The roots of TSO are found in Savatage, a traditional heavy metal band that gradually progressed into a symphonic metal act. Savatage's rock operas, starting with STREETS, began the experimentation with what would become TSO culminating on the track "Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)" from DEAD WINTER DEAD. This track was a minor hit for the struggling band, and demonstrated that there might be an audience for the symphonic metal approach to holiday themes.
The concept for a band playing Christmas carols in a rock opera style was not received warmly by the industry, but quickly proved a success with adults as well as young people. In the recording studio, Trans-Siberian Orchestra uses a full 60-piece orchestra and a choir.
As of 2004, their touring band included 14 vocalists, 14 musicians, and 2 narrators. Trans-Siberian Orchestra released their debut album Christmas Eve and Other Stories in 1996, and it remains their best-selling album. Their 1998 release The Christmas Attic was similarly a concept album with a Christmas theme. In 2000, they released their first non-Christmas album, Beethoven's Last Night. Beethoven's Last Night is a concept album about Ludwig van Beethoven's last night on earth, during which he meets Mephistopheles (possible Satan, or one of his underlings).
After a few years of touring, they returned to the studio with another full-length album, Lost Christmas Eve, and the accompanying DVD/3-CD release The Christmas Trilogy, which contained all three of their Christmas albums to date.
During their winter tours of 2005 and 2006, the band had announced that they were working on the new album, set to release later that year (this was said both years). During the summer of 2007, the official myspace for TSO stated that they were recording, with the expression 'inspired'. Finally, on October 27, 2007, the long awaited new album (and second non-Christmas) arrived "Night Castle". The album is another concept album, spanning 2 cd's, and is the telling of the story of a soldier's experience during the Killing Fields of the Khmer Rouge. As always, it's about faith, hope, fate and the inherent belief that there is good in all people. The album was received with mixed reviews, from the praise of the band's fans, to the near burning of albums by those that are less than receptive to the album. Along with the songs for the story, the album also includes 4 tracks that are not part of the story, and yes, it features the band's rendition of "Carmina Burana (O Fortuna)", performed as a preview by the band during their winter tours, as well as one cover of a Savatage song.
http://www.trans-siberian.com
http://www.nightcastlealbum.com
http://www.myspace.com/tsoofficial
The Dark
Trans-Siberian Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every note is dying
Silence is refining
Every thought in his heart
Still the fates are weaving
Every note that's bleeding
As he sits there seething
Alone in the dark
Alone in the...
But in the night
The darkness breathes
If he wills it to be
Before his eyes
The music dies
But he will always hear me
He sits alone
The cards are shown
As he embraces the dark
The only sound
That he will hear
Is there in his heart
Someone is whispering softly to me
Shadows of things that no one can see
They are there for you if you want them to be
You want them to be
You want them to...
But in the night
The darkness breathes
If he wills it to be
Before his eyes
The music dies
But he will always hear me
He sits alone
The cards are shown
As he embraces the dark
The only sound
That he will hear
Is there in his heart
The Dark by Trans-Siberian Orchestra is a mysterious and haunting song that portrays a personās descent into darkness. The opening lines āFeel the darkness smiling, every note is dying, silence is refining, every thought in his heartā sets the tone for the rest of the song. The lyrics describe a character who is wallowing in their negative emotions, consumed by the darkness that surrounds them. The words paint a picture of the character fighting their inner demons and losing the battle. The line āstill the fates are weaving every note that's bleedingā symbolizes how even though the character is struggling with their music, their fate is intertwined with it.
The middle section of the song describes the character sitting alone in the dark, embracing the negative emotions that have taken over his soul. As the music dies, he will always hear the whispering of those shadows, the embodiment of his inner darkness. The final section of the song emphasizes that the character has chosen to be alone with their thoughts rather than face the world. The last line of the song "is there in his heart" suggests that the character has found a sense of comfort in his darkness where he can block out the external noises and listen to his heart.
Line by Line Meaning
Feel darkness smiling
The darkness consumes a person and makes them happy, even though it is destructive.
