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
Liquid Man
Theatre of Tragedy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"There's a woman in the upstairs window"
The blurred image of the echo fades away
She turns and looks
As the silhouette set
She's smoking a cigarette
As the silhouette turned and spoke,
"Want to stop you, I can't save you"
And he dissolves like smoke
The stance, the smile, the vial, the line
From inside it feels less austere
It's all contorted in a funny kind of way
It's distorted in a funny way
I can remember this place
It's like wearing new eyes
It's all out of phase now - different time & space
Do you complete me?
Solid like fluid, dreaming and cool
Just try, just try.
He feels like liquid
His background circles round and round
Background sounds
He wants to meet somebody
Dressed as a silent man
Or as a woman?
Posed like a hyphen
Nothing is just as sincere
As the stance, the smile, the tangle, the line
Want to stop you, I can't save you
Turning now it seems less unclear
It's all distorted in a funny kind of way
It's distorted in a funny way
I can remember this place
It's all out of phase now - different time & space
It's like wearing new eyes
Do you complete me?
Just try, just try.
The lyrics of Theatre of Tragedy's song, Liquid Man, present a confusing and abstract narrative of a woman being observed by a man who speaks to her through a silhouette. The woman turns to see the silhouette speaking but cannot be saved from something. The man feels like he is dissolving like smoke as he contemplates and marvels at the stance, smile, vial, and line. The lyrics strongly suggest that these items symbolize the woman's addiction to smoking or some other drug that has trapped her. The man also feels out of phase, and a different time and space as if he is being transported and seeing the world like he is wearing new eyes.
However, despite the lyrics, the song is about the relationship between the music industry as a liquid form and everyday people. The lyrics are intentionally vague to allow for multiple interpretations but the central interpretation relates to record labels and how they have more power than artists. The woman smoking in the upstairs window represents this relationship, with the silhouette symbolizing the record label. The man in the song conveys the perspective of the artist who is trying to break away from the record label's control over them but feels like they are dissolving in the process.
Line by Line Meaning
He says to her, "There's a woman in the upstairs window"
He tells her that he sees a woman in a window on the upper floor.
The blurred image of the echo fades away
The vague image of the echo gradually vanishes.
She turns and looks As the silhouette set
She turns around to see a dark, blurry figure.
She's smoking a cigarette
She is smoking a cigarette.
As the silhouette turned and spoke, "Want to stop you, I can't save you"
The shadowy figure turns and says, "I want to help you, but I can't save you."
Sometimes he begins to revere
Sometimes he starts to admire.
And he dissolves like smoke
And he disappears like smoke.
The stance, the smile, the vial, the line
The pose, the smile, the drug, the phrase.
From inside it feels less austere
From the inside, it seems less severe.
It's all contorted in a funny kind of way
Everything is twisted in a strange way.
It's distorted in a funny way I can remember this place
It's warped in a peculiar way, but I remember this place.
It's all out of phase now - different time & space
Everything is out of sync now - different time and place.
Do you complete me?
Do you make me whole?
Solid like fluid, dreaming and cool
As steady as a liquid, dreamy and aloof.
Just try, just try.
Just give it a shot, just try.
He feels like liquid
He feels fluid and unstable.
His background circles round and round
His past keeps coming back and spinning around him.
Background sounds
Distant sounds from the past.
He wants to meet somebody Dressed as a silent man Or as a woman?
He wants to find someone who is quiet and mysterious, regardless of their gender.
Posed like a hyphen
Standing still and looking like a punctuation mark.
Nothing is just as sincere As the stance, the smile, the tangle, the line
Nothing is as genuine as the posture, the smile, the complication, the words.
Turning now it seems less unclear
Looking back now, it seems less confusing.
It's all distorted in a funny kind of way
Everything is twisted in a strange way.
It's distorted in a funny way I can remember this place
It's warped in a peculiar way, but I remember this place.
It's all out of phase now - different time & space
Everything is out of sync now - different time and place.
It's like wearing new eyes
It's like seeing everything with fresh eyes.
Do you complete me?
Do you make me whole?
Just try, just try.
Just give it a shot, just try.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind