The songwriting and progression on "Apparition" smacks of a group of musicians who are locked deeply into a remarkable place of expression and creativity that is usually reserved for bands with multiple albums under their belt. While it is not uncommon lately for bands in the world of metal to experiment with melody and progression, many times these breaks from the brutal end up sounding forced, too contrived, or way too over the top in shred. What could have been an opportunity for the listener to settle into some depth, winds up missing the mark. When The Contortionist venture into the realm of ambiance it actually raises the level of the song above the crushing breakdowns and demands the listener stay put for the ride. More impressive than their ability to write and record such material, is how big it all plays live. The room seems to expand and fill with spacious tones just in time to be leveled with ferocity. The band is razor sharp while nailing every bit of nuance their ambitious songwriting offers. It is this ability to dole out their sounds in epic proportions through a live performance that piqued the interest of record label Good Fight Music. The band had already distinguished themselves to Good Fight with a penchant for creating a distinct style of heavy music that has plenty of room for the listener to breathe and settle into. So in early 2010, shortly after the staff had caught them live, a deal had become imminent.
With the label now in place, The Contortionist recently spent time in the studio with Unearth's own Ken Susi handling production duties. When asked what interested him about working with The Contortionist, Ken commented - "The Contortionist is not your typical run of the mill band. Lots of bands in this day in age are copycats or just plain old rip offs of other bands that are currently out now. This is truly an original band, from the overall look, sound and structure of the songs. I really feel this band has a bright future ahead of them!" The Contortionist brand new album, titled “Exoplanet”, is a progressive metal mammoth. What stands out about the song structures is the bursts of space and atmosphere underscored by intense sonic emotion and boldness. A welcomed subtlety to the evolution of the band’s sound from previous works is a sparse use of ominous sci-fi inspired clean vocals. For every bit of progression and aura the band offers up on Exoplanet, comes an equal and unforgiving onslaught of heaviness. Just when heavy metal had seemed to reach a ceiling on how punishing a sound could get, The Contortionist raised the bar even higher. Exoplanet will be out in stores on August 31, 2010.
2) A singer/songwriter who resides in Sheffield, UK.
The Contortionst is the solo project of me, Andy Hirst (lead singer/songwriter in Japanese Sleepers, drummer in The Purgatory Players). I've been releasing music under this name for about 7 years now, usually just low-key released distributed to friends. For a year or so I had a backing band (The Contortionist and the Wandering Boy Poets) but we disbanded in late 2009. I'm currently working on new stuff.
Arise
The Contortionist Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Knowledge of everything.
Everything.
Reaching
Grasping For the Mother Sun.
Knowledge of everything.
Everything.
Transform.
Manifest our truths.
Our vision.
We are awakening, a process
The sign of progress, it devours.
The End.
We're made from the purest form of
We're grown from the purest form of
We have become the purest form of love.
In the lyrics of "Arise" by The Contortionist, the singer is depicted as reaching and grasping for the Mother Sun, which symbolizes the divine or ultimate truth. The powerful imagery of the sun reflects the singer’s desire for enlightenment and knowledge, as they seek to understand everything. This suggests an ambition to evolve and grow towards enlightenment and complete understanding of the world.
The lyrics also mention the transformation from concept to experience as a means to manifest truth and vision. The singer notes that they are in the process of awakening, which could symbolize a personal transformation. The song encourages listeners to embrace change and progress, even if that change causes discomfort along the way.
The final lines of the song express a realization that we, as humans, are made of the purest form of love. This realization can be seen as a powerful statement on the nature of our existence and human potential. "Arise" encourages listeners to embrace transformation and progress, and to trust that all efforts will ultimately lead us towards a more fulfilling and loving existence.
Line by Line Meaning
Reaching; grasping for the Mother Sun.
We are striving to obtain enlightenment and understanding of the universe.
Knowledge of everything.
We seek to attain knowledge and comprehension of every aspect of existence.
Everything.
Our pursuit of knowledge is all-encompassing and we are determined to understand everything that exists.
Reaching
Our journey towards enlightenment continues as we strive to reach our ultimate goal.
Grasping For the Mother Sun.
We are reaching out to the universe in the hopes of discovering the secrets of existence.
Knowledge of everything.
Our thirst for knowledge is unquenchable and we seek to understand every aspect of reality.
Everything.
We are determined to comprehend every aspect of the universe and everything that exists within it.
Transform.
We are changing into something new as we gain knowledge and understanding of the universe and our place within it.
Concept to experience.
We are moving beyond mere understanding of concepts and are actively seeking to experience the truths of the universe.
Manifest our truths.
We are striving to bring our own truths and understanding of the universe into reality and actively shape the world around us.
Our vision.
Our understanding of the universe and our place within it is molded by our own individual perspectives and experiences.
We are awakening, a process
We are in the midst of an ongoing awakening as we come to understand and perceive the universe in new and deeper ways.
The sign of progress, it devours.
Our pursuit of knowledge and the transformation that comes from it is a never-ending process that consumes and drives us forward.
The End.
Our journey towards enlightenment and understanding is ongoing and never truly ends.
We're made from the purest form of
Our very essence and being is comprised of the most pristine and refined qualities of existence.
We're grown from the purest form of
Our identity and consciousness have emerged and developed from the most pristine and refined aspects of the universe.
We have become the purest form of love.
Through our quest for knowledge and understanding of the universe, we have achieved a state of being characterized by pure and unconditional love.
Lyrics © ENTERTAINMENT ONE U.S. LP
Written by: CAMERON ASBURY MAYNARD, ERIC HENRY GUENTHER, JOSEPH RICHARD BACA, MICHAEL LESSARD, ROBERT MICHAEL BACA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind