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
Thorns
Pallbearer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Awakening
Returning waves of time
The blood that runs away from here
Unknown to the ones left behind
These thorns are all I can feel
Fragmented shards of a god
Better left scattered
In another life
Alongside
The harbinger
An ever-present wound
Spills words that flow tomorrow
A message written in blood
It appeared
As a ghost
A whisper out of time
Can't walk away
From atonement
Was it worth it all
And can we ever find our way back home?
In the song "Thorns" by Pallbearer, the lyrics evoke a sense of awakening and the passage of time. The reference to the earth-child suggests a connection to nature and the cycle of life. The blood that runs away symbolizes a departure or detachment from something familiar, leaving those who are left behind oblivious to what has occurred.
The singer of the song describes feeling these thorns as their only sensation, suggesting emotional pain or anguish. These thorns can be interpreted metaphorically as fragmented shards of a god, representing a sense of brokenness or loss. The next lines convey a desire to leave behind memories that are better left scattered, perhaps indicating a yearning to move on from a difficult or haunting past in another life.
The mention of the harbinger, an eternal wound, implies a persistent source of sorrow or suffering. The words that spill forth and flow towards tomorrow indicate a message that carries on into the future, written in blood as a profound and visceral expression. The appearance of a ghost and a whisper out of time represents a haunting presence and a sense of timelessness. The questions raised in the final lines ask about the worthiness of atonement and the possibility of finding a way back home, suggesting a search for redemption and a longing for a place of belonging.
Overall, "Thorns" communicates a complex emotional journey, with themes of awakening, detachment, pain, longing, and the search for meaning and closure.
Line by Line Meaning
The earth-child
A vulnerable being of Earth
Awakening
Coming to awareness
Returning waves of time
The cyclical nature of existence
The blood that runs away from here
Life force departing
Unknown to the ones left behind
Unfamiliar to those who remain
These thorns are all I can feel
All I perceive are painful obstacles
Fragmented shards of a god
Broken remnants of a divine entity
I leave a memory
I create a lasting impression
Better left scattered
More preferable when dispersed
In another life
In a different existence
Alongside
Beside
The harbinger
The bringer
An ever-present wound
A perpetual source of pain
Spills words that flow tomorrow
Reveals messages of the future
A message written in blood
A communication inscribed with suffering
It appeared
It manifested
As a ghost
As a spirit
A whisper out of time
An uttered secret beyond temporal bounds
Can't walk away
Unable to escape
From atonement
From redemption
Was it worth it all
Was the cost justified
And can we ever find our way back home?
Will we ever discover our path to return to familiarity?
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Brett Daniel Campbell, James Devin Holt, Joseph David Rowland, Mark Alan Lierly
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
D. Carfield
I've listened to this so many times, and still at 3:57, without fail, cold chills just cover my body. Fuck, I love that riff!
Mother Madness
same here. especially when the vocals start. fucking depressing yet so beautiful.
WaffenWaffle
Really wish there were better tabs for this song. Also really wish I had the money for a baritone guitar lol
Chris Reid
👌🔥
Bill Vrabel
Quality Doom Metal, I'm glad they are getting even more melodic. This album should be killer.
Jay Bee
Bill Vrabel and it was!
LastWordKinsley
I get goosebumps when Campbell sings "The earth-child, Awakening. Returning waves of time." Something about how he sings "time" makes that part all that more haunting and beautiful.
Trashboat
I love Pallbearer with all of my heart.
Aaron
The evolution of this band is just so impressive. I love the sound
bjjbrawler1
As a 44 yr old NJ/ NYC kid, who loves hardcore, man this stuff hits hard.