the crossing
Necrophobic Lyrics


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In the spiritrealm, the dark abyss of Hel
In the water cold I swim for the deathlike shore
My blood is frozen and my mind is in a daze
Through the pouring rain I can hear the grumbling dead
So this is it...
I'm crossing the river at last
To live eternally
In the shadows and the glory of the past

Death, death, death is everywhere
Lust, lust, lust is in the air
Step, step, step into the unknown
As the goddess of Hel takes me to her womb

Crossing the river cold...

Listen to the haunting choirs of the dead
They sing their hymns in horror and ghastly dread
They chant in reverence for all bewildered souls
They gather, they call us, they keep us forever

So this is it...
I'm crossing the river at last
To live eternally
In the shadows and the glory of the past

Death, death, take me, I'm incomplete
The life I've left behind feels obsolete
Open up your bosom and let me in
Goddess of Hel, I am yours





Crossing the river cold...

Overall Meaning

The Crossing by Necrophobic is a song that talks about death and the afterlife. The lyrics depict the journey of the singer from the physical world to the spirit realm, specifically to the dark abyss of Hel, which is a common concept in Norse mythology. The singer is passing through some kind of river towards the "deathlike shore", which symbolizes the final stage of his journey towards the afterlife. As he crosses this river, the singer becomes more aware of his surroundings, despite being in a dazed state of mind. He can hear the voices of the dead, who are grumbling and chanting in reverence for souls like his. The idea of the singer crossing the river symbolizes the threshold that separates life and death, and once he reaches the shore, he will live eternally in the shadows and glory of the past.


The lyrics convey a sense of longing for death, which is a common theme in black metal music. There is a clear image of the singer being incomplete in his current life and feeling a strong desire to find closure in death. The lines "Death, death, take me, I'm incomplete / The life I've left behind feels obsolete" suggest that the singer has found no fulfillment in life and is ready to embrace the unknown. The references to the goddess of Hel also indicate the influence of Norse mythology in the song's lyrics. The goddess of Hel is a deity associated with death and the underworld, and her role in the song reinforces the singer's journey towards the afterlife.


Overall, The Crossing is a powerful depiction of death and the desire for eternal rest. The lyrics are poetic and evocative, creating a vivid image of the singer's journey towards the afterlife, and the references to Norse mythology add an extra layer of depth to the song.


Line by Line Meaning

In the spiritrealm, the dark abyss of Hel
I find myself in the spiritual world, within the deep blackness of Hel.


In the water cold I swim for the deathlike shore
I swim through icy waters towards a shore that symbolizes death.


My blood is frozen and my mind is in a daze
My blood chills to the point of freezing and my mind is completely confused.


Through the pouring rain I can hear the grumbling dead
Amidst the heavy rain, I can hear the discontented dead.


So this is it...
This is the moment I have been awaiting for.


I'm crossing the river at last
I am finally crossing the river to enter the afterlife.


To live eternally
To live forever and ever.


In the shadows and the glory of the past
In the darkness and splendor of what was.


Death, death, death is everywhere
Death permeates everything.


Lust, lust, lust is in the air
The atmosphere is filled with intense desire.


Step, step, step into the unknown
Moving forward into an unknown and uncertain future.


As the goddess of Hel takes me to her womb
The goddess Hel embraces me as I enter her realm.


Crossing the river cold...
Continuing to cross the frigid river.


Listen to the haunting choirs of the dead
Hearing the eerie chorus sung by the deceased.


They sing their hymns in horror and ghastly dread
The hymns they sing are terrifying and filled with fear.


They chant in reverence for all bewildered souls
They reverently chant for all the confused souls.


They gather, they call us, they keep us forever
They gather and call us into their eternal custody.


Death, death, take me, I'm incomplete
Death, please take me, as I am not whole.


The life I've left behind feels obsolete
I feel that the life I have left is no longer relevant or important.


Open up your bosom and let me in
Please open up and accept me into your embrace.


Goddess of Hel, I am yours
Hel, I am now completely and forever yours.


Crossing the river cold...
Continuing to cross the frigid river.




Contributed by Aiden B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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