Overburdened

It helps to get the lyrics right: Hell is still overburdened I must stand and wait in line Hell is still overburdened How have I been so determined malign?

I will agree it is very much about soldiers: I was fighting for a reason Holy blessed homicide Seems I have committed treason All I've sacrificed

Ask any Vietnam veteran, or any soldier coming back from Iraq now. They left, lauded as heroes. They return, and have people spitting on them insulting them. What must that feel like, to fight for your country, only to have your countrymen turn on you when you return?

It seems like this is about Vietnam veterans in particular. "How was I considered evil?" - Everyone seemed to hate the soldiers in that came back from Vietnam with a passion. "Led to nothing" - America eventually withdrew, and essentially were defeated. "Blind leading the blind" - When we first went to war, we didn't really know anything about our enemies, or even our allies. "Decades spent in strife" - We spent over a decade in Vietnam in strife.

I can see where demise of me is coming from with that view on these lyrics. personally, however, i feel that this song is a bit more a of a political commentary. I think that it is written from the point of view of a soldier from a useless war and he has been so blinded by "patriotism" that he doesn't understand why he is in hell for killing. Just my thoughts on the song, which I also feel is one of the best on the album.

About a soldier standing in line waiting to pass through the gates of hell, and he's in line with all these other soldiers that died in the course of battle, and they're all wondering why they got there.

All of you who are hypersensitive to any mention of the word "soldier" being associated with a place called "hell" let me offer my last and final explanation. The song is an idea, a concept, an ironic image in my mind, the notion in this case that someone fought for what he'she thought was right, only to have been mislead and be forced to deal with the consequences. I have deep love, respect, and admiration for our soldiers who defend our way of life.

quote david http://homepage.mac.com/bethanycs/dios/

I think it is quite possible that this song is about the evils of war, but some lines struck me that made me think this could also be about The Great Depression. "If only I was born another time." "I must stand and wait in line."(Bread lines in the 1930s)

I think there's another side that needs to be considered here. The band has said in regard to the song "Deify" that it's about any leader who claims to be ordained by God.

The first line that jumped out at me here was: "holy blessed homicide" which to me says "Suicide Bombers." This song is a statement about ANYONE who is fleeced into killing another man by being told that he's doing it for a higher power, or that God somehow makes exceptions to "Thou shalt not kill."

I totally agree with Obyron.. The suicide bombers claim they are "doing this for god" and when they go to hell, they don't see why.

I was fighting for the reason-- Fighting for God Holy Blessed Homicide- as Oybron said... Seems I have committed treason- Sinned All i've sacrificed- His life...

so yeah I see this as a suicide bomber standing in line with the rest of them, wondering why they are there, and why they didn't go to heaven as their "so-called" leader said they would...

I think that Dark and Obyron hit it close, but put the reason political, "I was fighting for the reason"--freedom but we are destroying that with laws Holy Blessed Homicide-- Obyron said... Seems i have commited treason-- Bush's Admittance that he went too far... all ive sacrificed-- how many soldiers are gone?

btw i am a soldier and i love this song

This song strikes me as about someone fighting for what they believe in, only to be captured, called a traitor and executed.

As they stand and wait in line to die, They simply cannot understand why they are being branded a traitor and people are saying they should burn in hell etc. They think that the people that brand them a traitor that have already died are gone and have filled up hell, and that they also will go to hell.

Wheither this song is about a soilder or not, I feel that it is about someone who has led his life following a belief. A belief that has lead him down this path blind. He believed that he was right, but now, when at the end, he is facing the fact that he was wrong. He waits, confused, trying to figure out why, he waits for his turn to go to hell.