Steel That Sleeps the Eye

I don't know about the other lyrics to this song, but the phrase "Steel that sleeps the eye" must be a reference to guitar player Pete Adams. He was the original second guitarist before he left to fight in Iraq. A grenade or a mortar or something blew up net to him and some shrapnel hit him in the eye, so he has a fake one now. He came back and joined the band again right before they wrote Blue Record. I can only assume that the Steel that Sleeps the Eye" is some sort of reference to that.

The "steel that sleeps the eye" is the same as the "steel that sleeps with the morningstar" and the "blade" that sings "over stone and field", but what the "steel" is I don't know. It kind of sounds like -- OHHHH Ok I got it. It's about murdering someone, perhaps the "virgin" while drunk, and the "steel" (knife) makes the eye sleep, because it kills the girl. It has a very nice melody and harmony.

This track is a giant glaring clue as to the biggest theme of the Blue Record.

"waves are screaming abraxan hymns" Abraxas (or Abrasax), is a symbol/god of duality. Both good and evil. The theme is reiterated in 'Swollen and Halo' in the line "of god and beast." 'The Gnashing' also indicates the duality/Abaxas theme heavily.

As for this song, it seems to be about all the things revolving around a battle. Before, after, within and outside of the fight.

"steel that sleeps with the morningstar would that i could sin once more"

steel that sleeps is steel that puts the eye to sleep forever, the skin of a grenade. an rpg. it sleeps until it detonates. the moningstar is venus which could mean at dusk or dawn. could sin once more is to see once more.

"blades will sing over stone and field that their song might grace our fall"

this makes total sense. blades are sharp steel fragments racing over the desert sand and rocks their song is the whistling sound of approaching shrapnel and that it might make grace the injury with honor

"pallid limbs in the raven's thrall fracture sulphur honey skin"

pallid limbs are injured pale dull lifeless extensions of a man injured in the line of fire fracture (injury) sulphur (burns, smoke from grenade in lungs) honey skin (soft fragile breakable skin)

"waves are screaming abraxan hymns so that shoreline virgins cry"

waves on the beach or waves of pain always scream abraxan hymns: because the tide itself is a duality. tide in tide out, shoreline virgins are those who are waiting, injured ready to be brought home from war. we first have to go to the shore - the persian gulf possibly? just a guess.

"reel in place 'til the bastards take me away sober taste of the eye"

reeling in place is mental reeling from tormenting pain of a serious injury, the bastards are taking the injured away from the fight that the injured wanted to fight back so they are bastards - but yet saviors as well. sober taste of the eye is just that - bleeding in windpipe and actually tasting blood and optic nerve bleeding, which is a sobering taste.

I think this is a most powerful song in it's meaning and i hope i am not too far off. That is just what i hear knowing that Peter Adams was injured by an RPG in Iraq and took some time away it must be very relevant to the band, and they are now finally back playing together like they were when they first met.

Either way you slice it great band indeed!

this is a soldier's lament, sung to the weapons of his enemies.

'Steel that sleeps with the morningstar, would that I could sin once more' If only I could have had more time before this fight to enjoy what life has to offer.

'Reel in place 'til the bastards take me away' I'll fight them here, won't move from this spot; I'll hold them off as long as I can. A reel is a dance. A battle is a dance.