The first album is more traditionally metal-sounding, drawing inspiration from Black Sabbath, Motörhead and 1970s Judas Priest, while the second has significant hardcore punk/crossover influence. Both are fit neatly into the speed thrash genre, however. The lyrical themes include nihilism, anti-religious sentiment, a mockery of racism, intolerance, and general human stupidity, a heap of cynicism, and explicit tongue-in-cheek depictions of gore and despair. For example, this line from "Ground Zero Brooklyn" sums up the band fairly well: "I shit my pants as I wait for the reaper!". Song titles like "Jesus Hitler", "Race War", and "God is Dead" are also representative.
The first Type O Negative album, Slow Deep and Hard, was partially composed from material originally written for Carnivore.
Several reunion shows took place over the years. One of the shows was at Wacken Open Air 2006, where they had an 1.25 hour setlist.
Original Carnivore guitarist Keith Alexander died in a biking accident on July 11, 2005.
Peter Steele died on April 14, 2010, at the age of 48.
World Wars III & IV
Carnivore Lyrics
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But I'm not so fortunate burning right before my eyes
Stumbling I trip over pieces of descending flesh
Leaving a pile of smoldering humanoid mess
Radiation
Coming in waves
Leading me to
A nuclear grave
Will you be
Will you fight WW III
Are you ready
Are you sure
Will you fight WW IV
Humanity somehow stood up on its mutated feet
Reeling with pride man just would not accept his defeat
Into the missiles deadly disease and poison gas
Launching them off terracidal journey kills the last
Vomiting blood
I choke on my tongue
The gas from above is filling my lungs
Chorus
Silence and darkness the species of man is extinct
The boiling oceans into which the continents sink
Gravity gone the moon collides with a dead earth
Flaming world out of orbit flying into deep space
Prey for your death
If you survive
You'll die in pain
In world war V
Chorus
The song "World Wars III and IV" by Carnivore describes a post-apocalyptic landscape where humanity has destroyed itself through nuclear warfare. The lyrics capture the despair and horror of a city hit by a bomb that instantly vaporizes all life in its immediate vicinity. The singer of the song is burning, witnessing the end of the world before their very eyes, stumbling over the pieces of descending flesh and leaving behind a pile of smoldering human remains.
The second verse speaks of a mutated humanity that doesn't accept defeat and launches off missiles filled with deadly diseases and poison gases. The singer of the song chokes on their tongue, vomiting blood as the gas fills their lungs. The chorus then asks the listeners whether they are ready to fight in World Wars III and IV, questioning whether humanity can survive the destruction it unleashes upon itself.
The song comes to a harrowing end with a vision of total annihilation - the boiling of the oceans, the collision of the moon with a dead earth, and a flaming world flying off into deep space. The listeners are told to prepare for their death, to die in pain if they survive, and to face World War V.
Overall, "World Wars III and IV" is a powerful commentary on the horrors of nuclear warfare and the danger of humanity's propensity for self-destruction.
Line by Line Meaning
A bomb hits the city all life instantly vaporized
The devastation of a bomb instantly vaporizing all life in the city is witnessed.
But I'm not so fortunate burning right before my eyes
Witnessing his own burning, painful death after the bomb drops is unlucky.
Stumbling I trip over pieces of descending flesh
Pieces of human flesh are falling around in chaos as the singer tries to walk.
Leaving a pile of smoldering humanoid mess
A pile of burning humanoid remains is all that is left from the destruction.
Radiation
The invisible waves of radiation surround the artist.
Coming in waves
The radiation is overwhelming in its continuous and intense nature.
Leading me to
The radiation's effect on the singer is taking him toward something.
A nuclear grave
The radiation is leading the artist to his own grave in a nuclear wasteland.
Are you ready
The artist is questioning whether the listener is prepared for what is to come.
Will you be
The artist is asking if the listener will be ready for the upcoming events.
Will you fight WW III
The singer is challenging the listener whether they are willing to fight in World War III.
Are you ready
The artist, again, questions whether the listener is prepared for the next world war.
Are you sure
The singer wants to know if the listener is absolutely sure they are ready for another conflict.
Will you fight WW IV
The listener is once again challenged to fight in World War IV.
Humanity somehow stood up on its mutated feet
The mutated remnants of humanity are still trying to stand and survive.
Reeling with pride man just would not accept his defeat
Despite the defeat of humanity, mankind still refuses to accept their fate.
Into the missiles deadly disease and poison gas
Missiles containing deadly disease and poison gas are launched into the world's final battle.
Launching them off terracidal journey kills the last
The launch of deadly missiles results in the final death of all life.
Vomiting blood
The listener is suffering a violent and bloody reaction to the poison gas.
I choke on my tongue
The artist is experiencing a painful and suffocating effect of the poison gas.
The gas from above is filling my lungs
The poison gas is entering the artist's lungs through the air above.
Silence and darkness the species of man is extinct
After the battle is over, the silence and darkness of the world indicates the extinction of mankind.
The boiling oceans into which the continents sink
The oceans are boiling and the continents are sinking in the aftermath of the conflict.
Gravity gone the moon collides with a dead earth
The absence of gravity causes the moon to collide with Earth, which is now a dead planet.
Flaming world out of orbit flying into deep space
Earth, now a flaming world, is out of orbit and flying into deep space without any life.
Prey for your death
The listener is urged to accept their fate and pray for their death.
If you survive
If the listener somehow survives the conflict, their suffering will not end.
You'll die in pain
The listener will die in pain, regardless of whether it is sooner or later.
In world war V
The fifth world war is teased as if there will be yet another opportunity for conflict and destruction.
Chorus
The repeating chorus reinforces the cyclical nature of war and its never-ending destruction.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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