A Palace In Persia - Metaphenomena Lyrics with Commentary
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Metaphenomena is the first album to be released in a four cd story, and is the second album out of the four. This album is solely the meeting of the lead character and a mysterious three headed man named Khayyam, whom the lead character has sought out for reasons yet to be fully disclosed. For those wanting to more easily understand the album, this commentary will break down the story and point you in the correct direction.
Fervor and Frailty
(In this song the first head of Khayyam breaks down the social and mental constructs of society to prepare the lead character for what his about to be shown and told. )
I sought you out
And down the trickle i found you.
Wo Shat Ra Beman Bedeh (Lend me your wisdom.)
I've seen this place through my fetal eyes
And in these desperate days I've found my resting place....
(This is the opening scene of the album and is the lead character at the feet of Khayyam basically presenting himself. In this there is a lot of insight on the mental state of the lead character before Metaphenmena and also forshadows what is to come in the last two lines.)
How strange is man.
How strange this land.
This land has changed.
The footprints of monstrosities have laid waste to this plain.
(The first words of Khayyam. Some key things to notice especially if you're having any trouble understanding where the perspective is coming from is to look into the verb choice and metaphor choice. Khayyam speaks very grand and always is associated with natural phrases and metaphors.)
A storm of sound to hail the crown that reins over us.
With tongues a flame we'll set a blaze the straw in our heads.
Head on, head on, just keep your burning heads on.
Head on, Head on, We keep our burning heads on.
Trend scare, trend scar, what have we dug this trench for
Head on, Head on, We keep our burning heads on.
Trend scare, trend scar, we cower in this trench now...
(The idea behind this stanza being screamed behind the lead line was that it represented the two other heads crying out at the same time as the third. Really take in what is being said here)
What did you think?
That such inveterate marring could just be buried
and left to boil and weep?
The mouth of the earth screamed "dirty,"
So you had Her bound and gaged,
with righteousness between her teeth
and progress placed over her head.
You've dirtied this water
And bore a plant more man than plant
More man than man.
(The Earth IS a character in this story and is always referred to as "Her")
The earth is on fire! The world is on fire!
Our eyes are on fire! Our ears are on fire!
Our thoughts are on fire! Our mouths leak flame!
O sweet apathy save my soul.
Where there is flesh there is fire.
Where there is flesh there is flame.
(Refer to the screaming part from earlier, this is a continuation of that idea)
What more is an angel than
Bird and man
A burdened man
bird and man
A burning man.
What more is the devil than
A goat and man
Gold and man
A goat and man
Golden men.
These are the equations of fervor and frailty.
(This last stanza is the punch line of the song, the whole point of everything said by this first head of Khayyam. The word play is intentional and was done to show that even things held to such high importance, such as religion, are still just ideas, and it is transcending the ideas of heaven, hell, good, bad and understanding that IT,....is, and as the lead characters mind begins to shift into this understanding, we represent that musically through the bridge following the second chorus. Each part stacks up and slowly changes until full circle and we return back to the opening prayer, this time with a whole new amount of conviction, and now for the second head.)
Money Culture: Vendetta
(This track and track three, as the titles imply, are the same song, just different movements. The way that they are linked is that both track two and three are all conversations that are either shown to the lead character or ones he is part of. Track two is just an in-depth conversation where as track three spreads from person to person. These tracks have a lot to do with the next album of the four and especially this side story between the boy and the worm.)
Hey mister!
Looks like you've seen better days.
Please take this apple as an offering, i insist.
All I ask of you is just one favor,
if you come across a worm beneath that apples skin
tell him that I'm coming for him
and when I find him there will be nothing left but the core of the apple that he's been hiding in.
(this is all spoken from the perspective of a young boy who comes across the lead character.)
So there I was
face to face
with the object of this boys obsessions,
so i leaned in and said
"excuse me worm but there is a boy who is looking for you
and he's out to kill you."
then he looked me in the eyes and replied
"you tell HIM...you tell him that I'm coming for him"
Oh I'm coming for him
And when I am through with him sorrow and despair will have consumed his whole family.
I will gorge myself on poison berry and fruit until I fall ill
And I'll plant myself in that boys very last apple.
This will be my final stand.
this will be my fall.
(the plot thickens as now the worm proclaims his plan to kill the boy who after him.)
Enamel knights! Shred my skin!
Release this pathogen!
I inch this troubled path alone...
Today I die.
Go out a warrior
and not a tear will be cried...
