Living a Lie (The Embrace That Smothers Part VIII)

I think this song is another one by Epica commenting on corrupt religion is. Mark growls the lines by the 'man of God' showing how sinister and demonic the supposed figure of trust is.

"Don't believe what you see, believe in me, in my reality"

suggests that religion urges people to forget what they see (i.e - the way things really are) and instead believe in God. 'In my reality' shows that people who believe in God are in a different reality than the rest of us.

The parts sung by the female choir represent the innocent people who cry out to God for genuine help, only to be answered by the lies of the Church, telling them to put all of their faith in something which doesn't exist.

Simone is the voice of reason, telling these people that believe that they 'refuse to face the facts'. Alternatively (I haven't decided yet :P) she is telling those who don't believe that God clearly exists and they're just refusing to see it. They all wait for the day that God or Jesus will 'break out and reawake' although admit that their hope is waning, comparing it to 'a desert running dry'.

The growls are back as the man of God mocks them with ‘lies!’

Aside from “In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti, Amen” which I’m assuming means ‘in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen’ I’ve no idea what the Latin bit means, so I’ll just gloss over that.

“I can't wait at this rate” suggests that the religious people have given up waiting for God, as he’s never going to come and save them.

This is all just my interpretation of the song, I don’t mean to offend anyone who’s religious.

The verse in Latin reads: "Lord Jesus, forgive us our trespasses, save us from the fires below, lead all souls into heaven, especially those that need your mercy most, Amen." It's apparently a common prayer, but since I'm not Christian I had to look it up.

The Latin verse in this song is so similar to the one Mark Jansen wrote in Mea Culpa for After Forever before he created Epica, this song is the part viii of " The Embrace That Smothers " that Mark started in After Forever and continued in Epica that generally critisizes religions, or -in my opinion- the wrong things in religions...

Epica seems not to let go islam

this song is about islam fundamentalism

i'm muslim and i don't know if anyone can hear (Ashad ana mohammad rasul allah) at the end of this song

this is an islamic phrase

Oratio Fatima

DOMINE Jesu, dimitte nobis debita nostra, salva nos ab igne inferni, perduc in caelum omnes animas, praesertim eas, quae misericordiae tuae maxime indigent. In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen

Fatima Prayer

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins and save us from the fires of Hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

wow such a kick ass song by Epica ,

just a small notice , the correct word is "Domine Jesu" not "Domine Lesu"

The song is about a couple who are expecting a child. The doctors told them that the baby will die at birth. They dont seem to understand, they keep praying for live. After birth they go to a religious community and stay there, hoping that their child will re-awake. They just dont want to believe that their child never returns.

I think its about Jehovah's Witnesses and how they disallow blood transfusions etc. within their religion.

"Human sources will not save The power of faith heals us all."

That's what I think anyway.

The verse in Latin reads: "Lord Jesus, forgive us our trespasses, save us from the fires below, lead all souls into heaven, especially those that need your mercy most, Amen." It's apparently a common prayer, but since I'm not Christian I had to look it up.