Rubicon

These lyrics really should be on every school English curriculum. Lead singer Jaz Coleman's worldview is decidedly yet rationally apocalyptic, anticipating the self destruction of the species. We are living in the 'age of miracles', the ascent of man, yet 'creation is not yet complete'. The line that God is on 'every side and in every legion' at first glance suggests a theist viewpoint, but on closer examination reveals the idea of God as justification for terror and destruction, with every side claiming that God supports their cause, a situation only too familiar today with Al-Qaeda and George Bush seeing God in 'their legion.' Verse two mentions the equally zealous crusades of the secularists; 'idols of rational worlds, to worship power, to worship strength.' We can here perhaps think of the gigantic crimes against humanity of Mao or Stalin, in the name of no God other than themselves. The last verse in particular is nothing short of awesome, a portent of a looming nuclear holocaust, a 'poetry of golden dawns.' The first two lines of this verse manage to castigate both religion and science, mankind's 'Eden decreed' rage and internal hostility with it's own kind juxtaposed with the 'triumph' of a science that can obliterate millions in seconds. The rubicon of the title represents the final step in man's own self-destruction, the 'point of no return.' The line 'the magic of our science shines brighter than a thousand suns' contains the title of the parent album, my favorite LP of all time. There simply isn't one bad track on it -- every one is powerful, impressive and thought-provoking. A masterpiece.