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.
Voices
Treasure Land Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tell me what you see,
Can you see the fear
I hide inside?
Who are you, judging me this way,
Can't you see the truth behind the lies?
Sometimes a dream may seem so strange to you,
It isn't always what it seems to be
There must be some answers to my questions
Can you hear me calling out to you,
(He is calling)
Can't you see the things that I can see;
(Can you see them?)
There must be some answers to all this
They told me to listen to the voice above me,
It speaks the truth and so they say.
No one will ever leave their place alone,
There always someone you'll get to know
Sometimes a dream may seem so strange to you,
It isn't always what it seems to be
I don't know just what to do,
There must be some answers to my questions
Can you hear me calling out to you,
(He is calling)
Can't you see the things that I can see;
(Can you see them?)
There must be some answers to all this
The lyrics to Treasure Land's song "Voices" express the confusion and fear that can arise from feeling judged and misunderstood by others. The singer asks the listener to look into their eyes and see the fear hidden inside. They then question why the listener is judging them without understanding the truth behind their lies. The singer is grappling with uncertainty and seeks answers to their questions, feeling lost and in need of guidance. They wonder if what they are experiencing is just a strange dream or if there is something more to it.
The chorus asks the listener to hear the singer's calling and to see what they can see. There must be answers to all of this confusion and fear, and the singer is asking for help in finding the way forward. They mention being told to listen to the voice above them, which speaks the truth, but they also recognize that no one can go through life alone and that getting to know others is important.
Overall, this song expresses the universal desire for understanding and guidance in the face of uncertainty and fear.
Line by Line Meaning
Look into my eyes,
The singer is asking the listener to take notice and focus on what they are saying.
Tell me what you see,
The singer is asking the listener to describe what they observe when they look at the singer.
Can you see the fear
The singer is questioning whether the listener can identify the fear that the singer feels inside.
I hide inside?
The singer acknowledges that they conceal their fear beneath a facade they present to the world.
Who are you, judging me this way,
The singer challenges the listener for making judgments without fully understanding the singer's perspective.
Can't you see the truth behind the lies?
The singer wishes that the listener would recognize that the singer isn't being fully truthful, but they have a valid reason to be discreet.
Sometimes a dream may seem so strange to you,
The singer recognizes that their aspirations might be unconventional, but that doesn't make them invalid.
It isn't always what it seems to be
The singer acknowledges that their dreams might have additional layers that the listener might not realize or appreciate.
I don't know just what to do,
The singer expresses their confusion and lack of direction.
There must be some answers to my questions
The singer seeks resolution and solutions to their current predicament.
Can you hear me calling out to you,
The singer is desperately trying to communicate to the listener in hopes of being heard and understood.
(He is calling)
The singer repeats their plea for connection and validation.
Can't you see the things that I can see;
The singer wants the listener to understand and sympathize with their vision and perspective.
(Can you see them?)
The singer challenges the listener once again to empathize with their point of view.
There must be some answers to all this
The singer reiterates their determination to find resolution to their questions and quandaries.
They told me to listen to the voice above me,
The singer reveals that they have been advised to follow a particular course of action or adhere to a particular way of thinking.
It speaks the truth and so they say.
The singer questions the veracity of the advice they have been given.
No one will ever leave their place alone,
The singer suggests that no one is ever truly alone, as everyone has their own set of life experiences and struggles.
There always someone you'll get to know
The singer hints that people always come across others in life with whom they can empathize and relate.
Contributed by Gianna V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.