Since releasing 2012's acclaimed "Sedition" (their fifth album), which Decibel lauded as a "hyper-blasting, inhuman, machine-like attack," Hour of Penance toured globally, playing well over 200 gigs alongside such acts as Behemoth, Skeletonwitch, Cannibal Corpse, The Black Dahlia Murder, Devildriver, Psycroptic, Misery Index, Deicide, Belphegor and Nile.
Band members:
* Paolo Pieri – vocals, guitars
* Giulio Moschini – lead guitar
* Marco Mastrobuono – bass
* James Payne – drums
Hierarchy of the Fools
Hour of Penance Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With morality and religion
Hideous form of malevolence
Indignant self-celebration
Complete demise of human rights
Defeat of the reason
Denied knowledge to hide disgusting horrors
Eradicate the seeds of the cowards
Hands of the preachers to excise
Crown of thorns in the head of the lying ones
Innocent lambs follow their leaders
Foes of the enlightenment, foes of humanity
Foes of the progress of reason
Debauched hierarchy, deceivers of the weak
Foes of the enlightenment, foes of humanity
Foes of the progress of reason
Debauched hierarchy, deceivers of the weak
Nail, everyone is ruling us
Nail, the preachers of lies
Nail, everyone's oppressing us
Nail, the defilers of truth
Nail, everyone is ruling us
Nail, the preachers of lies
Nail, everyone's oppressing us
We'll drown into obscurity
We'll be lost in the dark
We'll drown into obscurity
We'll be lost in the dark
Alone, where every sound is eaten by the silence
Producing abhorrence of life
With morality and religion
Hideous form of malevolence
Indignant self-celebration
Complete demise of human rights
Defeat of the reason
Denied knowledge to hide disgusting horrors
Hiding horrors
Foes, foes of the enlightenment, foes
The fucking deceivers of the weak
Foes of humanity, foes
Nail, who's ruling us
Nail, everyone's ruling us
Nail, who's oppressing us
Nail, everyone's oppressing us
Nail everyone, pushing us down, must be nailed down
Deceivers of the weak
Nail the deceivers of the weak
The lyrics of "Hierarchy of the Fools" by Hour of Penance convey a sense of disgust towards organized religion and authority figures who abuse their power. The song suggests that those in positions of power, such as preachers and leaders, are deceiving and oppressing the weak. The use of the word "nail" throughout the song emphasizes the desire to bring these individuals down and expose their lies.
The lyrics also touch on themes of knowledge and enlightenment, suggesting that those in power deny knowledge in order to hide "disgusting horrors" and maintain control over the population. The line "complete demise of human rights" speaks to the idea that those in power have taken away the fundamental rights of the people they are meant to protect. The imagery of "innocent lambs" following their leaders paints a bleak picture of blind obedience and control.
Overall, the lyrics of "Hierarchy of the Fools" are critical of the very systems we rely on to provide us with morality and guidance. The song warns us against blindly following authority figures and encourages us to seek knowledge and enlightenment in order to break free from oppression.
Line by Line Meaning
Producing abhorrence of life
Creating a strong feeling of disgust towards existence
With morality and religion
Using ethical and religious beliefs to instill this feeling
Hideous form of malevolence
A repulsive expression of wickedness
Indignant self-celebration
Arrogantly reveling in this depravity
Complete demise of human rights
The total destruction of fundamental entitlements
Defeat of the reason
The triumph of irrationality over logical thinking
Denied knowledge to hide disgusting horrors
Suppressing truth to conceal abominable deeds
Hiding horrors
Concealing grotesque atrocities
Eradicate the seeds of the cowards
Eliminating the origins of timidity
Hands of the preachers to excise
Use the power of religious leaders to cut out these origins
Crown of thorns in the head of the lying ones
A sign of punishment for the deceitful
Innocent lambs follow their leaders
Nieve followers blindly follow these deceitful leaders
Foes of the enlightenment, foes of humanity
Adversaries of knowledge and progress, adversaries of people
Foes of the progress of reason
Enemies of logical thinking and advancement
Debauched hierarchy, deceivers of the weak
A perverse, corrupt structure that manipulates vulnerable individuals
Nail, everyone is ruling us
Condemning those in power for controlling us
Nail, the preachers of lies
Condemning religious figures for spreading falsehoods
Nail, everyone's oppressing us
Condemning all oppressors
Nail, the defilers of truth
Condemning those who corrupt the truth
We'll drown into obscurity
We'll disappear and be forgotten
We'll be lost in the dark
We'll be unable to see or understand anything
Alone, where every sound is eaten by the silence
Completely isolated in a deafening stillness
Foes, foes of the enlightenment, foes
Enemies against progress and knowledge
The fucking deceivers of the weak
Those who manipulate and lie to the vulnerable
Foes of humanity, foes
Enemies of the human race
Nail, who's ruling us
Questioning who is in power over us
Nail, everyone's ruling us
Accusing everyone of having control over us
Nail, who's oppressing us
Questioning who is inflicting suffering upon us
Nail, everyone's oppressing us
Accusing everyone of being oppressors
Nail everyone, pushing us down, must be nailed down
Condemning anyone who suppresses or oppresses others
Deceivers of the weak
Those who manipulate and lie to the vulnerable
Nail the deceivers of the weak
Condemning and punishing those who exploit the vulnerable
Contributed by Kaylee O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.