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Death Poem III: Barefoot's Self​-​Suppression

from Death Poems by Messier 16

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about

This song recounts the last days of an older japanese man of the feudal age, who, from a life of poverty and injustice, reflects and chooses to take control over his closing actions. The concept of Death Poems has historically had a deep significance in Japanese culture, and in this story, we find an example of a life lived surrounded by others’ greed and selfishness. A deep grief spun this man’s thread of days, as he could no longer bear witness to the endless bickering of the heartless. Life is simple, yet excruciatingly unjust. Words, let flown each to each, met midways and sliced the void of endless debauchery. He would have nothing of it anymore. As he said: “To be saved from the chasm, why cling to the cliffs? Clouds floating low never know where the breezes will blow them.”

The song advances bombastically and almost in a march-like manner with a somewhat solemn, yet stubborn atmosphere, never relenting. A portrait true to its character; efficient and vivid storytelling from the vocals, and a solid backbone of riffs and grooves.

lyrics

Lyrics:

Incinerate, dim degenerate
Never saw the higher road above
There was no collapse of the terraneous brine
The neck didn’t turn in the wake of his pain

“My arrival,
My departure -
Two simple passings
That got entangled.
Empty-handed
I entered.
Barefoot I will leave it.”

Brought to old age before time
A deep grief spun his thread of days
A mind and heart home to grimy spiders’ webs
Whose mindless arrogance and violence reached to the iron sky

Subject to men who would far rather eat themselves
Than to give anything to another
Greedy are the men who cast their daisies in bronze

Words, let flown each to each,
Met midways and sliced
The void in aimless flight
Over the churned-up ground,
He would never be nothing as much as this
Endless times, time, time and again,
He worked to nullify their hatred in his heart
And thus he felt the heat of infinity

“My arrival,
My departure -
Two simple passings
That got entangled.
Empty-handed
I entered.
Barefoot
I will leave it.”

Words, let flown each to each,
Met midways and sliced
The void in aimless flight
Over the churned-up ground,
he would never be nothing as much as this
Endless times, time, time and again,
He worked to nullify their hatred in his heart
And so he leapt the one leap of them all -

“He who enters knows only his arrival
He who goes knows only his end.
To be saved from the chasm
Why cling to the cliff?

Clouds floating low
Never know where the breezes will blow them.
In blank space only to warp and soar
And come down with the roar of thunder to the sea.”

credits

from Death Poems, track released October 19, 2023
Artwork:
Lasse Almqvist Scherven & Liv Irene Almqvist Scherven

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Messier 16 Oslo, Norway

The Oslo based group Messier 16 was founded in 2017 by Jonas. The band now consists of the following quintet: Jonas Ulrik Eide on guitars, Sondre M. Svalastog on vocals, Laszlo Juhos on drums, Aleksander Ilievski on guitars and Nicoló Cavallaro on bass. ... more

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