Pallbearer released their debut album "Sorrow and Extinction" in February 2012 via Profound Lore Records to much critical acclaim.
The current line-up is:
Brett Campbell - vocals, guitar
Devin Holt - guitar
Joseph D. Rowland - bass
Mark Lierly - drums
Dancing in Madness
Pallbearer Lyrics
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Dripping personification
The putrid liquid
Washing all away
In the edge of mind
Lurks bleak sacred monster
Null incarnate
Defeater the way
Locked within a spell
This ritual repeats itself again
The drained one
dancing in madness
Inverse horizon stretched out
before the shivering frenzy
The serpent whispers
And the haze must return
Again the moments stop
Replaced by falsehood
Perverted image
Of the self arise, impure
Non beginning
In a self-fulfilling doomsday
Believe in your own end
And your wish will be fulfilled
Unforgiveness thrives
We cannot survive
Time -- we'll pay the price
You will not survive
Finished
In the dying of the flame
A solitary piece
Remainder of the sane
A shattered bell
In shadows still rings
And the night crying bird
Laments the loss of its wings
Even alone
The wretched voice still calls
On a not too distant day
The sky is soon to fall
The wounded one may try to search for sleep
Even in deepest night
The softest voice will sing
When all but night has gone
And hands are filled with dust
There's no one else
Who can take the blame
For those deeds are yours alone
And everything has gone away
In ceaseless erosion
In the languid sand
The seeds of pain
Are sown to grow once again
The lyrics of "Dancing in Madness" by Pallbearer paint a dark and introspective picture of a tormented mind. The song explores themes of decay, self-destruction, and the cyclical nature of suffering. It begins with vivid imagery of a putrid liquid, symbolizing the corrosive effects of negativity and despair, washing away all that is good. The "bleak sacred monster" lurking in the edge of the mind represents the inner demons we all battle with. It is described as null incarnate, suggesting that it feeds on emptiness and defeats any attempts to escape its grip.
The second verse delves deeper into the psychological turmoil, describing a spell-like state where the ritual of self-destruction is repeated over and over again. The drained one dances in madness, trapped in an inverse horizon where reality becomes distorted and fragmented. The serpent whispers, symbolizing the voice of temptation or self-destructive thoughts, and the haze always returns to cloud the mind.
The lyrics then shift to a more universal perspective, highlighting the consequences of holding onto unforgiveness and the cost of time passing. The song suggests that if we believe in our own demise, it will ultimately come true. The idea of a self-fulfilling doomsday alludes to the destructive power of our thoughts and beliefs.
In the final verses, there is a sense of resignation and acceptance of the inevitable. The image of a shattered bell still ringing in shadows symbolizes the remnants of sanity in a world consumed by darkness. The night crying bird lamenting the loss of its wings represents the pain and sorrow that echoes through the night. Even alone, the voice of despair persists, and the lyrics hint at an impending catastrophic event—the sky is soon to fall.
The concluding lines reflect on the search for solace in the midst of despair, suggesting that even in the deepest night, the softest voice will sing. It implies that there is hope and beauty even in the darkest moments, but it also acknowledges that suffering is an inescapable cycle. The seeds of pain are sown in the languid sand, destined to grow again and perpetuate the cycle of suffering.
Line by Line Meaning
Uncontested
Without opposition or challenge
Dripping personification
Symbolic representation that is slowly seeping or flowing
The putrid liquid
The foul and unpleasant liquid
Washing all away
Cleansing and removing everything in its path
In the edge of mind
On the verge or boundary of one's thoughts
Lurks bleak sacred monster
A terrifying and ominous creature that embodies gloominess
Null incarnate
The embodiment of emptiness and nothingness
Defeater the way
Overcoming and conquering the path or journey
Locked within a spell
Trapped and held captive in a magical enchantment
This ritual repeats itself again
The same ceremony or routine recurs
The drained one
The exhausted and depleted individual
Dancing in madness
Moving and reacting in a state of insanity
Inverse horizon stretched out
The opposite or reversed boundary extending in front
before the shivering frenzy
Prior to the trembling and chaotic outburst
The serpent whispers
The snake quietly communicates
And the haze must return
The confusion and fog will inevitably come back
Again the moments stop
Once more, time ceases to progress
Replaced by falsehood
Substituted with lies and deception
Perverted image
Distorted representation
Of the self arise, impure
An impure and tainted version of oneself emerges
Non beginning
A lack of origin or starting point
In a self-fulfilling doomsday
In a scenario where one's own destruction comes to fruition
Believe in your own end
Have faith in your own demise
And your wish will be fulfilled
And your desire for it to happen will come true
Unforgiveness thrives
The refusal to forgive flourishes
We cannot survive
We are unable to endure or live on
Time -- we'll pay the price
Time will exact its toll on us
You will not survive
You will not be able to continue existing
Finished
Completed or done
In the dying of the flame
During the fading or extinguishing of the fire
A solitary piece
A single fragment or part
Remainder of the sane
What is left of the rational and sound
A shattered bell
A broken bell
In shadows still rings
Still produces sound while obscured
And the night crying bird
The nocturnal bird that wails
Laments the loss of its wings
Expresses sorrow over the absence of its ability to fly
Even alone
Even in solitude
The wretched voice still calls
The miserable voice continues to beckon
On a not too distant day
At a reasonably close point in time
The sky is soon to fall
The imminent collapse or decline is approaching
The wounded one may try to search for sleep
The injured individual may attempt to seek rest
Even in deepest night
Even during the darkest hours
The softest voice will sing
The gentlest voice will still produce a melody
When all but night has gone
When everything except darkness has disappeared
And hands are filled with dust
And hands are filled with the remnants of decay
There's no one else
There is no other person
Who can take the blame
Who can assume responsibility or fault
For those deeds are yours alone
Because those actions belong solely to you
And everything has gone away
And everything has disappeared or vanished
In ceaseless erosion
Through never-ending erosion or decay
In the languid sand
In the sluggish and inactive sand
The seeds of pain
The origins or beginnings of suffering
Are sown to grow once again
Are planted to flourish anew
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB., BMG Rights Management
Written by: Brett Daniel Campbell, James Devin Holt, Joseph David Rowland, Mark Alan Lierly
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind