#black pentagram

Here I am with the first part of July’s themed week in “Lyrical Love”! Today’s subject is a song by the Japanese metal band Unlucky Morpheus, precisely Black Pentagram, lead-track of the single with the same name came out on 29th December 2016. This song is fundamental for the band’s path, as it launched them in a new musical frontier, extending their unique concept in a new and refreshing level.

THE MUSIC

The song starts with a strong rhythm and a great guitar work, bringing out intense and compelling notes, along with screamed vocals; then Fuki takes up the scene, with charismatic and efficient vocals, empowering the melody along with Jill’s beautiful violin, in an impactful track, easy to appreciate and hard to forget.

Lyrics (Romaji)

Usu murasakiiro no kiri no naka
ikudo mo mite ita yume no shiro
tsubasa haeta inu no tōboe wa
anata o michibiku shito no koe

Seija ni shi no senrei o
higan o sukuu mukui o

Akumu o miseteageru
hitai ni kizanda kuroki hoshi o
futatabi mezameru toki
anata no kokoro ni yomigaeru

Dare yori utsukushī yūjin wa
kagami ni utsutta tsumi no iro
abiru hada ni nijimu senketsu ga
watashi no sakebi ni ko tamashī suru

Seija ni hi no sensei o
higan ni sukuu akui o

Noroi o kashite ageru
sono mi ni nagareru ōke no chi o
futatabi mezameru toki
anata o tsukatte yomigaeru

Takaki tō no itadaki e
chijoku o kakusu yō ni
wasure rareta tamashī wa
kono hi o machiwabite

Seija ni shi no senrei o
higan o sukuu mukui o

Akumu o miseteageru
hitai ni kizanda kuroki hoshi o
futatabi mezameru toki
anata no kokoro e

Tobira o hiraku ga ī
akuma to chigitta sono akashi o
karada wa tsuchi ni kaeri
anata o kuratte yomigaeru

Watashi ga anata ni
kawatte ikiru no

Lyrics (Translation)

Within a purple fog
It is seen a castle of dreams for long
An howl of a dog with spread wings
The voice of the disciple will guide you (I)

The baptism of death to the living
An arranged reward for a dear desire

I will show you a nightmare
A black star carved in the forehead
In the moment you wake up again
Your heart will revive (II)

Who more than a sweet friend
The color of sin reflected in the mirror
Fresh blood strains on the skin
My scream will recall the spirit

The saint makes a crimson oath
The malice will haunt the nirvana (III)

I will lend you a curse
The royal blood flowing in the body
In the moment you wake up again
It will revive you

On the top of the high tower
For hiding the shame
The forgotten spirit
Impatiently waits this day (IV)

The baptism of death to the living
An arranged reward for a dear desire

I will show you a nightmare
A black star carved in the forehead
In the moment you wake up again
It will be in your heart

Open well the door
The proof that there’s the devil
The body returns to the ground
Eat and revive

I am you
Rather live (V)

THE WORDS

Written by the singer Fuyuki “Fuki” Tenge, the song features a simple layout, with a language taking inspiration from gothic world and from several religions known in the world, fitting with band’s concept. The single where the song is featured sees a focus on the theme of feelings, as shown even in the b-sides, Dead Leaves RisingandViolet, respectively dealing with the sense of absence of the loved oneandthe love as an hope for the future. The title-track takes the concept of feelings in a darker turn, focusing more on a new beginning from a painful existence, represented through the metaphor of initiation to a faith, where the soul is sold in exchange of a new life, acquired through the death. And now… let’s analyze the song!

I) The text starts with an image which brings straight to the gothic atmosphere of the song; the protagonist sees a castle of dreams behind a purple fog (Usu murasakiiro no kiri no naka/ikudo mo mite ita yume no shiro, in Japanese culture the purple is synonym of mystery, dream, magic, death, penitence and unconscious, all themes linked to the song, and the castle is a metaphor of human mind), where a dog with spread wings is howling (tsubasa haeta inu no tōboe wa,the winged dog is a likely reference to Simarĭglŭ, a mythological figure of Slavic culture, seen as a guardian of life), defined as the voice of a disciple, inviting the reader to follow him in his guidance (anata o michibiku shito no koe, the disciple likely represents the coscience).

II) The voice leads to the baptism of death for a living one, the reader (Seija ni shi no senrei o), where the reward, already arranged, is a thing wished for a long time, salvation (higan o sukuu mukui o); the author, which is the one who is guiding the reader, will offer him a nightmare (akumu o miseteageru,here meant as a manifestation of all fears and pains), and will have a black star carved in the forehead (hitai ni kizanda kuroki hoshi o,the pentagram of the title, a magic symbol of protection against evil) and when the time of reawakening will come for him, his heart will revive (futatabi mezameru toki /anata no kokoro ni yomigaeru).

III) The focus moves on a sweet friend, whose colors of the sin reflected on the reader’s mirror (dare yori utsukushī yūjin wa/kagami ni utsutta tsumi no iro, in Japanese culture the mirror represents the true essence of human soul, meaning that the sins of this friend corrupted the reader’s soul), and the blood coming from that sin is spread on his skin (abiru hada ni nijimu senketsu ga), so the author wants to recall his spirit with a scream (watashi no sakebi ni ko tamashī suru); then a saint will come out for making a crimson oath (Seija ni hi no sensei o, the crimson represents life itself) and the malice will haunt the nirvana (higan ni sukuu akui o,a metaphor for describing the order shaken by the chaos).

IV) The author will lend to the reader a curse (Noroi o kashite ageru), so that he will revive again, thanks to the royal blood flowing in his body (sono mi ni nagareru ōke no chi o/futatabi mezameru toki/anata o tsukatte yomigaeru); his forgotten soul will await with impatience that moment at the top of an high tower, presumibly of the castle of dreams mentioned early, hidden because of the shame felt for his mistakes (takaki tō no itadaki e/chijoku o kakusu yō ni/wasure rareta tamashī wa/kono hi o machiwabite)

V) In the final sequence there’s a repetition of the whole second part, followed by the ending lines; the author invites the reader to open well the door, behind which there’s the devil (tobira o hiraku ga ī/akuma to chigitta sono akashi o, of course the devil represents the sin and the temptation) and in that moment the reader’s body will get back to the ground, for then reviving again (karada wa tsuchi ni kaeri/anata o kuratte yomigaeru) and finally the reader completes his initiation, becoming like the author (Watashi ga anata ni) and so he can live again his life, without the weight of pain (kawatte ikiru no).

Faith implies that is found a purpose for living, despite the pain and the sin; Unlucky Morpheus, through a song made by images and strong symbols, bring a compelling message thanks to a energetic melody and piercing words, made by darkness and light at the same time, in a cathartic experience, under any aspect.

That’s all folks! See you with the second part in “Let’s Listen to”!

Thanks for the reading!