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
Planets
Tiamat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Verse 1:
I can see them
Moving silently
Through my mind's eye
Planets in harmony
Chorus:
Planets align
In the universal sky
Guided by a force
Stronger than you and I
Verse 2:
I am tiny
In comparison
To their grandeur
But somehow connected
Chorus:
Planets align
In the universal sky
Guided by a force
Stronger than you and I
Bridge:
We are all stardust
Made of the same elements
The planets and I
Are not so different
Chorus:
Planets align
In the universal sky
Guided by a force
Stronger than you and I
The song "Planets" by Tiamat is a contemplative and introspective piece on the interconnectedness of the universe and our place within it. The lyrics describe the planets moving in harmony and being guided by a force stronger than ourselves. The singer acknowledges their smallness in comparison to the grandeur of the planets, but also recognizes the connection they share as beings made of the same stardust as the planets. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the idea of alignment and the influence of larger forces at play, both in the universe and in our own lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Sands of time running low
Time is fleeting and we must make the most of it as it is slipping away quickly.
Fields of sorrow all over the place
There is an abundance of sadness and pain in the world.
Turned away from the light, into the nevermore
We have turned our backs on positivity and have fallen into a state of despair.
Nevermore to feel, nevermore to hurt
We have become numb and apathetic towards our own emotions and the pain of others.
Planets collide, stars divide
Chaotic events occur in the universe that can have a large impact on the world.
Lost in the darkness within my own mind
We may feel lost or confused in our own thoughts and emotions.
Clinging to the past, afraid of what I might find
We may hold onto the past and avoid exploring unknown territory due to fear of the unknown.
Watching the world from a distance
Feeling detached or disconnected from the rest of the world.
In my own existence
Living in our own world and reality.
As the universe expands, so does my mind
As our knowledge and understanding of the world grows, so do our minds.
Mysteries unraveling, answers I cannot find
There are still many unknowns and unanswered questions in the world no matter how much we learn or discover.
Planets collide, stars divide
Chaotic events occur in the universe that can have a large impact on the world.
From the ashes of sadness, new life will rise
Even in the midst of pain and sorrow, there is still hope for a better future and new beginnings.
Light will shine on the darkness in my mind
Positive change can occur within ourselves and bring light into the dark places of our mind.
Planets collide, stars divide
Chaotic events occur in the universe that can have a large impact on the world.
Contributed by Molly D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
oXoXbRiAnNe
This whole beautiful album takes me back to my high school days <3
Paolo Sala
I've dusted this CD tonight... I haven't listened to it for such a long time. I couldn't remember how beautiful it was, and how it helped me survive the 1990s (never loved that decade)
Ricardo Rodríguez
Pure magic. Nothing more to say
metaleer1979x
Wow! The release date is 94? Where have I been, and why haven't I been listening to this earlier?
Jennifer Dyer
@metaleer1979x maine metal head here too!
Víctor Valdez
Really? Who'd thought. I live in Jalisco, Mexico...and I realize we actually had a good underground music distribution back in those days. I bought that album in a music store (kind of FYE) back in '97. Ah, glorious days.
metaleer1979x
I live in Maine. I had one rock radio station that played Green Day and ACDC on a loop. No internet. No metalheads.
When I did get the internet, my options have expanded greatly.
Víctor Valdez
+metaleer1979x How come you missed this?
It's essential in the Swedish Metal history! Perhaps you were focused on other genres and/or countries?
Abdul Gh
takes you to another dimension
sepulcesar
Why this video is blocked for Chile???