The infamous British poet/occultist Aleister Crowley once stated “Do what thou wilt shalt be the whole of the law.” And, perhaps, to honour this motto and to indicate his interest in the occult Fredrik named the band after one of the books written by the Great Beast 666.
The first recording, the demo tape “Songs from the Hill of the Heartless Giant”, was released 1992. After two more demos, “Watch the Shadows Dance” (1993) and “This Sombre Dreamland” (1994), the band was signed for their first full length album. "Images of forgotten memories" was released in 1996 and it was followed in 1997 by "Fruits and Flowers of The Spectral Garden."
At this time the band felt that they could no longer work under the conditions stated by their record company. So when it was time to begin the recording of their third CD they broke up with the old label and soon found another one. “Where Angels dare not tread” was recorded in 1999 and was supposed to be released the same year. But unfortunate circumstances and events lead to that the album wasn’t released until 2002.
The music was early described in reviews as “gothic” and “dark metal” but this has never been paths deliberately chosen by the band. In some interviews Fredrik has said “As soon as you choose a category for your music you immediately set up the limits restraining your creativity. And, personally, I am not interested in restrictions and limitations. I am interested in creation…” But nevertheless the music has evolved into what may be described as a dark brand of metal with strong Gothic undertones which invokes a gloomy atmosphere and visions of ruin and demise.
Since 1990 the Equinox ov the Gods have gone through a lot of changes in its line up. The band has existed and even played gigs with a rather minimalistic line up consisting of only two people. Nowadays, apart from the founding member Fredrik Wallin (Vocals), the line up is Arttu Malkki (drums), Morgan Svedlund (guitar) and Jocke Wassberg (guitar).
The band has played a number of live performces. Among the most memorable gigs were Wave Gotik Treffen in Leipzig, Germany (2003) and the Devils Night in Östersund, Sweden 2003. A live performance by the Equinox ov the Gods is often a something more than just an ordinary concert. The band strive to give their audience an experience that includes visual aids such as pyrotechnics, props, scenery and stage make up. In an interview Fredrik once described a live performance with the cryptic words “…to play live is in many ways like a shamanic ritual of evocation... to bring forth the beast from within and release it from the chains which holds it through the everyday life…”
Plaguebringer
The Equinox Ov The Gods Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the spiders web the fly is lost
Dead eyes in darkness prying
Within my corpse the worms still crawl
Bleached bones 'round my throne lie scattered
Where life once bloomed now silence rule
Faceless A dark god now risen
Brought to life in silence
Out of worm infested graves
In darkness I've risen
To curse the world again
The Earth is dead...
The black wounds never healing
Welcome death, I've come to you
The hellish pain increasing
My legacy I've brought to you
Brought to life in silence
Out of worm infested graves
In darkness I've risen
To curse the world again
Plaguebringer
The Earth is dead...
The Equinox Ov The Gods's song Plaguebringer is a dark and haunting track that delves into the theme of death and decay. The first verse sets the tone for the rest of the song, as it describes a world covered in black blood, dust, and ashes. The imagery of a spider's web and a fly being lost in it represents the helplessness of humans in the face of death. The second line of the first verse, "Dead eyes in darkness prying," portrays the all-seeing and eternal nature of death, which relentlessly pursues its victims. The final line of the verse, "Within my corpse the worms still crawl," is a gruesome image of decay and the fact that, even in death, we are not at peace.
The second verse continues with the theme of decay and the demise of life. The "bleached bones" represent the remains of what used to be living organisms, now scattered around the throne of the dark god, who has risen from the shadows to "purge the earth, to thin the heard." His goal is to bring death to many, as he brings himself to life from worm-infested graves. The bridge carries the theme higher, as it declares the Earth dead and its wounds never healing. It is a hopeless and horrifying image of the world we live in, where death is an inevitability that no one can escape.
Line by Line Meaning
Black blood. Dust and ashes
A description of the grim and dark state of the world around the singer.
In the spider's web the fly is lost
A metaphor suggesting that society has been captured and trapped by an evil force, unable to escape.
Dead eyes in darkness prying
The singer observes the world of the living as death, with hollow, lifeless eyes watching from the shadows.
Within my corpse the worms still crawl
A depiction of the artist's dead, rotting self, with worms wriggling inside, as if describing an undead zombie-like figure.
Bleached bones 'round my throne lie scattered
Imagery of a desolate and barren land, where the only remnants of life are the old skeletons of once-living creatures.
Where life once bloomed now silence rule
A lamentation for the loss of life and nature, which has been replaced by an oppressive silence and stillness.
Faceless. A dark god now risen
A new force has emerged, nameless and powerful, which represents evil or death.
To purge the earth, to thin the herd
The dark god's purpose is to wipe out the Earth, to reduce the population and bring destruction.
Brought to life in silence
Describing the dark god's sudden appearance, as if coming into existence in the shadows.
Out of worm-infested graves
The origin of the new force is depicted as being from the underground, from decay and disease.
In darkness I've risen
The dark god's power comes from the shadows, hiding in the darkness.
To curse the world again
The dark god's aim is to bring destruction and misery to the world, as it has at some point before.
The Earth is dead...
A final, resigned statement of the world's state, reflecting on the death and decay that surrounds everything.
The black wounds never healing
Describing the Earth as having incurable, festering wounds of corruption and destruction.
Welcome death, I've come to you
The singer has given up on life and welcomes death, as there appears to be no hope or future.
The hellish pain increasing
With no hope for the future, the existing pain and misery only grows worse, becoming unbearable.
My legacy I've brought to you
The artist takes a perverse pride in their role in bringing about the world's demise, as they are now part of the darkness.
Plaguebringer
The title of the piece, describing the singer's role as a bringer of death and disease.
The Earth is dead...
A final, resigned statement of the world's state, reflecting on the death and decay that surrounds everything.
Contributed by Harper L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Lord Ruthven
I LOVE This underrated band!