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
Transition
Theatre of Tragedy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Walled in, gardens meant for privacy.
Will I find a reason?
I got a sight of universe
Blame it on tomorrow
Today will not end
Give me the time to see
There’s no smoke without a fire.
Nothing will deter me
There’s nothing else to win or lose
Higher – lower. For all I know this could be rending
Time’s an everlasting path
We’ll be ever lost without it,
There’s no way to cease the day
If there’s no one here to guide us,
Let down your life
Time to be free…
Will I find a reason
Blame it on tomorrow
Let there be something..
Give me the time to see
Time to hear the stars from Heaven falling
There’s no smoke without a fire.
Bring down to Earth
Nothing will deter me
There’s nothing else to win or lose
The lyrics to Theatre of Tragedy's song Transition are quite introspective and somewhat philosophical. The singer seems to be reflecting on their current state of being, feeling somewhat disconnected but also searching for a reason or purpose in life. They mention being walled off, possibly emotionally or mentally, but still searching for something more. The mention of the universe suggests a spiritual aspect to this search for meaning, perhaps looking to the stars for guidance or inspiration.
The line "blame it on tomorrow, today will not end" suggests a desire to keep moving forward, not dwelling on the past but looking towards the future. The singer acknowledges that there may be obstacles or challenges (there's no smoke without a fire), but they are resolved to push through and not let anything hold them back. The repetition of the line "give me the time to see, time to hear the stars from Heaven falling" emphasizes the importance of taking time to observe and reflect, to find that elusive reason or purpose.
The overall message of the song seems to be one of perseverance and determination, even in the face of uncertainty or doubt. It encourages listeners to keep searching for that spark of inspiration or motivation, even when times are tough.
Line by Line Meaning
Lately, tuning in and out
Recently, I have been switching my attention on and off.
Walled in, gardens meant for privacy.
I feel restricted and confined, like I am in a garden that was designed for nobody to be able to see in or out.
Will I find a reason?
I am questioning whether or not I will be able to find a purpose.
I got a sight of universe
I caught a glimpse of the vast cosmos.
Blame it on tomorrow
I am pushing the responsibility of my current situation onto the future.
Today will not end
It feels as though today will never come to a close.
Give me the time to see
I am asking for more time to be able to perceive and understand things.
Time to hear the stars from Heaven falling
I want to have the opportunity to listen to the sound of an astronomical event taking place.
There’s no smoke without a fire.
I understand that an occurrence can't take place without some sort of underlying cause.
Nothing will deter me
I will not be discouraged or dissuaded from my goal.
There’s nothing else to win or lose
I have nothing more to gain or give up.
Higher – lower. For all I know this could be rending
Things may be shifting significantly, causing me to question my place and direction.
Time’s an everlasting path
Time continually moves forward, never slowing down.
We’ll be ever lost without it,
Without time to anchor us, we would be consistently adrift and unsure.
There’s no way to cease the day
It's impossible to stop or pause time.
If there’s no one here to guide us,
If we don't have someone or something to lead us in the correct direction,
Let down your life
We may encounter defeat or failure.
Time to be free…
It's our chance to experience true liberty and relief.
Let there be something..
I am searching for hope and meaning.
Bring down to Earth
My goal is to make something more relatable and tangible.
Contributed by Zachary L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.