The band released their debut album Occasus in 2004. The lineup on the recording was Cessium 137 (vocals; real name Mark Bevan), Ethion (guitars; real name Erik Miehs), Endrin (bass; real name Dale Harrison), Diazanon (drums; real name Dave Haley (also of Psycroptic)) and Chlordane (keyboards and programming; real name Timothy Pope). Joe Haley from Psycroptic toured with the band as a second guitarist during this era. Cessium left the band in 2006 and was replaced by Jarrod Krafczyk. Robin Stone also became the band's drummer at some point in this period, likely due to Haley's other committments.
In 2008, the new lineup of the band (Krafczyk, Miehs, Harrison, Stone and Pope) released the album n0n, now using their real names. n0n also featured guest appearances from Nergal of Behemoth, Alice Daquet of Sir Alice and Jason Mendonca of Akercocke, among others.
Krafczyk and Harrison left the band in 2009. The current lineup of the band, as of 2011, is:
Cain Cressall (formerly of Pathogen - vocals (2009-present)
Erik Miehs - guitar (2001-present)
Dan Quinlan - bass guitar (2009-present
Robin Stone - drums (2008-present)
Timothy Pope - keyboards and programming (2001-present)
In 2011, this lineup of the band digitally released V01d, considered by the band to be an EP (although it contains 16 tracks), available only from their website at no cost. V01d contains some new tracks, including the band's trademark ambient/industrial interlude pieces, but is largely made up of re-recorded versions of Occasus and n0n tracks, with the band's current lineup. There are also some experimental remixes of earlier work, a cover of Armoured Angel's "Enigmatize" and some live video clips.
Tim Aldridge (The Berzerker) has joined the band in 2011 as a touring guitarist.
Skin
The Amenta Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Under a tangle of freeway passes, a squat, squalid city. Derelict buildings huddled together for warmth, windows burn with cool blue TV fire. They all sell something down here. Sex, drugs, religion. They'll buy escape at any price.
She squats in a peeling doorway, something childlike and explicit in the splay of her legs. From her tiny purse she takes a cigarette and rolls it between her fingers.
Buildings grow like weeds between drifts of broken stereos and refrigerator boxes.
The only moon over the city tonight is the crescent of bleached teeth on a billboard advertising salvation, at a high price.
He steps towards her but doesn't offer a light. When he spits at her feet she recoils, as if it has landed on her cheek. As he waves his fist she notices the stains on his teeth. She thinks they must have been retouched for the billboard. His teeth are the colour of derelict, rotten buildings. She says "At least I admit what I am". He spits again and walks away.
The Amenta's song "Skin" paints a gritty picture of the seedy underbelly of a city. The lyrics describe a woman with a bruise on her cheek who is engaging in drug use and prostitution. She finds a vein in her ankle to inject drugs and squats in a doorway, cigarette in hand, waiting for a client. The city described is a desolate place, with derelict buildings and broken stereos strewn about. The only light comes from the flickering blue glow of televisions in windows. The woman and a man make a connection, but it quickly turns sour when he reveals his violent intentions towards her.
The lyrics are a commentary on the harsh reality of life for those living on the fringes of society. The woman's bruises, tattoos, and broken tooth are visible signs of the abuse and degradation she has experienced. The man's violent outburst shows the danger she faces every day. The city is a place of desperation, where people will do anything to escape their circumstances, even if it means selling their bodies or their souls.
Overall, The Amenta's "Skin" is a powerful depiction of a harsh reality that is often hidden from view. Through vivid imagery and stark language, the song sheds light on the suffering of those living on the margins of society and the dangers they face.
Line by Line Meaning
The neon bruise on her cheek flickers on/off/on in the rain.
Her bruised cheek, glowing neon in color, flickers on and off in the rain.
On her thigh there is a tattooed smear.
There is a dirty tattoo mark on her thigh.
She finds a vein in her ankle. Pull back.
She spots a vein in her ankle and prepares for injecting drugs.
Under a tangle of freeway passes, a squat, squalid city.
The city is grimy and decaying, cluttered by highway overpasses.
Derelict buildings huddled together for warmth, windows burn with cool blue TV fire.
Run-down buildings are gathered in tight clusters, their blue-tinted TV screens flickering in the night.
They all sell something down here. Sex, drugs, religion.
All kinds of things are sold in this shady part of the city - from sex to drugs to religion.
She squats in a peeling doorway, something childlike and explicit in the splay of her legs.
She sits with her legs splayed out, revealing her vulnerability and innocence while also being sexually suggestive.
From her tiny purse she takes a cigarette and rolls it between her fingers.
She takes out a cigarette from her small purse and fidgets with it in her fingers.
Buildings grow like weeds between drifts of broken stereos and refrigerator boxes.
The buildings in this part of the city have exploded in growth and are intertwined with garbage and debris.
He steps towards her and offers a light.
The man walks up to her and offers a lighter for her cigarette.
The gesture is familiar and as she stands, a coy smile twists her face, the cigarette casually held to hide her broken tooth.
She recognizes the man's kind gesture and as she stands up, she flashes a clever smile, holding her cigarette in a way that disguises her damaged tooth.
As they talk she smooths the pleated vinyl of her skirt.
She fidgets with her skirt made of pleated vinyl while talking to the man.
He draws her back into the doorway, out of the rain.
He invites her back into the doorway to shelter her from the rain.
The only moon over the city tonight is the crescent of bleached teeth on a billboard advertising salvation, at a high price.
There's only one notable thing in the sky tonight - a billboard advertising an expensive religion, featuring a crescent made of white teeth.
He steps towards her but doesn't offer a light.
The man approaches her again, but this time he doesn't offer to light her cigarette.
When he spits at her feet she recoils, as if it has landed on her cheek.
She's taken aback and flinches when the man spits at her feet, reacting as if it's hit her face.
As he waves his fist she notices the stains on his teeth.
As the man raises his fist, she sees the ugly marks on his teeth.
She thinks they must have been retouched for the billboard. His teeth are the colour of derelict, rotten buildings.
She assumes that his teeth must have been photoshopped for the billboard, as they look as repulsive as the rundown buildings in the area.
She says 'At least I admit what I am'. He spits again and walks away.
She retorts that she's honest about who she is, but the man contemptuously spits at her again and then walks away.
Contributed by Jasmine R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Brandon L
Ha, first comment. I win.