In the original lineup, King, Hanneman and Araya contributed to the band's lyrics, and all of the band's music was written by King and Hanneman. The band's lyrics and album art, which cover topics such as serial killers, torture, genocide, organized crime, secret societies, occultism, terrorism, religion or antireligion, fascism, racism and war, have generated album bans, delays, lawsuits and criticism from religious groups. However, its music has been highly influential, being cited by many bands as an influence musically, visually and lyrically; the band's third album, Reign in Blood (1986), has been described as one of the heaviest and most influential thrash metal albums.
Slayer released twelve studio albums, three live albums, a box set, six music videos, two extended plays and a cover album. Four of the band's studio albums have received gold certification in the United States. Slayer sold 5 million copies in the United States from 1991 to 2013, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and over 20 million worldwide. The band has received five Grammy Award nominations, winning one in 2007 for the song "Eyes of the Insane" and one in 2008 for the song "Final Six", both of which were from the album Christ Illusion (2006). After more than three decades of recording and performing, Slayer announced in January 2018 that it would embark on a farewell tour, which took place from May 2018 to November 2019, after which the band disbanded.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slayer
Studio albums
Show No Mercy (1983)
Hell Awaits (1985)
Reign in Blood (1986)
South of Heaven (1988)
Seasons in the Abyss (1990)
Divine Intervention (1994)
Undisputed Attitude (1996)
Diabolus in Musica (1998)
God Hates Us All (2001)
Christ Illusion (2006)
World Painted Blood (2009)
Repentless (2015)
Skeletons Of Society
Slayer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Since fire ruled the sky
The rich became the beggars
And the fools became the wise
Memories linger in my brain
Of burning from the acid rain
A pain I never have won
No future and no past
No one could foresee
The end that came so fast
Hear the prophet make his guess
That paradise lies to the west
So join his quest for the sun
Shades of death are all I see
Fragments of what used to be
The world slowly decays
Destruction fills my eyes
Harboring the image
Of a spiraling demise
Burning winds release their fury
Simulating judge and jury
Drifting flurries of pain
Deafening silence reigns
As twilight fills the sky
Eventual supremacy
Daylight waits to die
Darkness always calls my name
A pawn in this recurring game
Humanity going insane
Shades of death are all I see
Fragments of what used to be
Minutes seem like days
Corrosion fills the sky
Morbid dreams of anarchy
Brought judgment in disguise
Memories linger in my brain
Life with nothing more to gain
Perpetual madness remains
Shades of death are all I see
Skeletons of society
Fragments of what used to be
Skeletons of society
The lyrics of Slayer's song "Skeletons of Society" describe the aftermath of an apocalyptic event that has destroyed the world. The opening lines set the tone of the song, conveying the sense that time has become distorted and that life has been irreversibly altered. The second verse suggests that society has collapsed, with the wealthy reduced to poverty and the foolish elevated to positions of power. The images of acid rain and burning winds create a sense of environmental devastation, while the prophet who promises paradise to the west offers a desperate hope for salvation.
The third verse continues the theme of decay and destruction, with the imagery of twilight and darkness evoking a sense of impending doom. The repeated reference to "shades of death" and "fragments of what used to be" emphasizes the idea that life has been reduced to a shadow of its former self. The final verse brings the song full circle, with the closing lines repeating the chorus and the bleak refrain of "perpetual madness remains." The overall effect is one of despair and hopelessness, with the song serving as a warning about the dangers of greed, corruption, and environmental destruction.
Line by Line Meaning
Minutes seem like days
Time moves slowly and painfully, as if each moment is agonizingly stretched out.
Since fire ruled the sky
In the past, there was a great destruction that forever changed the world around the singer.
The rich became the beggars
The societal order changed drastically, leaving those who were once wealthy and powerful in a state of poverty.
And the fools became the wise
Those who were once considered foolish now possess knowledge and foresight in the dystopian society.
