Test Pattern

One of their slowest songs, and I'm totally addicted. Before I looked at the lyrics, ignoring the sort of anti-religious based undertones of the album, I figured it to be kind of a relationship thing. Like a guy wanting a girl to go out with him and being like "we don't have to commit! if you want, we'll break up anytime!" and then being like "but if you leave, i will cry, i will cry, i will cry." A lose-lose situation. But it could also be about his lost faith in God. That's probably the only why I can explain the lyrics "Cause I believe, I believe you could see me forever by his side."

I'm pretty sure this song combines the last two, "A Pillar of Salt" and "Returning to the Fold". The former being about abandoning a "dirty" god and the latter about regretting his decision. Now I feel like the voice is torn between his beliefs and survival. It's a "test pattern" because he is only professing his love for god for now, until he no longer requires it to survive. He can change any day, but for now, he needs it.

i see this as more of a relationship with another person song than a relationship with god song, even though the album is really religion-oriented. but i guess i just prefer to think of it that way. the only explanation i have for the "i believe part" is that the speaker might be different at different points in the song, making the "forever by his side" turn into something another person may have said to (i'm assuming) her. either way, it's a super song.

I sort of think this song might be from the perspective of a guy who is in love with another guy but the other guy doesn't want to admit that he is gay. As in their relationship is just a "test pattern" and the other guy wants to be able to have a "normal" relationship and leave whenever he wants. Obviously the singer is upset about this.

I always thought the lines: "So you can call this a test pattern, So you don't have to commit, You can change any day." were about how the Catholicism and Christianity in general have changed their beliefs so much over time, just to suit their needs.