To Rid the Disease

In my opinion in connection with jonas87's investigation into the interview online this song is a lament for mankind's fallen nature from Eden and in so is a story of Adam and Eve as well as a description of concupiscence or man's fallen and disordered state of existence in the present.

Keep in mind that the CD is titled Damnation as well as I attempt to interpret the song according to this view which I think should be combined with kerfeldt's interview in that the song was written as a lament about how man is and the evil that he does.

(First verse) There's nobody here, there's nobody near I try not to care, dead eyes always stare Let these matters be, don't trust what you see Take hold of your time, step into the line

So, after Adam and Eve are expelled from Eden they no longer had perfect grace. There are no other people and Adam and Eve have lost the innocent love they once had. It bother's them though they don't want to admit it and they can see the truth of the pain of loss in each other's eyes which no longer completely shine with life but are instead full of the pain of existing as they try to make a living in the land. Yet they can't really worry about this and they have to focus on doing the best that they can. Yet once more they have lost perfect innocence and therefore perfect trust (and trusting is loving as well) in each other and in God; so they must as they know live as best as possible precisely because they stepped across the line (in trying to become like God himself).

(Chorus) There's innocence torn from its maker Stillborn the trust in you This failure has made the creator So would you tell him what to do (would you)

In doing so they tore the innocence from themselves, and since all their gifts came from God they also tore it from him. Yet also they themselves were innocence but by their actions "There's innocence torn from its maker" meaning they see the innocence in each other that is no longer connected with God on that higher level of perfection. Yet in this act they tried to become equal to the creator or another creator themselves (This failure has made the creator) (as In the mist says). "Stillborn the trust in you" most likely refers to both abortion in the world today but also the fact that once more man is no longer innocent and his trust has become tinged with selfishness, shame, caution, and a wariness that they did not have originally, therefore the trust dies before it is present and is "stillborn" in their souls. Yet also "this failure made the creator" exile them and therefore they are responsible for what they have done. They are angry but understanding that God is God and they reflect that they cannot "tell him what to do" even though some part of them wants to. The "would you" that echoes is them second guessing themselves and considering what they would have done and their new desire to be the lord of their own life.

(Second Verse) Leave your mark upon the head of someone Who'll cry for his state, we know it's too late I turn round to see what was meant to be Faint movement release to rid the disease

Adam and Eve then live their life and have two sons Cain and Abel. Cain, jealous of Abel killed him. This is often depicted as Cain crushing the head of Abel and thus leaving his mark of violence and death upon him. In this we see that man cannot truly be good or even attempt create without God but only destroy. Yet "leave your mark upon" also references once more man's new urge to be his own master and rule over others that makes him attempt to be on his own. Afterwards no one knows but Abel and God who hears "Abel's blood crying out for vengeance." Yet "Who'll cry for his state is also asking about mankind, who will or is crying for mankind itself in this separation from God. Cain is repentant for what he did but is is "too late." In this the song is lamenting over those who are unavenged, the innocent that are lost, and the loss of Eden itself as Cain, a type of all people who sin and realize it, "turn round to see what was meant to be." God then punishes Cain by sending him away to discipline him, a "faint movement to rid the disease" because Cain is convinced that he deserves worse punishment and self discipline is the only true way for a person to rid themselves of the disease that concupiscence seems to be.

(Chorus with additional background voices) There's innocence torn from its maker Stillborn the trust in you (I have lost the trust I had in you) This failure has made the creator So would you tell him what to do (I have lost the trust I had in you)

Once more like the other chorus except that man has "lost all trust I had in you" turning form God and becoming more and more corrupted until God finally sent Christ to die for the sins of the world. Therefore mankind "made the creator" send the son and Peter attempted to stop Christ from going through the crucifixion as well"would you tell him what to do." And so Christ dies for the sins and yet mankind has still "lost all trust in you" turning from God and going its own way until it has reached the perversion of nature that it is today in greed, lust, war, murder, genocide...ect.

The song then is a lamentation for mankind itself, admitting that until concupiscence is over, until sin is destroyed as in Revelation then mankind cannot "rid the disease" but must live as best as possible. And this is what the final voiceless minutes of the song reflect upon.

This is an amazing song that has two or even three themes reflected throughout its entirety that all come to their full meaning in the chorus through the use of voices and background voices as well as the saddening piano chords.