In 1996, Mad Child and Prevail went to the B-Boy Summit in San Diego, California, where Mad Child won several rap battles and was initiated into the Rock Steady Crew, legendary to the hip hop/b-boy scene. The Crew is held in great respect as hip hop's highest collective - to join one must win a contest of skill against one of the highest ranked members. Swollen Members is one of only three rap groups affiliated with Rock Steady.
That same year, the duo began recording their first tracks, with help from many of their friends from the scene - MCs, DJs, and producers, including Rob the Viking. Rob would continue to work with the group through the years, eventually joining them later. From the praise they were receiving, they decided it was time to release their material as a group. With the subsequent release of three 12" singles on Mad Child's record label Battleaxe Records, the group quickly established themselves in the scene and built a respectable following. The next logical step was to release an album, which was titled Balance and released in 1999.
Balance received wide critical acclaim and has been claimed by the band to have sold in excess of 50,000 copies. Featuring collaborations with artists such as Everlast, Divine Styler, and Dilated Peoples, the album also netted Swollen Members the 2001 Juno Award for Best Rap Recording.
Following Balance, Swollen Members recorded and released Bad Dreams, which successfully dodged the so-called "sophomore curse" many artists suffer upon their second release. Bad Dreams was released on November 13, 2001, featuring guests such as Chali 2na of Jurassic 5, Son Doobie, Joey Chavez, and former member Moka Only. Like their debut, Bad Dreams was surprisingly successful for an independent rap album and brought Swollen Members global acclaim. Surprisingly, it appealed to both underground and mainstream audiences, with several singles reaching platinum status in Canada.
The album also earned Swollen Members their second Juno Award, and four MuchMusic Video Awards. The group continues to tour, visiting every major market possible and performing hundreds of shows a year; some with nearly 15,000 audience members. The media continues to give their music and live shows excellent coverage around the globe, and both new and old singles receive solid airplay on college and commercial radio. Their tracks have also been featured in a multitude of films, television programs, extreme sports videos, commercials, video games (especially games produced by Electronic Arts, which has a studio in their hometown of Vancouver), and compilation albums, the sales of which total in the millions when combined.
Swollen Members have appeared on numerous television shows, in addition to having several of their live shows televised. Like their singles, their music videos have been heavily played on both the Canadian MuchMusic and the American MTV, as well as on many independent video shows.
2002's Monsters in the Closet, their third release, brought them greater fame than ever before. Where Moka Only and Rob the Viking had only peripherally assisted the duo before, they now became official members of the group. Monsters included several unreleased tracks and remixes, as well as collaborations from fellow British Columbian Nelly Furtado and Saukrates of Def Jam. Production credits included Evidence from Dilated Peoples.
2003 brought Heavy, released yet again to critical acclaim and powerful sales, despite dismal video play time on MuchMusic. The band considers it the bridge between their underground origins and their potential for fame. Unfortunately the album was controversial among Swollen Members' fanbase. Many fans claim that Swollen Members have removed many elements of their style which had awarded them in the past. The lines were drawn between fans who began to listen to Swollen Members when Monsters in the Closet came out and fans attracted by the earlier two albums (especially Balance). They continue to tour, playing both local and international shows to the delight of their hometown fans.
In 2005 Moka Only decided to break off from the group for a second time and continue work on his solo career.
In 2006 Swollen Members released their fifth full album, Black Magic. It is understood that Mad Child and Prevail made an attempt to return to their previously critically acclaimed style and method. Their previous album Heavy was seen by the band as a disappointment, and isn't listed on their official site discography.
In August 2006, Swollen Members released their new single "Put Me On - Feat. Everlast" off of their new album, "Black Magic".
Their next CD is scheduled to be released at the end of the summer of 2008. According to the band's website, Mad Child will soon release a solo album.
Sinister
Swollen Members Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[Sample]
"What the fuck is going on?"
