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)
Iron Clad
Vampire Rodents Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My face could melt like this
Malted bile addiction
Flowing from my lips
And of the rose
My heart, my throne
I will not bear the day
Spawn a savior dressed in filth
Filth and Naugahyde
I walk a maze
Iron clad in Naugahyde
When you had spoken
To taint my thrill of life, the knife, the knife
Then tap my infection
Venom sweet tonight
I walk a maze
Iron clad in Naugahyde
Iron clad, my Naugahyde
Worn fingers pointing
To my promise land
To give all of my flesh
To live
The lyrics of Vampire Rodents' song "Iron Clad" are cryptic and surreal, reflecting a chaotic and fragmented sense of reality. The opening lines, "When shadows are broken, my face could melt like this," suggests a disorienting, surreal environment in which nothing is stable or certain. The use of "malted bile addiction" suggests a sense of decay and corruption, with dark forces consuming the singer from within. The reference to "the rose" evokes a symbol of beauty and love, but the following lines suggest a rejection of these qualities: "My heart, my throne, I will not bear the day." The image of "spawn a savior dressed in filth" suggests a corrupted version of redemption or salvation, with even the forces of good tainted by the darkness of the world. The repeated lines "I walk a maze" suggest a sense of confusion or uncertainty, as the singer wanders through a maze-like reality with no clear sense of direction or purpose.
The chorus of the song, "Iron clad in Naugahyde," is repeated throughout, with the phrase taking on various meanings and connotations. Naugahyde is a leather substitute made from vinyl, and the image of being "iron clad in Naugahyde" suggests a sense of industrial or artificial strength, with the singer seeking protection or insulation from the chaos of the world. The repeated reference to "iron clad" suggests a sense of unbreakable toughness, but the bizarre juxtaposition with Naugahyde undermines this image, suggesting a sense of falseness or artificiality.
Overall, the lyrics of "Iron Clad" evoke a vivid sense of disorientation and corruption, with the singer struggling to find meaning or purpose in a surreal and fragmented world. The repeated chorus creates a sense of insularity and detachment, as the singer seeks to protect themselves from the harsh forces of reality.
Line by Line Meaning
When shadows are broken
When my sense of reality is shattered
My face could melt like this
I am so consumed by my emotions that my physical appearance could suffer
Malted bile addiction
I am hooked on something unpleasant, like a bitter drink or emotion
Flowing from my lips
It is constantly spilling out of me
And of the rose
I possess something beautiful, but it has its own thorns
My heart, my throne
My emotions are in complete control of me
I will not bear the day
I cannot face the reality of a specific situation or event
I walk a maze
I am lost and struggling to find my way
Spawn a savior dressed in filth
I need someone or something to rescue me, even if they are not traditionally 'heroic'
Filth and Naugahyde
The rescuer may not be attractive or pleasant, but they will suffice
Iron clad in Naugahyde
The helper will be strong and resilient, no matter their appearance
When you had spoken
When someone said something that affected me
To taint my thrill of life, the knife, the knife
Their words were hurtful and had a negative effect on me
Then tap my infection
They exposed a vulnerability or weakness in me
Venom sweet tonight
I am experiencing a bittersweet emotion
Worn fingers pointing
People are trying to direct me or give me advice
To my promise land
They believe they know what will make me happy
To give all of my flesh
They are asking me to give all of myself for their idea of happiness
To live
To exist or be happy
Contributed by Samantha F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.