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In The Shadow Of Our Pale Companion Lyrics
Through vast valleys I wonder
To the highest peaks
On pathways through a wild forgotten landscape
In search of God, in spite of man
'til the lost forsaken endless. . .
This is where I choose to tread
Fall. . .so shall we fall into the nihil?
The nothingness that we feel in the arms of the pale
In the shadow of the grim companion who walks with us
Here is the landscape
Here is the sun
Here in the balance of the earth
Where is the god?
Has he fallen and abandoned us?
As I'm stalked by the shadow of death's hand
The fire in my heart is forged across the land
Here at the edge of this world
Here I gaze at a pantheon of oak, a citadel of stone
If this grand panorama before me is what you call God. . .
Then God is not dead
I walked down to a river and sat in reflection of what had to be done
An offering of crimson flowed into the water below
A wound of spirit from which it floated and faded away
. . .like every hope I've ever had. . .
. . .like every dream I've ever known. . .
It washed away in a tide of longing, a longing for a better world
From my will, my throat, to the river, and into the sea. . .
. . .wash away. . .
. . .fade away. . .
Here is the landscape
Here is the sun
Here at the edge of the earth
Where is the god?
Has he fallen to ruin?
As I'm stalked by the shadow of death's hand
My heathen pride is scarred across the land
To the highest peaks
On pathways through a wild forgotten landscape
In search of God, in spite of man
'til the lost forsaken endless. . .
This is where I choose to tread
The nothingness that we feel in the arms of the pale
In the shadow of the grim companion who walks with us
Here is the sun
Here in the balance of the earth
Where is the god?
Has he fallen and abandoned us?
The fire in my heart is forged across the land
Here I gaze at a pantheon of oak, a citadel of stone
If this grand panorama before me is what you call God. . .
Then God is not dead
An offering of crimson flowed into the water below
A wound of spirit from which it floated and faded away
. . .like every dream I've ever known. . .
It washed away in a tide of longing, a longing for a better world
From my will, my throat, to the river, and into the sea. . .
. . .wash away. . .
. . .fade away. . .
Here is the sun
Here at the edge of the earth
Where is the god?
Has he fallen to ruin?
My heathen pride is scarred across the land
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As other have said this song seems to be about their pantheist beliefs and disillusionment in humanity. The character is seeking a higher meaning and finds it in nature. This realisation and his misanthropy leads him to commit suicide.
I am unsure what "In The Shadow Of Our Pale Companion" means though. The lines "In the shadow of the grim companion who walks with us" and "As I'm stalked by the shadow of death's hand" suggest that it is death and that his mortality and the ultimate futility of life contributed to his depression. It is quite ambiguous though so I am not at all sure.
More interpretations please!
In The Shadow of our Pale Companion means in the shadow of the moon. The pale companion is the moon. It's a slightly more gothic-romantic-melancholic term for it, one less used (as obvious).
In The Shadow of our Pale Companion means in the shadow of the moon. The pale companion is the moon. It's a slightly more gothic-romantic-melancholic term for it, one less used (as obvious).
Moon, perhaps, does moon light up the ligths of awareness in the dark and shadow of moonlight stand for the dark side, awareness of death.. I don't know too much about the mythical meanings of moonlight..
Moon, perhaps, does moon light up the ligths of awareness in the dark and shadow of moonlight stand for the dark side, awareness of death.. I don't know too much about the mythical meanings of moonlight..
I think you are right, the pale and grim companion refers to death here.
I think you are right, the pale and grim companion refers to death here.
This is because while walking his path of finding a higher meaning in nature, he feels death is always with him while he is "falling into the nihil" in this seeking.
This is because while walking his path of finding a higher meaning in nature, he feels death is always with him while he is "falling into the nihil" in this seeking.
Pale and Grim companion represent "death". It has nothing to do with the moon. It also wouldn't be the style to make a metaphor out of the moon while the sun, landscape are all clearly said in the lyrics. "Death" is the only true companion anyone has in their entire life. Everybody dies alone. You never know when you will die. This is why death is always with you. It follows you, it is stalking you. It is pale because we do not live thinking of death all the time. It is always there but not bright, it does...
Pale and Grim companion represent "death". It has nothing to do with the moon. It also wouldn't be the style to make a metaphor out of the moon while the sun, landscape are all clearly said in the lyrics. "Death" is the only true companion anyone has in their entire life. Everybody dies alone. You never know when you will die. This is why death is always with you. It follows you, it is stalking you. It is pale because we do not live thinking of death all the time. It is always there but not bright, it does not make itself visible, it is not like a shiny, bright thing in front of our eyes. It is just pale. Barely visible. Whatever we do, how much fun we have, how much joy we experience, death is always there at all times, hence the lyrics say "in the shadow". In the shadow of death, we do everything in this world. I also think pale represents something unknown. Death is unknown.
i kind of took this song to be about nature, and seeing nature as god, hence the lines "Here I gaze at a pantheon of oak, a citadel of stone If this grand panorama before me is what you call God. . . Then God is not dead." this makes me picture standing on top of a mountain (the citadel of stone) and staring down at a vast forrest (the pantheon of oak). he then realizes that humans are destroying this and decides to kill himself, either out of guilt for being associated with mankind, or simply because he can't bare to see nature destroyed
I agree. The Mantle is such an awesome album, but this is the standout track for me. 15 minutes of captivating, amazing music.
John Haughm said that this song has a theological meaning in one interview. The whole concept of the album is about the death of human kind, and in this song, the existance of God is questioned and the "character" in the song appears to find the truth. I wonder if the person this songs talks about dies at the end, or if he is the same person who appears in the whole album.
This is by far one of Agalloch's best songs in my opinion. Woohoo first one to post in here!
wow. sweet never knew that grey metal...anyhow, awesome song awesome band!
This will sound kind of stupid, but this song reminds me of Phillip Pullman's Amber Spyglass, in the world of the dead... I mean it's like an exact description. Weird.
Hotsoupwoman, I completely agree. That is an amazing book and this is an amazing song. I wouldn't necessarily think that they wrote the song around the book, but I feel a connection in it.
beautiful song. beautiful album really.
Definitely a great song to compliment an amazing band. What is a, "nihil"?
@greywindex It is nothing. Nihilism is the belief in nothing, disregard or distrust for reality, the view that all things are inherently meaningless.
@greywindex It is nothing. Nihilism is the belief in nothing, disregard or distrust for reality, the view that all things are inherently meaningless.