[Verse 1: Prevail]
Wreathe the whirlwind
Revisit the deep end
Ghost town, show down, diamond head creek bed
Luminous, anonymous
Doomsday is looming us, it's obvious
Heal like the hands of a medicine man
Decon feathers
Flesh on bone
Real vendettas
Steal cantines, at least two roam on wild plain
For my voice drain the gramophone, dance for rain
Cloak and spell
Choke on smoke from my broken quail
Pray from the padre when I take you from your madre
Bottom barrel rum, double-barrel light a broadway
Derelicts of dialect
Dangerous environment
Lone star, no law will ever slow my hand
So far, quick draw, quit while you can
Quicksand suffocates and draws out the breathing
Hallucinations follow
And then, loss of feeling
Chorus: Sick Jacken
Welcome to the darkside
With (??) counter-clockwise
You lookin' through the glass from the outside
Be safe when you come in
Cause death'll leave ya mouth wide
Soul, legs and the body
Spirit from me now, rise
I arrive to take lives and tell lives
I'm wanted dead or alive, cause when the needle cries
In your bloodstream
I'm the one drivin' this lush dream
Overdose an eye on you, so, don't ever trust me
[Verse 2: Madchild]
Hang the hang man
Jesse James gang
Guns drawn at sundown, fun starts from one pound
The one pound of marijuana, new era
Shame blue lightning in a Porsche Guerrera
Still, I'm all heart
This a mind true as dark
To my dream team
Til my death do us part
Break bread with convict, real fucking killers
Get clocked by cop with binoculars
I'm unpopular
But able to manipulate
Your social circle
You should just be careful
I'm the Deer Hunter
It's a tough winter
Still, I'm inventive
This a real friendship
We ride under the moonlight, break of dawn
Not actors, cowboy hat, mask and black horse
Factor kicked in Commando Rambo
Tahoe to Lambough
That's when we gamble
Repeat Chorus
{*clang*}
(Verse 3)
[Madchild]
Eight bars of bravehearts
Circle through your brain, I'm perfectly insane
Who wanna challenge the birth of Christ on
The calender
You a Scorpio on the horoscope
World's ugliest man, plus I'm adorable
Oracle that can predict intentions
Still filled with tention, drunk with revenge
While my enemies have lunch with my friends
[Prevail]
Children of the twilight, born in primal fury
The hammer on the strings plays a death song wickedly
Prevail'll nail through your heart, sounds painful
Trumpets welcome me like Gabriel The Archangel
Hollow images
Wavering echoes
Subtle differences, pinebox and shovel
Barb wire, dynamite, switchblade advocates
Starfire midnight full moon naturalist
Repeat Chorus
The song Sinister by Swollen Members featuring Sick Jacken is a rap song that talks about dark themes. In Verse 1, Prevail starts off by talking about the impending doomsday and how it is evident in the air around them. He goes on to talk about healing, stealing, and real vendettas. He talks about the dangers of the environment he's in and how it's a lawless place where people have to fend for themselves. He warns that once you fall into the quicksand, you lose your breath and sense of reality. Sick Jacken then takes over the chorus, welcoming the listeners to the dark side and telling them to be careful when entering because death is inevitable.
In Verse 2, Madchild talks about guns, marijuana, and real-life killers. He talks about being unpopular but having the ability to manipulate and influence people in his social circle. He calls himself the Deer Hunter and describes himself as someone who's perfectly insane. Sick Jacken takes over the chorus again, and in Verse 3, Madchild talks about his power to predict the future, his enemies having lunch with his friends, and compares himself to the birth of Christ.
The song is dark and ominous, with a slow and heavy beat to match. It talks about themes like revenge, death, and danger. The lyrics are detailed and intricate, with each verse building upon the previous one to create a larger picture of their environment.
Line by Line Meaning
Wreathe the whirlwind
Prepare for the storm ahead
Revisit the deep end
Go back to a dark place
Ghost town, show down, diamond head creek bed
A deserted place where a showdown is about to happen
The fugitive pugilist
A runaway boxer
Luminous, anonymous
Bright but unknown
Doomsday is looming us, it's obvious
The end of the world is coming and it's clear to see
Heal like the hands of a medicine man
Being cured by a traditional healer
Decon feathers
Cleaning off the dirt like birds preening their feathers
Flesh on bone
The human body
Real vendettas
Serious grudges
Steal cantines, at least two roam on wild plain
Taking water from containers to survive in the wilderness
For my voice drain the gramophone, dance for rain
Sing until the music stops, hoping for rain
Cloak and spell
Deceiving someone by hiding the truth
Choke on smoke from my broken quail
Being suffocated by someone's deceit
Pray from the padre when I take you from your madre
Asking for forgiveness from a priest when taking someone's loved one
Bottom barrel rum, double-barrel light a broadway
Drinking cheap rum and using two guns to light the street
Derelicts of dialect
Poor language skills
Dangerous environment
A place where harm is likely
