrash legends Testament. September 2005 saw Susperia release the ‘Devil May Care EP’ which contained a collection of original and cover songs along with promo videos. The EP was intended to be a low-key affair whilst the band worked on material for their next full-length album, but the release took everyone by surprise when it reached number 19 on Norway’s official ‘Hit List’. As a result the band created a piece of music history by becoming the first home grown act in the metal genre to achieve a Top 20 hit in the country. A short headline European Tour rounded the year off, leaving the band ready to concentrate on recording their fourth studio album in 2006.

As the band set to work on their fourth full length album, a new chapter is ready to unfold as Susperia look to expand their grasp on the music that has impressed so many.

Blood On My Hands
Susperia Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

This is your life
You'll never wake up
It's not a dream
Wellcome to the end of your destiny

Your last warning has reached you now
Oppose me again and I will hurt again
I don't need to accept your mourning

Your face just disgust me

So take my hand
I wanna kill you now
Blood on my hands
My sister of the night I want to drink your blood
I need to feed of your life to keep from killing you

When I'm not there you dream of a saviour
That'll come to set you free
This will never happen my love
As I keep you in another dimension

So take my hand
I wanna kill you now
Blood on my hands
My sister of the night I want to drink your blood
I need to feed of your life to keep from killing you

Do you know me... Do you know who I am
I speak with... Speak with the Devil at night
I trust him... Trust him in every word
He tells me... Tells me in which way to judge

You for your crimes to mankind
As weak as you are
I hate you for leaving me
I will see your blood on my hands
I do not forgive easily

When I'm not there you dream of a saviour
That'll come to set you free
This will never happen my love
As I keep you in another dimension

Sister in life
What have you done

Enemy in death
I now let you go

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Susperia's song "Blood on My Hands" describe a psychopath who enjoys the act of killing and has no remorse for their actions. The character in the song seems to be addressing their victim directly, mocking them for their naivety and lack of control over their life. The opening lines, "This is your life, you'll never wake up" suggest that the victim is living in a kind of dream world, unaware of the danger they are in. The song's protagonist is presented as a kind of supernatural force, keeping the victim in another dimension and enjoying the power this gives them.

The chorus presents a disturbing image of the killer enjoying their victim's blood and needing to feed off their life to avoid killing them. The lyrics are full of violent imagery, with the character relishing the idea of hurting their victim and not being moved by their mourning. The reference to speaking with the devil also reinforces the idea that this character is deeply disturbed and driven by malevolent forces.

Line by Line Meaning

This is your life
The reality of this world is something that you cannot avoid or escape, it is what it is.

You'll never wake up
The idea that this world is just a dream is something that is fundamentally false and will never come to fruition.

It's not a dream
The truth of the matter is that this world is not something that you can just dismiss as a mere figment of imagination or a passing fancy.

Wellcome to the end of your destiny
You have now arrived at the conclusion of your fate, there is no escaping what is to come.

Your last warning has reached you now
I have given you your final notice, there will be no more chances for you to make amends.

Oppose me again and I will hurt again
If you decide to challenge me once more, I will take pleasure in causing you pain and suffering once again.

I don't need to accept your mourning
Your sorrow and remorse is something that I do not have to acknowledge or take into account.

Your face just disgust me
Looking at you is something that fills me with nothing but revulsion and disgust.

So take my hand
Take my hand and come with me, I have something planned.

I wanna kill you now
I have the desire and intention to end your life as soon as possible.

Blood on my hands
Once I have killed you, your blood will stain my hands and serve as a reminder of what I have done.

My sister of the night I want to drink your blood
I view you as a kindred spirit and wish to drink your blood, thereby sharing some semblance of your essence.

I need to feed of your life to keep from killing you
I require sustenance from your very being in order to prevent myself from fully succumbing to the urge to end your life altogether.

When I'm not there you dream of a saviour
In moments when I am absent, you may often dream of a heroic figure who will come to your rescue and save you.

That'll come to set you free
This imaginary savior is seen as one who will liberate you from your current predicament and set you on a path towards freedom.

This will never happen my love
This potential fantasy will remain just that, it is not something that will ever come to fruition.

As I keep you in another dimension
You are trapped within a separate realm or state of being that I have created or placed you in.

Do you know me... Do you know who I am
Are you truly aware of who I am, and what I am capable of?

I speak with... Speak with the Devil at night
I communicate with the very embodiment of evil itself, taking pleasure in his counsel and advice.

I trust him... Trust him in every word
I place my full faith and confidence in the Devil's every utterance and command.

He tells me... Tells me in which way to judge
The Devil offers guidance and direction on how I should judge and condemn others.

You for your crimes to mankind
In your actions towards your fellow humans, you have committed serious offenses that warrant punishment and retribution.

As weak as you are
Despite your inherent fragility and susceptibility, you have still managed to cause harm and strife to those around you.

I hate you for leaving me
The fact that you are no longer present in my life is something that fills me with resentment and anger.

I will see your blood on my hands
I take pleasure in the thought of taking your life, and eagerly anticipate the sight of your blood staining my hands.

I do not forgive easily
Forgiveness is not something that I am willing to offer to those who have wronged me, and I hold grudges for a very long time.

Sister in life
You were once a part of my life, someone I once trusted and cared for.

What have you done
You have taken actions that have caused me great harm and strife, leading me to forever view you in a negative light.

Enemy in death
Even in death, our relationship has become soured and antagonistic.

I now let you go
I release my lingering attachment to you and relinquish any remaining hold that you may have had on me.

Contributed by Aria T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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