Their debut album "Elyria" was released in 1993 and was followed by "Annwyn, Beneath The Waves" in 1996, in part a concept album based around the four elements. 1999 saw the release of their third album, "Evidence of Heaven". In 2001, "Vera Causa" a 2 CD set featuring a live permormance and various rarities was released. "The Burning Season" followed in 2004, and featured a more rock oriented formula. They continued to explore the boundaries of Gothic Rock with their 2009 album, :ankoku butoh: , an album which saw them delve into far-east Asian aesthetics.
Faith and the Muse currently live in Los Angeles, California, USA. Their website is http://www.mercyground.com
The Hand of Man
Faith and the Muse Lyrics
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Kill-darkened skies Painted black, so black with misery Raining down with impunity
Oh, the cross we've brought to bear
In the treason fields Where man again destroys what man built
Man wears the weighted cloak of man's guilt For the blind we must remind
Raise your eyes Behind a martyr's mask of supplication
I find you guilty by association Mute, somehow divine
I Sing True I can see right through you
The child in your hanging head lays bleeding Another dream to drown
Ignorance Seek your knowledge in the volumes of dust
Render all to ashes and rust And child, bring that hammer down
I sing true I can see right through you
These latter days They bear eternal winter's coming frost
And the death of innocence In this dying age we wander lost
Deny the Hand of Man
Celebrate Wherever mercy falls drunk you'll find me
In the gutter, ever in the company Of angels, and of kings
Millennium All the memories will fade like twilight
Take your place on either side of midnight And sing, dear brother, sing
I sing true I can see right through you
Right on cue That face you wear betrays you
In Faith and the Muse's song, The Hand of Man, the lyrics paint a bleak picture of a world that is marred by humanity's greed and destructive tendencies. The opening lines refer to the ebb and flow of the tides, implying that even nature is impacted by man's destructive behavior. The season is "mortal," a word that suggests death and decay. The world is "tainted with despair," and the skies are "kill-darkened" and "painted black" with misery.
As the song continues, the imagery becomes more vivid and the message clearer. The "cross we've brought to bear" is a reference to the burden of our own guilt - the realization that our actions have had severe consequences. In the "treason fields," man destroys what they have built, and wear a "weighted cloak of man's guilt" as a reminder of what we have done. The martyr's mask of supplication is a callout to false piety that allows for human suffering to continue.
The bridge then takes a harsher turn, calling people to seek the truth and reject ignorance. We are urged to search for knowledge in the "volumes of dust" and to "render all to ashes and rust." The chorus then brings us back to the central message of the song - the denial of the hand of man and the embrace of a life beyond our own failures. The song ends with a plea to "sing" and to find companionship with angels and kings.
Line by Line Meaning
Come the tides We hear tell of the mortal season Fed rife with rhyme and reason Tainted with despair
As the cycle of time progresses, we hear stories of the human condition, full of both purpose and suffering.
Kill-darkened skies Painted black, so black with misery Raining down with impunity Oh, the cross we've brought to bear
The skies are darkened with death and despair and we suffer for the consequences of our actions.
In the treason fields Where man again destroys what man built Man wears the weighted cloak of man's guilt For the blind we must remind
In the places where humanity turns against itself and ruins its own creations, we must remember the burden of our shared guilt.
Raise your eyes Behind a martyr's mask of supplication I find you guilty by association Mute, somehow divine
Behind a facade of selflessness, I see that your actions have contributed to the problem and you are complicit in the suffering, yet inexplicably revered as if guided by a higher power.
I Sing True I can see right through you Thirst for truth Spit out the lies inside and search for meaning The child in your hanging head lays bleeding Another dream to drown
I speak honestly and can perceive the falsehoods within you. Strive for truth and reject deception in order to discover purpose. But the child within, once hopeful, now suffers from disappointment and disillusionment.
Ignorance Seek your knowledge in the volumes of dust Render all to ashes and rust And child, bring that hammer down
Don't remain in ignorance, but seek understanding in the wisdom of those who have come before. Destroy the outdated and corrupt systems, for a new generation to bring about change.
These latter days They bear eternal winter's coming frost And the death of innocence In this dying age we wander lost
We live in dark times, with the approach of death and the loss of purity. We are adrift and without direction in a world already in decline.
Deny the Hand of Man Celebrate Wherever mercy falls drunk you'll find me In the gutter, ever in the company Of angels, and of kings
Reject the destructive tendencies of humanity and instead revel in the moments of kindness and compassion. Even in the depths of despair, I will find solace in the company of greatness.
Millennium All the memories will fade like twilight Take your place on either side of midnight And sing, dear brother, sing
Time marches forward and eventually all we cherish will be lost. Embrace life and its inevitability, and use your voice to express yourself to the world.
I sing true I can see right through you These latter days They bear eternal winter's coming frost And the death of innocence In this dying age we wander lost
I continue to speak the truth and see through the masks of deception. Once again, I reference the current state of affairs - the coming of eternal winter and the loss of purity. We continue to wander aimlessly, unsure of where to go or what to do.
Right on cue That face you wear betrays you
Your outward appearance doesn't match the truth of your character, and it is evident now.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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