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
Starlit
Theatre of Tragedy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I heard her as she came
Through the city-streets
And the lavish lover-suites
Man standing next to man
He's alone
I see only faces
I see faces staring
Other faces staring
Don't talk, don't tell
We stepped out and sought for height
And I looked for a single star
Through a starlit sky
And the fangles of sheets
There's nothing to expect from this place
We don't understand what is said
We're human, we're alone
So confused
We've lost all our means
And we'll lose
Now the sight greys out
And we wonder what we're doing in a place like this
It's so bright outside
In a non-white, flash-light way of Sometime
Now, tomorrow, anytime
I see faces staring
Other faces staring
Don't talk, don't tell
We're waiting
For morning
No sign of it
I'm listening
Can't hear it
Are we sure we didn't miss it?
I see faces staring
Other faces staring
Don't talk, don't tell
The lyrics of Theatre of Tragedy's song "Starlit" describe a feeling of confusion and disorientation in a bustling city. The singer and their companion step out of the "brittle frame" of their surroundings and seek refuge in the vast expanse of the night sky. As they gaze upon the stars, they feel a sense of isolation and detachment from the rest of humanity. The repetition of the line "I see only faces, I don't know" emphasizes this feeling of alienation, as they are surrounded by strangers and unable to connect with them.
The chorus of the song repeats the line "I see faces staring, other faces staring, don't talk, don't tell," further emphasizing the theme of disconnection and lack of communication. Despite being surrounded by people, the singer feels alone and unable to make meaningful connections.
The final verse of the song suggests a feeling of hopelessness and despair, as the singer and their companion wait for morning but see "no sign of it." They question whether they have missed it altogether and remain trapped in their confusion and isolation.
Overall, the lyrics of "Starlit" paint a bleak picture of modern urban life, where individuals are disconnected and unable to forge meaningful connections with one another.
Line by Line Meaning
We stepped out of the brittle frame
We left our previous life behind.
And I heard her as she came
He heard his loved one as she joined him in the streets of the city.
Through the city-streets
They walked through the busy city streets.
And the lavish lover-suites
The couple walked through the city's luxurious love hotels.
Man standing next to man
People stand shoulder to shoulder.
He's alone
Despite being surrounded by people, he feels alone.
I see only faces
He is surrounded by people, yet he sees only their faces.
I don't know
He does not know these people and does not understand them.
I see faces staring
He sees people staring at him.
Other faces staring
Other people are also staring at each other.
Don't talk, don't tell
The people are not communicating with each other.
We stepped out and sought for height
They sought a higher vantage point to see the stars.
And I looked for a single star
He searched for a single star in the starry sky.
Through a starlit sky
The sky was filled with countless stars.
And the fangles of sheets
The sheets of the bed may be skimpy.
There's nothing to expect from this place
This place cannot offer them anything.
We don't understand what is said
They do not understand the people around them.
We're human, we're alone
As humans, they are inherently alone.
So confused
They are confused by their surroundings.
We've lost all our means
They have lost all ways of communicating with the world around them.
And we'll lose
They fear losing themselves as well.
Now the sight greys out
Their vision is becoming cloudy and unclear.
And we wonder what we're doing in a place like this
They are questioning why they are in this situation.
It's so bright outside
The outside world is bright and intense.
In a non-white, flash-light way of Sometime
The brightness is overwhelming and almost blinding.
Now, tomorrow, anytime
This overwhelming brightness is present at all times.
We're waiting
They are waiting for something to happen.
For morning
They are waiting for the morning to arrive.
No sign of it
There is no indication of morning arriving soon.
I'm listening
He is straining to hear something.
Can't hear it
He cannot hear what he is listening for.
Are we sure we didn't miss it?
They are questioning whether they may have missed morning arriving.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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