Memories linger in my brain
The artist is haunted by the past, unable to fully move on from the destruction they've witnessed.
Of burning from the acid rain
The destruction was so great that even the rain is toxic and painful, causing physical and emotional harm.
A pain I never have won
The suffering caused by the destruction still affects the singer, even after all this time.
Nothing here remains
The world as it once was is now completely gone, replaced by a new reality.
No future and no past
The future is uncertain and the past is forever lost, leaving only the bleak present.
No one could foresee
No one was able to predict the catastrophe that occurred, trapping everyone in this new reality.
The end that came so fast
The destruction occurred quickly and without warning, leaving the survivors reeling and confused.
Hear the prophet make his guess
There are those who claim to know what happened and what the future holds, but their predictions may be unreliable.
That paradise lies to the west
The singer is desperate for hope and direction, and is drawn to those who claim to know the way to a better future.
So join his quest for the sun
The singer is willing to follow anyone who offers the possibility of salvation and escape from this bleak reality.
Shades of death are all I see
The world is consumed by darkness and death, and life seems to be nothing more than an illusion.
Fragments of what used to be
The remnants of the past are scattered throughout the new reality, but they are often unrecognizable or meaningless.
The world slowly decays
The world is in a constant state of decay and ruin, with no hope for repair or restoration.
Destruction fills my eyes
The singer is surrounded by destruction and chaos, unable to escape the devastation around them.
Harboring the image
The singer is unable to forget or move on from the painful memories of the past.
Of a spiraling demise
The destruction and chaos is only getting worse, leading the artist to feel helpless and hopeless.
Burning winds release their fury
The destruction is relentless, with no respite from the never-ending chaos.
Simulating judge and jury
The artist feels as though they are being constantly judged and punished for their existence in this dystopian reality.
Drifting flurries of pain
The pain and suffering caused by the destruction is overwhelming, and seems to follow the singer wherever they go.
Deafening silence reigns
There is a sense of eerie calm and emptiness, even in the midst of chaos and destruction.
As twilight fills the sky
The world is perpetually shrouded in darkness and despair, with no sign of daylight or hope.
Eventual supremacy
The destruction will ultimately triumph, with no hope for survival or escape for the singer or anyone else.
Daylight waits to die
The hope for a better future or a return to a better past has faded away completely, leaving only an endless night of destruction and chaos.
Darkness always calls my name
The artist is constantly drawn to the darkness and destruction, as if it is a part of them that cannot be escaped.
A pawn in this recurring game
The artist feels as though they have no agency or control in this dystopian reality, and are simply being moved around at the whim of something greater.
Humanity going insane
The singer sees the utter madness and desperation that has consumed humanity in the face of the destruction, and feels as though there is no hope left for any of them.
Minutes seem like days
Once again, the singer is trapped in a never-ending cycle of pain and destruction, with each moment dragging on interminably.
Corrosion fills the sky
The destruction is all-encompassing, and even the sky has been corrupted and ruined.
Morbid dreams of anarchy
The artist can't help but imagine a world without rules or order, where they can embrace the chaos and destruction they see around them.
Brought judgment in disguise
The destruction and chaos that the artist sees around them is the result of some kind of divine punishment or reckoning.
Life with nothing more to gain
The singer sees no hope for a better future or a return to a better past, and is resigned to the bleak reality they are trapped in.
Perpetual madness remains
The chaos and destruction will never end, leaving the artist trapped in a never-ending nightmare.
Shades of death are all I see
Once again, the singer is consumed by darkness and death, with no hope for escape or salvation.
Skeletons of society
The remnants of the past are all around the singer, but they are all that remains of the once-great society that has crumbled to dust.
Fragments of what used to be
Once again, the remnants of the past are scattered throughout the new reality, but they are often unrecognizable or meaningless.
Skeletons of society
Once again, the artist is confronted with the reality that the society they knew is gone forever, leaving only a dark and bleak future behind.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KERRY KING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind