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
The Mirror And The Ripper
Volbeat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Looking into the rear view mirror
The motherfuckers are all awaiting him done the line
Sick and tired of fighting, all the crap inside
Starting a new day, breathing in the morning
Got a feeling leaving something behind
He sees the lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely days
Left his car out in the desert forever more
He's got another life now explore
And forever you will hear the people talk
How they can hear his boots out in the cold
And the fallen will get down on his knees
And the fallen will get down on his knees
And forever the man in the coat
Will cast his shadow among those who know the tale
Of the gangster who shot all his demons for good
Then along came the mirror and the ripper
What do you see in the night?
Passing shadows that can scar your soul
And make you feel demonized
Hear a match and see the lightning from the ripper
What do you have in your mind?
We believe that he comes for another wicked destiny night
Dazing in the dark the life line going cold in the fire
Have you asked yourself what it is that you see?
Well, is it Mr. Cadillac or you?
Walking among those who nearly found peace
In to the light, and out of the blue
And the fallen will get down on his knees
And the fallen will get down on his knees
And forever the man in the coat
Will cast his shadow among those who know
The tale of the gangster who shot all his demons for good
Then along came the mirror and the ripper
What do you see in the night?
Passing shadows that can scar your soul
And make you feel demonized
Hear a match and see the lightning from the ripper
What do you have in your mind?
We believe that he comes for another wicked destiny night
Dazing in the dark the life line going cold in the fire
Look into his eyes you'll meet a hundred angels cry
Face the mirror, you gonna seek another day
You gonna face the mirror, you gonna seek another day
You gonna face the mirror, you gonna seek another day
You gonna face the mirror, you gonna seek another day
You gonna oh, going lonely home
The lyrics of Volbeat's "The Mirror and the Ripper" paint a picture of a man who is burdened with fighting his inner demons. He has finally reached a breaking point and is looking for a fresh start in life. He leaves his car in the desert, symbolizing his desire to leave his old life behind, and sets out to explore a new life. Despite his best efforts, however, people still talk about his past, and his legacy as a gangster who had to confront his inner demons. The man in the coat is an enigmatic figure who continues to haunt him.
As the night falls, the man is faced with the mirror and the ripper, two potent symbols that represent his inner demons. He is forced to face his fears as he gazes into the distorted reflection of the mirror. The ripper represents the darkness that lurks in the shadows, waiting to engulf him. The lyrics suggest that this is a recurring battle that he has to face every day. Nevertheless, he is determined to persevere, seeking another day, and another chance to confront his inner demons.
The song makes use of powerful imagery to convey its message of hope and resilience. It speaks to the universal struggle of overcoming personal demons and the human capacity for self-improvement. The song is a reminder that no matter how difficult life may seem, it is never too late to start anew.
Line by Line Meaning
Found the morning liquor found the morning light
Waking up, he finds alcohol and sunlight
Looking into the rear view mirror
He looks back on his past
The motherfuckers are all awaiting him done the line
His enemies are waiting for him to slip up
Sick and tired of fighting, all the crap inside
He's exhausted from battling his demons
Starting a new day, breathing in the morning
He's beginning a new chapter in his life
Got a feeling leaving something behind
He has a sense of leaving his past behind
He sees the lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely days
He remembers the lonely times in his life
Left his car out in the desert forever more
He's abandoning his old life completely
He's got another life now explore
He has a new life to discover
And forever you will hear the people talk
People will always gossip about his past
How they can hear his boots out in the cold
His reputation and presence still linger in people's minds
And the fallen will get down on his knees
Those who have been defeated will surrender
Will cast his shadow among those who know the tale
The legend of his deeds will live on among those who know
Then along came the mirror and the ripper
New challenges arise
What do you see in the night?
What fears and doubts haunt you in the darkness?
Passing shadows that can scar your soul
Negative experiences can leave lasting damage
And make you feel demonized
Those experiences can make you feel like a monster
Hear a match and see the lightning from the ripper
Sounds and images of danger are all around
What do you have in your mind?
What thoughts and emotions are consuming you?
We believe that he comes for another wicked destiny night
The challenge is fierce and daunting
Dazing in the dark the life line going cold in the fire
He struggles in the darkness, with the threat of losing everything
Look into his eyes you'll meet a hundred angels cry
If you truly know him, you'll understand his pain and sorrow
Face the mirror, you gonna seek another day
He faces his fears and continues forward
You gonna oh, going lonely home
He may feel alone, but he's determined to keep moving forward
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: MICHAEL POULSEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind