There are multiple artists that use the name Yearning: (1) a Finnish atmosp… Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple artists that use the name Yearning: (1) a Finnish atmospheric doom metal band, and (2) a Canadian emoviolence band.

(1) The story of Yearning began at the turn of 1994/1995 when during some gloomy winterday of Finland two individuals, guitarist/vocalist J. Palomäki (R.I.P) and drummer T. Kristian decided to satisfy their burning desire for dark and emotional Metal music.

They started under the name Flegeton, which was taken from Dante Alighieri's (1265-1321) most famous work Divina Commedia, representing a river of blood in the Seventh Circle of Hell. Few songs were already written and after awhile of searching they found another guitarist Tero Kalliomäki and made a 4-track tape called Trough the Desolate Lands. Material on this tape could be described as melodic dark/death metal and as these songs suffered from a lack of originality it wasn't widely distributed.

In July '95 band went to MDM-studio, Tampere with their new bass player Mr. Woodland. The result, The Temple of Sagal demo was a huge step forward with clean and harmonic vocals, acoustic guitars, keyboards and most of all a touching sorrowful atmosphere.

The demo contains following songs:
1. Silent Caves
2. Obliteration
3. The Temple of Sagal
4. In the Hands of Storm

These songs were widely praised by enthusiasts of melancholic and mighty music. It also caused a record deal offer from French-based label Holy Records. The band agreed and contracted to Holy for a two full-length albums.

In February '96 band went to Tico-Tico studio, Kemi with their new material. At this point a name was changed to Yearning, because they felt their old name didn't represent the overwhelming amount of feeling, which has become their trademark. Yearning recorded "Autumn Funeral" during these sessions. This song is known from the Hold Records compilation The Holy Bible.

With material inspired by a mighty nature of Finland and dark inner landscapes of an artistic mind Yearning went to Tico-Tico Studios again, to record their debut full-length album With Tragedies Adorned. The album was recorded between 16th and 29th of September '96. It contains 60 minutes of rich, beautiful music full of sorrow and anguish. Besides basic rock metal instruments, flutes, acoustic guitars and keyboards enrich the sound and atmosphere on this album. With Tragedies Adorned was released on the 28th of February, 1997 and during the spring the band promoted their debut and performed live.

The song titles are:
1. Remnants of the Only Delight
2. Bleeding for Sinful Crown
3. Flown Away
4. Haze of Despair
5. The Temple of Sagal
6. Release
7. In the Hands of Storm
8. Canticum

The band visited Tico-Tico Studios on 18-19 October 1997 to record it's own interpretation of Paradise Lost's "Eternal" for a Paradise Lost tribute album released by Holy Records. After this, the band started to prepare for the first European tour which took place 26 December 1997 to 12 January 1998. The tour consisted of 16 gigs in Holland, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France. Other bands on the road were Greek Nightfall and French SUP.

After the tour it was time for intensive writing and composing process. New tunes of gloom and sadness were more majestic and symphonic and the ceremony of capturing the sound took place on 18 August to 9 September 1998 at Tico-Tico Studios. This second album by Yearning, Plaintive Scenes was released in February 1999. It contains the following hymns:

1. Naivete
2. Unwritten
3. Grey
4. Soliloquy
5. Plaintive Scenes
6. Soliloquy II
7. Eyes of the Black Flame
8. Nameless

The year 1999 brought the departure of former guitarist Tero Kalliomäki, bass player Mr. Woodland, and flutist/vocalist Lady Tiina Ahonen due to personal and musical disagreements. The founding members continued, with composer/vocalist J. Palomäki handling all necessary instruments in the studio and T. Kristian still on percussion. The outcome, the 3rd album of Yearning entitled Frore Meadow was recorded once again at Tico-Tico Studios on 2 through 29 May 2000. This atmospheric album was more clearly inspired by progressive, gothic and classical music, the with familiar characteristics of Yearning: a sorrowful, melancholic mood. It was released 15 January 2001 on Holy Records, and contains eleven tracks:

1. Bleak
2. Solitary
3. Autumn
4. The Fall
5. Years of Pain
6. Forsaken
7. Frore Meadow
8. The Race
9. Elegy of Blood
10. In Strange Slowfooted Fever
11. Disappearance.

