Tera Melos play a brand of math rock music characterized by quickly alternating rhythmic patterns, start-stop dynamics, improvisation, two-handed tapping on the guitar, extended open-ended bridges, and the use of effect pedals and samplers. After releasing a four song demo in 2004, they self released their untitled debut full-length on October 4, 2005. The album comprises eight tracks, and was re-issued in 2008 on Sargent House. While some of the tracks on the album feature distorted vocals that are somewhat undecipherable, (guitarist) Nick Reinhart started contributing more prominent vocals to the music with the release of their 2007 split with By the End of Tonight, called Complex Full of Phantoms.
Right before they started recording their second EP Drugs to the Dear Youth, one of the guitarists, Jeff Worms, left the band. It is rumored that Worms left to become a football star. This has been confirmed by Worms, although he has not cited what college he is currently playing for. On January 19, 2007, Tera Melos released the LP on Sargent House. ‘Drugs’ for short, was a step away from the previous sound they had before and farther into more progressive and original regions.
Tera Melos have over the past few years, developed a cult-like fan base around the United States and have recently gained some popularity in Europe, Asia, and South America.
Tera Melos announced on their MySpace page on April 2, 2007, that drummer Vince would be leaving the band to pursue other things, namely returning to college to pursue a career as a math professor. The band began searching for a new drummer shortly thereafter. After a little more than a year, the band announced the addition of John Clardy as their new drummer. Originally the band had planned a long-awaited LP release after touring, however they ended up releasing an EP of covers, featuring songs by The Beach Boys and Polaris, entitled Idioms, Vol. I.
On November 7, 2009, Tera Melos confirmed a new album due out in 2010 in a myspace bulletin. The post stated that the band was set to begin recording the next day, November 8. The new album, titled Patagonian Rats, was released in September 2010, and like their 2007 split with By the End of Tonight, it included vocals.
Trident Tail
Tera Melos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For once and you wish you had not
Unlocked that box, it was curious
But so many things that you hate hate hate
Sick of sucking up dust
In a dream you had smashed
A pot that bust into
A million little pieces that you're gonna hate hate hate hate hate
There's not enough powers in the day
Hey hey
There's not enough powers in the day
Hey hey
Got a horn from a rubber mask, and put it on my head
It was glued to hold it there, to block the stuff that you said
It was gum on the spearmint, yeah
He poured it into my hands
There's not enough powers in the day
There's not enough powers in the day
Got a job at a party shop, waiting for my check
'Rubber mask from the dream I had, it was the devil instead'
Twist the tile to reveal a ball
Saw the image and
Posh was making off
A monocle he owns
Was seeing things
Clearer than my own two eyes
'Creatures on the wall,
Accessories and all'
Jumping off and falling on the floor
OH NO!
There's not enough powers in the day
Hey hey
There's not enough powers in the day
Hey hey
Took the trash to the bluest box
And threw it into its mouth
A thousand wigs that will do,
For shifting shapes into others,
And twisting waves in the air,
And disappointing our fathers.
I put the hair in a bag,
Was tangled up for a bit,
And separate every strand,
To make them softer again.
I find myself in this can
Every now and again
There is a simple truth
At the bottom of it
Now there's a lock on that can
Keeping us out of it
I brought a girl over there
She never called me again
The lyrics of Tera Melos's song "Trident Tail" convey a sense of confusion and frustration. The opening lines express regret for acting on curiosity and opening a box, which has revealed things that are now hated. The second verse describes the experience of wearing a rubber mask with a horn glued to it, which serves as a shield against negative remarks from others. The line "There's not enough powers in the day" is repeated throughout the song, suggesting a feeling of powerlessness or limitation.
The song's chorus expresses a recurring theme of powerlessness or limitation, as well as a feeling of being overwhelmed by the challenges of life. The verse about working at a party shop with a devil mask adds to the confusion and surrealism of the lyrics. The final verse describes the process of dealing with discarded wigs and finding a "simple truth" in the bottom of a trash can. The song concludes with a reference to a failed romantic encounter.
Overall, "Trident Tail" presents a series of surreal and disconnected images that convey a sense of disorientation and frustration. The repetition of certain phrases and themes throughout the song emphasizes these feelings of powerlessness and limitation.
Line by Line Meaning
Fuck like us*
Intense and passionate sex, possibly accompanied by the expression of suppressed emotions.
For once and you wish you had not
Regret for a past decision that led to an undesirable outcome.
Unlocked that box, it was curious
Curiosity leading to an unforeseen event that may have negative consequences.
But so many things that you hate hate hate
Feeling of intense dislike towards multiple things.
Sick of sucking up dust
Fed up with a repetitive, mundane routine.
In a dream you had smashed
An event that occurs in a dream that has a lasting impact on the dreamer.
A pot that bust into
A pot that broke into many fragments, possibly symbolizing a shattered sense of self or identity.
A million little pieces that you're gonna hate hate hate hate hate
Feeling overwhelmed by a large number of negative experiences or emotions that are difficult to process or manage.
There's not enough powers in the day
Feeling powerless to control or manage one's life circumstances or environment.
Hey hey
An indication of frustration or displeasure.
Got a horn from a rubber mask, and put it on my head
Putting on an accessory that obscures the wearer's identity or creates a sense of otherness.
It was glued to hold it there, to block the stuff that you said
Using an object to shield oneself from verbal or emotional abuse.
It was gum on the spearmint, yeah
An adhesive or sticky substance used to attach the horn to the mask.
He poured it into my hands
An unknown individual providing the singer with an adhesive substance for an unknown purpose.
Got a job at a party shop, waiting for my check
Employment in a job that provides a limited amount of resources or opportunities for growth.
'Rubber mask from the dream I had, it was the devil instead'
An object that was previously associated with positive feelings or memories now has a negative connotation.
Twist the tile to reveal a ball
An action that reveals an unexpected result or outcome.
Saw the image and
Observing a visual representation of something or someone that causes an emotional response.
Posh was making off
An individual named Posh is leaving, possibly in a secretive or furtive manner.
A monocle he owns
An accessory that symbolizes wealth or status.
Was seeing things
Experiencing a distorted or altered reality.
Clearer than my own two eyes
The altered perception is more vivid or defined than the artist's normal vision.
'Creatures on the wall, Accessories and all'
The appearance of unfamiliar or unsettling images or objects in the environment.
Jumping off and falling on the floor
An object falls off a surface and hits the floor, possibly causing damage or injury.
OH NO!
An exclamation of shock, horror, or disappointment.
Took the trash to the bluest box
Disposing of unwanted or unnecessary objects in a designated container.
And threw it into its mouth
The singer is personifying the trash receptacle as having a mouth, adding a surreal or whimsical element to the scene.
A thousand wigs that will do, For shifting shapes into others, And twisting waves in the air
Wigs as a symbol of transformation, allowing the wearer to adopt new identities or personas.
And disappointing our fathers.
The artist believes that the act of changing one's appearance or identity is a rebellion against parental expectations or norms.
I put the hair in a bag
An action that involves collecting or assembling objects for later use.
Was tangled up for a bit
Difficulty or frustration encountered in the process of organizing or arranging items.
And separate every strand, To make them softer again.
Preparing objects for use by taking a careful and deliberate approach to organizing or cleaning them.
I find myself in this can
A sensation of feeling trapped or confined in a situation or environment.
Every now and again
Occasionally or infrequently.
There is a simple truth
A fundamental or basic fact or principle.
At the bottom of it
The artist has reached a conclusion or discovered something important after enduring a challenging or difficult experience.
Now there's a lock on that can
The singer has taken steps to protect themselves from potential harm or danger.
Keeping us out of it
The lock is intended to prevent access or intrusion from outside forces.
I brought a girl over there
The singer invited a woman to a specific location.
She never called me again
The artist believes that their behavior or actions may have caused the woman to lose interest, or that the situation was not as they had hoped.
Contributed by Dominic O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.