Lone star, no law will ever slow my hand
Being unstoppable, even without laws to control behavior
So far, quick draw, quit while you can
Warning someone to leave before they are hurt
Quicksand suffocates and draws out the breathing
A metaphor for a situation that gradually gets worse
Hallucinations follow
Seeing things that aren't real
And then, loss of feeling
Going numb and not being able to feel anything
Welcome to the darkside
Entering a place of danger and evil
With (??) counter-clockwise
A reference to the dark side's unknown and strange ways
You lookin' through the glass from the outside
Being an outsider looking in at a place of danger
Be safe when you come in
Be cautious when entering the dark side
Cause death'll leave ya mouth wide
Death is shocking and unexpected
Soul, legs and the body
The whole person, body and soul
Spirit from me now, rise
Calling upon the listener's spirit to rise to the challenge
I arrive to take lives and tell lives
Killing and manipulating people
I'm wanted dead or alive, cause when the needle cries
Being sought after for one's dangerous behavior
In your bloodstream
The source of the artist's power
I'm the one drivin' this lush dream
Taking control of someone's life and leading them down a dangerous path
Overdose an eye on you, so, don't ever trust me
Watching and being suspicious of someone at all times
Hang the hang man
Ironically punishing the punisher
Jesse James gang
A reference to outlaws and criminals
Guns drawn at sundown, fun starts from one pound
A gunfight beginning at sunset, with one pound of marijuana as the prize
The one pound of marijuana, new era
Marijuana is a new and powerful force
Shame blue lightning in a Porsche Guerrera
Driving a fast and impressive car
Still, I'm all heart
Having a lot of passion despite the danger
This a mind true as dark
Being committed to a dangerous way of thinking
To my dream team
Having a group of like-minded people to count on
Til my death do us part
Being loyal to one's crew until the end
Break bread with convict, real fucking killers
Having meals with actual criminals and murderers
Get clocked by cop with binoculars
Being caught by police with the help of binoculars
I'm unpopular
Being shunned by society
But able to manipulate
Having the power to control others despite being an outcast
Your social circle
The people you associate with socially
You should just be careful
Being warned to watch out
I'm the Deer Hunter
A skilled and dangerous tracker
It's a tough winter
A difficult and dangerous time
Still, I'm inventive
Being resourceful in a tough situation
This a real friendship
Being bonded through danger and shared experiences
We ride under the moonlight, break of dawn
Moving quickly and secretly during the night and early morning
Not actors, cowboy hat, mask and black horse
Taking on a persona and disguising oneself for a mission
Factor kicked in Commando Rambo
Transforming into an unstoppable force like a movie character
Tahoe to Lambough
Driving fast and far
That's when we gamble
Taking risks during dangerous missions
Eight bars of bravehearts
A reference to a rap verse
Circle through your brain, I'm perfectly insane
Disturbing someone's thoughts with dangerous ideas
Who wanna challenge the birth of Christ on the calender
Being willing to challenge even the most sacred things
You a Scorpio on the horoscope
Being a natural-born leader and dangerous person
World's ugliest man, plus I'm adorable
Being both repulsive and appealing at the same time
Oracle that can predict intentions
Being knowledgeable and able to read people
Still filled with tention, drunk with revenge
Being angry and obsessed with seeking revenge
While my enemies have lunch with my friends
Being betrayed by people who were supposed to be on one's side
Children of the twilight, born in primal fury
Being born into a dangerous and wild world
The hammer on the strings plays a death song wickedly
A reference to a musical instrument used to create a dangerous and disturbing sound
Prevail'll nail through your heart, sounds painful
Being merciless and causing great pain
Trumpets welcome me like Gabriel The Archangel
Being seen as a powerful and legendary figure
Hollow images
Fake and empty pictures
Wavering echoes
Unclear and changing sounds
Subtle differences, pinebox and shovel
Small but significant details, leading to death and burial
Barb wire, dynamite, switchblade advocates
Dangerous weapons and tactics
Starfire midnight full moon naturalist
Being in tune with nature and the night sky
Contributed by Eliana W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
psychodelic0000
this track is straight sickness make ya go insane yeah
frostbite585
Prevail is too insane. Too nice.
PanchoVillista
Sick Jacken spits nothing but fire
Noble Nemesis
I love how it basically enforces me to feel broody.. haha
Reed
Czech Republic Axes Up!!!! BAXWAR4LIFE Rejdex
BlackSn0wz
that instrumental holly fuck
smalltownboys
everyone look at how long the song is
CitzaMatza
sick side world wide
jorge acevedo
1 IS NOT DOWN WITH US.....SICK SIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ivy Acevedo
bump this while i play read dead,ha!!!