In mid-1985, Rozz Williams left Christian Death, in part due to his increasing interest in experimental music and performance art. Rozz reemerged in 1989 to reclaim the reigns of Christian Death. Reuniting with former bandmates Rikk Agnew and Eva Ortiz, they embarked on a U.S. and Canadian tour that carried them into 1990. Upon returning to Los Angeles, CA, United States, the band went into the studio and lay the tracks for “The Iron Mask”, the first in a series of recordings Rozz would make and release through newly founded Cleopatra Records. The intial release included, "Skeleton Kiss", an obscure Christian Death track dating back to “Only Theatre of Pain”. Fans and radio delighted in Rozz’s return to Deathrock, resulting in Cleopatra Records releasing “Skeleton Kiss” as a single.
Several compilations and live material followed, including, “Invocations”, which compiled live tracks from 1981-1989. More interestingly, was the inclusion of four unreleased studio tracks. Two of the tracks gave fans an idea of Rozz’s vision for the follow-up to “Only Theatre of Pain”. The remaining two tracks exhibit material from 1985, planned for the follow-up to “Ashes”.
Christian Death recorded an additional two studio albums for Cleopatra, “The Path of Sorrows” (1993) and “The Rage of Angels” (1994). The releases were heralded by critics worldwide as masterpieces drawing on all of Rozz’s influences and exhibiting all of his musical directions.
Having successfully reclaimed Christian Death as his own, and restored its tainted image to new glory in the eyes of fans, friends and critics - Rozz decided the time was right to also reclaim the band’s demise. What had been robbed of Christian Death on 6 April, 1985, was now solely in the hands of Rozz Williams to carry out. On 12 June, 1993, in the massive Patriotic Hall in Los Angeles, Christian Death: Rozz Williams, Rikk Agnew, George Belanger, Casey, and Frank Agnew performed one last show to a sold-out crowd. The concert was professionally recorded, and later released as “Iconologia : Apparitions, Dreams and Nightmares”.
In Absentia
Christian Death Featuring Rozz Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I have etched the scrolls into my skin
The hangman's noose, 13 lies which cross the barrier/burial
There is a sin not yet committed
O, he of sleepless flight - be merciful.
I have found myself lost amongst the shards
Of a world reduced to shadow
Sentenced to a lifetime in this prison
Abandoned myself to secret corners
Instead I turned to face the day
Treading through the storm of the horror
And decay
How could I be so blinded
Cut down and so misguided?
Caught in deception, in deception
O, he of splintered sight - be merciful
For I know not what I do
I walk the road that leads to an early grave
As tears stream down my rigid face
Well, I should keep one eye turned towards heaven
As I drag my body through the flames
Instead I turned to face the day
Fighting with the demons I have made
Spilled all my hope along the way
It falls out, it falls dead
Shattered fragments, endless waves
O, he of sleepless nights - be merciful
I have found myself lost amongst the shards
If only I had severed ties,
Ties that bind all my dreams to lies
I could have walked away from it all
I could have walked away from it all
And found that peace waits in absentia
"In Absentia" by Christian Death is a song that portrays a sense of despair and hopelessness about the future. The lyrics describe the singer's feeling of having made wrong decisions in life, leading to his current state of being lost amongst the shattered world. He has etched the scrolls into his skin, and his life is a prison sentence. The hangman's noose and the thirteen lies, which cross the boundary of burial, are symbolic representations of the singer's life choices. He is caught in deception and is blinded by his actions.
The singer's guilt and feelings of unworthiness are clear in the lyrics. He walks the road that leads to an early grave, and tears stream down his rigid face. He wishes to be shown mercy by the almighty. He regrets not having severed ties that bind him to his dreams of lies. He could have abandoned himself to secret corners but instead turned to face the day. Through the storm of horror and decay, he drags his body through flames, fighting with the demons he has made.
In conclusion, "In Absentia" is a deeply melancholic and introspective song about the singer's regretful past and a desperate plea for redemption. The lyrics are metaphorical and philosophical, portraying the human experience of grappling with one's inner demons.
Line by Line Meaning
I have etched the scrolls into my skin
I have committed the teachings and rules of my religion so deeply within my being that it is as if they are inscribed permanently onto my body.
The hangman's noose, 13 lies which cross the barrier/burial
The consequences of my sins weigh heavily on me - they are like a noose around my neck, and I have crossed a point of no return, where death is my ultimate punishment.
