Away
Before the Dawn Lyrics

The first line “One circle of sun ago” refers to the passage of time in days or as in this case, years. The singer mentions that in the past, they saw colors in the person they are addressing, instead of 13 shades of gray. This could indicate that they once saw potential, depth, and vibrancy in this individual, but now they have become jaded and lost those qualities.

The next line “Today you name disgraced, with your shape erased from pictures” shows how the singer views this individual now. They are disgraced, discredited, and erased. The imagery of their shape being erased from pictures is significant as it portrays how this person has lost their identity and importance in the singer’s life.

The last line of the first verse “Like 8th day of creation” refers to the biblical creation story where God rested on the 7th day after creating the world. The 8th day is often associated with new beginnings and the unknown, which could indicate that the singer no longer knows who this person is and doesn’t want them in their life anymore.

The chorus talks about how the singer prefers silence over any communication with this individual as their interactions only bring negativity and self-inflicted harm. They urge this person to “turn away” and “walk away” instead of seeking retribution for whatever actions they may have taken.

The last verse is particularly harsh in its language. The singer mentions that if this individual were to return, they would “slay and burn” them. They refer to them as a “faceless one” and “deadman’s phantom” indicating that this person has lost all identity and existence in the singer’s life.