Xentrix were called Sweet Vengeance from 1984 to 1988.[2] The band attracted attention with a five-star rating from Kerrang! magazine, and Roadrunner Records then contacted the band asking them why they had not been sent a copy, and arranged an audition with the band. After the audition, the band was signed to the label and recorded their first album Shattered Existence in the summer of 1989.[1] The band toured with Sabbat in support of the album.[6]
In 1990, the band faced a small bit of controversy/publicity surrounding the release of their cover of Ray Parker, Jr.'s "Ghostbusters" theme, in which the original artwork for the single had an unauthorized use of the Ghostbusters logo (with the ghost flicking a V Sign).[1] The single was subsequently re-released using a different cover.[1]
The band also reached new heights when they opened for Bay Area thrash metal band Testament. Later that year they recorded their second album For Whose Advantage?,[1] which gained them yet more interest and their first music video for the album's title track. Xentrix promoted For Whose Advantage? with a tour with Skyclad, and also played shows with bands like Slayer and Sepultura.[6]
In 1992, the band decided to take a different direction with their album Kin, adopting a more progressive power metal style with their music,[1] which was considered by many[who?] to be the band's biggest mistake. Despite the critical acclaim, a video for "The Order of Chaos" was shot and received some airplay on MTV, and to promote the album, Xentrix went on tour with Tankard.[6]
After a hiatus and replacing Chris Astley with Simon Gordon and Andy Rudd on vocals and guitar respectively, Xentrix resurfaced in 1996 with their fourth album Scourge. The band broke up shortly after its release, citing the decline in popularity in the British metal scene as the reason.[6]
In 2005, Xentrix announced that they would be reuniting with its classic line-up for a small number of dates. They played a handful of shows in the UK in the spring of 2006, including one with then-recently reunited Onslaught and Evile.[7][8][9] Despite the positive response to those two shows, Xentrix announced that September that they had once again split up.[10]
On 4 February 2013, it was announced via Evile's Facebook page that a reunited Xentrix would be joining Kreator and Evile for a three-show UK tour in late April.[11] This was initially the full Shattered Existence lineup, but later in the year bassist Paul MacKenzie left, to be replaced by Chris Shires. On 15 February, the band announced that they had new material in the works.[12]
Select shows continued in early 2014, and at the Up The Hammers Festival in Athens, Greece on 8 March, they played new song "World of Mouth" for the first time, and included it in their set supporting Overkill on their UK tour, starting in London on 13 March. In October 2015, Xentrix embarked on a six-date UK tour with a reunited Acid Reign and Shrapnel.[13]
On 14 July 2017, it was announced that Xentrix had once again parted ways with Chris Astley and replaced him with Jay Walsh.[14]
On 27 March 2019, Xentrix announced Bury the Pain as the title of their first studio album in 23 years.[15] The album was released on 7 June 2019.[16][17]
In a June 2019 interview with Metal Crypt, guitarist Kristian Havard revealed that Xentrix had already begun writing the follow-up to Bury the Pain.[18] By March 2021, the band had written and demoed at least twelve songs for their new album,[19] and announced that August they were in the studio recording it.[20] The album was completed in June 2022, and a month later, the band announced Seven Words as its album title and that it will be released on 4 November.[21] In order to promote it, Xentrix (along with Whiplash and Artillery) will support Vio-lence on the European MTV Headbangers Ball Tour.[22]
The Bitter End
Xentrix Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No hope until I walk with open eyes
The way I feel I can't express
We trust each other less and less
Twisted thoughts and twisted deeds
Ever changing different needs
Never planned it quite like this
Do we end it while we can
Or should we make a differing plan?
I cannot treat you like a friend
Must we see it to the bitter end?
Confused don't know which way to go
Carry on, the hatred grows
Never have any kind of peace
Until I find my own release
Do we end it while we can
Or should we make a differing plan?
I cannot treat you like a friend
Must we see it to the bitter end?
Maybe now you'll understand
Or do you need a helping hand?
Time will pass and we will see
We were just not meant to be
The lyrics of Xentrix's song The Bitter End represent the feelings of being entangled in a web of lies and deceit. The writer acknowledges that until they start seeing things with open eyes, there is no hope for a better situation. The song tells the story of a relationship that has taken a sour turn and now both parties can hardly trust each other, leading to twisted thoughts and deeds.
The author seems at a loss on whether they should end things to save themselves from the misery or face it through to the end. They express the exhaustion and confusion of carrying on while the hatred keeps growing, as they cannot find peace until they find their own release. The song highlights the agony one feels when they're unsure of what to do, and they don't see any friend in their partner.
Overall, The Bitter End is a song about a toxic relationship and the pain that comes with it. It's a reminder of the struggle to figure out when to end something that is possibly harming one's mental health and when to have hope that things might still work out.
Line by Line Meaning
Entangled in a web or sordid lies
Caught in a tangled mess of deceit and dishonesty
No hope until I walk with open eyes
I need to face the situation honestly to find a way out
The way I feel I can't express
I'm unable to convey my true emotions
We trust each other less and less
Our trust in each other is dwindling
Twisted thoughts and twisted deeds
My thoughts and actions are becoming distorted
Ever changing different needs
Our needs are constantly shifting
Never planned it quite like this
This situation was not what I intended
No more pain I'm powerless
I am unable to bear the pain anymore
Do we end it while we can
Should we end this now before it gets worse?
Or should we make a differing plan?
Is there a way we can salvage this situation?
I cannot treat you like a friend
I am unable to treat you with the same affection as before
Must we see it to the bitter end?
Do we have to endure this painful situation till the very end?
Confused don't know which way to go
I am unsure of what decision to make
Carry on, the hatred grows
The animosity between us is increasing
Never have any kind of peace
I am unable to find any peace of mind
Until I find my own release
I need to find a way to let go and move on
Maybe now you'll understand
Perhaps you'll comprehend my point of view now
Or do you need a helping hand?
Do you require assistance to see things differently?
Time will pass and we will see
As time goes by, things will become clearer
We were just not meant to be
Perhaps we were never meant to be together
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind