The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
1993
a year of misery?
Darkness fills the sky.
I hear the warriors cry.
The legend tells a story
From a Viking from the north,
Who met a Death Warrior
Black Metal was never really the same.
The legend call it murder
And the Viking had survived.
But the eyes of the Death Warrior
Never saw again the sun upon the sky.
And the quintessence:
Everyone recognized war,
That Black Metal isn't just
Entertainment anymore.
I can still remember
My emotions so confused.
My soul was seeking answers.
No knife I let unused.
So many questions
I had to satisfy.
My soul was under torture,
But I knew my way was right
I see a cemetery fall asleep under fog
And I know the old days will never come again.
1993, this year of misery was the knife
which split the Black Metal scene apart.
Since that mighty day Black metal split his Way,
And the unity was never the same again.
Lies, rumors and hate.
Moneymaking, sadness and shame
And all this by, the Day as Burzum killed Mayhem.
By the Day as Burzum killed Mayhem.
Remember this day! Remember this way!
That you never betray, what here leads you
On your way!
And I never will forget
The day as this both warriors met.
The blood was hot the moon was red
And Black Metal created his own grave.
And I dream from days before
Black Metal Maniacs, no whore,
In the legions of war
The demons in our heads the law.
So I summon you once again,
We should never forget the pain
From older days in our veins
We now cut of that it can flow like rain.
Arrghh, this was the legend from
The Day as Burzum killed Mayhem.
a year of misery?
Darkness fills the sky.
I hear the warriors cry.
The legend tells a story
From a Viking from the north,
Who met a Death Warrior
Black Metal was never really the same.
The legend call it murder
And the Viking had survived.
But the eyes of the Death Warrior
Never saw again the sun upon the sky.
And the quintessence:
Everyone recognized war,
That Black Metal isn't just
Entertainment anymore.
I can still remember
My emotions so confused.
My soul was seeking answers.
No knife I let unused.
So many questions
I had to satisfy.
My soul was under torture,
But I knew my way was right
I see a cemetery fall asleep under fog
And I know the old days will never come again.
1993, this year of misery was the knife
which split the Black Metal scene apart.
Since that mighty day Black metal split his Way,
And the unity was never the same again.
Lies, rumors and hate.
Moneymaking, sadness and shame
And all this by, the Day as Burzum killed Mayhem.
By the Day as Burzum killed Mayhem.
Remember this day! Remember this way!
That you never betray, what here leads you
On your way!
And I never will forget
The day as this both warriors met.
The blood was hot the moon was red
And Black Metal created his own grave.
And I dream from days before
Black Metal Maniacs, no whore,
In the legions of war
The demons in our heads the law.
So I summon you once again,
We should never forget the pain
From older days in our veins
We now cut of that it can flow like rain.
Arrghh, this was the legend from
The Day as Burzum killed Mayhem.
Lyrics submitted by Kodos86
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Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
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To expand on the top comment, I think that the event weakened the foundations of the black metal scene. Euronymous dead and Vikernes in jail certainly was pretty crushing. Mayhem and Burzum are two of the greatest black metal bands ever, after all, apart from just being infamous. After that point, true black metal began to give way to dogshit like Dimmu Borgir while the Satanists and Pagans fought each other. Truly, they shouldn't be fighting and bands like Ragnarok attempt to bridge that divide. They share one thing in common that's defining to black metal, the burning hatred of Christianity which destroyed ancient wisdom. A healthy scene would unite under that mantra.
"Lies, rumors and hate. Moneymaking, sadness and shame"
Basically, the above line tells you what the end result was.