According to Erik Danielsson, when the band formed, "there weren't really any bands anymore that seemed to take things that seriously, and there weren't that many bands that actually consisted of, you know, people that did so much more than just play the music that they liked and the same kind of music that their idols play". They released their demo Go Fuck Your Jewish "God" in 1998 and their live tape Black Metal Sacrifice in 1999, which they do not intend to re-release. In October 1999, the band released their EP The Essence of Black Purity through Grimrune Productions, which they consider to be their first official release, and played a show together with Malign and Dark Funeral, organised by Watain and Grimrune Productions.
Watain's debut album Rabid Death's Curse was released through End All Life Productions and Drakkar Productions in 2000, followed by a split EP with Diabolicum released through Spikekult Records. A split LP with Malign was planned in the early 2000s and supposed to be issued by Grimrune Productions before the recording of Watain's second album Casus Luciferi, but never got released. Watain toured Europe with Unpure in early 2002. In 2003, they again entered the studio to record their second full-length album, Casus Luciferi, which features lyrics by Necromorbus of Funeral Mist (who also produced all their studio releases since The Essence of Black Purity and played live bass for them), MkM of Antaeus and Scorn of Katharsis. The Stellar Descension Infernal Tour through Europe followed, alongside Secrets of the Moon and Averse Sefira. They also toured throughout 18 countries with Dissection on their two months-long 'Rebirth of Dissection' tour in 2004. Dissection member Set Teitan supported Watain in Russia in 2005 due to live bassist Whorth's absence, and later became an official live member of the band.
In 2006, members of the band did the Hitler salute and wore t-shirts of the NSBM band Absurd after their gig on German festival Party San Open Air, leading to accusations of being a Nazi band. Asked about this incident in an interview to the German online metal magazine Metal.de, Erik Danielsson (vocals and bass) gave an evasive answer, but when asked about his views on NSBM, he explained the band sees it as a joke: "NSBM is a joke, a despaired approach of people who're incapable to comprehend the perversion and the insanity of Black Metal. They're trying to appear extreme and limit their selves in their conception to that kind of society, which describes something that we wouldn't care less about. Fuck the world! Black Metal doesn't have anything to do with the world like you know it."
Their third full-length album Sworn to the Dark was released in Europe on 21 February 2007, then they toured Europe along with Celtic Frost, Kreator and Legion of the Damned. In 2008, they played their first headlining tour in North America with Book of Black Earth. Eclipse Eternal and Kronosfear joined them for some shows as well.
In 2010, Watain released a single for the song "Reaping Death" in two formats, picture disc vinyl with a cover of the song "Chains of Death" by Death SS, and digisleeve CD with a cover of the song "The Return of Darkness and Evil" by Bathory. It was followed by the album Lawless Darkness, released on 7 June 2010.
In 2013, Watain have announced the completion of their fifth album, The Wild Hunt, to be released on 19 and 20 August 2013 in Europe and United States, respectively. The album release will be followed by world tour that will begin in Uppsala on 24 August. The first single of the album, "All That May Bleed", was released on 21 June and features as B-side the song "Play with the Devil", "originally recorded by the Black/Heavy Metal band Taiwaz in 1988, in Uppsala." The second single of the album, "The Child Must Die", was released on 17 July 2013.
Current members:
E. (Erik Danielsson) - Vocals, Bass
P. (Pelle Forsberg) - Guitar
H. (Håkan Jonsson) - Drums
Live:
Set Teitan (Davide Totaro) - Guitar
A. (Alvaro Lillo) - Bass, Guitar
S.L. (Selim Lemouchi) - Guitar
Previous:
C. Blom - Guitar (1998–2000)
Mörkkh (Jonas Lindskog) - Bass
Necromorbus (Tore Stjerna) - Bass (Session 2000–2002)
Sworn to the Dark
Watain Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You futile walls of flesh and blood.
For I have seen your structure clear
and I know where to stab.
Right in the heart.
There shall I place my dagger
Naught shall veil my sight
but the thickness of the mysteries.
So block not my path
Your spells can't fetter me.
Beneath the laws of man
I bend not!
For it is holy,
The sword I bury in thee.
It is the Lord himself
who commands me.
Sworn to the Dark.
Sworn to the Dark.
Sworn to the Dark.
To the Death and far beyond.
The all-defying pendulum of radiant conviction,
so determined in it's pace,
pounding now through flesh and bone
like a hammer through a child.
