MEANINGS BEHIND THE SONGS
as explained by:
David Draiman
David Draiman
click on the song title for the lyrics
PRAYER
WRITTEN ABOUT THE NOTION OF A VENGEFUL GOD THAT COMMON JUDEO-CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE IN. IN DIRECT RESPONSE TO THE STATEMENTS MADE BY ORAL ROBERTS AND JERRY FALLWELL, WHO STATED THAT THE HORROR OF SEPTEMBER 11TH, WAS A PUNISHMENT FROM GOD. THAT WE DESERVED IT, FOR BEING SUCH A SINFUL PEOPLE. I THOUGHT THESE STAEMENTS SO IRRESPONSIBLE. THEY WERE USING THE PAIN AND FEAR THAT WAS GENERATED TO EMPOWER THEMSELVES. INSTEAD OF CONSOLING THEIR FLOCK IN THEIR TIME OF NEED, THEY CHASTISED THEM. THE SONG IS MY CONVERSTAION WITH THEIR IDEA OF GOD. THAT IF GOD TRULY INFLICTS VENGEFUL ACTS OF PAIN AND SUFFERING UPON ITS CREATIONS, AS A SORT OF TEMPER TANTRUM, IN ORDER TO ILLICIT A RESPONSE, THEN BRING IT ON. THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE THROWN AT ME THAT WILL DETER ME FROM MY CHOSEN PATH, OR BREAK MY SPIRIT. IT SPEAKS TO THE INDOMINABLE NATURE OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT, THAT NO MATTER WHAT LIFE, FATE, OF GOD THROWS AT YOU, YOU HAVE THE STRENGTH AND WHEREWITHAL TO GET THROUGHT IT.
LIBERATE
CALLING ON THE WORLD TO LIBERATE THEIR MINDS, AND CEASE CONFLICT BASED ON BLIND HATRED, AND DIFFERENCES OF BELIEF. CALLING FOR THE DAY THAT HAS BEEN FORTOLD IN EVERY MAJOR RELIGION. THE NOTION OF THE END OF DAYS. THE COMING OF THE SO CALLED MESSIAH.
AWAKEN
CALLS TO THOSE WHO FALL PREY TO THE MASS PRODUCED, NONSENSE RIDDEN, POP PHENOMENON, TO AWAKEN. IN ANGER, I'M AFRAID, THUS THE STATEMENT "FEED ON YOUR NOTHING, YOU'LL NEVER LIVE UP TO ME."
BELIEVE
BELIEVE WHEN YOU LIE, TEACHING THE ART OF DECEPETION. IT IS THE TEACHER SPEAKING TO THE STUDENT. THE THEOLOGIANS CONTINUING THEIR LEGACY OF LIES. FOR THE PERPETUATION OF SUCH FALSE BELIEFS, PENANCE CAN'T ABOLVE YOUR SIN.
REMEMBER
SPEAKS ABOUT THE LIFE WE HAVE CHOSEN, AND THE THINGS WE HAVE, AND CONTINUE TO SACRIFICE TO KEEP IT. THE CHAOS OF THE WORLD WE (DISTURBED) LIVE IN, AND HOW DESPITE THE SACRFICE, TO PROVE OUR STRENGTH, WE CONTINUE TO STRIVE.
INTOXICATION
A DIALOGUE BETWEEN THAT WHICH INTOXICATES, AND IT'S VICTIM. PERSON, SUBSTANCE, LIFESTLYE.
RISE
IT IS THE RITUAL OF THE PERFORMANCE. THE COMBINED ENERGY OF BAND AND CROWD FREEING ALL FROM THER WIEGHT OF THEIR RESPECTIVE LIVES. THE SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OURSELVES AND YOURSLEVES.
MISTRESS
DESCRIBES THE NEW TRAGEDY OF OUR LIVES. THAT EVEN IF WE FIND LOVE, THE LIFE WE HAVE CHOSEN DOES NOT SEEM TO WANT TO LET US KEEP IT.
BREATHE
WRITTEN WITH AN OLD SCHOOL SLASHER-MOVIE VIBE. IT IS THE PREDATOR SPEAKING TO IT'S PREY.
BOUND
SPOKEN IN THE CONTEXT OF A RELATIONSHIP, BUT NOT LIMITED EXCLUSIVELY TO THAT EXPERIENCE. THAT THERE IS NO POINT IN TRYING TO CHANGE WHO I AM, BECAUSE I AM AT PEACE WITH ALL OF IT.
DEVOUR
WRITTEN JUST AFTER MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE QUEEN OF THE DAMNED SOUNDTRACK. I TAKE ON THE ROLE OF THE VAMPIRE.
DARKNESS
OUR FINAL WORDS. OUR LAST PLEA TO YOU, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, MY BLOOD, WHO ARE THE VERY BREATH WE BREATHE, AND WHOM WE ARE FORCED TO WEAN OURSELVES FROM, TO BEGIN AGAIN.
VOICES
WRITTEN ABOUT THE ID. THE INTERNAL VOICE IN OUR HEADS, OUR SUBCONSCIOUS. THE COMPARISON OF OUR OWN BATTLES WITH IT AS COMPARED TO THE MIND OF A SERIAL KILLER, WHO IS ALSO DRIVEN BY VOICES, ONLY TO MUCH MORE EXTREME ENDS.
THE GAME
SPEAKING ABOUT THE MANIPULATIVE NATURE OF MOST PEOPLE. THAT YOU SHOULD BE CAUTIOUS WHEN PLAYING WITH ANOTHER PERSON'S EMOTIONS, OR SOMEONE MAY MAKE YOU ACCOUNTABLE AT SOME POINT IN TIME.
STUPIFY
AGAINST RACIAL PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION. WRITTEN ABOUT A PAST RELATIONSHIP WHERE I WAS FORCED TO PART WITH MY LOVE BECAUSE WE WERE OF DIFFERENT ETHNICITIES.
DOWN WITH THE SICKNESS
SPEAKS ABOUT THE ETERNAL STRUGGLE OF THE INDIVIDUAL AGAINST THE MOTHER CULTURE OF SOCIETY THAT IS CONSTANTLY TRYING TO BEAT THE CHILD STRUGGLING FOR INDEPENDANCE AND INDIVIDUALITY INTO SUBMISSION.
VIOLENCE FETISH
SPEAKS ABOUT THE HUMAN NECESSITY FOR SOME VIOLENT SORT OF RELEASE. ENCOURAGES THAT IT BE DONE AT THE SHOW.
FEAR
IT IS A DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE TORTURED AND THEIR TORTURERS. THE "FORTUNATE ONES" MAKING YOU FEEL LIKE LESS THAN WHAT YOU ARE.
WANT
SPEAKING ABOUT A PERSON'S UNWILLINGNESS TO GIVE IN TO THEIR DESIRES, NO MATTER HOW MUCH THEY SUFFER.
NUMB
SPEAKING ABOUT THE VOID LEFT AFTER YOUR HEART HAS BEEN BROKEN.
CONFLICT
PRETTY SELF EXPLANITORY. DISCOURAGES PEOPLE FROM LOOKING FOR AN ENEMEY TO FIGHT AGAINST.
SHOUT 2000
PRIMAL SCREAM THERAPY
DROPPIN' PLATES
SPEAKS ABOUT OUR UPHILL BATTLE TO BE A METAL BAND IN A CITY, AND A WORLD THAT DOES NOT NECESSARILY WANT ONE.
M.O.L.
ENCOURAGES EXISTENTIALISM.
OTHER SONGS
PEREFECT INSANITY
GOD OF THE MIND
A WELCOME BURDEN
DEHUMANIZED