Plague

To me it sounds like Alice is singing from the perspective of a higher power that is psychologically brainwashing a nation of people to give up all of their freedoms and essentially submit to becoming slaves. The higher power knows of it's power and feeds off of it, which is why it defiantly says "I am the plague." with a sense of narcissism at how his/her influence spreads like wildfire. Some of the symbolisms in the lyrics like 'thy gifts don't give to me' makes me think it might also be an accusation at an omnipresent "God' who is wrathful and manipulative of his creation. Either way, the song as a whole gives me a sinister Big-Brother vibe that is unsettlingly demented.

Words cannot even describe how I feel about this song. I think the instrumental aspect of it speaks for itself, honestly. The lyrics just add a whole new dimension to it. Total mindfuck of a song.

I heard this song after reading and interview where Alice Glass mentioned having placed much of this album's influence on some of the political government vs. people events that have occurred over the last couple years. She stated knowing quit a few people on a personal level who were affected negatively, and it changed her view of the world.

So with that said, I feel as though this song is talking about humanity as a whole. People turning on people, whether they want to see it that way or not. "I need you pure/ I need you clean" and "Don't try to enlighten me" seem like references to our information sources/ the news. Perhaps implying a desire for raw truth? "Never thought I was the enemy" seems like it can play on either side of the team. Could be a reference to the government's oblivion of their impact on the 99%, or it could be the people saying, "hey guys, why are we the ones suffering here? what have we done so wrong?"

Anyway, I'm really not much for political conspiracies or drama or anything. This is just the image in my head every time I hear this song. Seems to me that this album is heavily influenced by religion/politics/humanity... but then again, so are the last two albums. Part of why I love this band so much.

Can't wait to hear other fans interpretations of this song.

I agree with vVblack that the first verse is referring to the way our news skews information. More specifically, the song is about how the western world bullies and destroys other nations and skews the news to make us think we are the "good guys" and that we are doing the right thing when we aren't.

I need you pure I need you clean (wants to hear the truth) Don't try to enlighten me (doesn't want any lies) Power to misconstrue (news is biased and full of untruth) What have they done to you (asking how we have hurt other nations)

Infants in infantry (children being sent to war) Rewrite their history (to rewrite other countries history i.e. destroying them) Uproot their colony (refugees, homes and families destroyed) You're ripe for harvesting (they are an easy target)

Virgin cells to penetrate (rape and other crimes of war) Too premature to permeate (killing women and children) They can't elucidate (they don't understand why we are doing this to them) Never thought I was the enemy (it is our governments who are doing these awful things to people)

I am the plague (sums it all up how we destroy everything in our path) I am the plague

They fake sincerity (government talks about "war on terrorism") Thy gifts don't give to me (it isn't really helping or solving anything) Now you've been anointed (people buy into the lie and lend their support) They've been asking for it (we act like other countries deserve how we treat them)

Infants in infantry Rewrite their history Uproot their colony You're ripe for harvesting

Virgin cells to penetrate Too premature to permeate They can't elucidate Never thought I was the enemy

I am the plague I am the plague

I need you pure I need you clean I need you pure I need you clean

This song is about child sexual abuse and the fear of becoming an abuser because of it.

"I need you pure I need you clean" has to do with the fact that children are considered pure and clean. virginity is innocent and that's what pedophiles want.

"Don't try to enlighten me" meaning don't say that what the abuser is doing is wrong

"Power to misconstrue, What have they done to you" the abusers often make the abused feel as though what they are doing is okay and not worrisome. it is just natural and they shouldn't be upset. It is used to invalidate the experience of the abused.

"Infants in infantry Rewrite their history Uproot their colony" when you sexually assualt someone, you often change their entire past and how they view things. you take everything from them. you make them homeless in their own bodies. "Infants" obviously having to do with this being done to children.

"You're ripe for harvesting" abusers often see the people they are abusing as an object and not a actually human being. they dehumanize them. and now this dehumanized object is ready to be hurt.

