Vampire Rodents' last recodings were made in 1997 when Vahnke was working on a follow-up to Gravity's Rim. Legal issues with Fifth Colvmn Records unexpectedly halted activity and the project was put on hiatus. After over a decade of inactivity, Daniel Vahnke officially announced his musical retirement and the project's abandonment in 2009. In 2016, Vahnke established an official youtube page titled Rodentia Productions and began issuing unreleased material.
Major discography:
War Music (1990)
Premonition (1992)
Lullaby Land (1993)
Clockseed (1995)
Gravity's Rim (1996)
Crib Death
Vampire Rodents Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Need a quarter million body count
Before they send the blue boys out
Neutered league of nations
It's cowardice repaid
Brave Muslims wake their asses up with a mushroom over Belgrade
Gold, opium for plutonium
Snakes before each nation's gate
Options out of time
A soldier out of combat
Is a child without a face
Don't covet them as guardians
That can't be replaced
A world war economy
Is what this order needs
Combat cable channels
Will sow them with our seeds
The Vampire Rodents song "Crib Death" is a commentary on the state of global affairs, particularly in regards to military intervention by the United Nations. The song opens with the lines "There's a simple U.N. formula now / Need a quarter million body count / Before they send the blue boys out", suggesting that the U.N. is only willing to intervene in a conflict once a certain number of casualties have been reached. The next lines take aim at the U.N.'s perceived cowardice, with the lyrics "Neutered league of nations / It's cowardice repaid". The reference to the "league of nations" is significant, as this was the precursor to the United Nations and was widely regarded as ineffective during the interwar period.
The song also touches on other issues such as the use of religion to justify violence ("Brave Muslims wake their asses up with a mushroom over Belgrade") and the economic motivations behind warfare ("Gold, opium for plutonium / Warheads cross the lines"). The chorus, "A soldier out of combat / Is a child without a face", speaks to the dehumanizing effects of war and the toll it takes on those who fight it. The final lines of the song reference the media's role in glorifying war, with the lyrics "Combat cable channels / Will sow them with our seeds".
Overall, the song can be seen as a bleak commentary on the state of the world, with the Vampire Rodents highlighting the systemic issues that perpetuate conflict and violence.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a simple U.N. formula now
The U.N. has a simple rule that says a large number of people have to die before they take action
Need a quarter million body count
A minimum of 250,000 people have to die before the U.N. takes military action
Before they send the blue boys out
The U.N. will only send soldiers to intervene in a conflict after a certain number of deaths
Neutered league of nations
The league of nations is powerless and cannot take action to prevent conflicts
It's cowardice repaid
The lack of action by the league of nations will result in negative consequences
Brave Muslims wake their asses up with a mushroom over Belgrade
Muslims will only take action when they are provoked, as seen in the NATO bombing of Belgrade in 1999
Gold, opium for plutonium
There is an exchange of valuable resources like gold, opium, and plutonium during times of war
Warheads cross the lines
Missiles are launched across borders during conflicts
Snakes before each nation's gate
There are threats and dangers lurking outside every nation's borders
Options out of time
There are no more choices or alternatives left, and action must be taken
A soldier out of combat
A soldier who is not fighting is like a child without an identity
Is a child without a face
A soldier who is inactive becomes anonymous and loses their identity
Don't covet them as guardians
Don't rely on soldiers to protect us, as they are not invincible
That can't be replaced
The loss of soldiers cannot be compensated, and they should not be viewed as disposable
A world war economy
The global economy benefits from war, making it possible for some to profit off of it
Is what this order needs
The current state of the world relies on the continuation of war for economic reasons
Combat cable channels
The media encourages war and conflict through sensationalized broadcasts
Will sow them with our seeds
The media plants the seeds of violence and conflict in the minds of viewers
Contributed by Natalie C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Matteo Baldocchi
This albums is genuinely and crazily good, almost absurd. This song contains the best parts of black metal, industrial and sound collage
Ángel Velázquez
This sooo good