(This vocal part actually comes at the end of track three and is the conclusion to this sub story. This is pretty much the worms mantra he repeats as he lies poisoned, in the boys apple, waiting to be consumed. The key part to this story and actually one of the most important things to understand from this album however, are the spoken words at the end of the worms singing...)
"And as that worm rode valiently toward the boys mouth
A woman caught his eye (talking about the boy),
and just as he did to the kind man earlier, he gave her the apple.
That womans name ________________"
(this ones a secret)
Money Culture: Progress Parade
"You may not always hear the crack-crack-cracking of tree tops falling
But you will always hear their slaughterhouse roar-roar-roaring.
Cash in your change and join this progress parade.
The product of a money culture."
"Come on over! (the echo "come on over" was sung by our engineer Randall Shreve ")
Tonight we dine with skyscrapers and high rises."
"citizens please lend your limbs."
"climb, Climb, climb, Until we reach the sky its just Grind, Grind, Grind.
The Purpose of a money culture."
(Its not important who is saying these lines, that can all be interpreted differently, its more about what's being said.)
"Kaw-Kaw- Kaw! Crow!?
Was it you who stole the beat from the dervish dancers?
Did you fly off with their feet during bedtime prayer?
Or whisper in their ears "this is an act of God."
"Weep-Weep-Weep! Beau!
They've impregnated your wife with a Cibera seed
and made off with the brides maid and the ring."
"WE ARE THE KEY TO MODERN LIVING" (The female vocals lent for this part are sung by Genivieve Shreve)
Beneath the water
under the wreckage
You'll find his daughter
Has left a message
And in the moonlight
That tainted rock bed
Will shine like diamonds
Or ruins...ruins...
(Note what is said here. this chorus is important for future stuff to come.)
"WE ARE THE KEY TO MODERN LIVING!"
"Etched in our skeletons, machine mouths babbling.
You can't stop the progress parade, can't stop the progress parade!"
"THIS IS THE KEY TO MODERN LIVING!"
"Cultivation starts, just below the fingertips
Feel It course through your veins and pluck you spinal chord like
gimme gimme gimme oh, gimme gimme gimme, oh we've got ourselves another one..."
"This money culture, born in a Petri dish
spread like a virus, became a pandemic
and with a sickly grip we clutch our mutant hearts
A money culture can't replace these parts..."
Noteriety
(Now it is time for the final head to speak and it is Khayyam's center head. This head shows the lead character both his death and what is to come from it. This one there is not much i can really say, it is all there for your interpretation)
When the oceans and rivers purge
No mans weight could deter the current...
Washed away.
Washed away.
They are formed from her skin.
Dermis stretched over marrow masses.
They wander out on shaking legs.
In your wake life is born.
Are they blood? For you share the same mother.
Are they blood? Or the strain of another?
They swarm around his body, in search for the seed.
They swarm around his body, from his wounds they shall feed.
Crystal eyes stare at broken bones and bloodied cloths.
Tears spew in vein for here there is no home.
Are they blood? For you share the same mother.
Are they blood? Or the strain of another?
They swarm around his body, in search for the seed.
They swarm around his body, from his wounds they shall feed.
Silence, Silence, Khayyam please!
What is it that this man utters through a tightening jaw?
For in a gust of wind i swore i heard him call your name...
Silence, Silence, Khayyam please!
Who is this man who's death brings life to these foreign beasts.
WHO IS THIS MAN?!
WHO IS THIS MAN?!
Where the hell in the world do you think we are?
And what is the cost of the toll?
If i showed you the end of the world
would you just turn your face away?
If i showed you the end of the world
would it be a disaster?
Or would it be a blessing to us all?
(The chorus is spoken from the mouth of Khayyam. Pay attention to how he speaks here)
When the vultures find you
there will be nothing left to scavenge.
Lets keep this one secret,
Hidden before twos and threes.
I stuck my head down a fox hole...
you won't believe what I saw!
I saw a land with ferocious beasts!
I saw a land unmarked by human feet!
Then I just got washed away.
Then we all just got washed away.
(Will the lead character take what he has been shown and do something to change the impending event? Or will he let himself slip back into the sickness that plagues so many? Who is the nameless woman and what is to come of her after eating the apple? These questions and many more will be answered in time. For now, take out what you can from this album and really enjoy what Metaphenomena has to offer, because although it is all a big story, it is based upon real things, everyday life things, discussions we have and ideas in our heads. If anyone has any further questions or explaining feel free to email us or talk to us at shows. Now go listen to Sir. Time!)