Demon of the Fall
Opeth? Lyrics
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Everything is lost.
Torn by the arrival of Autumn.
The blink of an eye, you know it's me.
You keep the dagger close at hand.
And you saw nothing.
False love turned to pure hate.
The wind cried a lamentation,
Demon of the fall.
Gasping for another breath.
She rose, screaming at closed doors.
Seductive faint mist forging
through the cracks in the wall.
I shan't resist.
In tears for all of eternity.
She turned around and faced me for the first time.
Run away, run away.
Just one second, and I was left with nothing.
Her fragrance still pulsating through damp air.
That day came to an end.
And she had lost in me, her credence.
"Demon of the Fall" is a haunting and introspective song that explores the themes of loss, betrayal, and regret. At its core, the lyrics are about a person who has nothing left and is struggling to come to terms with their own mortality. The opening lines of the song, "Silent dance with death, everything is lost," immediately set a dark and foreboding tone. The arrival of autumn, a symbol of death and decay, further reinforces this sense of impending doom.
The central figure in the song is a woman who has been betrayed by someone she loved. The line "false love turned to pure hate" suggests that this person has been hurt deeply, perhaps by infidelity or some other kind of betrayal. The demon of the fall represents the ultimate embodiment of this sense of betrayal and loss, a supernatural entity that is both terrifying and all-encompassing. The woman's screams at closed doors are a cry of despair, a desperate plea for someone, anyone to help her.
The final verse of the song is particularly poignant. The singer speaks of a woman who has lost everything, including her faith in the person she once loved. The line "And she had lost in me, her credence" suggests that the singer was responsible for this loss, and that he too is struggling to come to terms with what he has done.
Line by Line Meaning
Silent dance with death.
Moving silently, I embrace the inevitability of my own demise.
Everything is lost.
A sense of hopelessness pervades my existence, as if all is irrevocably lost.
Torn by the arrival of Autumn.
The arrival of Autumn brings with it a sense of melancholy and a feeling of being torn apart.
The blink of an eye, you know it's me.
In the span of a moment, you recognize my presence and my influence.
You keep the dagger close at hand.
Constantly wary and on guard, you keep a weapon close in case of danger.
And you saw nothing.
Despite your vigilance, you were blind to the true nature of the situation.
False love turned to pure hate.
What was once a false and shallow love has turned into a burning, intense hatred.
The wind cried a lamentation, before merging with the grey.
The wind's mournful wail echoes through the landscape, signaling a sense of loss as it merges with the bleak and colorless surroundings.
Demon of the fall.
Like a malevolent spirit unleashed by the changing of the seasons, I am a demon of the fall.
Gasping for another breath.
Desperately struggling to hold on and keep breathing, even as the end draws near.
She rose, screaming at closed doors.
Her attempts to escape a desperate situation are futile, as the doors remain firmly shut.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MIKAEL LARS AKERFELDT, SVEN PETER MALCOLM LINDGREN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind