So this has been.my favorite song of OTEP's since it came out in 2004, and I always thought it was a song about a child's narrative of suffering in an abusive Christian home. But now that I am revisiting the lyrics, I am seeing something totally new.
This song could be gospel of John but from the perspective of Jesus.
Jesus was NOT having a good time up to and during the crucifixion. Everyone in the known world at the time looked to him with fear, admiration or disgust and he was constantly being asked questions. He spoke in "verses, prophesies and curses". He had made an enemy of the state, and believed the world was increasingly wicked and fallen from grace, or that he was in the "mouth of madness".
The spine of atlas is the structure that allows the titan to hold the world up. Jesus challenged the state and in doing so became a celebrated resistance figure. It also made him public enemy #1.
All of this happened simply because he was doing his thing, not because of any agenda he had or strategy.
And then he gets scourged (storm of thorns)
There are some plot holes here but I think it's an interesting interpretation.
When I was young I was different
There was more inside of me
So alone yet a sense of purpose
The guiding light of the order nurtured me
Daunted by the truth revealed
What am I? what's my destiny?
A million souls, the priest incarnate
I am the one, I am the astral beast
[Chorus]
I am the wicked the dealer of fate
Harbinger of sorrow
I'm the assassin, the dealer of fate
Framing mans tomorrow
I thrive as the lone traveler
Trough the folds of time and space
The chosen one to foreshadow
The hand of god will eradicate this race
I am the past, I'm cure for sorrow
I am the now, I'm the every age
I'm the future ending mans tomorrow
The hand of god, the harbinger of fate
[Chorus]
Kingdoms will fall, empires crumble
Seizing on the politics of hate
I am the one, the devil in the details
The hand of god, the harbinger of fate
[Chorus]
There was more inside of me
So alone yet a sense of purpose
The guiding light of the order nurtured me
Daunted by the truth revealed
What am I? what's my destiny?
A million souls, the priest incarnate
I am the one, I am the astral beast
[Chorus]
I am the wicked the dealer of fate
Harbinger of sorrow
I'm the assassin, the dealer of fate
Framing mans tomorrow
I thrive as the lone traveler
Trough the folds of time and space
The chosen one to foreshadow
The hand of god will eradicate this race
I am the past, I'm cure for sorrow
I am the now, I'm the every age
I'm the future ending mans tomorrow
The hand of god, the harbinger of fate
[Chorus]
Kingdoms will fall, empires crumble
Seizing on the politics of hate
I am the one, the devil in the details
The hand of god, the harbinger of fate
[Chorus]
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Harbinger of Fate Lyrics as written by Jon Schaffer
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
After reading something that Jon Schaffer said about what The Crucible of Man album was based on, I feel like I MIGHT have gotten a good understanding of what this song is about.
"When I was young I was different There was more inside of me So alone yet a sense of purpose The guiding light of the order nurtured me Daunted by the truth revealed What am I? what's my destiny? A million souls, the priest incarnate I am the one, I am the astral beast"
I felt this was talking about when Set, the antichrist, was young, he had no idea of who he was. He was alone but had a purpose (to destroy all humankind) and the guiding light that nurtured him was the minions. Then he realizes that he is the "astral beast" or the antichrist.
"I am the wicked the dealer of fate Harbinger of sorrow I'm the assassin, the dealer of fate Framing mans tomorrow"
The chorus, I feel, is saying that Set is obviously wicked and the dealer of mankind's fate since our fate is in his hands because he has the power to eradicate the human race.
"I thrive as the lone traveler Trough the folds of time and space The chosen one to foreshadow The hand of god will eradicate this race
I am the past, I'm cure for sorrow I am the now, I'm the every age I'm the future ending mans tomorrow The hand of god, the harbinger of fate"
Okay so, Set is the "lone traveler" since he's all on his own and he's the chosen one set to end all humanity. Anyone who knows of the antichrist knows that his/her main focus is to basically deceive humans and make us believe he's the son of God...but even though Set is the chosen one to end all humanity, the hand of God will finish it by ending the human race that was deceived by the antichrist. So basically what I'm saying is the antichrist is here to deceive all mankind into thinking he's the son of God so that the humans may start following his lead...worshiping him maybe?, and eventually turn their backs to the true ruler, God. So...God will in return eradicate the humans. So I guess that might be what the foreshadow part means? I'm not too sure what "I am the past, I'm cure for sorrow I am the now, I'm the every age" means but obviously the part afterwards is saying that Set is the one out to ruin the human race.
If anyone disagrees with what I'm saying, please don't hesitate to state your opinion! And sorry I got a little TOO biblical at some point. Just trying to state what I was thinking and everything just went hectic xD
Whoops I meant the Setians nurtured him, not minions xD