Their earlier albums have provided a great deal of influence to the gothic metal genre. The band was one of the first ones who made use of contrasting vocals - male bass vocals and death growls and female soprano singing.
On their first three albums (Theatre of Tragedy, Velvet Darkness They Fear, Aégis) Theatre of Tragedy presented lyrics written predominantly in Early Modern English, a precedent to modern English used in and around Shakespearean times.
Starting from the album Musique, however, the band made drastic changes to their style, which became significantly inspired by electro-rock and electro-pop, abandoning Early Modern English lyrics writing, heavier guitar riffing and death growls in the process. This style change was consequently continued on the following album, Assembly.
After a long break and after changing the female vocalist due to musical differences, and furthermore their management and the record label, Theatre of Tragedy released their new album Storm, the first one with their new singer, Nell Sigland (from The Crest).
On this album, the electronic influences are reduced again in favour of simplicity and naturalism. According to Hein Frode Hansen, Storm is to be seen as the missing link between Aégis and Musique.
The new album Forever is the World, reverts back to the gothic metal roots, but keeps the atmospheric metal styling of Storm. The band said the album was very much written by Nell as well as other band members, moreover it was partially written before Storm was. It is seen to be more organic than their last 3 albums and has been both praised and criticised by fans, though most publications seem to praise it from being different to the symphonic metal that is very much popularised in today's music industry.
The band split on October 2nd, 2010, exactly 17 years after forming. The final curtain show was played in Stavanger, Norway and was recorded live for a later DVD release.
Final lineup:
* Raymond István Rohonyi - Vocals & Programming
* Nell Sigland - Vocals - (The Crest)
* Frank Claussen - Guitars
* Vegard K. Thorsen - Guitars
* Lorentz Aspen - Keyboards
* Hein Frode Hansen - Drums - (ex-Phobia)
Former members:
* Liv Kristine Espenæs Krull - Vocals - (Leaves' Eyes, Liv Kristine, Atrocity (guest), Cradle of Filth (guest))
* Tommy Lindal - Guitars
* Tommy Olsson - Guitars
* Pål Bjåstad - Guitars
* Geir Flikkeid - Guitars
* Eirik T. Saltrø - Bass
Albums:
1995 - Theatre of Tragedy
1996 - Velvet Darkness They Fear
1998 - Aégis
2000 - Musique
2001 - Closure: Live
2002 - Assembly
2003 - Two Originals (Compilation)
2006 - Storm
2009 - Forever is the World
Singles and EPs:
1994 - Theatre of Tragedy Demo (Demo)
1996 - Der Tanz Der Schatten (Single)
1997 - A Rose for the Dead (EP)
1998 - Cassandra (Single)
2000 - Image (Single)
2001 - Machine (Single)
2001 - Inperspective (EP)
2002 - Let You Down (Single)
2002 - Envision (Single)
2006 - Storm (Single)
2010 - Addenda (EP)
Official site: www.theatreoftragedy.com
And When He Falleth
Theatre of Tragedy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bridle the thoughts of thy Master."
"There hath past away a glore fro the Earth;
A glore that in the hearts and minds of men,
Men dementéd - blindfoldéd by light,
Hourisheth as weed in their well-groom'd garths."
"Might I too was blindfoldéd ere,
Tho' years have master'd me
Whence cometh such qualities?
A masque of this to fashion:
Build thyself a mirror in which
Seer blest, thou best philosopher!"
Solely wanton images of thy desire appear!"
"'Tis the Divine Comedy -
"'Tis the Divine Tragedy -
The fool and the mocking court;
The fool and the mocking court;
Fool, kneel now, and ring thy bells!
Fool, kneel now, and ring thy bells!
We hold the Earth fro Heaven away."
Make us guffaw at thy futile follies,
Yet for our blunders - Oh, in shame;
Earth beareth no balm for mistakes -
We hold the Earth fro Hell away."
"Believe? In a deily long dead? -
I would rather be a pagan suckléd in creeds outworn;
Whith faärtytales fill'd up in head;
Thoughts of the Book stillborn."
"Shadow of annoyance -
Ne'er come hither!
...And when He falleth, He falleth like Lucifer,
Ne'er to ascend again..."
[ Dialog from "And when He Falleth" ]
[Male Voice]
That cross you wear around your neck;
is it only a decoration, or are you a
true Christian believer?
[Female Voice]
Yes, I believe - truly
Then I want you to remove it at once!
- and never to wear it within this castle
again! Do you know how a falcon is trained my
dear? Her eyes are sown shut. Blinded temporarily
she suffers the whims of her God patiently, until
her will is submerged and she learns to serve -
as your God taught and blinded you with
crosses.
You had me take off my cross because it
offended....
It offended no-one. No - it simply appears
to me to be discourteous to... to wear
the symbol of a deity long dead.
My ancestors tried to find it. And to open
the door that separates us from our Creator.
But you need no doors to find God.
If you believe....
Believe?! If you believe you are gullible.
Can you look around this world and believe
in the goodness of a god who rules it?
Famine, Pestilence, War, Disease and Death!
They rule this world.
There is also love and life and hope.
Very little hope I assure you. No. If a god
of love and life ever did exist... he is long
since dead. Someone... something rules in his
place.
The lyrics of Theatre of Tragedy's song "And When He Falleth" are a meditation on the nature of faith, redemption, and the human condition. The opening lines of the song call for a release from sinful impulses, and a restraint of the desires of the "Master". The reference to "varnal sin" can be interpreted as sexual lust or other worldly pleasures that distract from a greater purpose.
The following lines speak of a loss of glory on the Earth. This glory that once flourished in the hearts and minds of men is compared to a weed that grows in a well-tended garden. This suggests that the loss of this glory is the result of superficiality and neglect, a failure to cultivate the inner life.
The next verse delves into personal struggle and redemption. The singer admits to being blindfolded in the past, presumably by a lack of insight or understanding. The lines "Tho' years have master'd me // Whence cometh such qualities?" indicate a sense of progress, but the source of this progress remains mysterious. The singer concludes by advocating for introspection and self-reflection, symbolized by the idea of "Build thyself a mirror".
The following verses touch on themes of religion and the concept of a benevolent God. The reference to the "Divine Comedy" could be seen as a reference to Dante's work of the same name. The line "Fool, kneel now, and ring thy bells!" is likely a reference to court jesters, who were often used to critique the ruling class. The irony is that the singer is mocking the idea that humans can hold themselves in higher esteem than animals, despite all their follies and mistakes.
The final section of the song is a dialogue between a male and female voice. The male voice questions the female's faith, suggesting that God is dead and the world is ruled by negative forces. This could be interpreted as a commentary on the state of modern society and the perception of a lack of spiritual purpose. The song ends with a reference to Lucifer falling from grace, perhaps symbolizing the fallibility of humans and the idea that redemption is fleeting.
Line by Line Meaning
Be my kin free fro varnal sin,
Bridle the thoughts of thy Master.
May my family be free from sinful thoughts, while also controlling our Master's thoughts.
There hath past away a glore fro the Earth;
A glore that in the hearts and minds of men,
Men dementéd - blindfoldéd by light,
Hourisheth as weed in their well-groom'd garths.
A brightness has vanished from the Earth, and now it exists only in the minds of men, who are made insane by too much light, like weeds in a well-maintained garden.
Might I too was blindfoldéd ere,
"The quality of mercy and absolution,
Tho' years have master'd me
Whence cometh such qualities?
A masque of this to fashion:
Build thyself a mirror in which
Seer blest, thou best philosopher!"
Solely wanton images of thy desire appear!
I too was made blind by the light, but time has taught me the value of mercy and forgiveness. How can I claim to possess these qualities? It is only an act, and the reflection of my own desires is all that appears in my mirror.
"'Tis the Divine Comedy -
'Tis the Divine Tragedy -
The fool and the mocking court;
The fool and the mocking court;
Fool, kneel now, and ring thy bells!
Fool, kneel now, and ring thy bells!
We hold the Earth fro Heaven away."
Make us guffaw at thy futile follies,
Yet for our blunders - Oh, in shame;
Earth beareth no balm for mistakes -
We hold the Earth fro Hell away."
This is the ultimate farce - we are the fools, and those who mock us are also foolish. Kneel and ring your bells, for we have separated ourselves from heaven. Laugh at our foolishness, but we are ashamed of our mistakes, and there is no relief for them. We separate ourselves from hell, but in doing so we separate ourselves from the true nature of the world.
"Believe? In a deily long dead? -
I would rather be a pagan suckléd in creeds outworn;
Whith faärtytales fill'd up in head;
Thoughts of the Book stillborn."
Believe in a god who died long ago? I would rather follow an outdated pagan tradition, full of fairy tales and dead ideas from old books.
"Shadow of annoyance -
Ne'er come hither!
...And when He falleth, He falleth like Lucifer,
Ne'er to ascend again..."
Annoying shadow, stay away! And when the divine being falls, it falls like Lucifer and never rises again.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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