Darkness Within

It's about how music becomes like religion for so many people, a way to get through the hard times.

As far as I can tell, the meaning is exactly opposite of what onliberty posted below.

The first verse is mostly reflection on his life; how he has sought redemption and answers. He's shouted to the "skies above" (God), but received no answers or love in return. Still he tries to do whatever might be expected of him, even in the absence of such guidance.

The second verse is very clear. Robb says that God doesn't answer men, all religions are wrong, and those who have followed religions remain empty. He then says to instead pray to music, worship music, because music is the source of freedom and salvation; music is God.

If you really want to know what this song is about watch this. youtu.be/dnCLyYnNRe0

it's not "breathed lung" it's "bereft of love" "shadow vail falls he'd declare and call" should be "shadow veil falls, heed the clarion call"

you missed the word "Here" at the beginning also it's not "History's" it's "Misery's" and I think it's "waned" instead of "weened".

Thank you for the lyrics, been searching them for about 4 days, hope you publish the whole album lyrics, it's awesome.

for any who are interested, just got back from the machine head bloodstones and diamonds gig where they told us where Darkness Within came from! Turns out Dave McClain gave Rob the chords which Rob thought were amazing but he just could put down any lyrics to match. For about 5 months or so, he was dry and he found himself in a dark place. Then one day, after dropping his kids off at school, it suddenly came to him, he pulled over to the side of the road in the pissing rain and took out his phone and wrote the songs lyrics in their entirety in 20 minutes

If I combine the youtube explanation with my previous interpretation, I'd say the following:

With this song he explains to his sons how music has in retrospect been a way to deal with his pains, depressions and regrets. By giving the feelings a reflection in the real world (music), they become something he can hold on to when he threatens to drown in emotional swamps. By giving feelings a sound, they are no longer short-lived, they have been given monuments everyone can experience, cathedrals he can go to in desperate times.

I would not go as far as claiming that he really considers music a deity, but he does advise to worship music (because all other worshiping was in vain for him) and hopes that its power will set his sons free from despair.

(Disclaimer: Music (and other art) is what it means to you. If a different interpretation means more to you, when it makes you scream, cry and/or orgasm, then hold on to that interpretation.)

Who the hell cares if the lyrics are correct. I came here to read what people believe the song means to them not a fight about the lyrics.

“There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus” --Blaise Pascal

Every single one of us a hole in our soul that we are trying to fill. God put in there on purpose to point the way back home. Nothing satisfies and we try anything and everything to fill this hole and find meaning in our life.

We are looking for salvation everywhere - some try to find it in drugs, others marriage, others philosophy, others their career, still others music. Nothing satisfies until we find the only thing that can fill that hole - Jesus Christ.

As Augustine said, "Thou hast made us for Thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee."

Keep putting our great music, but you'll only find disappointment if you expect something other than God to provide what only God can.

Maybe if this douchebag had BOUGHT THE CD he could have corrected his ridiculous lyric interpretation by now, instead of replying "oh i think i got it correct but i dont know, because i dont have a lyrics booklet, because I didnt buy the CD"

Here are the correct lyrics, asshole:

Here in the darkness that I lay Depression heavy in it's weigh And how my body aches to leave To sing it's final eulogy My sons I love you evermore And though the road beckons once more I see the damage that I've done In search for redemption But I am just a broken man Whose soul cries out to understand How the madness shatters me Upon the stage on bended knee I scream out loud at skies above That answer mute, bereft in love I struggle not to fall from grace Or sing the hymns of my disgrace

We build cathedrals to our pain Establish monuments to attain Freedom from all of the scars and the sins Lest we drown in the darkness within

Mystery's forgotten chords I strum in vain to please the lord But he has never answered me My faith has waned eternally In empty men who pass along The woes of all religion's wrong But now the shadowed veil it falls Heed the clarion call So pray to music, build a shrine Worship in these desperate times (in the lyrics book it actualls says "listen in these desperate times, but he doesn't say that) Fill your heart with every note Cherish it and cast afloat Because god is in these clef and tone Salvation is found alone Haunted by it's melody Music, it will set you free Let it set you free

Music my savior (SAVE ME)

Go buy the album you cheap bastards