Bleed

I think the whole of obZen is a concept album about giving into a belief system that seemingly causes great suffering (the lyrics of the song obZen: "where deprivation, lies, corruption, war, and pain is God"), but because all hope is seemingly gone, it becomes "easier" to adopt. The human mind closes upon itself, because it can't take anymore confusion and powerlessness. It adopts a clarity of opinion/conviction that is easy but at the same time very tragic, as displayed by the prominent violence of the obZen lifestyle.

This songs' lyrics are to emphasize the theme of blood on the record, as it gives (illusory) strength to the otherwise powerless protagonist of obZen (this song & "Electric Red" especially).

After watching the music video, i'd say this song is about the concept of death by time. Warning : The explanation i'm about to give is a little long...so ;

The white bald man in the end of the video (also in the album cover) is god. the lady holding the string represents time and the black, red eyed one is death or grim reaper the egyptian skeleton is immortality and the heart is the key to it the black and white facepainted guy in chains represents a dead person.

So the guy starts somewhere he doesn't know, as in life we born randomly, watching the dead guy (b&w facepainted guy) makes him think the he will die someday too so he wants immortality (egyptian skeleton). while he tries to achieve it, you can see the "god" is smiling like "you can't have immortality", so by trying to achieve immortality he betrays time and god, so the lady (time) holds his lifeline (the string in hand) while the grim reaper watches and waits the right time to do it. as she cuts the string, grim reaper captures the guy, put him in chains (that he can't escape death) to make him face with god (somewhere between life and death). When he faces god, he rages and rebels him. After god looks at him, we understand that he can't rebel god. As god takes his life, he starts to transform into a b&w facepainted guy (so he dies) and god puts him among him as he is now dead and reaches the Zen/peace as you see the music suddenly slows down and comes at peace.

Zen - ultimate peace ob- prefix; preventing, e.g. obstruct, obstacle

The whole album is 'Something that gets in the way of peace'

I think the music video is merely like the light-show at a concert; entertainment, nothing more. No - the real meaning in this song is found in its lyrics, plain and simple.

It is, almost a philosophical journey through: Death. (In this case, bleeding to death) And philosophically speaking, Meshuggah likes to see the world, and especially the human / human world, as a machine / machinery.

First verse is quite self-explanatory: "Beams of fire sweep through my head Thrusts of pain increasingly engaged Sensory receptors succumb I am no one now only agony" - The realization of having obtained a mortal wound happens: Pain. Senses start malfunctioning. "I am noone now"

My crimson liquid so frantically spilled

• the ruby fluid of life unleashed
  Just a poetic way of saying: "My blood is flowing". Already here, the song starts "favoring" Death. And paints a beautiful (though dark) picture of that fact: blood is flowing.

Ripples ascend to the surface of my eyes Their red pens drawing at random, at will A myriad pains begotten in their wake

• the bastard spawn of a mutinous self Forces beyond your control take over. "Mutiny" or "Betrayal" of life; death is coming.

The regurgitation of my micro nemesis

• salivating red at the prospect of my ruin, my doom Another well-written, poetic way of describing something "macabre"; The proof of my (micro) nemesis; blood keeps flowing - like the sand in an hourglass. Of course, to put it 'micro nemesis' instead of simply 'nemesis' suggests that this is a realization; MY death, is insignificant. This realization also implies that: "MY life, was insignificant".

Line for line: Malfunction the means for its ascent - Malfunction; the body starts "falling apart", so to speak. This is indeed the way "death" progresses.

Bloodletting the stringent voice to beckon my soul - The continuation of blood flowing starts acting like a communication between 'you' (your soul) and 'death'. You FEEL death. You KNOW death.

So futile any resisting tension As death-induced mechanics propel its growth - Like I mentioned earlier, Meshuggah likes to portrait the human / human body as a machine. Just like a machine runs on fuel, the body runs on blood. Such are the rules. It is merely a fact of life. And as the blood is flowing, death grows and comes closer.

The implement, the device of my extinction

• the terminating clockwork of my gleeful bane - "The implement" refers to "death". It is indeed a part of life - death, it is implemented as a final decision; impossible to avoid or ignore. "My gleeful bane" = Life. My body, that was full of life. The definitive scourge of its mockery - The paradox of life/death.
• the end-art instruments lethality attained - The beauty of death. (As it is, indeed, a part of life. Hence; perfect.)

Heed - it commands, heed my will Bleed - it says, bleed you will - Just another nail in the coffin. Another fact of life/death. A mortal wound has been attained; you have lost control of your body. You are bleeding to death, and there is nothing to do about it.

Falling into the clarity of undoing Scornful gods haggle for my soul Minds eye flickers and vellicates as I let go Taunting whispers accompany my deletion - The human is spiraling down into death. As if through a haze, you catch glimpses of "what's on the other side". Pretty funny, turns out; the gods are just as petty as us humans - arguing over land/money/resources - now the gods are arguing over who will get your soul.

A sneering grin, the voice of my reaper

• chanting softly the song of depletion - The final "nail in the coffin". The reaper singing you a final song, like a mother, lulling her baby into sleep - one last goodbye, and so, you are gone from this world.

here's an interview on the subject with the band's drummer: http://www.faceculture.tv/index.php?cnti_key=11751386

so it's an aneurysm, didn't see that one coming ;) I suppose it's a classic case against deconstructionism, LOL !

I think its about how you have to master your own destiny or external forces will lead you to an early grave, (in the music video, his initial "curiosity" turned into full blown depravity with the dog collar - check it out if you havent seen it) - the "Satanic" style "God" figure smirks, "haggles for his soul"

Really poetic beautiful lyrics, the music itself is just a force of nature, really special song by the far+away best metal band in existence

What really disappoints me is that the potential meaning of the video (which I love) has little to do with the actual meaning of the song as cited by the band. I would think it important that they mesh...kind of an implied goal.... I saw the video before reading the actual meaning so thought MUCH more was going on in the lyrics than is actually true. Kind of a let down.

WOW.

What a fucking amazing song. The self induced pain concept is obvious here...but I think the reason for doing it may be a religious one, it's hinted at a few times, such as in "Scornful gods haggle for my soul".

This song is just so damn perfect. If I feel the need to meditate, I listen to this song. It's just so beautiful.