Volbeat was formed in 2001 after frontman Michael Poulsen split up his former band, Dominus. Volbeat plays a fusion of heavy metal and rockabilly. They are inspired by the rock n' roll legends Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash. No other Danish heavy rock band Volbeat has been able to get to position 18 at the Danish Top 100 for CD sales in over 10 years. This milestone was reached after their concert at the Roskilde Festival 2006.
Critics have generally been positive towards The Strength / The Sound / The Songs. The German hard rock magazine RockHard gave it 10/10 in a review.
Volbeat is also praised for its live performances. Their concert at Roskilde Festival 2006 received a 6/6 stars review in the Danish newspaper BT.
In week 8 of 2007, the record Rock The Rebel / Metal The Devil debuted as #1 in the Danish Top 40 for CD-sales and at the same time The Strength / The Sound / The Songs re-entered the chart at #21. Recently, the album achieved gold status for sales in Denmark.
Volbeat opened the Roskilde Festival in 2007. Volbeat also supported Metallica together with Mnemic at their concert on Denmark July 13 of that year.
More recently, Volbeat was announced to do a seven-date European spring tour and to support legendary speed metal act Megadeth in Finland and in their home town, Copenhagen. They have also already announced a few festival appearances for the summer 2008.
Volbeat has a large range of influences, which can be clearly heard in their music. On their official MySpace site Volbeat lists their influences in their own recognizable way:
"Everything from Elvis Presley to Napalm Death .. hail: Johnny Cash, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Ramones, Social Distortion, Motörhead, Black Sabbath, Dio, Megadeth, Metallica, Manic Street Preachers, Iron Maiden and bla bla bla bla..."
Volbeat's lyrics usually revolve around love, failed love or the power of a twisted mind. They thereby distance themselves from stereotypical heavy metal lyrics, although many of their most popular songs have very dark or sincere themes and plots.
Their first single was the cover version of Dusty Springfield's evergreen "I Only Wanna Be With You". The song doesn't differ much from the original with regard to the lyrics, but the accompanying music video is quite typical of Volbeat. In it, the band is seen with a classic microphone on top of a city roof.
Another popular feature of the band's lyrics are the returning "series" of songs. This is best represented with the songs "Danny & Lucy (11 pm)" and "Fire Song" from The Strength/The Sound/The Songs followed by "Mr. & Mrs. Ness" on Rock the Rebel/Metal the Devil. The story is about the two desperate lovers, Danny and Lucy, who are killed in a car crash after Lucy runs away from her family.
"Dear Mr. and Mrs. Ness, I'm so sorry to bring you this - We believe we found your girl in an old burning car way up the hill"
In the successor, "Mr. & Mrs. Ness", Lucy's mother commits suicide and the father is suspected for the murder:
"The old man is crying and he's lying - The blood on his hands' from his wife yeah"
The story is followed further by "Mary Ann's Place" from Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood, and was concluded with "You Will Know" off 2016's Seal the Deal & Let's Boogie.
Lineup
Michael Poulsen - Vocals, guitar (ex-Dominus)
Rob Caggiano - Guitar (ex-Anthrax)
Kaspar Boye Larsen - Bass
Jon Larsen - Drums
Former members:
Teddy Vang - Guitar
Franz Gottschalk - Guitar
Thomas Bredahl - Guitar
Anders Kjølholm - Bass
Official homepage : www.volbeat.dk
Magic Zone
Volbeat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Silence is not even there no more
You make it feel at ease something to embrace
A heart that's forever believing it
Life ain't that good that it's worth dying for
But baby I'll always take a bullet for you
Hold on tight before tomorrow is gone
A new day is born and the old is behind
Million crazy butterflies getting drunk we are one
I'm down on my tail but I'm up and I can feel it again
Angels wings unfold and the devil sitting moaning alone
I've been down but I'm back in a magic zone
Walking through life never thought that I could
Finding a soul mate and marry her too
We're distorted but we fit like a glove
Pleasure and pain will walk hand in hand
No place to run take it all day by day
What it takes what it makes let it breathe celebrate
The lyrics to Volbeat's "Magic Zone" reflect on the internal struggle of wanting to find peace and comfort in a seemingly chaotic world. The first stanza sets a calming tone, describing an environment in which one can feel secure and ease, with the suggestion that this feeling is brought on by someone else's presence in their life. The second stanza reflects a harsher reality, as the singer acknowledges that life is not always kind or fair, but their love for another makes it worth navigating through the hardships. The chorus then blends both of these sentiments, with the singer acknowledging that they have been knocked down before but are now back in a "magic zone", presumably finding solace in the love they have found.
The final stanza of the song is particularly poignant, as the singer reflects on finding their "soul mate" and accepting the "pleasure and pain" that comes with their relationship. They suggest that there is no running from the difficulties they may face, but they will take it day by day and "let it breathe", with the implication that by doing so they will be able to fully celebrate the love they have found.
Overall, "Magic Zone" is a song that speaks to the power of finding love and companionship amidst challenges and chaos.
Line by Line Meaning
Hide or alone you make it feel at home
Being alone is no longer scary when you’re around. You have a way of making me feel comfortable and at ease.
Silence is not even there no more
Even the quiet moments between us are filled with so much love and warmth that they don’t feel empty or awkward.
You make it feel at ease something to embrace
Being with you feels natural and comforting. It’s like being wrapped up in a warm embrace.
A heart that's forever believing it
My heart is always filled with love and hope because of you. I believe in us and our love.
Life ain't that good that it's worth dying for
Life can be tough and difficult, but it’s not worth giving up on. Even when times are hard, we should keep fighting.
But baby I'll always take a bullet for you
I love you so much that I would do anything to protect you. Even if it means risking my own life.
Hold on tight before tomorrow is gone
We should cherish every moment because time passes quickly. Let’s hold onto each other and enjoy the time we have.
A wake up call greeting me with a smile
Every day is a new opportunity to start fresh and be happy. Waking up to your smiling face makes me appreciate life even more.
A new day is born and the old is behind
We should let go of the past and focus on the present. Every day is a chance to start anew and make the most of life.
Million crazy butterflies getting drunk we are one
Our love is so passionate and intense that it feels like we’re drunk on it. We’re so in sync that we’re like one person.
I'm down on my tail but I'm up and I can feel it again
Even when life knocks me down, I have the strength to get back up again. I can feel hope and positivity returning to me.
Angels wings unfold and the devil sitting moaning alone
There is both good and bad in the world, but I choose to focus on the positive. The angels’ wings represent the good while the devil represents the bad.
I've been down but I'm back in a magic zone
I’ve had difficult times, but being with you makes everything feel magical again. You bring joy and happiness back into my life.
Walking through life never thought that I could
I never thought I could find someone who completes me and makes me so happy. You’ve exceeded all my expectations.
Finding a soul mate and marry her too
Not only have I found my soul mate, but I’ve also been able to marry her. I feel so lucky and grateful to have you in my life.
We're distorted but we fit like a glove
We may not be perfect, but we’re perfect for each other. We complement and fit each other perfectly despite our flaws.
Pleasure and pain will walk hand in hand
Life is full of both pleasure and pain. We should be prepared to face both, knowing that they often come hand in hand.
No place to run take it all day by day
We can’t escape life’s challenges, so we should take things one day at a time. We’ll get through it together.
What it takes what it makes let it breathe celebrate
Whatever it takes to make our love work, we should do it. We should let it grow and breathe, celebrating it every step of the way.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: MICHAEL POULSEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind