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
Heaven Of High
Tiamat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm on the run I'm on the wing
Climb the selling when the walls are falling apart
I'm the one to blame for everything
A substitute for God, a sacred muse
The hell with it, it's just a lame excuse
Everything I ever used I have abused
All I live for is my heaven of high
I'll be there when the sun goes down
Withered Jimsonweed a night on bad speed
This purple haze works in mysterious ways
Wait another day to wash my sins away
In another time, in another place
The song "Heaven of High" by Tiamat is a dark and introspective reflection on the singer's personal struggles and vices. In the first verse, he sets himself apart from others who are able to sleep soundly, suggesting that he is plagued by restlessness and anxiety. He admits that he is "on the run" and "on the wing," perhaps suggesting that he is escaping something or chasing after a dream. The next line, "climb the selling when the walls are falling apart," could be interpreted as a metaphor for persevering through a difficult situation even when he feels trapped. Ultimately, the singer takes responsibility for his own problems, singing that he is "the one to blame for everything."
The second verse continues this theme of personal responsibility, with the singer admitting that he has used everything he has ever had to his own detriment. The lyric "a substitute for God, a sacred muse" could be read as an acknowledgment that he has misplaced his faith or turned to the wrong sources of inspiration. The chorus, however, suggests that despite his struggles and vices, the singer has a personal source of solace: his "heaven of high." This could be interpreted as his addiction, his dreams, or perhaps a more literal interpretation of heaven.
Overall, "Heaven of High" is a complex and nuanced song that touches on themes of personal responsibility, addiction, and the human desire for escape.
Line by Line Meaning
While the rest of you are sleeping safe and sound
While others feel secure in their slumber
I'm on the run I'm on the wing
I am escaping at full speed
Climb the selling when the walls are falling apart
Scaling the ceiling as the walls crumble
I'm the one to blame for everything
I am at fault for all that's happening
A substitute for God, a sacred muse
A replacement for the divine, a cherished inspiration
The hell with it, it's just a lame excuse
Disregard for it, as it's a weak justification
Everything I ever used I have abused
I have mistreated all that came into my possession
All I live for is my heaven of high
My sole purpose is to achieve my ideal paradise
I'll be there when the sun goes down
I shall arrive when the sun sets
Withered Jimsonweed a night on bad speed
Decayed jimsonweed after a night of poor stimulants
This purple haze works in mysterious ways
The inexplicable effects of this violet mist
Wait another day to wash my sins away
Delaying a day for absolution from wrongdoing
In another time, in another place
At a different era, at a different location
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind