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.
When I close my eyes there are nothing but empty shades
Your familiar face that proceeds to fade
Ten years are slowly drifting by and there is nothing that relieves the pain
I’m diving in
Yeah I’m diving in
(And now I’m diving in)
Light, encircle me
I stand up and break the grey
To reach for memories that slowly start to
Fade away
Tear down my pillars of regret
Let me believe, let me refuse to forget
And now I still believe that I refuse to forget you
There is a hollow grave deep inside my chest
An empty space where I lay my dearest memories to rest
And I try to erase, lose all gravity
I still hope for better days, for a sign that you will give me
I’m still floating in the dark, hoping that one day you will
Break the night
To end this hopeless fight
Save the light
Cause I’m losing sight for what is wrong and right
These pictures and memories that we both used to share
All these unspoken words that will never touch the air
Immortal after all they fade away in the current
And in a fraction of a second we exist in the moment
I was always searching for destiny
But all I found was just you and me
Time and decay cannot tear us apart
And after all you have this place in my heart
I feel so alive
Take me back to my brighter days
To erase the pain, to erase the pain
You were everything
On my way to hope and strength
Are you the answer, are you the answer
Light, encircle me
I stand up and break the grey
To reach for memories that slowly start to
Fade away
Tear down my pillars of regret
Let me believe, let me refuse to forget
And now I still believe that I refuse to forget you
Close your eyes and feel the silence that surrounds you whole
I promise you you’re not alone, you’re not out of control
Keep on track, don’t lose faith – don’t hide any longer
Cause this hell you endure just makes you even stronger
Your familiar face that proceeds to fade
Ten years are slowly drifting by and there is nothing that relieves the pain
I’m diving in
Yeah I’m diving in
(And now I’m diving in)
Light, encircle me
I stand up and break the grey
To reach for memories that slowly start to
Fade away
Tear down my pillars of regret
Let me believe, let me refuse to forget
And now I still believe that I refuse to forget you
There is a hollow grave deep inside my chest
An empty space where I lay my dearest memories to rest
And I try to erase, lose all gravity
I still hope for better days, for a sign that you will give me
I’m still floating in the dark, hoping that one day you will
Break the night
To end this hopeless fight
Save the light
Cause I’m losing sight for what is wrong and right
These pictures and memories that we both used to share
All these unspoken words that will never touch the air
Immortal after all they fade away in the current
And in a fraction of a second we exist in the moment
I was always searching for destiny
But all I found was just you and me
Time and decay cannot tear us apart
And after all you have this place in my heart
I feel so alive
Take me back to my brighter days
To erase the pain, to erase the pain
You were everything
On my way to hope and strength
Are you the answer, are you the answer
Light, encircle me
I stand up and break the grey
To reach for memories that slowly start to
Fade away
Tear down my pillars of regret
Let me believe, let me refuse to forget
And now I still believe that I refuse to forget you
Close your eyes and feel the silence that surrounds you whole
I promise you you’re not alone, you’re not out of control
Keep on track, don’t lose faith – don’t hide any longer
Cause this hell you endure just makes you even stronger
Lyrics submitted by EternalTearsOfSorrow
Circles Lyrics as written by Lukas Kiep
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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The band themselves has said of this song; On 19th of October 2009, our guitarist Tobias lost his beloved father who battled cancer for a long and exhausting time. When Tobias told us the story about his father we were deeply shocked. CIRCLES is for those who suffered or still suffer a loss of a loved one in life. For the ones who deal with the pain everyday and still have the strength to carry on.