Sworn to the Dark.
Sworn to the Dark.
Sworn to the Dark.
To the Death and far beyond.
Bound by an oath sealed beyond time.
Sworn to the Temple of the Damned.
Where infant entrails still hang high
upon the twisted cross.
Through raging fire,
through Death and hail.
Clinging to the Dragons tail.
And as the world behind me burns
I ride its wings on paths of No Return
The opening lines of Watain's song "Sworn to the Dark" are an invocation, addressed perhaps to the walls of a stronghold, or maybe to the defenders themselves. The singer is single-minded and unstoppable, in possession of knowledge (conjured by the "thickness of the mysteries") that will lead them straight to the heart of their enemy. The imagery here is visceral and violent, with the singer demanding that the walls not stand in the way of their bloody purpose. The lines "Beneath the laws of man / I bend not!" suggest that the singer is not bound by earthly ethics or morality, but rather by the "Lord himself." The repetition of the title phrase "Sworn to the Dark" serves as a kind of battle cry or declaration of allegiance.
The middle section of the song shifts focus slightly, describing a "pendulum of radiant conviction" that pounds through flesh and bone "like a hammer through a child." These lines are powerful and unsettling, with the visceral description of violence perhaps serving as a metaphor for the relentless pursuit of a dark goal. The line "Bound by an oath sealed beyond time" reinforces the notion that the singer's purpose is inexorable, beyond any human intervention. The final lines conjure another vivid image, with the singer riding on dragon's wings through a burning world on paths of "No Return."
Overall, "Sworn to the Dark" is a song that celebrates single-minded purpose and the will to power. Its imagery is often graphic and violent, and its themes are in keeping with the black metal tradition of seeking transcendence through darkness.
Line by Line Meaning
Block not my path!
Do not obstruct me!
You futile walls of flesh and blood.
You weak humanoid obstacles.
For I have seen your structure clear
I understand you completely.
and I know where to stab.
I know exactly where to strike.
Right in the heart.
Directly into the vital organ.
There shall I place my dagger
I will thrust my knife there.
Naught shall veil my sight
Nothing will obstruct my view.
but the thickness of the mysteries.
Only the complexities of the situation.
Your spells can't fetter me.
Your enchantments cannot restrain me.
Beneath the laws of man
Despite human regulations.
I bend not!
I do not submit.
For it is holy,
Because it is sanctified.
The sword I bury in thee.
I will plunge the blade into you.
It is the Lord himself
It is the divine being.
who commands me.
Who directs my actions.
Sworn to the Dark.
Pledged loyalty to the realm of darkness.
To the Death and far beyond.
To the point of death and even further.
The all-defying pendulum of radiant conviction,
The pendulum that resists all opposition with unwavering certainty.
so determined in it's pace,
So resolved in its movement.
pounding now through flesh and bone
Crashing through physical barriers.
like a hammer through a child.
With brutal force, destroying like a child's toy.
Bound by an oath sealed beyond time.
Committed by an eternal and unbreakable pledge.
Sworn to the Temple of the Damned.
Dedicated to the cursed place of worship.
Where infant entrails still hang high
Where remains of innocent children are still on display.
upon the twisted cross.
Hung from the deformed and perverse symbol of suffering.
Through raging fire,
Amidst intense flames,
through Death and hail.
Through death and hostile weather.
Clinging to the Dragons tail.
Holding steadfast to the dragon's tail.
And as the world behind me burns
While the world around me is consumed by flames,
I ride its wings on paths of No Return
I travel beyond the point of no return on its fiery winds.
Contributed by Abigail D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
iockerman
One of the best black metal albums of all time. Stellarvore is fucking awesome.
qiyamat93
One of the few newer black metal bands that are carrying the original spirit & torch . . . .
rickeylaveau
Satyricon's torch
steve disgustipate
could ya be more glib...or cliché...there johnny carson/?
SDS
Legions of the black light may be my favorite Watain song of all time such a banger!
Luis Cordova
EXCELENTE BANDA ...FOREVER!!!
Mad Mex
The stench of death in the air when watching them live is incredible and something I've never experienced watching countless live black metal shows. Wonder how they did it.
Vincent Delalande
Exellent ce groupe 🤘je ne connaissais pas c'est énorme et super bien joué et la voix aussi 🤘🤘🤘cool
Satanic Panic
Great album☺ and without any bs😈
Izzat Hazim
Fall in love with this band !