There is a sin not yet committed
Although I have done so much wrong, there is still a part of me that knows of further evil that I have yet to engage in - and this sends shivers down my spine.
O, he of sleepless flight - be merciful.
Oh, God, who is always watching over us, please show me mercy and kindness as I navigate these difficult times.
I have found myself lost amongst the shards
I have become completely fragmented and broken down into pieces, the result of living in a world full of darkness and problems.
Of a world reduced to shadow
The world has become so dark and dismal that everything is reduced to shadow, with no form or variation.
Sentenced to a lifetime in this prison
I am living a life of punishment and despair that feels like an eternal sentence in a prison without any access to light or warmth.
Well, I should have taken this omen and ran
I should've seen the warning signs ahead of time and tried to exit my situation before it got worse, but I failed to recognize what was happening.
Abandoned myself to secret corners
Instead of facing my problems, I have hidden myself away from them and taken refuge in obscure spaces.
Instead I turned to face the day
But instead of staying hidden in the shadows, I have chosen to face the harsh light of day and its accompanying realities.
Treading through the storm of the horror
I am living through a nightmare-like experience filled with terrible and unspeakable horrors, one step at a time.
And decay
And I watch the decay of the world and of my own self in despair.
How could I be so blinded
I am shaken to the core with regret - how could I have been so blind to not have seen the implications of my actions ahead of time.
Cut down and so misguided?
I have been struck down by life and left feeling disillusioned and misguided about the path I took.
Caught in deception, in deception
I have been caught in a web of deceit, and even in my attempts to be honest with myself, I feel trapped and unable to get out.
O, he of splintered sight - be merciful
Oh, God, who sees everything but is also divided, please show me grace, in spite of all the fragmented pieces of my soul.
For I know not what I do
I feel like I am living in a fog of confusion and darkness, where I have no control over my actions, and am driven by forces that are beyond my understanding.
I walk the road that leads to an early grave
Despite desperately trying to alter my path, it seems that I am still walking towards an untimely death.
As tears stream down my rigid face
I am filled with overwhelming emotion and pain, and I am unable to convey it through any means other than tears.
Well, I should keep one eye turned towards heaven
I should pray for guidance and try to maintain a connection to God even in the face of such difficult times.
As I drag my body through the flames
Despite the metaphorical flames that surround me, I must continue to move forward with my life and struggle on.
Fighting with the demons I have made
I am constantly locked in battle with the demons that I have created in my own life, which threaten to consume me completely.
Spilled all my hope along the way
I have lost all of the positivity and optimism that once defined me and now feel devoid of any hope or possibility for change.
It falls out, it falls dead
Any hope that I once held now feels lifeless, without form and substance - simply falling away into nothingness.
Shattered fragments, endless waves
I feel completely shattered and broken into endless fragments, constantly being subjected to wave after wave of difficulty and pain.
O, he of sleepless nights - be merciful
Oh, God, who never sleeps and who is constantly watching over us, please show me mercy and guidance during these times of pain.
If only I had severed ties,
If only I had broken away from the things that hold me down and weighed me heavily, I could have avoided this pain.
Ties that bind all my dreams to lies
I am trapped and weighed down to the point where I can no longer distinguish between reality and fiction, and fear that all of my dreams are simply misguided and false hopes.
I could have walked away from it all
If I had only had the courage to take a step back and reassess my life, I could have broken free and started anew.
And found that peace waits in absentia
If I could only let go of the things that bound me and hold me down, I would finally find the long-awaited peace and relief that I so crave.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bcnangeljanmiquel7412
gracias ... en 1994 lo vi , en Barcelona españa Sala Akelarre , fué uno de los conciertos que guardo con mas amor ... Rozz tenia algo que no se aprende , lo tienes o no
@caseyhulteng4309
Justin, I knew you were a legend, didn't know you were LEGENDARY
@justinbennettdrums
😅🎉
@dalive___7230
Amazing
@kopisg
Coming up on 25 years... I remember that night well. RIP
@justinbennettdrums
❤️
@jeromealexandre3391
What an incredible show - miss Rozz 😢
@summerbalmora8969
wow thank you for posting
@johncollins7843
From Coven 13 on 21 September 1997.Thanks for sharing this Justin.
@justinbennettdrums
My pleasure John!