Here's my yearly pitiful attempt to start an 'on topic' thread...
I'm wondering what literature you've found referenced or have been reminded of by Dark Tranquillity songs; be it the atmosphere of the song, the lyrics, or maybe just the way some parts are phrased that reminds you of a book, story or author's output.
It might be that DT have never taken inspiration directly from literature, in which case, this topic's pretty futile, but I'm still interested to see where you can find or have found historic literary elements to the influence of DT's lyrics and song writting.
I'll kick this shit off...
So far I'm pretty convinced Nightfall by the Shore of Time has something to do with Isaac Asimov's short story entitled 'Nightfall' (the plot as short as I can tell it is: There's this plannet with a number of suns, and a bunch of dudes sit and discuss astronomy in this big observation tower. What is upon them is the first nightfall of their race's existence, and it comes only once every million or so years (because the way the suns move and align) but with it there's anarchy and fear, as they are literally to be left with no light but the light of distant stars. It also explores man's irrational fear of darkness.)...
DT lyrics have always seemed over loaded with nice sounding, but pretty meaningless metaphors, in my opinion, and this song is no different. However some sections do remind me of that short story... such as:
Like the dark to a dying flame;
Sweepingly embracing it's grieving remains
Defiantly blazing the black that awaits
Counting the days 'till the new Age awaits.
The reason this reminds me of it is the morbid lexical set used in congruence to the subject of darkness: "dying", "grieving" and "black" (being semantically funeral related), and also this idea of the 'New Age Awaits', which sums up the feel of the short story... Knowing that with the darkness death will come and a new age of suffering will arrive. It's almost as if that verse was written for the socio historical context of Asimov's tale.
Another thing that makes me think the song and the story are associated is the artwork behind the lyrics in the skydancer re-issue which sundin has redone and put on sale in his cabinfever collection. The image depicts an island with architecturally odd looking, slightly medieval, yet definately fantasy influenced buildings on it's shore. One tall tower in the center of the cluster looks alot like the building described in the short story. The title of the artwork is also 'Nightfall'... *shrugs* maybe it's all a coincidence.
Right, if this shit bores you, which it might, let it sink. But I'm hoping you're all gonna fire out loads of obscure and intesting observations similar to my Nightfall one. Have at it!
I'm wondering what literature you've found referenced or have been reminded of by Dark Tranquillity songs; be it the atmosphere of the song, the lyrics, or maybe just the way some parts are phrased that reminds you of a book, story or author's output.
It might be that DT have never taken inspiration directly from literature, in which case, this topic's pretty futile, but I'm still interested to see where you can find or have found historic literary elements to the influence of DT's lyrics and song writting.
I'll kick this shit off...
So far I'm pretty convinced Nightfall by the Shore of Time has something to do with Isaac Asimov's short story entitled 'Nightfall' (the plot as short as I can tell it is: There's this plannet with a number of suns, and a bunch of dudes sit and discuss astronomy in this big observation tower. What is upon them is the first nightfall of their race's existence, and it comes only once every million or so years (because the way the suns move and align) but with it there's anarchy and fear, as they are literally to be left with no light but the light of distant stars. It also explores man's irrational fear of darkness.)...
DT lyrics have always seemed over loaded with nice sounding, but pretty meaningless metaphors, in my opinion, and this song is no different. However some sections do remind me of that short story... such as:
Like the dark to a dying flame;
Sweepingly embracing it's grieving remains
Defiantly blazing the black that awaits
Counting the days 'till the new Age awaits.
The reason this reminds me of it is the morbid lexical set used in congruence to the subject of darkness: "dying", "grieving" and "black" (being semantically funeral related), and also this idea of the 'New Age Awaits', which sums up the feel of the short story... Knowing that with the darkness death will come and a new age of suffering will arrive. It's almost as if that verse was written for the socio historical context of Asimov's tale.
Another thing that makes me think the song and the story are associated is the artwork behind the lyrics in the skydancer re-issue which sundin has redone and put on sale in his cabinfever collection. The image depicts an island with architecturally odd looking, slightly medieval, yet definately fantasy influenced buildings on it's shore. One tall tower in the center of the cluster looks alot like the building described in the short story. The title of the artwork is also 'Nightfall'... *shrugs* maybe it's all a coincidence.
Right, if this shit bores you, which it might, let it sink. But I'm hoping you're all gonna fire out loads of obscure and intesting observations similar to my Nightfall one. Have at it!
