Jotun

The song is generally well known to be kind of a prelude to the rest of the album, setting up and foreshadowing the events to be chronicled in the other songs...the past, present, and possible, horrific future of mankind. Specifically, the song seems to be recounting a dream that the singer/narrator has, about basically the apocalypse. I think the song is referring to the detonation of one (or many) nuclear bombs - the "22-kilometer tombstone" and "Mushroom-scattered forever out of context." I'm not sure what the "huge numb buildings" or "Jet-black sinister architecture" are, but i assume they are metaphors for either the bombs, or the nuclear plants used to build them. The fourth verse seems to describe what the world would be like after a nuclear apocalypse, the "Sun-white pulverised desert stone," basically your classic nuclear wasteland. The last verse is chilling.

Can we identify them As the flint buried in our reptile skulls Or the time-bomb coded in our DNA?

Who is "them"? Perhaps the people who will bring an end to the world, build the bombs, etc. Not sure what the second line is saying. Whoracle talks about evolution a lot, and the reference to our "reptile skulls" suggests this. But maybe the "them" is the "flint buried" in our skulls. The "time-bomb coded in our DNA" seems to suggest that our very biological nature/evolution/genetics will lead us to destroy ourselves and the planet. This interesting connect with a line from "Brush The Dust Away" on 'Clayman' that says "Genetic, it seems to be..., we think we're in control then we become the things we hate, Lets re-unite and brush the dust away". Maybe suggesting that we have to fight not become what our DNA/genes are pushing us become - destroyers.

One of my all-time favorite In Flames songs. I believe this one is talking once again about how the human race, and technology, are taking over. It's talking about huge skyscrapers and other buildings ruining this planet. I especially like the last few lines, about the time-bomb coded in our DNA... and how the human race will end up wiping itself out (even if it's not by skyscrapers falling on us :)

And for a quick history lesson, Jotun is a race of giants in Norse mythology, represented by these huge buildings.

There are several references in the song that point to a nuclear armageddon theme

The first two verses contain metaphors for nuclear warfare technology.

The first verse makes references to nuclear missile silos "jet-black sinister architecture" installed below ground "where nobody sees". The reference to a sudden appearance could be interpreted as the opening of a well-camouflaged silo that would not be visible to the naked eye or casual observer.

The second verse is a metaphor for a stealth bomber carrying a nuclear payload. The body of black that carries no reflection is the bomber itself. Stealth technology aircraft such as the stealth bomber and fighter are painted jet black to minimize visual detection, but the key aspect of stealth technology is the principle that radar wave reflection is minimized or does not occur due to the shape of the aircraft.

The bomber is "defying it's own room" with "unearthly eggs of de-creation" The eggs of de-creation are the bombs that the stealth bomber carries, somewhat egg-like in shape, these bombs destroy or de-create. The reference to defying its own room refers to the fact that in essence the bomber is destroying the very earth that created the bomber, pilot, and race that created the technology to destroy others and themselves.

The third verse reinforces the nuclear armageddon themes with reference to mushroom-scattered colonies, i.e. the mushroom clouds created from a nuclear explosion. The rising spores of a dying world refer to the nuclear fallout after the explosion, which irradiates the surrounding area to kill what wasnt destroyed in the initial blast with radiation "pollutes and chases away whats left"

The fourth verse is basically a series of metaphors for the destruction of structures or landscapes of global significance, in essence describing what would happen to these landmarks if a nuclear explosion were to occur. "Inverting the fjords" is a particularly good example, as a nuclear detonation would literally cause this to occur (at least temporarily)

I believe the last line of the final verse referring to the "time-bomb encoded in our DNA" is basically saying that the human race has created nuclear technology of it's own volition, and ultimately it may result in the destruction of our own race.

I'd Agree quite a lot, this is the 1st In Flames song I ever heard - and since then, they've been my favourite band.

I didn't know what Jotun meant, but thnx for informing ;)

I agree with Red Jester. This song is definently about The progression of mankind, And what will eventually lead to our own destruction..Very powerful, and Very true.

yeah, easy metaphor here. jotuns were the giants in norse mythology, which were comparable in strength to the norse gods. it is said in norse mythology that they will imminently be the source of the ragnarok (apocalypse.) it even goes deeper than that. these giants will bring about said ragnarok by destroying the tree of life, a source of all nature you could say. this song is a brilliant metaphor emphasizing not only the danger and horror of modern expansion, but also the imminent doom the destruction of nature will bring about.

Jotun is the best song on the album. Episode 666 and Gyroscope are the other 2.

Like TheRedJester said, Jotun is a race of giants. I believe this song is about the giants comming down to earth and destroying all of mankind.

I agree with Red Jester. This song is definently about The progression of mankind, And what will eventually lead to our own destruction..Very powerful, and Very true.

I have always thought In Flames is refering to atomic bombs in this song, and how we are going to destroy each other with them. Half-destroyed, burnt skyscrapers, mushroom clouds spreading radiation to kill people out of blast radius, the eggs might be what the smoke looks like at the stalk of the explosion. To me, the second half is speaking of the aftermath of the bombs, while the first half seems to be a recount of the explosions themselves. Just one man's opinion ;)