Cotopaxi

wow that was fucking quick

Here's my interpretation, once i get a hold of the album and see its meaning as a whole I'll probably think differently:

"When sanskrit brought my mother tongue scarabs filled the pillow Comic strips to pay for them fools from which to teach"

Sanskrit brought my mother tongue - means an older text tells him of the original voice, so now his pillow, or the foundation of which he placed his head, is now (insert creepy imagery) moving under him and not the blind and safe pillow he wanted. Comic strips to pay for them, fools from which to teach - may allude to how people have interpreted the "mother tongue", and have made false interpretations from which to teach.

"And in that pulse the future said story had been spun Wet your bed so sleep in it cards can make a house"

He may be saying the future was already knowing of how the story would play out. We have metaphorically wet our beds (ruined reality) so now one will have to deal with it accordingly. Cards can make a house - pieces not meant for one thing can still make an intended effect.

"Up that hill go the last of my crumbs we'll be lucky if we eat tonight Up that hill go the last of my crumbs that's why I'll magnify a hole (in your abdomen)"

His nourishment (or his intended purpose) has now reached a higher standard. He turns to another (in an abdomen - or in the depths) to find an easier "meal".

"When lightyears came and lightyears passed tugging on the brink Smoldering bullet missing put down in its sleep"

Time, space, and reality (the forces of perception) are constantly pulling him. A smoldering bullet could be his attempt at categorizing the ethereal, which is doomed to be put to rest.

"Strangled in the background fitted for a mask Future won't believe you here's the revered past"

This may be another metaphor for trying to conform to something he does not understand or identify with. He doesn't know the future because he can only see what has happened before.

"Don't beat around the pulpit there is no lost and found Where is the Devil waiting? Trying to disguise"

Cedric is saying that people want to find their inherent place in the world using organized religious means, stating that there is no difference between the "lost" and "found" in that we all participate in one reality. He states the devil hides in fears and doubts we create trying to define things one can't.

"I've seen what you used to look like down here you won't survive"

He may be talking to his inner demons in telling them the task he is now called upon will kill them.

"I've got the weight of half of the world (you'd better keep on looking for me) don't stop dragging the lake, don't stop dragging the lake I won't come home if you can't come home even if you make a grave with my name"

His task now puts a burden on him (asking everyone to not give up). Don't stop dragging the lake is a reference to Deloused in the Comatorium, the lake being reality. In regards to finishing his task, even if his body gives up his will will not.

"Find me the head and I'll show you the body"

Identifying purpose, maybe?

"Lay it to rest don't say you're sorry"

May be a reference to inner turmoil caused by identifying purpose, calling one to bury it and move on.

Again this is a very loose interpretation and I may be dead wrong about everything... except dragging the lake, that's old news (hah). I hope someone shares what they think, or tells me if I have interpreted something weirdly.

Absolutely it was. I love this song! Hopefully there's more to it than the radio edit.

As for the meaning......pfff maybe another day.

am i just fucking stupid or do i just really not listen to the radio? is there a website? i even knew ahead about the radio release but i didn't do anything about it and i wanna hear it damnit!

*Tarmac strips

Just a maybe obvious note: Cotopaxi is a volcano in the Andes Mountains. The song is located at the top of a painting of Cotopaxi here: http://www.intotheoctahedron.com/. The painting is also the album art for the Cotopaxi Promo CDS.

Cotopaxi means King of Death in caribbean languange (excuse me for my great translations) It means altar or throne of the moon in Cayapa language And it also means Mass of Fire in Quichua.

This is song scared me when I first heard it, while listening to the album... it comes right after With Twilight As My Guide.. such a difference... they brought back the old 'dragging the lake' ehh... well I love this line 'cards can't make a house'

As for the meaning it would take a few joints and some time deciphering (lol joking) but it reminds me of The Bedlam in Goliath (other than the dragging the lake) it takes time to think of the meaning, it might come to me after a while just like The Bedlam in Goliath.

Well, I would say that Cotopaxi is referencing Hell. And the "crumbs going up the hill" refer to ants carrying away crumbs. Hence the "I'll magnify a hole" line. Burning an anthill using a magnifying glass. Perhaps he's saying this is how god feels, like we are the ants running away with all of his gifts (pleasure in particular) straight up a hill (volcano, which symbolizes hell). Our pleasures lead us to sin which leads us to hell. Yeah I think this song is from god's perspective. "Even if you make a grave with my name you better keep looking." Just an idea...

This song sticks out so much on the album. But it rocks so hard! Anyway, I think chronologically, this song would actually come between Halo of Nembutals and With Twilight as my guide. No offense EvaporatedBrock, but I think you're reading WAY too much into this. This song deals with the part of the story where the main character has kidnapped his girlfriend's father and he is torturing the father for information on his daughter. Where is the devil waiting?? The main character basically tortures the father by eating parts of him everyday. This is what makes the chorus lyrics so ironic. They don't have any food in the prison that the guy created to hold his girlfriend's father, but he survives by eating chunks of his captor. Thus, "I'll magnify a hole... (in your abdomen)"

IMO the most bad ass part is "I've got the weight of half the world..." and on because the lyrics alternate from the main character to the father. The father is screaming for help "Don't stop dragging the lake, don't stop looking for me" and the captor is basically saying "yeah, you're powerless, this isn't going to end until your daughter comes back to me"

Anyway, the most difficult part of this song to understand are the weird verses. I think the main point of them is that this main character thinks that he is some sort of prophet from ancient times destined to carry out this revenge against his cheating girlfriend. This is referenced again later during Luciforms when Cedric says "Like the Pharaohs of old, bury me in gold". Basically, the guy is totally crazy...