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
Born To Die
Tiamat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take me to the finish line
All my heart, it breaks every step that I take
But I'm hoping that the gates,
They'll tell me that you're mine
Walking through the city streets
Is it by mistake or design?
I feel so alone on a Friday night
It's like I told you honey
Don't make me sad, don't make me cry
Sometimes love is not enough and the road gets tough
I don't know why
Keep making me laugh,
Let's go get high
The road is long, we carry on
Try to have fun in the meantime
Come and take a walk on the wild side
Let me kiss you hard in the pouring rain
You like your girls insane
Choose your last words
This is the last time
Cause you and I, we were born to die
Lost but now I am found
I can see but once I was blind
I was so confused as a little child
Tried to take what I could get
Scared that I couldn't find
All the answers, honey
Don't make me sad, don't make me cry
Sometimes love is not enough and the road gets tough
I don't know why
Keep making me laugh,
Let's go get high
The road is long, we carry on
Try to have fun in the meantime
Come and take a walk on the wild side
Let me kiss you hard in the pouring rain
You like your girls insane
Choose your last words,
This is the last time
Cause you and I
We were born to die
We were born to die
We were born to die
Come and take a walk on the wild side
Let me kiss you hard in the pouring rain
You like your girls insane
Don't make me sad, don't make me cry
Sometimes love is not enough and the road gets tough
I don't know why
Keep making me laugh,
Let's go get high
The road is long, we carry on
Try to have fun in the meantime
Come and take a walk on the wild side
Let me kiss you hard in the pouring rain
You like your girls insane
Choose your last words
This is the last time
Cause You and I
We were born to die
We were born to die
The lyrics to Tiamat's song Born To Die, are about the struggle of finding love and feeling alone in the world. The song talks about how love is not always enough to keep a relationship going, and how tough the road to finding true love can be. The song is looking for a sense of belonging and unity with someone. The first verse of the song talks about how alone the singer is on a Friday night, and how they are hoping to find someone to fill the void in their life. The second verse touches on how the singer was lost in life and found themselves through someone else.
The chorus of the song is about how the singer and the person they want to be with are "born to die" together. This may be a reference to the idea that everyone has a predetermined fate, and the singer and their love interest are meant to be together until the end. They are encouraging each other to make the most of their time together and have fun while they can, despite the struggles they may face.
The bridge of the song is a call to adventure and risks, asking the person to come with them and take a walk on the wild side. This is followed by lines about kissing in the rain and liking girls who are "insane." The overall message of the song is about finding love in a world that can often feel cold and lonely, and to make the most of the time you have with the people you care about.
Line by Line Meaning
Feet don't fail me now
I'm urging my feet to keep moving forward towards my goal
Take me to the finish line
I want to accomplish what I set out to do
All my heart, it breaks every step that I take
I'm emotionally exhausted and every forward movement hurts
But I'm hoping that the gates, They'll tell me that you're mine
I'm hopeful that my efforts will be rewarded by reaching my desired destination
Walking through the city streets
I'm moving through life but not necessarily with direction
Is it by mistake or design?
I'm unsure if my life's path is random or intentional
I feel so alone on a Friday night
I am lonely and isolated from others
Can you make it feel like home, if I tell you you're mine
Can you make me feel loved and accepted, if I share my true feelings
It's like I told you honey
I'm repeating a previously stated truth
Don't make me sad, don't make me cry
I'm asking for emotional support and validation
Sometimes love is not enough and the road gets tough
Love can't solve everything, and obstacles arise in life
I don't know why
I'm lost and confused as to why things happen the way they do
Keep making me laugh, Let's go get high
I want to engage in activities that bring joy and entertainment
The road is long, we carry on, Try to have fun in the meantime
Life is a journey, and it's important to enjoy the ride
Come and take a walk on the wild side
Let's experience something adventurous and unpredictable
Let me kiss you hard in the pouring rain
I want to love passionately and in the moment
You like your girls insane
You enjoy being with wild and daring women
Choose your last words
What you say is important and carries weight
This is the last time
This is the end, and things won't continue the same way
Cause you and I, we were born to die
Our time is limited, and we should make the most of it
Lost but now I am found
I was once lost, but I have now found my way
I can see but once I was blind
I have gained clarity and understanding about a situation
I was so confused as a little child, Tried to take what I could get
I was naive growing up and did what I could to survive
Scared that I couldn't find all the answers, honey
I was afraid of not knowing everything, and it caused anxiety
We were born to die
Death is inevitable, and we must enjoy life while we have it
Contributed by Emma B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.