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.
Let the madness begin
Living with snakes
Feeding the hate
Kill the betrayal
Shedding of skin
Bitter within
Cower in shame
Venomous tongue
Blacken the lungs
Inducing the pain
Inducing the pain
With constant pushing provoking reactions
Bring out the knives
To cut and divide
Another scar for memory
Bring out the knives
To cut and divide
Let 'em bleed, watch 'em burn in the fire
Digging a hole
Bury the trust
Lay it to rest
Swallow the dirt
Breathe in the dust
Savor the taste
Hammer the nails
Nothing to save
Walking away
Walking away
From constant screaming, provoking, it's madness
Bring out out the knives
To cut and divide
Another scar for memory
Bring out the knives
To cut and divide
Let 'em bleed, watch 'em burn in the fire
Bring out the knives (knives)
To cut and divide
Another scar for memory
Bring out the knives (knives)
To cut and divide
Let 'em bleed, watch 'em burn in the fire
(So keep on digging your own grave)
(Now just focus on the pain)
uh
So keep on digging your own grave
I see the panic, it's sickening
You're not a saint, not a slave
Now just focus on the pain
I hear the voices, they're calling
To sever, forever, insanity
You're not a saint, you're a slave
Breaking apart
Torn at the seems
Sanity fails
Dragged by the edge
Pushed into hell
Never again
Never again
Constant pushing, provoking reactions
Bring out the knives
To cut and divide
Another scar for memory
Bring out the knives
To cut and divide
Let 'em bleed, watch 'em burn in the fire
Bring out the knives (knives)
To cut and divide
Another scar for memory
Bring out the knives (knives)
To cut and divide
Let 'em bleed, let 'em burn
Bring out the knives
Just swallow the dirt
And breathe in the dust
Now savor the taste
No walking away
No walking away
Bring out the knives
Living with snakes
Feeding the hate
Kill the betrayal
Shedding of skin
Bitter within
Cower in shame
Venomous tongue
Blacken the lungs
Inducing the pain
Inducing the pain
With constant pushing provoking reactions
Bring out the knives
To cut and divide
Another scar for memory
Bring out the knives
To cut and divide
Let 'em bleed, watch 'em burn in the fire
Digging a hole
Bury the trust
Lay it to rest
Swallow the dirt
Breathe in the dust
Savor the taste
Hammer the nails
Nothing to save
Walking away
Walking away
From constant screaming, provoking, it's madness
Bring out out the knives
To cut and divide
Another scar for memory
Bring out the knives
To cut and divide
Let 'em bleed, watch 'em burn in the fire
Bring out the knives (knives)
To cut and divide
Another scar for memory
Bring out the knives (knives)
To cut and divide
Let 'em bleed, watch 'em burn in the fire
(So keep on digging your own grave)
(Now just focus on the pain)
uh
So keep on digging your own grave
I see the panic, it's sickening
You're not a saint, not a slave
Now just focus on the pain
I hear the voices, they're calling
To sever, forever, insanity
You're not a saint, you're a slave
Breaking apart
Torn at the seems
Sanity fails
Dragged by the edge
Pushed into hell
Never again
Never again
Constant pushing, provoking reactions
Bring out the knives
To cut and divide
Another scar for memory
Bring out the knives
To cut and divide
Let 'em bleed, watch 'em burn in the fire
Bring out the knives (knives)
To cut and divide
Another scar for memory
Bring out the knives (knives)
To cut and divide
Let 'em bleed, let 'em burn
Bring out the knives
Just swallow the dirt
And breathe in the dust
Now savor the taste
No walking away
No walking away
Bring out the knives
Lyrics submitted by EternalTearsOfSorrow
Knives Lyrics as written by Michael David Thomas Matthew Tuck
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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What the band's vocalist 'Matt Tuck' is speaking to, most simply put, is the concept of human beings being untrustworthy. That is the impression I get dealing with terminology such as “living with snakes” and references to a “venomous tongue”, not to mention more overt wording like “kill” and “betrayal”. And what it appears Matt is saying is that via such unfavorable characteristics, we tend to destroy our own interpersonal relationships. And “bring out the knives” would be a metaphor for what happens afterwards, i.e. us making a conscientious effort “to cut” the memories of said relationship out of our minds – so to speak, or something like that.