"Virgin cells to penetrate Too premature to permeate" this here is again saying they are talking about children, and the use of the word permeate has to do with the fact that often children don't tell anyone they are being hurt because they are brainwashed into thinking they shouldn't or they are just scared

"I am the plague I am the plague" where she is meaning herself or just making this song into first person, she is saying that she was abused and she will always have that with her, and she is scared of passing it on to someone else.

"They fake sincerity Thy gifts don't give to me" Grooming is what it is called when someone slowly tries to make you more comfortable around them for the purpose of making you vulnerable, so they fake gestures of sincerity to do this. They often do things for you too, buying 'gifts', etc. often giving someone something is a tool used to make the person feel they owe you something in return.

"Now you've been anointed" Anointed could literally mean someone has ejaculated on you. That's really fucked up, so no wonder she wrote it that way.

"They've been asking for it" this is what they were wanting all along.

This could also be about the rape done to indigenous people during white colonization.

"don't try to enlighten me" could have to do with christianity being spread by the colonizers, and the abuse that happened in Residential Schools by Christians to Indigenous children

"Rewrite their history Uproot their colony" this idea also works with this line because it enforces the part about colonization and how Residential Schools wiped out any knowledge the students had about who they were and their ancestors.

if this is true, than "I am the plague" might have to do with guilt Alice is feeling for being white and how much her ancestors fucked people over

I love how poetic Alice Glass' lyrics are, it's entirely unique to put across strong messages through the medium of electronica and I admire her for that.

As with most of Crystal Castle's songs, the lyrics to 'Plague' are quite ambiguous. Personally, I view it from a feminist perspective. It's interesting to note that Alice once said "We need an army because the mainstream hates women." 'Plague' could be expressing aggravation towards the way in which women are treated by the media and society, as well as how (mainly female) children are becoming more and more sexualised and pressured into being adults far too young because of the constant sexist propaganda being sold to them by the media.

"I need you pure, I need you clean." Traditionally, young women should be virginial and innocent. Or you need to be aware of what is happening in the world, not dirtied by the media.

"Don't try to enlighten me" Women today often badmouth feminism, they do not want to hear about sexism and oppression and a lot of people have simply stopped caring. Don't try to enlighten me - don't try to tell me what is really happening because I don't want to hear it.

"Power to misconstrue" Sexism is subtle, the media gets away with it because people don't look for truths they don't want to see.

"What have they done to you" You have become a product of society, the media has manipulated you to a point where you are so brainwashed by all of its propaganda that you fail to notice the dark reality that continues to worsen.

"Infants in infantry" Young children are being sexualised and objectified because of the strong influence of the media.

"Rewrite their history" Venting anger at the way women's achievements in history are overshadowed by men.

"Uproot their colony" Stop acting blind and do something about it. Stand up for your rights!

"You're ripe for harvesting" You're easily manipulated.

"Virgin cells to penetrate" It's the 21st century, children are losing their virginity at a young age. The media consistently puts across the false idea that women are only good for sex.

"Too premature to permeate" Children pressured into having sex - they're too young.

"They can't elucidate" They're too young to understand what their TV's are telling and selling them, they don't get it but they do it any way because they think it's 'right' and 'normal'.

"Never thought I was the enemy" Could be personal. Alice is a force to be reckoned with, she stands up for herself and has been criticised by others for doing so. She is the 'enemy' of the mainstream - a woman who refuses to adhere to the media's disgusting standards of what a female musician should be, i.e. a sex object.

"They fake sincerity, thy gifts don't give to me" The way the 'men in charge' approach female artists with tempting offers of extraordinary wealth and adoration from the fans. However, once you lose your sex appeal you'll be tossed aside and left to the mercy of the critics (gossip magazines and the public). Fame is a path of self-destruction, but it's harsh reality is glossed over in order to make it appealing to young and talented women.

"Now you've been anointed, they've been asking for it " Metaphorically it could mean enlightened, you've become one of the 'others' that pose a threat to the patriarchal propaganda. Now that you realise how badly you've been treated by society you want revenge - 'they' deserve to be taken down.

"I am the plague" 'I am the 'disease' that you didn't want to deal with. I am the woman who will enlighten others, expose the industry and spread the word. I will tear you apart.