Dies Irae
Where Angels Fall Lyrics

The lyrics of "Dies Irae" by Where Angels Fall are rich in symbolism and imagery, drawing upon religious themes to convey a sense of impending doom and despair. The Latin phrase "Dies irae, dies illa" translates to "Day of wrath, that day" and refers to the biblical concept of judgment day or the end of the world. The next two lines, "Solvet saeclum in favilla/Teste David cum Sibylla," further allude to the end of the world and the destruction of all earthly things. The inclusion of David and the Sibyl as witnesses draws upon both Christian and pagan traditions.

The following stanza shifts the focus to the individual, asking the listener about their own chosen response to this end-of-the-world scenario. The lines "Will you be living among the dead?/Will you be frozen in thy grief?" suggest that there are choices to be made and consequences to be faced in the face of such catastrophic events. The subsequent stanza includes the Latin phrase "Quantos tremor est futurus/Quando judex est venturus," which means "What trembling there will be when the judge will come." This phrase further cements the idea that one's actions and choices will be judged by some higher power in the end.

The final stanza brings a note of hope and resolution, offering the listener a glimmer of light in the midst of darkness. The lines "Take these hand I offer you in sorrow/Take these hands, come live among the living" suggest that even in the face of destruction and death, there is still a chance to connect with others and find some sense of meaning and purpose. The final lines "I want to live forever/I want to be eternal/I wish for heaven" express a longing for something beyond this world, a desire for transcendence and a hope for a better future.