ThouShaltNot have built strong fanbases through their national tours and their work with acts such as The Dresden Dolls, VNV Nation, Alphaville and David J (of Bauhaus). Their club hits "Cardinal Directions," "Without Faith," "Last Comfort," and "Inside of You, In Spite of You," have been played at nearly every dark alternative and goth venue in America, while their more organic "True Love" and "When Everyone Forgets" have appeared to acclaim on high profile compilations that exceed the limits of genre.
ThouShaltNot's music, throughout its thoughtful subject matter, is hook-laden and complex in its emotional and intellectual architecture. With their latest releases, Land Dispute and the New World EP, ThouShaltNot is poised to change the way you think and feel about music.
The band consists of: Alex Reed (vocals, keyboards, guitars, programming, samples), Aaron Fuleki (percussion, programming, samples, guitars, backing vocals) and Jeremy David (guitars, backing vocals, piano, keyboards, programming).
Glaciers
ThouShaltNot Lyrics
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For my dreams have grown too quiet once again
Give me howling of footsteps
As time ambles drunk over tundra-glazed earth
Somewhere in the snow
Are the frozen tears and the teeth that battle broke
Twelve winters ago
Taste the cells dividing
All to come and all that's been
See the glaciers fighting
Melting over, pushing underneath your skin
Surrender your warmth
To find where ice crystals end and body starts
We walk the line
Between breath and wind and death and gravity
Awaken the martyr inside
And the ground that's solid, cold, and petrified
Before I open my eyes
Can you thaw this away and give my past to me?
Taste the cells dividing
All to come and all that's been
See the glaciers fighting
Melting over, pushing underneath your skin
Awaken the wolves
When the January moon needs lullabies
Awaken the wolves
When the sun's bright passion cannot reach the skies
Awaken the wolves
'Cause we're all alone here on the plains of frost
Awaken the wolves
And when we wake ourselves, shall winter's memory be lost?
Taste the cells dividing
All to come and all that's been
See the glaciers fighting
Melting over, pushing underneath your skin
In ThouShaltNot's song "Glaciers," the lyrics speak to the idea of the cyclical nature of life. The opening lines "Awaken the wolves / For my dreams have grown too quiet once again / Give me howling of footsteps / As time ambles drunk over tundra-glazed earth" imply a need for awakening, a desire for a sense of urgency, as if time is passing too slowly or not quickly enough. The following lines "Somewhere in the snow / Are the frozen tears and the teeth that battle broke / Twelve winters ago / When aging was living and murder was birth" evoke emotions of sadness, loss, and nostalgia. The metaphorical idea of "frozen tears" speaks to how emotions can be frozen in time, waiting to be thawed. The phrase "when aging was living and murder was birth" suggests the idea that growing older can also mean experiencing death, both literally and metaphorically.
Throughout the song, the concept of change is emphasized - "Taste the cells dividing / All to come and all that's been / See the glaciers fighting / Melting over, pushing underneath your skin." "Tasting the cells dividing" could be interpreted as becoming aware of the changes happening within oneself, both physically and mentally. The "glaciers fighting / melting over, pushing underneath your skin" could represent how external forces can push against us, causing change from the outside in. The lines "We walk the line / Between breath and wind and death and gravity" highlight how precarious and nuanced life can be - we are constantly balancing between opposing forces, and the slightest imbalance could have dire consequences.
In the final verses, the repeated refrain of "Awaken the wolves" serves as a call to action, urging the listener to embrace their inner strength and continue forging ahead in the face of adversity. The closing line "And when we wake ourselves, shall winter's memory be lost?" suggests that we must be vigilant in our efforts to evolve and grow, lest we forget the lessons learned in the past.
Line by Line Meaning
Awaken the wolves
Get in touch with your primal instincts and let your inner animal out
For my dreams have grown too quiet once again
My mind is too still and my creativity is lacking
Give me howling of footsteps
I want to hear the sound of footsteps like a pack of wolves searching for prey
As time ambles drunk over tundra-glazed earth
Time goes by slowly and drunkenly, like walking on icy tundra
Somewhere in the snow
My past is buried beneath the snow
Are the frozen tears and the teeth that battle broke
My past is full of pain and struggle
Twelve winters ago
A long time has passed since my past struggles
When aging was living and murder was birth
My past was a time of violence and harshness
Taste the cells dividing
Feel the passage of time and the changes it brings
All to come and all that's been
The changes of time include both the past and future
See the glaciers fighting
Observe the natural world's struggles just as I observe my own changes
Melting over, pushing underneath your skin
The changes are not just external, but also affect my internal world
Surrender your warmth
Give up comfort to experience and study the natural world
To find where ice crystals end and body starts
Explore the boundary between the natural world and self
We walk the line
As humans, we exist on the boundary of the natural world and mankind's creations
Between breath and wind and death and gravity
The boundary includes life and death as well as the physical world's rules
Awaken the martyr inside
Confront one's pain and let go of it to move forward
And the ground that's solid, cold, and petrified
Confront the harsh, unyielding nature of reality
Before I open my eyes
Before I face the world and outside influences
Can you thaw this away and give my past to me?
Can I let go of my past and start fresh?
When the January moon needs lullabies
When we need comfort in the dark, cold nights of winter
When the sun's bright passion cannot reach the skies
When positive influences can't reach or heal us
'Cause we're all alone here on the plains of frost
We feel isolated and vulnerable in the cold and bleak winter landscape
And when we wake ourselves, shall winter's memory be lost?
Will the lessons of winter be forgotten if we don't actively continue to embrace them?
Contributed by Anna F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.