When it came time to record the band’s first demo, Jonas had offered to lay down temporary vocals for the songs although they knew this wouldn’t work in the long term. They would eventually find their vocalist in Zenny Gram, singer for the dark metal band Destiny. There was one snag, however, as Zenny could not legally perform under his own name due to a contact he had signed with Destiny. They chose to call him “Frippe” on the demo (taken from the name of a friends’ dog). In February of 1996, the band recorded their 5 track demo, which included the songs The Gift, Kingdom, To Live Again, Demons, and Liar. All but “Liar” would eventually find their way to the first Treasure Land album. The demo attracted the attention of 5 labels right away, including German based Modern Music T&T, which is who Treasure Land eventually signed with.
Mark I
“Questions,” the debut album, was recorded in September of 1996 and produced by Jonas and Magnus Hornqvist, with Alex Losback engineering. The recording went well, despite a pestering rat problem in the studio, and was released in February of 1997. The album was met with met with great acclaim, and Treasure Land found themselves voted “best new band” in several magazines and webzines.
Mark II
Shortly after the release of “Questions,” Zenny quit, feeling that he was not able to give Treasure Land the 110% they required of him. After much searching, Jonas and Magnus decided to give singer Jacob Samuelsson (ex-Totem) a call. Jacob jumped at the chance and recorded 4 demo tracks with Treasure Land (including one reworked old song, Demons). These demos would lead to the 2nd album, entitled “Gateway,” that was recorded in January of 1998 in Jönköping, Sweden.
After doing some shows in support of “Gateway,” Kaspar and Jacob both decided to leave Treasure Land, but not before Jacob recorded a cover of ex-Europe guitarist John Norum’s song “Love is Meant to Last Forever,” which appeared on the “Power from the North – Sweden Rocks the World” compilation.
After much frustration and disputes with their label, Jonas decided to put Treasure Land on hold at the end of 1998, although they still recorded a cover of “Icarus Dream Suite” for the Yngwie Malmsteen tribute album “A Guitar Odyssey.”
Mark III
The only remaining members from the last CD is Jonas and his brother and Magnus Lind, the other two members are all new.
Misery
Treasure Land Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't know if it's true am I going insane?
How can I resist what he wants to do with me
Am I all alone with this tell me
The demon lives and grows inside my mind
He wants to be with me please help me
The life that I live is all black and grey
Why can't I be someone else tell me?
Why has be chosen me I don't know?
Try to see the world in it's beauty
Taste the water pouring out of your well
Misery, this is how my life is meant to be
Misery, maybe one day you will realize
My eyes are full of fear I have seen myself today
The mirror never lies to you so they say
Will I get through all this I'm not so sure
I know I need some help please help me
Try to see the world in it's beauty
Taste the water pouring out of your well
Misery, this is how my life is meant to be
Misery, maybe one day you will realize
The lyrics of Treasure Land's "Misery" speak about the internal struggles of a person who feels like they are being possessed by a demon that resides in their mind. The singer is plagued with doubts, questioning the reality of what is happening inside their head, and whether they are truly going insane. They feel powerless in resisting what the demon wants to do with them, and they are unsure if they are alone in this struggle. The lyrics convey a sense of desperation, as if the singer is reaching out for help, hoping that someone can understand what they're going through and provide them with support.
The second verse continues to describe the singer's despair, as they see themselves in the mirror and feel a sense of fear. The line "The mirror never lies to you so they say" suggests that the singer is starting to face the reality of their situation and is no longer able to ignore what is happening to them. Despite the confusion and uncertainty they feel, they still want to see the world in its beauty and try to take joy in the little things, like drinking water from a well. The chorus reiterates the word "misery," conveying a sense of hopelessness but also a possibility for change in the future.
The song seems to be about mental health struggles, specifically someone who may be experiencing a form of psychosis or some other mental illness. The lyrics convey a sense of isolation, as the singer feels alone in their struggle and unsure of whether they can be helped. However, the song also conveys a sense of hope that change is possible, as stated in the lyrics "Misery, maybe one day you will realize." Overall, the song is a poignant expression of someone struggling with their mental health and a call to action for others to take mental health seriously.
Line by Line Meaning
The voice that I hear speaks inside my mind
I am hearing a voice inside my head and I am unsure if it is real or a product of my imagination.
I don't know if it's true am I going insane?
I am questioning my sanity because of the voice I am hearing inside my head.
How can I resist what he wants to do with me
The voice is urging me to do something and I am struggling to resist its demands.
Am I all alone with this tell me
I am feeling isolated and hopeless in my struggle against the voice in my head.
The demon lives and grows inside my mind
The voice in my head feels like a demonic entity that is taking over my mind.
He wants to be with me please help me
The voice is becoming stronger and I am desperately seeking help to control it.
The life that I live is all black and grey
My life feels bleak and devoid of joy because of the constant struggle with the voice in my head.
Why can't I be someone else tell me?
I am envious of others who do not have to deal with the same struggles that I am facing.
He makes my mind so confused is he fore real?
The voice in my head is causing me to doubt my perception of reality and is making me feel confused.
Why has be chosen me I don't know?
I am feeling like a victim to the voice in my head and do not understand why it has chosen to torment me.
Misery, this is how my life is meant to be
I am resigned to the fact that my life is destined to be filled with misery because of the voice in my head.
Misery, maybe one day you will realize
I am holding onto the hope that one day, someone will understand and help me overcome this misery.
My eyes are full of fear I have seen myself today
I am scared of what I am becoming under the influence of the voice in my head and have seen glimpses of that in myself.
The mirror never lies to you so they say
I am questioning my own perception of reality and relying on the idea that the mirror reflects the truth.
Will I get through all this I'm not so sure
I am unsure if I have the strength and willpower to overcome the voice in my head and the misery it brings.
I know I need some help please help me
I am reaching out for help to anyone who can assist me in silencing the voice in my head.
Try to see the world in it's beauty
I am being urged to look beyond the darkness and misery of my situation and find beauty in the world.
Taste the water pouring out of your well
I am being encouraged to appreciate the simple pleasures of life, such as drinking water from my own well.
Contributed by Annabelle S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.