The meaning of the lyrics of the song "Candles" by the artist "Within Temptation"

In Within Temptation's song "Candles", the lyrics paint a picture of despair, fear, and the gradual fading of hope. The lyrical hero faces an oppressive darkness ("hands of sorrow"), which tries to take hold of his soul. The icy wind, symbolizing harshness and hopelessness, blows out the candles – a metaphor for faith, hope, and vitality.

The repeating lines "A thousand dark moons, a thousand long winters. A million fallen stars" amplify the feeling of despair and the endlessness of suffering. "A candle is burning in the dark" is an image of fragile hope that still flickers but is in danger of fading.

The phrase "We try not to forget – they will outlive us" can be interpreted in two ways. On the one hand, "they" may be the very forces of darkness that are trying to subdue the hero. On the other hand, "they" may symbolize the memory of something bright and dear that resists darkness and oblivion.

"They slowly fade with every dying flame…" is an allegory for the gradual fading of hope and the hero's vitality. Every extinguished candle is a lost piece of faith and the will to resist.

Thus, the song "Candles" paints a bleak yet poignant picture of the struggle with despair and hopelessness, where fragile hope confronts all-consuming darkness.