CIRCLE OF DEAD CHILDREN represent the audio end times, a psychotic fast forward nightmare into the sonic ash heaps of humanity. CoDC are, as noted by press, the ultimate anti-everything band; anti-life, anti-death, anti-world, anti-music and anti-you. Critically acclaimed for lyrical concept and prose as much for their hyper-extreme approach to sound, CoDC possess the ability to both wretch and annihilate the listener as well as rouse and intrigue.
Calm
Circle of Dead Children Lyrics
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With 500 shades of gray
The last festival of humility
With just enough room for a baby's first breath
Mama, papa don't come home
Arch my recollection in two
Bent over at war with pink porcelain greeting card of the viewing that you
Please sign in so it's known who's laughing
Strings from the hair of the eleventh prophet stretched and strung across
The smile
Fingering sorrow's harp
My fingers now cracked and blistered
Call the pain master and I'll bow at request
Silver stares back before it browns and crusts
Silver still reflects the spillage
The calm
How many times will I circle this room and yet never move once
Tranquillity of the flesh, water, and tile
Flesh, water, and tile
Flesh, water, and tile
You would think it could get no worse
It will
The opening lines of "Calm" by Circle of Dead Children paints a bleak picture of isolation and monotony. The singer is holed up inside, watching the world go by through the "stained glass eyes" which could signify that they are locked away from the world or are observing it from a religious perspective. The use of 500 shades of red and gray could signify the many different emotions the singer is feeling, or perhaps the many different states of decay they are seeing.
The second stanza mentions a "festival of humility" which could be interpreted as a funeral, a time when people come together to mourn and remember the deceased. However, there is "just enough room for a baby's first breath," which is a stark contrast to the mournful tone. This line could be seen as a reminder that even in our darkest times, life goes on.
The next few lines seem to be a disjointed stream of consciousness or a recollection of memories. There's a cry for Mama and Papa not to come home, which could signify abandonment or abuse. The use of "war with pink porcelain" and a "greeting card of the viewing" could be interpreted as the singer processing the loss of a loved one, surrounded by artificial sentimentality. The line "Please sign in so it's known who's laughing" could be seen as a commentary on how funerals and wakes can be uncomfortable, with people putting on a facade of false emotion.
The rest of the song continues in this vein, with disjointed images and thoughts that create an unsettling and oppressive feeling. The mention of "sorrow's harp" and "bowing at the request" could be interpreted as the singer being forced to endure their pain like a performer, with no escape or respite from it. The song ends on a note of hopelessness, with the refrain "How many times will I circle this room and yet never move once" giving the impression of being trapped in a cycle of despair.
Overall, "Calm" by Circle of Dead Children is a dark and haunting piece that explores themes of isolation, loss, and hopelessness. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a world that is bleak and oppressive, with no hope of escape or relief.
Line by Line Meaning
I hide inside watching from the stained glass eyes 500 shades of red dance
I am an observer, watching the world through the perspective of stained glass. The shades of red I see dance around me in 500 different ways, representing the many different aspects of violence in the world.
With 500 shades of gray
Alongside the many different types of violence, there exists an equal amount of apathy that seems to permeate society.
The last festival of humility
There is little room for modesty and humility in modern society - this is a dying tradition.
With just enough room for a baby's first breath
Though there is little place for humility, there is always room for new beginnings - such as the first breath of a newborn child.
Mama, papa don't come home
The artist is filled with a sense of loneliness and abandonment. They cry out to their parents, but their calls go unanswered.
Arch my recollection in two
The singer is haunted by memories that they cannot quite grasp. They attempt to hold onto them, but they slip away.
Bent over at war with pink porcelain greeting card of the viewing that you See now
The singer is consumed by grief, doubled over as they experience a painful loss. They are surrounded by memories of the past.
Please sign in so it's known who's laughing
The artist feels as though they are being mocked and belittled by an unknown presence. They wish to know who is behind the laughter.
Strings from the hair of the eleventh prophet stretched and strung across The smile
The artist references a prophet, whose hair has been used to create strings that are stretched across a smile. This implies a sense of fake happiness or false joy.
Fingering sorrow's harp
The artist is consumed by feelings of sadness, as though they are playing a harp with strings made of tears.
My fingers now cracked and blistered
The singer is worn down and exhausted by their pain, such that even their fingers show physical symptoms.
Call the pain master and I'll bow at request
The artist has given themselves over to their pain, and will do whatever it takes to make it go away - even if that means bowing down to it.
Silver stares back before it browns and crusts
The singer is looking at their own reflection in a piece of silver. They watch as it tarnishes and ages before their very eyes.
Silver still reflects the spillage
Despite the fact that the silver has aged and tarnished, it still reflects the mess that has been made - implying that the past cannot be erased.
The calm
This is a moment of stillness in the midst of chaos. A moment of relative peace where the singer can take a breath and clear their head.
How many times will I circle this room and yet never move once
The artist is trapped in a cycle of pain and sadness, unable to break free from their own thoughts and emotions.
Tranquillity of the flesh, water, and tile
In this moment of calm, the artist is able to focus on the physical sensations of the world around them - the feeling of their own body, the sound of water, and the solidity of the tile beneath their feet.
Flesh, water, and tile
These three elements - flesh, water, and tile - are all that exist in this moment, and they are enough to ground the singer in the present.
You would think it could get no worse
Despite all of the pain and hardship the singer has faced, they continue to be surprised by how much worse things can get. they are jaded but also still hopeful.
It will
The artist knows deep down that things will continue to get worse, and they are steeling themselves for whatever challenges lie ahead.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind