Raining Blood
Slayer Lyrics
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A lifeless object, alive
Awaiting reprisal
Death will be their acquittance
The sky is turning red
Return to power draws near
Fall into me, the sky's crimson tears
Abolish the rules made of stone
Pierced from below, souls of my treacherous past
Betrayed by many, now ornaments dripping above
Awaiting the hour of reprisal
Your time slips away
Raining blood
From a lacerated sky
Bleeding its horror
Creating my structure, now I shall reign in blood
The lyrics to Slayer's "Raining Blood" tell a haunting tale of a world in chaos, trapped in purgatory with a sky turning red and death awaiting. The opening lines, "Trapped in purgatory/A lifeless object, alive/Awaiting reprisal/Death will be their acquittance," speak to the sense of hopelessness and fatigue of life that the singer is experiencing, as they await some kind of divine intervention to free them from their current state of existence.
As the sky turns red and the singer falls under its crimson tears, they begin to feel a return to power drawing near. The line "Abolish the rules made of stone" speaks to a desire for change and upheaval, to break free from the constraints of the past and create something new. The imagery of souls dripping from above and the anticipation of reprisal all serve to create a sense of impending doom and destruction.
Line by Line Meaning
Trapped in purgatory
The people being sung about are stuck in a state between heaven and hell.
A lifeless object, alive
Although the people being sung about are technically alive, they are so miserable and hopeless that they might as well be dead.
Awaiting reprisal
The people being sung about are waiting for someone or something to get revenge on their tormentors.
Death will be their acquittance
The people being sung about are hoping for death to end their suffering.
The sky is turning red
A metaphor for violence and chaos that is about to unfold.
Return to power draws near
Someone or something powerful is about to rise again and cause devastation.
Fall into me, the sky's crimson tears
A poetic line that describes the blood rain and how it is almost like it is crying out or reaching out to the people below.
Abolish the rules made of stone
The people being sung about want to break free from the rigid 'rules' or constraints that are keeping them trapped in their current state.
Pierced from below, souls of my treacherous past
The people being sung about are haunted by their past misdeeds and traumas.
Betrayed by many, now ornaments dripping above
Those who have brought harm to these people will soon meet a gruesome end and become decorations hanging above their heads.
Awaiting the hour of reprisal
The people being sung about are eagerly waiting for the moment when they can finally get revenge on their enemies.
Your time slips away
The people being sung about are warning their enemies that time is running out for them and that they will soon face justice.
Raining blood
The blood rain is a symbol of violence, destruction, and retribution.
From a lacerated sky
The sky is being torn apart and 'bleeding' out violence and terror.
Bleeding its horror
The blood rain is causing great fear and suffering.
Creating my structure, now I shall reign in blood
The people being sung about are declaring that they will use the fear and violence around them to empower themselves and take control.
Lyrics © Ultra Tunes, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Alexander Paul Sacco, Jeffery John Hanneman, Jeris Donald Johnson, Jordan Piccone, Junius Rogers, Kerry Ray King
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind