Cranking The Sirens

I think hellfighter hit the bullseye on this one. It seems like its about depression, perhaps too much stress and people on one's back. Contemplation of suicide just to relieve some pain/stress to achieve some peace and quiet

In my opinion, the interpretation of the suicide and social pressure makes a lot more sense and has solid evidences. TLDR at the end if you don't want to read allat

• We have to first talk about some context: '' Cranking the Sirens '' comes from the album Figure #5 (their fifth album how original lmao) who was published in 2003. From 2000-2006, the group has seen a growth in their popularity (see Wikipedia) and have been going on tour way more than before. Touring has been the source for a lot of stress among the group, and caused the departure of Henry Ranta, drummer, soon after the publishment of Fig. #5, and more recently David Andersson. Here's the first theme of Fig. #5 concerning the pressure of a new popularity and from taking new initiatives. The other titles from the album also mention a rough time for the group. I have in mind Departure Plan, which is about someone trying to prevent his friend from committing suicide (see in the title). That's the second theme of the album. Finally, I believe the final theme would be about an addiction we don't know yet what it is, but it has also been referenced later in '' This Momentary Bliss '' from The Living Infinite.

• And now about the lyrics. I've seen a lot of double meanings while reading them, so my analysis might not be right. -First interesting thing is: did you notice how '' watch him bleed '' becomes '' watch him breed '', think about what it means. -this song talks about two people: the person who wants to die (protag) , and the '' trigger man ''. They might be the same person, but the trigger man refers to the gun, or the person holding the gun. The trigger man is also referenced as '' his misanthropical friend '' I believe, as the two characters are seen as friends '' another friend to drag down the hallway '' (friend here is the protag).

• what are the sirens? They have two meaning: first the alarm, as seen by the use of cranking which would work for a mechanical object. They could also be the mythical creatures that lured men to their death, but then used metaphorically to represent a deadly temptation. I think they mean both: '' watch him crank the sirens tearing up his soul '' follows '' watch him bleed [...] Monday '' (in the first half). This time the sirens would represent the sound of an ambulance after the suicide of the protag. '' tearing up his soul '' could be then explained as ripping his quest for silence in the eternal slumber '' he believes in silence ''. But then when it follows '' watch him breed [...] freakshow Monday '' (second half), sirens takes a different meaning. Breed is usually a word referring to love making, and thus lust and bliss. I believe there the sirens take the allure of the mythical creatures, under the form of a harmful addiction (probably drugs, listen to '' This Momentary Bliss ''). It makes sense since he's the one cranking the sirens that are tearing his soul = he's actively doing something that's hurting him.

In the end I could talk about more but this was my interpretation. I still have more to talk about like '' showing the world how his life's supposed to be ''.

BUT WAIT: I'd really like to like this with Departure Plan from the same album, since they have the same themes yes, but also, read that extract from the lyrics: '' Your passion for art is your well hidden cure '' There are a lot of similarities with the lyrics of Cranking the Sirens. '' remedy '' = '' cure '' '' '' If there's ever gonna be a state for your well-hidden art ''

In the end I guess that makes that a good ending: the protagonist didn't meet a tragic end: he managed to escape his demons, his torture chamber and found peace in his own '' silence '', alone and at peace, dedicating himself to art. So this song very well may be about Henry Ranta, who left the group after the release of Figure #5.

That's all I had to say. If you read through all that, congrats, you have an attention span that's above the one of a goldfish!

But for the other here's the TLDR:

• this songs (as well as the album) have the themes of suicide, stress and pressure, and an addiction to something. The lyrics show a protagonist conflicted, gun in hand, about to commit the irreparable. He doesn't (at least I believe so) and turns to another solution to hold on, probably drugs or something to leave an addiction. Finally, this is enough, and the protagonist completely retire from the terrible sounds of the sirens, to settle in peace and dedicate to his passion: art.

Amazing song anyway, Soilwork is honourable.

great song by a epic band. not sure what it means but the song is amazing. it may be he is finding a remedy to his problem in his mind."he'll never show to the world how his life supposed to be, drenched by the dark in his mind"

Depression --> Suicide

man that bridge after the 2nd chorus is amazing but yah sounds like suicide

If it's about suicide then I think the sirens are ambulance sirens.

"He believes in silence." Silence = death? "He believes that this is the end." Once again, death? "He can't hear the sirens, cause silence is the greatest sleep of them all." You can't hear things when you're dead, taking that silence = death from before.

Thats my thought on that part.

it's most like depression in general. He's depress, he thinks of suicide but he try to find out a remedy into his life. He fell into drug or something that cause addiction seeing it as a remedy. So this man is diying inside but he won't show his problem to others

You\'re all wrong. It\'s about a psychopath drenched by the dark in his mind with possibly a double personality that gets off killing people.