Angels

Just what I've gathered through listening and reading the lyrics. DO NOT take my words as gold.

I don't have a nice full interpretation for the song, but I think it is a continuation of The Stage and its "the government is fooling us all" message, a sort of assertion that an "illuminati group" does exist and has kept it self hidden successfully and is on the brink of unleashing its true plan soon.

"Took the road, but should have chased the stars." may be alluding to Exist and the Neil DeGrasse Tyson speech about getting over human conflict and focusing on space exploration instead.

"The faster we run now, the closer the gun now and somehow all the bullets bear my name" this seems to allude to a martial law or government take over of the citizens of their country. The government hunting down free thinkers and or just fully enslaving their people through force.

"Mother wash the devil from my hands Mother, tell me was it all a lie? Show me where the angels die" Seems like a remorseful person living in this new authoritarian 1984-like hell pondering on how the government was lying about trying to help us all along. The angels may be revolutionaries who failed and were ultimately killed... silenced by the new ruling authoritarian government.

Simulation comes directly after and seems to insinuate that the government then went on to make the Matrix a reality.

I think this is about a person who's looking back.

Didn't put too much worth to people around him, cared about himself, thinking that 'never looking back' was the trick to live the life he wanted, but ended up alone and without anyone that loves him.

'There are words that never found my lips There are words I'd soon forget Thought the trick was never to look back But it seems I've lost my grip, I slip'

'Took the road but should have chased the stars Now I've lost my own way home Had a photo of the time we shared But I burned it long ago, I know I struck all the matches stuck in the ashes Forgive me, won't you simply speak my name'

It is quite obious in these particular verses actually.

It may also be about a person who gave up people he loved for ideologies and some political ideals, then realised what the hell he had done when all he had was loneliness, insecurity and darkness. That would fit the album's concept even more.

'Mother wash the devil from my hands Pray the Lord I have the strength to stand Mother, tell me was it all a lie? Show me where the angels die'

Might mean that he realised that he sacrificed his loved ones for a lie, and now wants to at least make a stand for the right thing, asking help from the only person who'd not reject him.

I do feel this about the government hiding and lieing and controlling But I think it's more about soldiers fighting wars for a cause they were lied about. Coming home with the blood on their hands for what. Trying to go back to normal life is not so easy and not so easy to forget the people you have lost or hurt Asking to be forgiven and wondering if a soldier doesn't die in battle where do they go to rest.