Every note is dying
The music being played is sad and full of despair.
Silence is refining
The absence of sound helps to focus one's thoughts and feelings.
Every thought in his heart
The darkness has taken over the person's heart and thoughts.
Still the fates are weaving
The destiny of the person is being shaped by external factors beyond their control.
Every note that's bleeding
The music being played is full of pain, sorrow and suffering.
As he sits there seething
The person is angry, resentful and feeling negative emotions.
All alone in the dark
The person is isolated and consumed by the darkness inside of them.
But in the night
The darkness becomes stronger at nighttime.
The darkness breathes
The darkness has a life of its own and is alive in every person.
If he wills it to be
The darkness can be controlled and manipulated by the person.
Before his eyes
The person is witnessing the destruction the darkness is causing.
The music dies
The sadness is too much and the music stops playing.
But he will always hear me
Despite the darkness, there is still hope that something good can come out of it.
He sits alone
The person is still isolated and surrounded by the darkness.
The cards are shown
The future is uncertain and seems to be determined by fate or destiny.
As he embraces the dark
The person cannot escape the darkness, and thus embraces it.
The only sound
There is a finality to the person's actions, and only their heart's sound remains.
That he will hear
The person is trapped in their own darkness and suffering.
Is there in his heart
The person must confront their own inner darkness and find a way to overcome it.
Someone is whispering softly to me
The person hears the voice of hope and redemption trying to guide them through their darkness.
Shadows of things that no one can see
There are hidden fears and anxieties lurking within the person's mind.
They are there for you if you want them to be
The person must confront their fears and anxieties if they want to overcome their darkness.
You want them to be
The person must choose to confront their fears and anxieties in order to find hope and redemption.
Lyrics Ā© DistroKid, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Arthur Hamilton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
TheShadowWarriorXXX
Feel the darkness smiling
Every note is dying
Silence is refining every thought in his heart
Thought in his heart
Still the fates are weaving
Every note that's bleeding
As he sits there seething all alone in the dark
Alone in the dark, alone in the
But in the night, the darkness breathes if he wills it to be
Before his eyes, the music dies but he will always hear me
He sits alone, the cards are shown as he embraces the dark
The only sound that he will hear is there in his
Someone is whispering softly to me
Shadows of things that no one can see
They are there for you if you want them to be
You want them to be, you want them to
But in the night, the darkness breathes if he wills it to be
Before his eyes, the music dies but he will always hear me
He sits alone, the cards are shown as he embraces the dark
The only sound that he will hear is there in his heart
TheShadowWarriorXXX
Feel the darkness smiling
Every note is dying
Silence is refining every thought in his heart
Thought in his heart
Still the fates are weaving
Every note that's bleeding
As he sits there seething all alone in the dark
Alone in the dark, alone in the
But in the night, the darkness breathes if he wills it to be
Before his eyes, the music dies but he will always hear me
He sits alone, the cards are shown as he embraces the dark
The only sound that he will hear is there in his
Someone is whispering softly to me
Shadows of things that no one can see
They are there for you if you want them to be
You want them to be, you want them to
But in the night, the darkness breathes if he wills it to be
Before his eyes, the music dies but he will always hear me
He sits alone, the cards are shown as he embraces the dark
The only sound that he will hear is there in his heart
DJ Creeper Town
I'm glad you felt the need to post the lyrics to this
Penguin King
2:45 the beginning of the best solo ever!!
Alejandro Ortega
I find the solo of "Hey You" by Pink Floyd equally amazing
McKayla Rollison
The story behind these songs is so amazing
WhatsUpFridayHowl
I love this orchestra. I love his voice. enough said
Gracie Gunderson
I Love TSO! they bring rock back to its true artistic form!
infinitesheldon
Chilling and dark, as well as magnificent and inspiring... Perfect!
Mad Mozzabin
YES Absolutely amazing where was this music lost!? I love this so much, gives me the feeling of just roaring my heart out in some randomers face!
Cheyenne Patterson
carol of the bells= uplifting santa epicly delivering preasents the dark= death vampire song this band is awsome