Song Meaning
The lyrics present a ritualistic summoning, a desperate plea to a being named Metastophaliese. The opening lines, "I summon thee / And I call to thee / I set thee free," establish a tone of invocation and perhaps a complex relationship where freedom is granted as part of the call. The repetition of the name "Metastophaliese" acts as a chant, grounding the abstract invocation in a tangible, albeit mysterious, entity. The imagery of birds flying "too soon" suggests a premature end or a desire for rebirth, hinting at a profound dissatisfaction with the current state of existence.
The core tension arises from the narrator's desire for a specific manifestation of Metastophaliese. The narrator explicitly requests the entity appear as a "comely young youth" rather than a "fierce ferocious brute," indicating a preference for a gentle, perhaps seductive, form. This is juxtaposed with the visceral, almost cannibalistic imagery: "I suck your juice and eat your fruit / Your blood is my blood / My skin is your skin." This suggests a desire for complete assimilation, a merging so profound that the boundaries between self and other dissolve. The narrator even invites injury, stating, "cut me and I bleed," further emphasizing this intense, almost parasitic, connection.
The most striking aspect of the craft is the blurring of identities. The lines "You are me and I am you" and "your sin is my sin" create a powerful sense of duality and shared fate. This isn't just a summoning; it's a recognition of a deep, intrinsic link, almost as if Metastophaliese is a hidden aspect of the narrator's own self, or a destined companion. The narrator's actions – spitting in the dirt at the crossroads, a place often associated with pacts and supernatural encounters – underscore the gravity and perhaps the desperation of this plea for union.
This intense, almost self-destructive intimacy is what makes the lyrics so potent. The narrator seeks not just power or aid, but a complete dissolution of self into another, a merging that promises a form of rebirth or escape from a perceived premature end. The language oscillates between the formal invocation of a supernatural entity and the raw, primal language of shared existence and consumption, creating a disquieting yet compelling portrait of a soul seeking ultimate connection, perhaps dangerous, connection.