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The Emptiness Machine Lyrics
Your blades are sharpened with precision
Flashing your favorite point of view
I know you're waiting in the distance
Just like you always do, just like you always do
Already pulling me in
Already under my skin
And I know exactly how this ends, I
Let you cut me open just to watch me bleed
Gave up who I am for who you wanted me to be
Don't know why I'm hopin' for what I won't receive
Fallin' for the promise of the emptiness machine
The emptiness machine
Goin' around like a revolver
It's been decided how we lose
'Cause there's a fire under the altar
I keep on lyin' to, I keep on lyin' to
Already pulling me in
Already under my skin
And I know exactly how this ends, I
Let you cut me open just to watch me bleed
Gave up who I am for who you wanted me to be
Don't know why I'm hopin' for what I won't receive
Fallin' for the promise of the emptiness machine
I only wanted to be part of something
I only wanted to be part of, part of
I only wanted to be part of something
I only wanted to be part of, part of
I only wanted to be part of something
I only wanted to be part
I let you cut me open just to watch me bleed
Gave up who I am for who you wanted me to be
Don't know why I'm hopin', so fuckin' naive
Fallin' for the promise of the emptiness machine
The emptiness machine
(I only wanted to be part of something)
The emptiness machine, oh
(I only wanted to be part of)
The emptiness machine
Flashing your favorite point of view
I know you're waiting in the distance
Just like you always do, just like you always do
Already under my skin
And I know exactly how this ends, I
Gave up who I am for who you wanted me to be
Don't know why I'm hopin' for what I won't receive
Fallin' for the promise of the emptiness machine
The emptiness machine
It's been decided how we lose
'Cause there's a fire under the altar
I keep on lyin' to, I keep on lyin' to
Already under my skin
And I know exactly how this ends, I
Gave up who I am for who you wanted me to be
Don't know why I'm hopin' for what I won't receive
Fallin' for the promise of the emptiness machine
I only wanted to be part of, part of
I only wanted to be part of something
I only wanted to be part of, part of
I only wanted to be part of something
I only wanted to be part
Gave up who I am for who you wanted me to be
Don't know why I'm hopin', so fuckin' naive
Fallin' for the promise of the emptiness machine
The emptiness machine
The emptiness machine, oh
(I only wanted to be part of)
The emptiness machine
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To me, this lyric sounds like someone who keeps engaging in dialogs with "trolls" through social media. The lyricist seems to be trying to have a productive conversation with those trolls, as a part of that particular online community: "only wanted to be part of something", but those he's engaging with are literally just trying to provoke negative reactions from him, because that entertains them: "cutting him open just to watch him bleed".
Within that interpretation, I think "the emptiness machine" is the internet enabled device that many of us have in our hands right now. It promises us meaningful connections with others, but ultimately, it offers us few truly fulfilling social connections, due to those ever-present "trolls". They are always "just waiting in the distance" on the other side of our screens.
[Edit: Typo fix]
This song is the first single being released after Chester Bennington's death, and it was made as a tribute to his life. The lyrics reflect this.
The "blades" are actually a metaphor for a penis being "flashed". "Waiting in the distance", "pulling me in", "under my skin", and "I know exactly how this ends" are all referring to sexual abuse that happened to Chester as a child. This sets the stage for the rest of the song which is set with Chester as an adult closeted homosexual.
"Let you cut me open just to watch me bleed" - He's talking about taking Chris Cornell's giant cock in the ass.
"Gave up who I am for who you wanted me to be" - Chester is gay but he pretends to be straight in the public eye. Remember, Chester was born in a time when being gay would ruin your career, unlike now where you have to be gay to be one of the cool kids.
"Don't know why I'm hopin' for what I won't receive" - He actually wants to be straight but obviously once you go gay it's impossible to cure.
"Fallin' for the promise of the emptiness machine" - He's talking about Chester being miserable and empty because he isn't allowing himself to be his true gay self.
"Cause there's a fire under the altar", "I keep on lyin' to, I keep on lyin' to" - This is more reinforcement of the fact that Chester was gay even though he was lying to everyone about it and praying to God to be straight.
"I only wanted to be part of something" - This is the most beautiful part of the song which expresses that Chester is full of disappointment and regret over being so gay all of the time.
RIP Chester! We all still love you even though you were SUPER GAY!
[Edit: reasons]