The Sacrilegious Scorn by Dimmu Borgir Lyrics Meaning – A Dive into the Battle Between Light and Darkness
Lyrics
Been too long in the shadows of invention and creation
As I rightfully behold the flesh
Fear of the conscious mind will have you facing away
My word and world holds ground and is real
Your word is like floods of poisoned water
A language spoken with spit of different tongues
It all seems like an eternity
This battle between us two
“Good and evil”
Me and you
Time has come to step up
And take back what you took from me
My word and world holds ground and is real
Your word is like floods of poisoned water
A language spoken with spit of different tongues
You can never corrupt me again
Time has come to step up
And take back what you took from me
You can never corrupt me again
I protect every man guilty of sin
The ultimate sin being me
The vapor from the plague
That infested my mind, body and soul
Obscured my view from wisdom
The mist that had me wonder in resentment cleared
And troubles me no more
In the pantheon of black metal, few bands have stirred the cauldron of controversy and introspection quite like Dimmu Borgir. With their 2007 opus ‘The Sacrilegious Scorn,’ from the album ‘In Sorte Diaboli’, they lay bare a hymn of defiance and self-realization that echoes through the abyss of the genre. The song channels the spirit of rebellion, drawing upon metaphorical and literal interpretations to challenge the listener’s perception of good versus evil.
Navigating through the song’s dark and poetic lyrics, it becomes increasingly clear that Dimmu Borgir is not just telling a story — they are painting a sprawling mural of existential warfare. Eschewing simple corporeal confines, ‘The Sacrilegious Scorn’ invites us to ponder our own convictions regarding the fabric of reality, humanity’s intrinsic nature, and the boundaries that separate the sacred from the profane.
The Shadow’s Embrace: Subverting Creation and Invention
Right from the opening lines, ‘The Sacrilegious Scorn’ appears to dwell in a place beyond the tangible. The narrator has spent too long in the ‘shadows of invention and creation,’ suggesting a discontent with human endeavors or a figurative limbo. There’s an element of something new and defiant being forged in these shadows, awaiting revelation.
The lyrics walk a fine line between sacrilege and self-empowerment, indicating that to emerge from the shadows, one must not only confront but embrace and assimilate the ‘flesh’ — a potential allegory for reality, human nature, or even mortality.
Linguistic Venom: The Power of Words as Weapons
A harsh assessment of language’s dual ability to heal and harm is assessed when contrasting ‘my word’ with ‘your word.’ Where the narrator’s ‘word and world’ hold weight and substance, the opposition’s words are equated to ‘floods of poisoned water.’ This vivid ocean of vitriol is essentially speech meant to degrade, divide, and deceive.
Spoken with ‘spit of different tongues,’ this phrase addresses the divisive nature of humanity and possibly the hypocrisy of institutions or figures of authority that wield language as a means of control and corruption.
An Eternity of Conflict: Deconstructing ‘Good and Evil’
The timeless tale of ‘Good and evil, me and you’ underpins the entire track, drawing a line in the sand between the narrator and their perceived nemesis. ‘The Sacrilegious Scorn’ relentlessly interweaves personal struggle with the larger struggle of ethical dualism, suggesting the very definition of ‘good’ and ‘evil’ is subjective.
Dimmu Borgir thereby engages in a philosophical conflict as old as time, yet fresh in its vehemence and zest to redefine the terms. Moreover, it implicitly criticizes the simplicity of such binaries in a complex world.
The Hidden Meaning: Redemption and The Ultimate Sin
The serpentine narrative of the song emerges when the protector of ‘every man guilty of sin’ is revealed as the narrator himself. Such a declaration positions the speaker not just as the anti-hero of their own story, but as a figure soaked in self-awareness and ultimate sin. Is this ultimate sin pride, knowledge, existence or something more intangible?
The lyrics grasp at the notion of original sin and individual culpability, interlacing this with themes of mental and spiritual plague. It’s a personal awakening out of the ‘vapor’ that once concealed truth, recognizing that past torments are ephemeral and no longer hold sway over them.
Memorable Lines: A Declaration of Immunity and Strength
‘You can never corrupt me again’ serves as a recurring litany that resonates with the unyielding vigor of someone who has been through the crucible and emerged scorched but pure. It’s a defiant statement that encapsulates the essence of ‘The Sacrilegious Scorn,’ underscoring an immunity to further deceit or degradation.
The song reinforces the principle of personal sovereignty and the reclaiming of power that was usurped. Amid the overt hostility and dark cadences, this belief in self-preservation and resistance against corruption offers a glimmer of hope and resolve, assuring that despite past afflictions, one’s core remains unbroken.
