I think 4 anonymous posters on lyricinterpretations.com got it pretty close. Here's what they wrote:
►My take is god cast down satan and the men of the earth picked up his crown either in victory or to take his place
►It's much easier to pick up the devils bleeding crown than it is to show faith in GOD.
►I believe it's stating how they (angels now devil and his legion) were cast out of heaven and sent to hell but letting you know that the devil is here and wants to rule. The bleeding crown part I feel is there because Jesus was crucified with a crown of thorns on his head.
►I think it is about the nephilim, children of angels and mortal women. The nephilim were consider kings who required sacrifices. God wiped them out with a flood. The angels were cast out of heaven.
...
My own take, after having read all of those interpretations and more, is that this song is kind of an anthem, where the key lines are actually, "Raise your hands, what do you hold? The Devil's bleeding crown!", where the bleeding crown is a combination of references to: 1) victory over satan & his legion of fallen angels in that lendendary 2nd to last verse (including "Close the door and hear all the angels scream "Oh mercy, mercy, mercy, oh mercy, please!"") ; 2) Jesus' crucifixion; and (of course), 3) all of us who ever raised our hands up at any rock concert, making the sign of the devil (aka "rock and roll dude!") representing, I would suggest, victory over our demons from the virtual exorcism rock imparts.
I think 4 anonymous posters on lyricinterpretations.com got it pretty close. Here's what they wrote:
►My take is god cast down satan and the men of the earth picked up his crown either in victory or to take his place
►It's much easier to pick up the devils bleeding crown than it is to show faith in GOD.
►I believe it's stating how they (angels now devil and his legion) were cast out of heaven and sent to hell but letting you know that the devil is here and wants to rule. The bleeding crown part I feel is there because Jesus was crucified with a crown of thorns on his head.
►I think it is about the nephilim, children of angels and mortal women. The nephilim were consider kings who required sacrifices. God wiped them out with a flood. The angels were cast out of heaven.
...
My own take, after having read all of those interpretations and more, is that this song is kind of an anthem, where the key lines are actually, "Raise your hands, what do you hold? The Devil's bleeding crown!", where the bleeding crown is a combination of references to: 1) victory over satan & his legion of fallen angels in that lendendary 2nd to last verse (including "Close the door and hear all the angels scream "Oh mercy, mercy, mercy, oh mercy, please!"") ; 2) Jesus' crucifixion; and (of course), 3) all of us who ever raised our hands up at any rock concert, making the sign of the devil (aka "rock and roll dude!") representing, I would suggest, victory over our demons from the virtual exorcism rock imparts.