Biography:
Initially, the band played straightforward black metal under the name Treblinka. After having recorded the album Sumerian Cry in 1989, vocalist/guitarist Johan Edlund and bassist Jörgen Thullberg parted ways with the other two founding members, and subsequently changed the name to Tiamat. The Sumerian Cry album, as recorded by Treblinka, was released as Tiamat's debut album in June 1990.
After the debut, Edlund's leadership would modify the band's style with influences ranging from Mercyful Fate, Candlemass, Pink Floyd and King Crimson, with Sumerian lyrical themes. German guitarist Waldemar Sorychta would produce and contribute instrumentation to many of the band's albums, as well as those by Tiamat's own tour and labelmates, including Moonspell, Rotting Christ, Lacuna Coil and Samael.
1994's critically acclaimed Wildhoney mixed raw vocals, slow guitar riffs and synthesizer sounds which sounded different from other extreme metal bands active at that time. An almost continuous forty-minute piece of music, Wildhoney was considered to be a landmark release within the progressive/doom metal genres and would lead to the band's appearances at the Dynamo and Wacken Open Air metal festivals in 1995. The group would play a second gig at Dynamo two years later.
Upon the release of A Deeper Kind of Slumber (1997), Edlund relocated from Sweden to Germany and declared himself the only permanent member of the band; all albums that would follow would cement the band into a more gothic rock sound, quite different from the extreme music they did in the years before, with recent albums showing a The Sisters of Mercy influence.
The band signed to Nuclear Blast Records in June 2007. Tiamat released their new album Amanethes April 18, 2008.
Lineup:
Johan Edlund - vocals, guitar (Treblinka, Expulsion, LucyFire, Dark Age, Ayreon)
Anders Iwers - bass (Desecrator, Ceremonial Oath, In Flames, Cemetary, Mercury Tide)
Lars Skjöld - drums (Jupiter Society)
Thomas Wyreson - guitar
Former members:
Andreas Holmberg - drums (Expulsion)
Stefan Lagergren - guitar (River's Edge, Expulsion, Mr Death, Treblinka, Judge And Jury, Tranquility)
Jörgen Thullberg - bass (Expulsion, Mr Death, Treblinka)
Niklas Ekstrand - drums (Face Down)
Kenneth Roos - keyboards
Johnny Hagel - bass (Sundown, Sorcerer)
Magnus Sahlgren - guitar (Celeborn, Dismember, Lake of Tears)
P.A. Danielsson - keyboards (Veni Domine)
Thomas Petersson - guitar
Fredrik Ĺkesson - guitar (Southpaw, Talisman, Krux, John Norum, Arch Enemy, Sabbtail, Opeth, Shock Tilt)
www.churchoftiamat.com
A Pocket Size Sun
Tiamat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When a pink coloured vision did appear
A girl with something to sell
The girl offered me a pocket size sun
I beheld its innocent smile
She said 3If you want to have fun,
It will take you to heaven for awhile
I was touched by her careful fingertips
With the sun we shared our feelings
And I finally kissed her ruby lips
She started to sing a lullaby
Origined from ancient Senoi
3In dream1s realm can no one die
Sleep safe my little boy
The sun cut my eyes like a dropblade
Drew elseworlds in the sand
My memories began to fade
And did suddenly slip through my hands
In the sand I found two wonderful shells
As like as two peas
And I thought I could hear the sound of bluebells
Behind the roaring seven seas
The lyrics to Tiamat's "A Pocket Size Sun" describe a surreal experience of the singer encountering a girl who offers him a pocket size sun. The sun takes him to a dreamlike state where he appears to share a romantic and intimate moment with the girl before drifting off into hazy memories. The lyrics also contain references to ancient Senoi and a lullaby.
The opening lines "That I almost got out of my shell..." suggest the singer's detachment from the outside world and their own emotions. The girl's arrival with the sun represents an opportunity for the singer to experience something new and break free from their isolation. The girl's offer of the pocket size sun and the subsequent journey to "heaven" for a while represent a temporary escape from reality. The mention of the blue skies ceiling and the girl's careful fingertips add to the dreamlike and surreal nature of the experience.
The second stanza describes a moment of intimacy between the singer and the girl with the sun. They share their feelings and the singer kisses the girl's ruby lips while she sings a lullaby with roots in ancient Senoi culture. The third stanza describes the aftermath as the singer's memories begin to fade and the "sun cut" his eyes "like a dropblade." The final lines describe the singer finding two identical shells and hearing the sound of bluebells in the distance, suggesting a return to reality.
