So this has been.my favorite song of OTEP's since it came out in 2004, and I always thought it was a song about a child's narrative of suffering in an abusive Christian home. But now that I am revisiting the lyrics, I am seeing something totally new.
This song could be gospel of John but from the perspective of Jesus.
Jesus was NOT having a good time up to and during the crucifixion. Everyone in the known world at the time looked to him with fear, admiration or disgust and he was constantly being asked questions. He spoke in "verses, prophesies and curses". He had made an enemy of the state, and believed the world was increasingly wicked and fallen from grace, or that he was in the "mouth of madness".
The spine of atlas is the structure that allows the titan to hold the world up. Jesus challenged the state and in doing so became a celebrated resistance figure. It also made him public enemy #1.
All of this happened simply because he was doing his thing, not because of any agenda he had or strategy.
And then he gets scourged (storm of thorns)
There are some plot holes here but I think it's an interesting interpretation.
He sleeps under black seas waiting
Lies dreaming in death
He sleeps under cosmos shaking
Stars granting his breath
He wakes as the world dies screaming
All horrors arrive
He wakes giving earth it's bleeding
Pure madness alive
And he haunts you
And he blinds your soul
And he loathes you
And reclaims it all
You turn to stone
Can't look away
You turn to stone
Madness, they say
Cthulhu awaken
He sways in abyss returning
Inhaling black skies
He shakes with a torture burning
All lost in his eyes
And he haunts you
And he blinds your soul
And he loathes you
And reclaims it all
You turn to stone
Can't look away
You turn to stone
Madness, they say
Cthulhu awaken
You turn to stone
Can't look away
You turn to stone
Madness, they say
Sanity taken
Seething damnation
Cthulhu awaken (wake)
Winged salvation
Death by creation
Cthulhu awaken (wake)
Dreaming no more
Cthulhu awaken (wake)
Dreaming no more
Cthulhu awaken (wake)
Dreaming no more
Lies dreaming in death
He sleeps under cosmos shaking
Stars granting his breath
He wakes as the world dies screaming
All horrors arrive
He wakes giving earth it's bleeding
Pure madness alive
And he haunts you
And he blinds your soul
And he loathes you
And reclaims it all
You turn to stone
Can't look away
You turn to stone
Madness, they say
Cthulhu awaken
He sways in abyss returning
Inhaling black skies
He shakes with a torture burning
All lost in his eyes
And he haunts you
And he blinds your soul
And he loathes you
And reclaims it all
You turn to stone
Can't look away
You turn to stone
Madness, they say
Cthulhu awaken
You turn to stone
Can't look away
You turn to stone
Madness, they say
Sanity taken
Seething damnation
Cthulhu awaken (wake)
Winged salvation
Death by creation
Cthulhu awaken (wake)
Dreaming no more
Cthulhu awaken (wake)
Dreaming no more
Cthulhu awaken (wake)
Dreaming no more
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This is third time Metallica has looked to H.P. Lovecraft for inspiration. The first was Call of Ktulu on Ride the Lighting and the second as The Thing That Should Not Be on Master of Puppets. For those that might not be familiar, Cthulhu is one of "The Great Old Ones," star-spanning beings far more powerful than Gods. Cthulhu is a being who brings death and insanity (as alluded to in the lyrics), worshiped by dark cultists who want to bring about the end of worlds and revel in the agony and chaos Cthulhu brings.
He's probably super fun at parties.
@GiveMeHam Actually, it is the Fourth time, as All Nightmare Long, from Death Magnetic, which was about the Hounds of Tindalos. Said creatures were only inspired by Lovecraft, as they were featured in the eponymous short story written by Frank Belknap Long.
The video of Metallica's Dream No More seems to be influenced by Faith No More, if you look at the outfit of Faith No More in 2015..
Some more HP Lovecraft.