The Meaning of Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire and Demise

[TylerTheNuke]

So, I got this a few weeks ago, and it is quite obvious that it is a concept album. I have sort of put a few things here and there together, but as a whole, I have no clue what the album is about.Does anyone understand this album? (ps. if you think this album sucks, this is not the thread for that, I don't care how good they are, I just wan't to understand it)

 

[MasterOLightning]

I never bothered to look too much into it, but it's likely a retelling of the Greek myth of Prometheus, a titan who brought fire to earth and was then punished by the gods. A few songs strongly support the story, others don't quite make sense. The Tongue of Fire is one of Emperor's best songs, by the way. Very underrated.

 

[TylerTheNuke]

Yeah, but prometheus never died, and there is a song which says "lay thorns on my grave". And, one song says "now I shall burn he who sought the fire", so he is talking about burning prometheus.

I thought it was a sort of tale about a person who is disgusted with the world around him (depraved) and seeks an answer (the prophet and the wordless chamber) and becomes a prophet himself (teach me the tongue of fire) but something happens (grey) and he comes to appreciate the mysteries and their importance and realizes that what he did as a prophet had unleashed a horrible evil on the world. He dies despising himself. But, it seems more complicated and metaphorical then that.

 

[Donnie Darko]

The Tongue of Fire is one of Emperor's best songs, by the way. Very underrated.

That song is very good. I like the guitar work alot

 

[TylerTheNuke]

It is great, but I personally prefer the other songs better. I still can't get that bwuup-bwuup from the wordless chamber out of my head....

 

[LuminousAether]

Is it ok if I thought that album was fucking boring? No In the Nightside Eclipse or Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk there.

 

[Planetary Eulogy]

It is a story about metal musicians who, having long since blown their creative wad, decided to impress idiots with their technical skill.

 

[genocide roach]

i think its a mix of the 2 theories posted so far. a person similar to prometheus. while prometheus never died for his actions, this man did. maybe commenting about a man who tries to make a difference in the world will undoubtably be shot down by a world who fears a different view.

any of these theories are valid. just adding my 2 cents
~gR~

 

[Scourge of Malice]

no luminosity, its not ok.

 

[Arrakis]

i think he(Ihsahn) is using the story of prometheus as sort of a metaphore for himself. I think i read somewhere that he made it sorta a story about Emperor itself.

 

[TylerTheNuke]

Huh? As a metaphor for himself, meaning that there is a storyline, which we still have to sort out, which is speaking on multiple levels? I thought It was a metaphorical anti-christian rant sort of thing, the story being about a messiah, and then this messiah burns he who sought the fire, which was I thought symbolic, because he kills prometheus, and prometheus stands for empowering mankind (he brought mankind fire, without which we'd be still in the stone age), so I thought It was about on a deeper level how christians restrain human potential.
Quite honestly, I have yet to see any insightful posts about this, was this the wrong place to ask?

As for a certain two people, did you not read my first post? I said that if you think this album sucks, this isn't the thread? Go to the review place and write your own if you wan't to post that.

 

[genocide roach]

he did cuz you said not too
~gR~

 

[circus_brimstone]

As for a certain two people, did you not read my first post? I said that if you think this album sucks, this isn't the thread?

That doesn't mean they'll listen, though. :Smug:

 

[Edgecrusher]

That doesn't mean they'll listen, though. :Smug:

...that whole "you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink" thing

 

[anonymousnick2001]

That's a metaphor I never got.

 

[TylerTheNuke]

Okay, this is a great site, but it isn't really helping in this case. Does anyone know of a site where there are really smart/good at interpreting lyrics people who have probably heard this album?

As for anonymousnick, how don't you get that? you can try to tempt or argue or whatnot, but in the end, it is up to the person and what they want to do.

 

[no country for old wainds]

It is a story about metal musicians who, having long since blown their creative wad, decided to impress idiots with their technical skill.

No, that was Anthems..., this one is Emperor having already impressed idiots with technical skill, now trying to get the world record for Drum Performance Most Representative of Julian Clary.

 

[no country for old wainds]

And succeeding, I might add.

 

[anonymousnick2001]

I meant the horse and water metaphor.

 

[TylerTheNuke]

Nick, thats what I was talking about. That is what the metaphor means. If you still don't get it, I really can't explain it.

I looked at the lyrics, and I really like the line "a freak among the blind". Hmm, wonder what that means?