Discography:
1998 - Vessel of Wrath (EP)
2002 - Banging the Drums of War (LP)
2012 - A Torch to Pierce the Night (LP)
(2) Purification from Germany is a death metal band. They did a split album in 2006 with Death's Head from Australia entitled "Iron Warmachine/Onward To Victory".
(3) American doom metal band from Portland, Oregon. Released both a demo (1642) and an EP (1455) in 2018. Lyrics focus on religion and the English civil war. Finally released their first full-length in 2019 entitled "Destruction Of The Wicked", followed up a year later by their second full-length, called "Perfect Doctrine", officially released on July 31, 2020.
Holy War
Purification Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Overthrow the empire built on blood
Countless lives perish day by day
While you stand still in front of this sickness
My life's mission to bring them liberation
Holy war, Fight the holy war
Countless lives perish day by day
While you stand still in front of this sickness
My life's mission to bring them liberation
Members of species that has collectively waged relentless war against defenseless creatures and all of the natural world
The human Destruction of its own kind and of the myriad forms of life with whom we cohabit the Earth must be halted
Fight fire with fire, that's what we must do
To put an end to the slaughter of the innocent
Their blood flows red just like yours or mine
Their suffering is just as real as yours or mine
Yours or mine
As a thousand tears have been shed
Brothers and sisters continue to cry and bleed
Staring into the depths of hell now i know
What my place in this world is
For justice will only be attained
If I throw myself in the frontline
Conscience is the light guiding me out of this swamp
Now I know what has to be done
Talk is ineffective and tears won't end the slaughter
Only action counts
Hoy war, fight the holy war
Overthrow the empire built on blood
The lyrics of Purification's song Holy War address the issue of the destruction of the natural world and the relentless war waged by humankind against defenseless creatures. The chorus "Holy war, fight the holy war, overthrow the empire built on blood" urges the listener to take action and fight against the destruction caused by humanity. The song suggests that standing still in front of this sickness while countless lives perish day by day is not an option, and that action must be taken. The lyrics emphasize the need to fight fire with fire and use every tool at our disposal to put an end to the slaughter of the innocent.
The verse "As a thousand tears have been shed, brothers and sisters continue to cry and bleed" expresses the pain and suffering caused by the destruction of the natural world and the need for justice. The song encourages the listener to throw themselves into the frontline and use their conscience to guide them towards the action that needs to be taken. The final verse reinforces the idea that talk is ineffective, and only action counts.
Line by Line Meaning
Holy war, Fight the holy war
Calling for a fight against the empire that has been built on bloodshed, labeling it a holy war.
Overthrow the empire built on blood
Advocating the overthrow of the empire that has been built by the shedding of blood.
Countless lives perish day by day
Pointing out the regularity and scale of loss in life in the ongoing conflict.
While you stand still in front of this sickness
Directing an accusation towards those who choose to remain inactive and indifferent towards the problem.
My life's mission to bring them liberation
Emphasizing personal motivation to strive towards achieving freedom for those who suffer.
Members of species that has collectively waged relentless war against defenseless creatures and all of the natural world
Characterizing humanity as a destructive force that indiscriminately destroys nature and all non-human creatures.
The human Destruction of its own kind and of the myriad forms of life with whom we cohabit the Earth must be halted
Highlighting the need to bring an end to human destruction, including the destruction of other forms of life on Earth.
Fight fire with fire, that's what we must do
Arguing for the use of force to put an end to innocent killings.
To put an end to the slaughter of the innocent
Calling for the end of killings of innocent individuals.
Their blood flows red just like yours or mine
Promoting empathy towards the victims of the war and stating the similarity in humanness despite differences.
Their suffering is just as real as yours or mine
Emphasizing that other individuals' pain is equally as significant as one's personal struggles.
Brothers and sisters continue to cry and bleed
Acknowledging the persistent hardships faced by those suffering and the emotional weight that accompanies it.
Staring into the depths of hell now i know
Expressing a deeper comprehension of the gravity of the situation.
What my place in this world is
Identifying one's responsibility towards the issue at hand and the importance of active participation.
For justice will only be attained
Indicating that justice cannot be achieved passively and requires effort and determination.
If I throw myself in the frontline
Acknowledging the need to take action instead of remaining idle.
Conscience is the light guiding me out of this swamp
Highlighting the importance of following one's conscience when determining how to act towards addressing the issue.
Now I know what has to be done
Asserting that one has finally come to understand the course of action that must be taken.
Talk is ineffective and tears won't end the slaughter
Rejecting the notion that words and sadness are enough to bring about change and stop the war.
Only action counts
Affirming that the most significant way to bring about change is through active participation and taking action.
Hoy war, fight the holy war
Repeatedly asserting the need for a holy war against the empire built on bloodshed.
Contributed by Alice D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.