The meaning of the lyrics of the song "All That May Bleed" by the artist "Watain"
The lyrics of "All That May Bleed" by the Swedish black metal band Watain are a hymn to pain, suffering and bloodshed, saturated with blasphemous ecstasy and contempt for human weakness. The lyrical "I" appears as a demonic entity, reveling in the sight of torment and proclaiming the equality of all beings in the face of death and pain.
The call "Go forth! Come hither!" is addressed to all living things doomed to suffer. The enumeration "All that is mortal! All that may bleed! ... Child and woman, man and swine" emphasizes the all-encompassing nature of suffering, making no distinction between the innocent and the guilty. The lyrical hero savors the details of the torment, comparing the victim to a "rat in a maze" bleeding "tart" blood.
The text presents a perverse reinterpretation of Christian imagery. The lyrical "I" mocks the suffering of Christ, calling his blood "sweet" and comparing it to rain that "washes the salt of Satan from the wounds of Christ." The address to the "son of man" sounds like mockery, and the "tears of joy" of the lyrical hero at the sight of human suffering underline his sadistic nature.
"All That May Bleed" is not just a description of violence, but a hymn to the dark forces that triumph over the weakness and frailty of human existence.
The original lyrics of the song - "All That May Bleed"
Come forth! Come hither!
All that may die! All that may bleed!
All that is able to writhe in the punishment of a God.
Woman and child, man and swine.
Warriors and slaves alike.
For alike shall you add to the cup.
And equally shall I spew thee out like worms.
Into the kingdom of the living god!
Now hear me, son of man;
I too have shed tears for thy suffering.
Yet tears of pity, they were not!
They were tears of joy!
So hear me, defeated one;
I too have drunk the blood of Christ.
So sweet upon my lips...
Gushing from the open wounds of man,
Of beast, of woman, of God,
Of all that lives and may bleed.
"Why dost thou loiter?"
Many that have debts to pay.
Shiver, you thy back in line.
Like rats in a maze.
Rats who may suffer.
Yes! Rats who may bleed.
Into hells hungry mouth.
Red and full of spice.
Like the rain to cleanse your paradise.
The salt of Satan in the wounds of Christ.
Come! Let me wash thee.
From the stench of skin let me rid thee.
Yes my hand is pale,
But the heart, my love, is dark as night!
Saints and sinners, white as black,
In guilt revel ye all alike
And all alike shall ye bleed — All who may!
All that may die on that glorious day!
Now harken! This song of wounds.
It's sung for the sake of your suffering
Yet one of pity it is not, I sing of joy!
Yes hear me, defeated one.
I too have tasted the piss of God
But I spat it back straight into the cunting wounds
