Wanderlust

(All of the definitions I'm using are found on dictionary.com)

(All of the definitions I'm using are found on dictionary.com)

Wanderlust is basically a strong desire to ... well, wander.

Wanderlust is basically a strong desire to ... well, wander.

Perambulation also means to walk or travel. The next few lines all seem to center around traversing some kind of swampy terrain:

Perambulation also means to walk or travel. The next few lines all seem to center around traversing some kind of swampy terrain:

"Wading Milk the keel through tidal slough at dawn On and on"

"Wading Milk the keel through tidal slough at dawn On and on"

A slough is a muddy, marshland type of area, and a keel, I'm assuming in the context of this song, would be related to a boat. I'm not sure what "milking a keel is," but it seems like the people this song is following...

A slough is a muddy, marshland type of area, and a keel, I'm assuming in the context of this song, would be related to a boat. I'm not sure what "milking a keel is," but it seems like the people this song is following or referring to are traversing an area that becomes very flooded during a certain tide, and they have to wade and struggle through it.

"Grating and lapping at the swollen stinking skin"

In this context, grating would be to grind, rub, or scrape. Lapping could either be the more common idea of the word, which is lapping the way an animal laps at liquid, to kind of slurp or drink it, or, (especially when it's "lapping at the swollen stinking skin"), the act of wrapping, bandaging, or folding something.

So this line could be referring to several things: -The people in the song are doing whatever they can to find food, and they scrape away at swollen, stinking, rotten meat/skin and lap at it to survive, or: -They encounter some kind of wounds, swollen and stinking, and bandage or wrap them in cloth.

I guess either of those would fit. Either way, this song seems to be about the struggle to survive and continue roaming.

"Imitation Mating muscles cut through cord Through mountain's own On and on"

I get the feeling that these lines are talking about learning how to do something, to imitate the actions that these people use to survive. It could possibly be referring to how the younger members of this "tribe" or whatever you'd like to call it are trained. The second part, about the "mountain's own" just seems to once again stress the idea of continuing to travel, this time through a mountainous area. The "mating muscles cut through cord" could just be explaining how muscles are working together to handle the cord, or whatever tools are used to travel through mountains.

"Sated but engorged on mother's milk and fed as twins Bold defecation Raise the bow and aim for crimson dawn"

Sated and engorged mean similar things, to basically be stuffed or full, in this case, with "mother's milk." This line seems pretty literal; I think there is a mother who is feeding her offspring basically as much as they can possibly be fed, probably because it's such a struggle to survive. The final lines are "Bold defecation, raise the bow and aim for crimson dawn." I would assume that there is an animal here that is bold enough to get close to wherever the people or tribe in this song are, and, well, defecate. They seem to take aim at it with a bow and arrow. To "take aim at crimson dawn" is probably referring to the fact that every day is spent traveling, hunting, and doing whatever you can to survive. The dawn is referring to a new day, or another day of life. It's crimson because it's difficult, and filled with bloodshed and hardship.

So, to sum things up, I think this song is about a tribe of some kind of hunter-gatherers doing whatever they can to forge a living for themselves. Their only purpose in doing so, however, is to continue their lifestyle of endless wandering to find food and stay alive. Hence; wanderlust.

On a more personal level with the band, maybe this song kind of connects us to how hard life on tour can be. Even though it's basically the band's greatest desire, it's an incredibly difficult and arduous journey.

They roam and wander to stay alive, but they stay alive to roam and wander.