Yearning recruited new musicians for live appearances: Matti S. (guitar), Loikas (bass), Jouni J.N. (keyboards). In 2001 Yearning toured France with a label mates Gloomy Grim and Misanthrope.

New material was composed and arranged very carefully during the years of silence. The outcome, Evershade, the fourth album of Yearning, was finally recorded this time at Astia studio with Anssi Kippo as a co-producer 9th-22nd of June 2003 as a two piece line-up.This album was released at the end of September 2003, being the most mature opus of the band to date. Massive arrangements and great melodies reign on this impressive album. It has 8 tracks:

1. Nocturne
2. Statues Amidst a Frozen Sand of Time
3. Conditio Humana
4. Aureole
5. Evershade
6. Deathbearer
7. Contemplation
8. A Day When the World Started to Weep

After a quiet period while J. Palomäki began working on the funeral doom project Colosseum Yearning recorded their fifth and final album. On this record, T. Kristian was replaced by the drummer Aki Kuusinen. The final album, titled Merging Into Landscapes, was released on Holy Records in July 2007, and featured 11 tracks:

1. Prologue: Nascentes Morimur
2. Kaleidoscopic Inscape
3. Sphere of Disgust
4. Return
5. Datura Stramonium
6. October Rain
7. Lethean Waters
8. Merging Into Landscapes
9. Dead
10. The Dying Morn
11. Epilogue: Nemo Ante Mortem Beatus

Following this album, J. Palomäki continued to compose three Colosseum albums. His death in 2010 marked the end of both groups.

(2) Yearning is an emoviolence band from Montréal, Quebec, Canada. Their album MMXXII was released on 30 January 2022 by the Canadian label No Funeral Records.

Contemplation
Yearning Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Can you draw a line between self and world
And bear it all
For there's dark and cold but you're colder inside
And torn apart
So you're watching the fall of everything around
With your tired eyes
Mocking the absurd from your withdrawn chamber
Where you've buried alive

Sullen seas of emptiness...

Apparently you're free but still chained to the world
Belied with intentions
Take the poison now, let the world explode
And be reborn from emptiness

The only true insight will come after all is ruined and gone
At the final point where nothing is to be undone

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Yearning's song Contemplation are gloomy and introspective, they describe a sense of detachment from the world, and the struggles of searching for meaning and purpose in life. The first verse poses a challenging question, if one can differentiate between their self and the world, and still carry a burden for everything that exists. The contrast between the "dark and cold" outside and the "colder" inner self, leads to a perception of being "torn apart." The singer is a mere spectator, sadly observing the decay of everything, uninterested in engaging with the world, or taking part in its affairs. Perhaps due to a traumatic event or a profound sense of disillusionment, they have decided to retreat to an isolated state, where they feel safe but also trapped, and where the only thing they can do is to "mock the absurd" from afar.

The second verse is even more nihilistic, depicting the singer's feelings of being trapped and powerless by the illusion of "apparent freedom," the weight of their actions, and the state of the world. They suggest that the most reasonable thing to do is to "take the poison now," and let everything explode or collapse, hoping that something new and pure will arise from the ashes. This is a paradoxical view of life, that is only after everything is ruined and undone, that true insight can be obtained.

Overall, the lyrics of Contemplation are thought-provoking and poignant, expressing a sense of hopelessness and yearning for personal freedom and enlightenment in a world that is too complicated and impure. The song speaks to anyone who has ever felt detached or powerless, and tries to understand the contradictions of human existence in a universe that seems indifferent to our struggles.

Line by Line Meaning

Can you draw a line between self and world
Are you able to distinguish between your own identity and the outside world?

And bear it all
Can you handle the burden of such a realization?

For there's dark and cold but you're colder inside
The world may be harsh, but your inner demons are even harsher.

And torn apart
You are emotionally and mentally shattered.

So you're watching the fall of everything around
You are witnessing the destruction of the world.

With your tired eyes
You are exhausted and have lost hope.

Mocking the absurd from your withdrawn chamber
You find humor in the ridiculousness of the world while isolating yourself from it.

Where you've buried alive
You have intentionally isolated yourself emotionally and mentally.

Sullen seas of emptiness...
Your existence is plagued by loneliness and a sense of emptiness.

Apparently you're free but still chained to the world
You may think you're free, but you're still bound and affected by the outside world.

Belied with intentions
Your intentions may not be as honest as you think.