Throes of Dawn is a dark/black metal band from Helsinki, Finland, formed ba… Read Full Bio ↴Throes of Dawn is a dark/black metal band from Helsinki, Finland, formed back in 1994 in the city of Vaasa by Henri Koivula (vocals) and Jani Heinola (synth). Throes of Dawn's music could be described as emotional dark metal with a progressive touch. Their sound is built on the combination of synths and guitars with screaming vocals and clean vocals. The lyrical concept of Throes of Dawn is often poetic and it deals with the deeper and darker aspects of the human psyche; like solitude, broken dreams and despair.

After getting the band a full line-up, the first demo tape was made, and the first deal was signed with Woodcut Records in 1995. This led to the release of “Pakkasherra” promo tape in 1996 and eventually “Pakkasherra” album, which was released in 1997.

The second album "Dreams of the Black Earth" was forged in the legendary Tico-Tico studio in late 1997. The music of Throes of Dawn had developed enormously from "Pakkasherra". Where "Pakkasherra" sounded raw and technical "Dreams of the Black Earth" showed much more mature and sensitive side of the band. One song from this album was released as a taster in "The Blackened Rainbow" MCD in 1998. "Dreams of the Black Earth" was released worldwide in 1999.

The recording sessions of the third "Binding of the Spirit" album took place once again at Tico-Tico studios during the autumn 1999. Armed with better sound quality and production, the band showed a darker and more depressive side of their dark metal. "Binding of the Spirit" was released through Wounded Love in Spring 2000.

After the third album, things got complicated for the other band members, when the founders of the band, Henri and Jani moved away from the hometown. The band had been practically dead for a few months, until they decided to bring the band back to life with a totally new line-up.

Through many trials, a new line-up began to take shape. Each new member had a past in familiar bands: Lead guitarist Juha Ylikoski had played in Rotten Sound, the bass player Harri Huhtala played previously in Cartilage and Vomiturition. The drummer, Jani Martikkala, had made his contibution in ...And Oceans, Black Dawn and Enochian Crescent.

Finally, after years of planning and intensive song writing, the recordings of the fourth album "Quicksilver Clouds" started in the autumn of 2003 at Sonic-pump studios in Helsinki. With "Quicksilver Clouds" Throes of Dawn took their music into totally new and exciting level: The depth and atmosphere in this album greatly exceeded all their previous releases. New elements were combined into the traditional Throes of Dawn sound, and this really opened new dimensions into their dark metal. The sound engineer Tero "Max" Kostermaa showed true dedication to his work, which resulted in brilliant and atmospheric soundscape. "Quicksilver Clouds" was released in 2004 by Avantgarde music.

February 19th 2010 was the release date of Throes of Dawn's fifth full length album "The Great Fleet of Echoes" released through Firebox Records. Says the singer Henri Koivula: ""The Great Fleet of Echoes" is a clear expansion in the bands songwriting. Showing more versatile, progressive and melodic approach into the gloom and melancholy our music reflects. A Firm and logical step forward." The album was welcomed with great reviews throughout the world.

Throes of Dawn has performed live with bands like Satyricon, Anathema, Orphaned Land and Green Carnation. The band produced a video of the song “Vertigo”, which has been of great promotional value: Several networks in Europe have broadcasted it, and it was also included in the metal DVD compilation of the Finnish inferno magazine.

Official website: http://www.throesofdawn.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/throesofdawn

Velvet Chokehold
Throes of Dawn Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You may try to follow
You may try to reason me out
You may try to save me
But you can never understand

The way I have burned
The way I have burned
For years

For years

The sound of approaching violence
The pounding hammers of depression
The stifling sense of pressure
Something you can never understand

And Love may offer
A brief relief
And light may scatter
The darkest storm

But there's no release
From this velver chokehold

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Velvet Chokehold" by Throes Of Dawn seem to convey the feeling of being trapped in a situation that cannot be easily understood or escaped from. The opening lines suggest that someone is trying to interfere in the singer's life, perhaps to offer advice or assistance, but their efforts are ultimately futile. The chorus repeats the phrase "the way I have burned" to emphasize the intensity of the singer's emotions, which have been building for years. The next verse describes the feeling of impending doom, whether it's in the form of violence, depression, or a general sense of pressure, which only the singer can truly comprehend. The addition of the words "velvet chokehold" in the last line seems to suggest that this situation may be a kind of soft, insidious trap that is difficult to break free from, regardless of any external factors like love or light.

Overall, the song seems to describe a very personal struggle that the singer is going through, one that is difficult to explain or escape from. The use of vivid imagery adds to the emotional weight of the lyrics, which are supported by the brooding, atmospheric music that Throes Of Dawn is known for.

Line by Line Meaning

You may try to follow
You may attempt to comprehend my actions and thoughts

You may try to reason me out
You may try to use logic to convince me of an alternative view

You may try to save me
You may endeavor to rescue me from my troubles

But you can never understand
But you can never truly comprehend my pain and struggles

The way I have burned
The way I have suffered intensely

The way I have burned
The way I have endured pain for an extended period

For years
For a prolonged amount of time

The sound of approaching violence
The feeling of impending harm or aggression

The pounding hammers of depression
The constant weight of deep sadness and despair

The stifling sense of pressure
The suffocating feeling of being overwhelmed

Something you can never understand
Something that you will never fully comprehend or experience