Line by Line Meaning
That I almost got out of my shell
I was starting to become more outgoing and social
When a pink coloured vision did appear
Someone caught my eye and grabbed my attention
A girl with something to sell
A girl who was offering something desirable
The girl offered me a pocket size sun
The girl offered me something that seemed magical and powerful
I beheld its innocent smile
I was entranced by its beauty and purity
She said 'If you want to have fun,
The girl suggested that this pocket sun would bring enjoyment and excitement
It will take you to heaven for awhile
She promised that this magical object would be a transcendent experience
An inch from the blue skies ceiling
The pocket sun seemed to create a new world, just out of reach
I was touched by her careful fingertips
She handled the object with a sense of reverence and awe
With the sun we shared our feelings
The girl and I connected over this magical object
And I finally kissed her ruby lips
Our connection led to a romantic moment
She started to sing a lullaby
The girl created a soothing and peaceful atmosphere
Origined from ancient Senoi
The lullaby had its roots in an ancient culture
'In dream's realm can no one die
The lullaby suggested a sense of invincibility in this magical world
Sleep safe my little boy
The lullaby conveyed a sense of protection and safety
The sun cut my eyes like a dropblade
The brightness of the pocket sun was intense and overwhelming
Drew elseworlds in the sand
I began to imagine new realms and possibilities as I played with the pocket sun
My memories began to fade
The experience felt dreamlike and fleeting
And did suddenly slip through my hands
The pocket sun disappeared as quickly as it had appeared
In the sand I found two wonderful shells
I discovered new treasures and beauty in the world around me
As like as two peas
The shells were identical and perfectly matched
And I thought I could hear the sound of bluebells
The moment was peaceful and full of natural beauty
Behind the roaring seven seas
The experience had taken me to a new world, beyond the bounds of everyday life
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JOHAN EDLUND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Black Cheshire
I came so close, so near
That I almost got out of my shell
When a pink coloured vision did appear
A girl with something to sell
The girl offered me a pocket size sun
I beheld its innocent smile
She said, "If you wanna have fun
It will take you to heaven for a while"
An inch from the blue skies ceiling
I was touched by her careful fingertips
With the sun we shared our feelings
And I finally kissed her ruby lips
She started to sing a lullaby
Origined from ancient Senoi
"In dreams' realm can no one die
Sleep safe, my little boy"
The sun cut my eyes like a dropblade
Drew elseworlds in the sand
My memories began to fade
And did suddenly slip through my hands
In the sand I found two wonderful shells
As like as two peas
And I thought I could hear the sound of bluebells
Behind the roaring seven seas
tropicwave1
A Pocket Size Sun
Tiamat
Album: Wildhoney
I came so close, so near
That I almost got out of my shell
When a pink colored vision did appear
A girl with something to sell
The girl offered me a pocket size sun
I beheld its innocent smile
She said, "If you wanna have fun
It will take you to heaven for a while"
An inch from the blue skies ceiling
I was touched by her careful fingertips
With the sun we shared our feelings
And I finally kissed her ruby lips
She started to sing a lullaby
Origin-ed from ancient Senoi
"In dreams' realm can no one die
Sleep safe, my little boy"
The sun cut my eyes like a drop-blade
Drew else-worlds in the sand
My memories began to fade
And did suddenly slip through my hands
In the sand I found two wonderful shells
As like as two peas
And I thought I could hear the sound of bluebells
Behind the roaring seven seas...
Written by: Johan Edlund
℗ 1994 Century Media Records Ltd.
Moortis Burzum
MEXICO PRESENTE 32 ANOS EN LA ESCENA
UN DISCO MUY CABRON
TIAMAT BUENA BANDA
Gabriel Reyes
I used to be a dark and gothic metal head in the past, a lot of years ago...now I listen to other stuff, but Tiamat and Wildhoney especially is one of these music I will listen forever, it's beyond Metal and dark music.... it's just art, aestethical, elegant music...
Saraiva Toledo
@Whited Out That is quite the evolution there dude . Listen to Coroner´s " Mental Vortex " - that should blow you away .
E-teacher Mariana
Exactly how I feel.
Shadoh
Epic song, taken off one of the best albums ever made! Absolute classic.
Lew Salonowy
Masterwork
Black Cheshire
I came so close, so near
That I almost got out of my shell
When a pink coloured vision did appear
A girl with something to sell
The girl offered me a pocket size sun
I beheld its innocent smile
She said, "If you wanna have fun
It will take you to heaven for a while"
An inch from the blue skies ceiling
I was touched by her careful fingertips
With the sun we shared our feelings
And I finally kissed her ruby lips
She started to sing a lullaby
Origined from ancient Senoi
"In dreams' realm can no one die
Sleep safe, my little boy"
The sun cut my eyes like a dropblade
Drew elseworlds in the sand
My memories began to fade
And did suddenly slip through my hands
In the sand I found two wonderful shells
As like as two peas
And I thought I could hear the sound of bluebells
Behind the roaring seven seas
LMTR14
"with something to say" would make more sense, and I always heard it as such. after all, there is no purchase of any kind anywhere in this song!
Filip Stadler
i was 14 when wildhoney came up. 23 years ago. I will love this album forever after.
Patrick Philip
28 years ago now haha