History
The band's name is drawn from a phrase in Lovecraft's story The Tomb: "I will tell only of the lone tomb in the darkest of the hillside thickets." The band formed in January 1992 after meeting at Fraser Valley College in Abbotsford, British Columbia. Afterwards they formed a local role-playing group.
After a slow start, several of their songs were picked up by music magazines and others for inclusion on compilation CDs, lending them greater recognition. They often perform live, and have performed concerts with many other bands including GWAR, They Might Be Giants, Dayglo Abortions and Nomeansno. The Thickets continue to enjoy reasonable cult success.
Members
The original three members of the band, at the January 1992 formation, were Toren Atkinson, Warren Banks and Quentin Rogers. Quentin, though, never appeared on any of their releases. The band has gone through several bassists and drummers since its inception. The discography below details band member history.
The current line-up of the band consists of vocalist and lyricist Toren Atkinson, guitarist Warren Banks, bassist Mario Nueva, drummer Jordan Pratt (former drummer for the band Mystery Machine), and backup vocalist Merrick Atkinson.
Outside of the band, Toren Atkinson is also an artist, having illustrated books for role-playing games including Dungeons & Dragons, Call of Cthulhu, as well as the Lovecraft-inspired collectible card game Mythos. Warren Banks and Toren Atkinson also co-wrote (along with contributions by John Tynes and Monte Cook) the roleplaying game Spaceship Zero, published by Green Ronin Publishing.
Cultists On Board
The Darkest of The Hillside Thickets Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Was a sterling chef
Though he did enjoy
His drink
He died how he lived
With his whisk and sieve
And his head inside
Tony was the mate
He was 28
Was the finest friend
I had
Run through with a sword
And tossed overboard
Who is gonna tell
His dad?
It's no big surprise (it's no big surprise)
Everybody dies (everybody dies)
That's small consolation to me now (that's small consolation to me now)
Chin up, buttercup (chin up, buttercup)
When your number's up (when your number's up)
Now my life is flashing (now my life is flashing)
Right before my teary, world-weary eyes
Steven, Kat, the rest
Trapped inside the mess
Won't go down without
A fight
Burning through the lock
You're in for a shock
When the petrol drums
Ignite
It's no big surprise (it's no big surprise)
Everybody dies (everybody dies)
Though this isn't quite the way that I thought I would go (the way that I thought I would go)
Seems my number's up (seems my number’s up)
Why should I be different from the rest? (why should I be different from the rest)
The deal's the same for everybody, everybody dies (everybody dies)
The Darkest of The Hillside Thickets's song Cultists On Board is a dark and macabre song that explores the inevitability of death. The song is told from the perspective of the singer, who is aboard a ship with a group of cultists. The song is split into three verses, each focusing on a different character and their fate.
The first verse introduces Cook, a deaf chef who enjoys his drink. Cook dies with his head inside the sink, highlighting his alcoholism and dependence on his work. The second verse introduces Tony, the mate, who is run through with a sword and tossed overboard. The singer laments that Tony's father will never know what happened to him. The final verse focuses on the remaining characters, including Steven and Kat. They are shown trying to escape the ship by burning through a lock with petrol drums, but it's clear that they too will likely die in the attempt.
The lyrics of the song ultimately drive home the message that death is inevitable and universal. The repetition of the phrase "everybody dies" throughout the song serves to emphasize this point. Despite the darkness of the song, there is a sense of acceptance and resignation in the lyrics. The singer seems to have come to terms with the fact that death is unavoidable and that there is no use in fighting it.
Line by Line Meaning
Cook was nearly deaf
Although Cook had a hearing problem, he was an excellent cook who enjoyed drinking
Was a sterling chef
He was a great chef
Though he did enjoy
Despite enjoying his drink, he was still a great cook
His drink
Alcohol
He died how he lived
He passed away in the same manner he lived his life
With his whisk and sieve
With his kitchen tools by his side
And his head inside
His head was in
The sink
The kitchen sink
Tony was the mate
Tony was the shipmate
He was 28
He was 28 years old
Was the finest friend
He was an excellent friend
I had
The singer is referring to himself
Run through with a sword
Tony was impaled with a sword
And tossed overboard
He was then thrown off the ship into the sea
Who is gonna tell
The singer is wondering who will break the news to Tony's father
His dad?
Tony's father
It's no big surprise (it's no big surprise)
The fact that people die is not a shocking revelation
Everybody dies (everybody dies)
All people eventually die
That's small consolation to me now (that's small consolation to me now)
The knowledge of this fact doesn't make the situation any better for the singer
Chin up, buttercup (chin up, buttercup)
A phrase often used to encourage someone to be positive
When your number's up (when your number's up)
When it's time for you to die
Now my life is flashing (now my life is flashing)
The singer is experiencing their life flashing before their eyes
Right before my teary, world-weary eyes
The singer's eyes are tearful and tired from life's struggles
Steven, Kat, the rest
Refers to the other people trapped on the ship
Trapped inside the mess
They are stuck in a terrible situation
Won't go down without
They won't give up easily
A fight
They will put up a struggle
Burning through the lock
They are breaking through a lock using fire
You're in for a shock
The outcome will be surprising
When the petrol drums
Referring to fuel containers
ignite
Set on fire
Though this isn't quite the way that I thought I would go (the way that I thought I would go)
The singer wasn't expecting their death to come in this way
Seems my number's up (seems my number's up)
It's time for the singer to die
Why should I be different from the rest? (why should I be different from the rest)
The singer is acknowledging that they are not special in the way that everyone dies eventually
The deal's the same for everybody, everybody dies (everybody dies)
Everyone must go through the process of death, and it's inevitable
Contributed by Addison P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.