My interpretation has always been that this is the Christian-defined end of the world (The Battle of Armageddon) seen through the eyes of an athiest, or someone who has turned their back on God.
The song is filled with a lot of anti-Christian imagery and emotion, but takes the classic philosophical standpoint of "What if I'm wrong?".
"As I watch the sun go out
My loss of faith replaced by doubt"
This line very distinctly catches the theme of the song, to me. Someone who has lost their faith in God suddenly being struck with the very real end of the world, and coming to doubt their belief that God does not, in fact, exist.
The first verse also points to this line of interpretation, specifically:
"The stars are falling from the sky
And I know why"
This seems to be the reaction of someone who once believed or, like many athiests, is well-versed in Christian mythology and knows what the end of the world is "supposed" to look like, but never thought they'd see it.
The rest of the song contains some of the most powerful imagery in modern songwriting. The sun goes black, the Earth is in flames, and while all this is going on, all that's left is for the unfaithful to drink a toast to it all, seemingly welcoming the end, possibly mocking God in one final act of defiance.
Regardless of interpretation, this is one of my favorite songs of all times, easily my favorite by Tristania. Their lyrics and storytelling are always powerful and full of imagery that causes you to actually visualize the song as if its events were unfolding right in front of you, and their combination of heavy guitars and drums, almost violent vocals, full orchestration, and choirs makes for amazing music.
My interpretation has always been that this is the Christian-defined end of the world (The Battle of Armageddon) seen through the eyes of an athiest, or someone who has turned their back on God.
The song is filled with a lot of anti-Christian imagery and emotion, but takes the classic philosophical standpoint of "What if I'm wrong?".
"As I watch the sun go out My loss of faith replaced by doubt" This line very distinctly catches the theme of the song, to me. Someone who has lost their faith in God suddenly being struck with the very real end of the world, and coming to doubt their belief that God does not, in fact, exist.
The first verse also points to this line of interpretation, specifically: "The stars are falling from the sky And I know why" This seems to be the reaction of someone who once believed or, like many athiests, is well-versed in Christian mythology and knows what the end of the world is "supposed" to look like, but never thought they'd see it.
The rest of the song contains some of the most powerful imagery in modern songwriting. The sun goes black, the Earth is in flames, and while all this is going on, all that's left is for the unfaithful to drink a toast to it all, seemingly welcoming the end, possibly mocking God in one final act of defiance.
Regardless of interpretation, this is one of my favorite songs of all times, easily my favorite by Tristania. Their lyrics and storytelling are always powerful and full of imagery that causes you to actually visualize the song as if its events were unfolding right in front of you, and their combination of heavy guitars and drums, almost violent vocals, full orchestration, and choirs makes for amazing music.