This Ascension toured the United States three times and the west coast prolifically, sharing the stage with bands including Clan of Xymox, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Chris Isaak, The Wolfgang Press, Pixies and The Stranglers.
After Tess Records collapsed, the band signed to Projekt Records in 2001. Their back catalogue was rereleased, however plans to record new material were never successful and the band split soon afterwards. The group reformed for a few shows in 2004.
Dru has gone on to sing for the neo-classical project Mirabilis as well as ethereal/electronic act Falling You, Kevin Serra performed with Lot 49 and now plays under cloud seeding while Charlie has rejoined his former band Nerf Herder.
This Ascension took their early cues from The Cure, The Chameleons, and just about every 4AD band at the time. Their debut Tears In Rain earned the band comparisons to Area, Xmal Deutschland, and even pop fare such as 10,000 Maniacs, while their later releases move toward the ethereal-gothic realm. 1999's album Sever is the most varied, drawing on influences ranging from Early Music to the progressive rock/ambient/tribal offerings of the Real World label.
With producer John Rivers (Dead Can Dance, Love & Rockets) at the helm, Sever charted on over 200 college, community, and alternative radio stations throughout the United States and Canada within two months of its release.
Ill met by moonlight
This Ascension Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She removes her cloak
Face in the shadows
Emerald green eyes
Finely brained
Copper bair blows free
Scarlet lips just like ice, velvet
Slashed by streaking figures
And beams of the moonlight
And ripped at the seams
In this midsummer night's dream
In the clearing
Amidst languid trees
As mortal sleep
All the night dances alive
But none as gracefully
As they fairy queen titania
Who floats on wings
White movemente chasing
The buxoms and the necks
From whose fruits they wean
Fairy eyes devouring, devouring
Dance is reeling
Arms outstretched to the sky
Offering the waltz to the stars
Who knows what heaven holds?
Who dares to give
Her midnight ball
Underneath the sky
In the moon's silver hall?
Titania gives the ball
Titania gives the ball
Titania gives the ball
Titania gives the ball
The song "Ill Met By Moonlight" by This Ascension is inspired by William Shakespeare's play "A Midsummer Night's Dream". The lyrics describe the scene of a fairy ball that takes place in a clearing amidst the trees, where mortals are sleeping. The fairy queen Titania is described as moving gracefully with her wings, chasing after the buxom and neck fruits. The song provides a vivid picture of the magical dance taking place, with the moonlight illuminating the inky black fabric of the night and the shadows that fall on faces. The lyrics also depict the beauty of the fairy queen as she removes her cloak, revealing her fine brain, emerald green eyes, copper hair and scarlet lips.
The verse "Inky black fabric called night, slashed by streaking figures, and beams of the moonlight, and ripped at the seams" symbolizes the chaos and disturbances that occur when fairies take over the night. The phrase "But none as gracefully as the fairy queen Titania who floats on wings, white movemente chasing the buxoms and the necks from whose fruits they wean" describe Titania as the most graceful among the fairies who is able to capture and delight her subjects.
The chorus "Titania gives the ball" emphasizes the power and control that Titania has over her subjects. The repetition of this phrase emphasizes how Titania is the central figure of the fairies and how everything revolves around her. The song ends by questioning what heaven holds and daring to give a midnight ball under the moon's silver hall.
Line by Line Meaning
White gauze and lace
She is wearing delicate and soft fabric
She removes her cloak
She takes off a piece of clothing
Face in the shadows
Her face is hidden from clear view in the darkness
Emerald green eyes
Her eyes have a bright green color
Finely brained
She has an intelligent mind
Copper bair blows free
Her red hair flows freely in the air
Scarlet lips just like ice, velvet
Her lips are red and smooth
Inky black fabric called night
The darkness of the night is like black fabric
Slashed by streaking figures
The darkness is moving quickly and erratically
And beams of the moonlight
The moon's light shines through
And ripped at the seams
The darkness is breaking apart
In this midsummer night's dream
This is a dream-like scenario that occurs in the middle of summer
In the clearing
There is an area free from obstructions or trees
Amidst languid trees
The trees are lazy and sluggish
As mortal sleep
Everyone else is asleep and unaware of what is happening
All the night dances alive
The night is full of lively dances
But none as gracefully
No one dances as elegantly
As they fairy queen titania
The queen of the fairies is the most graceful dancer
Who floats on wings
She seems to be flying effortlessly in the air
White movemente chasing
Her dance movements are flowing and smooth
The buxoms and the necks
She is captivating and charming to both men and women
From whose fruits they wean
The people are enchanted by her
Fairy eyes devouring, devouring
The fairy's eyes seem to be eating up all the attention
Dance is reeling
The dance is spinning and twirling
Arms outstretched to the sky
The dancers have their arms open and reaching toward the sky
Offering the waltz to the stars
The dancers are inviting the stars to dance with them
Who knows what heaven holds?
No one knows what awaits in the afterlife
Who dares to give
Who is brave enough to offer
Her midnight ball
Her nighttime dance party
Underneath the sky
In the open air
In the moon's silver hall?
In the area illuminated by the moon's light
Titania gives the ball
The fairy queen is hosting the dance
Titania gives the ball
The fairy queen is hosting the dance
Titania gives the ball
The fairy queen is hosting the dance
Titania gives the ball
The fairy queen is hosting the dance
Contributed by Sophia K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.