Once again I’m really confused by some of the stretches people make for Nevermore lyrics… it’s not quite as obvious as some other songs but surely if you put some thought into it it should come to you…
Much like quite a few songs of Dead Heart in a Dead World (see my song meaning for Narcosynthesis), some parts of this are dialogue/conversation, and others are just narration. I’m gonna address some parts out of order and leave out a few lines with the hopes that you’ll get a sense of satisfaction when you piece together the last little bit.
Before we dive in, the song is about heroin.
“Dark rivers carve the years between the lines of self control” - is referring to the user’s veins as a symbol and grim reminder of the time and abuse that have resulted from their inability to stop.
“And we won’t be here for long” - the user is in the process of preparing his next shot
“The heart collector sings his song that’s slowly boiling over” - this is what gives away that the user is the actor. His song is the “act” of doing heroin, and it’s slowly boiling over in the spoon, as heroin does.
“‘ Nevermore to feel the pain’,
The heart collector sang.
‘And I won’t be feeling hollow for so long’ “
-kinda obvious based on the last one. The user is (metaphorically) singing to himself as he (literally) prepares to fill the emptiness in his heart.
Going back now that we know he’s the actor.
“To see the actor without tears” - sort of doubled up on meaning. On one side it’s highlighting that the actor (user) has no tears because (as it points out in the next line) he’s frequently high. On the other side it’s acknowledging an emotionally dead state in which one has become dependent on the continued use of the drug to feel true feelings anymore. Which is allured to in the same verse:
“In my psychotic karmic fear, I own your tears anyway. And I am you. And we are not afraid” - picture this part (and the whole verse tbh) is being sang by heroin itself and it makes perfect sense.
“The stage is empty now” - I’ll leave this one as part of the aforementioned satisfaction builder for you guys to solve. With a hint in the next part for context clues.
“The hope we hold, they can not allow” - note the serious anger and slight sarcasm in his voice. He’s referring to the general public as “they”. The hope “we” (either users as a collective, or he and his heroin - which has been personified already in the first verse. Kinda non specific but I lean towards the second one) hold, referring to the false hope and feeing of worth that comes along with being high, “they cannot allow” referring to the public’s tendency to outcast drug addicts, as well as police seizing their drugs, putting them in jail, separating them from what they have learned to see as their existence. Hence why they are “the actor” (holy shit it’s all coming together?)
“The corrupt eclectic takes his fatal bow” - I feel like this one explains itself if you managed to get this far.
And that’s it. Also note the gut wrenching solo lines up with the emotions of the storyline, and the little bass-melody thing after the first chorus is sort of in line with the idea of just having shot up. The bass has a mellow, thumpy, heart-beat/pulsey sound during its little sequence.
I really hope this helped someone who wanted a real explanation that makes any kind of sense. I’ll admit it’s one of the last DHIADW songs I cracked, but I’m amazed no one is even on the right track….
Once again I’m really confused by some of the stretches people make for Nevermore lyrics… it’s not quite as obvious as some other songs but surely if you put some thought into it it should come to you…
Much like quite a few songs of Dead Heart in a Dead World (see my song meaning for Narcosynthesis), some parts of this are dialogue/conversation, and others are just narration. I’m gonna address some parts out of order and leave out a few lines with the hopes that you’ll get a sense of satisfaction when you piece together the last little bit.
Before we dive in, the song is about heroin.
“Dark rivers carve the years between the lines of self control” - is referring to the user’s veins as a symbol and grim reminder of the time and abuse that have resulted from their inability to stop.
“And we won’t be here for long” - the user is in the process of preparing his next shot
“The heart collector sings his song that’s slowly boiling over” - this is what gives away that the user is the actor. His song is the “act” of doing heroin, and it’s slowly boiling over in the spoon, as heroin does.
“‘ Nevermore to feel the pain’, The heart collector sang. ‘And I won’t be feeling hollow for so long’ “ -kinda obvious based on the last one. The user is (metaphorically) singing to himself as he (literally) prepares to fill the emptiness in his heart.
Going back now that we know he’s the actor.
“To see the actor without tears” - sort of doubled up on meaning. On one side it’s highlighting that the actor (user) has no tears because (as it points out in the next line) he’s frequently high. On the other side it’s acknowledging an emotionally dead state in which one has become dependent on the continued use of the drug to feel true feelings anymore. Which is allured to in the same verse:
“In my psychotic karmic fear, I own your tears anyway. And I am you. And we are not afraid” - picture this part (and the whole verse tbh) is being sang by heroin itself and it makes perfect sense.
“The stage is empty now” - I’ll leave this one as part of the aforementioned satisfaction builder for you guys to solve. With a hint in the next part for context clues.
“The hope we hold, they can not allow” - note the serious anger and slight sarcasm in his voice. He’s referring to the general public as “they”. The hope “we” (either users as a collective, or he and his heroin - which has been personified already in the first verse. Kinda non specific but I lean towards the second one) hold, referring to the false hope and feeing of worth that comes along with being high, “they cannot allow” referring to the public’s tendency to outcast drug addicts, as well as police seizing their drugs, putting them in jail, separating them from what they have learned to see as their existence. Hence why they are “the actor” (holy shit it’s all coming together?)
“The corrupt eclectic takes his fatal bow” - I feel like this one explains itself if you managed to get this far.
And that’s it. Also note the gut wrenching solo lines up with the emotions of the storyline, and the little bass-melody thing after the first chorus is sort of in line with the idea of just having shot up. The bass has a mellow, thumpy, heart-beat/pulsey sound during its little sequence.
I really hope this helped someone who wanted a real explanation that makes any kind of sense. I’ll admit it’s one of the last DHIADW songs I cracked, but I’m amazed no one is even on the right track….