The Serpentine Offering by Dimmu Borgir Lyrics Meaning – Uncoiling the Dark Mystique in Metal
Lyrics
I am hatred, darkness and despair
My decent is the story of everyman
I am hatred, darkness and despair
Evoked and entertained through centuries
Wrathful and sullen–dormant still
The ferocity pervades everywhere
Waiting to be released at last
Hear my offering
Ye bastard sons and daughters
Share my sacrifice
Share my sacrifice
My decent is the story of everyman
I am hatred, darkness and despair
My decent is the story of everyman
I am hatred, darkness and despair
My decent is the story of everyman
My decent is the story of everyman
I am hatred, darkness and despair
My decent is the story of everyman
I am hatred, darkness and despair
Reconcile not with the fear of the snake
But embrace it as your own
Inject it’s venom into your veins
And replant the seed that gives growth
Still shrouded in mystery
Until you arise above perception
A veil of ignorance is in motion
Continuing throughout generations
A veil of ignorance is in motion
Continuing throughout multiple generations
Let me be the one that deliver you from the deceit
And back into perfect accordance with the laws of nature
The snake is notoriously tempting
But the snake is fair
What is worse than not knowing?
To live or disappear?
The ferocity pervades everywhere
Waiting to be released at last
Hear my offering
Ye bastard sons and daughters
Share my sacrifice
Share my sacrifice
Dimmu Borgir, the symphonic black metal maestros, have always been synonymous with weaving intricate tales of the macabre and the arcane within the rich tapestries of their music. ‘The Serpentine Offering,’ a track that burns with the flame of their dark, esoteric heritage, is no exception. It takes the listener on a detour through the mind’s shadowed corridors, where humanity’s primal fears and desires dwell.
The song’s sinuous journey is an incantation, a ritualistic chant that offers a glimpse into the profound philosophy the band is known for. To delve into ‘The Serpentine Offering’ is to explore complex themes of self-awareness, rebellion, and an inherent connection to darker forces within us. Join us as we dissect the layers behind this morbid rhapsody, seeking truths concealed within its serpentine coils.
Echoes of Everyman: A Universal Descent
The repeated lines—’My descent is the story of everyman’—serve as an incendiary proclamation that our intrinsic nature harbors darkness, despair, and hatred. Yet, these are not qualities unique to the individual; they are universal experiences, woven into the fabric of our collective human narrative.
Dimmu Borgir doesn’t just paint a picture of gloom; they invoke a critical self-reflection. These words encourage listeners to confront their own shadows, marking the song as an anthem for those who walk the introspective path of understanding humanity’s shared lineage of inner turmoil.
Sacrificial Offerings: Rituals of Release
Within the chanted imperative ‘Hear my offering,’ we find an invocation that challenges the listener to be participatory in their own cathartic process. The offering made is not one of flesh, but of our innate animosity and the essence of what we deem sinister.
The demand to ‘share my sacrifice’ is a call to communal acknowledgement of the burdens we bear. It’s an exhortation for solidarity in facing the darkness, suggesting that there is freedom—and perhaps even salvation—in the shared embrace of our basest elements.
A Lesson Cloaked in Venom: Embracing the Fear
‘Reconcile not with the fear of the snake / But embrace it as your own’—this is not just a lyric, it’s a doctrine. It hints at the age-old symbolism of the serpent as a representation of knowledge and rebirth, urging a full acceptance of the once feared creature.
The song transforms the venom, commonly seen as deadly, into a potent elixir for growth. It promotes the belief that in accepting our fears and injecting them into our being, we might transcend ignorance and align with the natural order of existence.
The Hidden Meaning: Knowledge over Ignorance
Dimmu Borgir uses ‘The Serpentine Offering’ to address an insidious veil of ignorance that has pervaded generations. This veil, a metaphor for the lack of awareness, blinds humanity from the truths of nature and our own existence.
By positioning the song’s narrator as a deliverer of truth, the band offers a pathway to enlightenment—a break from generational deceit. It is a powerful statement on the importance of personal awakening and the pursuit of knowledge.
Memorable Lines: Unforgettable Provocations
The provocative question posed, ‘What is worse than not knowing? To live or disappear?’ is a poignant reflection on the uncertainty that plagues human consciousness. Its haunting inquiry lingers long after the song ends, emphasizing the existential dilemma we all face.
Ultimately, ‘The Serpentine Offering,’ with its compelling lyrics and rich symbolism, becomes an unforgettable operatic defiance against the mundane and a clarion call to embrace the enigmatic forces that shape our very essence.
