Zimmers Hole is a humorous thrash/speed metal band from Vancouver that bega… Read Full Bio ↴Zimmers Hole is a humorous thrash/speed metal band from Vancouver that began life as a side project in 1991 for members and friends of Strapping Young Lad, with their debut album being produced by Devin Townsend and released on his label Hevy Devy Records. Lyrics took inspiration from comedic anecdotes from tours past, backed by middle-of-the-road "metal flying V riffs", usually stolen from Kiss and Morbid Angel. Details of the bizarre back stories for all the songs were posted by Chris Valagao and Tracy Turner on the official SYL forums around 1999.

In 2001, when Strapping Young Lad was done touring, Jed and Byron got Devin Townsend to produce their second album Legion of Flames, released on his label Hevy Devy Records. It was a big step-up from their previous album, with song parodies such as Gender of The Beast" (Number of The Beast, Iron Maiden), "Sodomanaz" (Go For a Soda, Kim Mitchell), and spoofing Metallica's "Master of Puppets" in the song "Evil Robots" with the line "Napster, Napster, where's the cash that I've been after?". The album also contained a straight-out cover of Joni Mitchell's "This Flight Tonight" with humorously altered lyrics.

In August 2007, Zimmers Hole signed with Century Media Records for the release of their third studio album. Byron and Jed had this to say:
“Now with Zimmers Hole signing a fresh, new deal with Century Media, we have decided to give this band our full and undivided attention. No more 'side-project' status here; the men of the HOLE are fired up like a city on fire and we entered Vancouver's famed Armoury Studios today to begin tracking the new release. [...] As you can see, it's all about having a good time with the HOLE. Make no mistake though, we are very serious about our love of metal; it made us who we are, and we wear our influences on our sleeves proudly. We are now more focused than ever before and are so excited about the new album. So excited in fact, that the combined length of our erections may just reach out and touch ya!”

Shortly after, drummer Steve left the band and in December 2007 was replaced by Gene Hoglan, another former Strapping Young Lad member. Gene joined in time to start the recordings for the new album. With this roster, Zimmers Hole now has 3 of 4 former SYL members, with Devin Townsend as vocal producer. The band entered Vancouver's Armoury Studios in the same month to record the album, entitled When You Were Shouting at the Devil... We Were in League with Satan released on March 11, 2008 through Century Media Records.

In an interview with MTV on April 2008, vocalist Chris Valagao explained the origin of the album's name:
“I believe David Vincent of Morbid Angel was having a conversation with one of the guys from Forbidden," he recalled. "They were drinking and fucking around, and they got into this argument over who's more metal. The dude from Forbidden, at one point, turned to Dave and said, "Dude, when you were shouting at the devil [a reference to Mötley Crüe], I was in league with Satan [a reference to Venom]," and Jed was in the room and picked up on that. So we started saying it as a joke. That little statement applies to a whole bunch of shit. Basically, "When you were a poseur, I was the real deal".

Death to the Dodgers of Soap
Zimmers Hole Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Red...
Orange...

Red and orange.. the colors of your immolation
Cleanse the soil with flame
And compost the ashes unclean...

Death to the dodgers of soap

Red and orange.. the colors of your immolation
Squeegie away!!! no patchouli can hide
Putrefaction

Death to the dodgers of soap
Shadows...
Soap...soap...

Red and orange.. the colors of your immolation
Those colors look so good on you...

Death to the dodgers of soap

Overall Meaning

The song Death to the Dodgers of Soap by Zimmers Hole is a satirical commentary on the futile and destructive nature of consumerism and capitalism. The lyrics employ metaphorical and imagery-laden language to convey the message. The colors of red and orange are used symbolically to depict the destruction and cleansing that the society needs. The lyrics suggest that the capitalist society is corrupt and needs to be burnt down to compost the ashes that are left unclean. The dodgers of soap are the metaphorical representation of people who hide behind the facade of cleanliness while engaging in immoral and unethical activities. The lyrics urge people to break free from the consumerist mindset that makes them prioritize material possessions over personal growth and moral values.

The metaphorical language used in the song is challenging to decipher, but it carries a deep message that resonates with people who are tired of living in a society driven by greed and selfishness. The song reflects the angst and frustration felt by many people when they see the world around them consumed by consumerism.

Line by Line Meaning

Red...
The color red

Orange...
The color orange

Red and orange.. the colors of your immolation
You will be set on fire in red and orange colors

Cleanse the soil with flame
The fire will cleanse the soil

And compost the ashes unclean...
Your unclean ashes will be composted

Death to the dodgers of soap
Those pretending to be pure, clean, or natural will be destroyed

Squeegie away!!! no patchouli can hide
Even patchouli cannot hide the filth and impurities

Putrefaction
The state of decay and decomposition

Shadows...
Those who perpetrate lies and deceit

Soap...soap...
Representing falsehood, deceit and purity

Those colors look so good on you...
The colors of your immolation suits you well