"Preacher Deprived of Her Voice"
As science progresses, religion is quickly being doubted and proven false with each new scientific discovery. However, this is not the only time in history that religion has been doubted. Religion has let us down by causing wars, not answering prayers and further separating the world. In Deathstars’ song called “Termination Bliss,” an unknown “she” is nailed to the ground, crying and being crucified- or so the lyrics imply. Andreas Bergh, the song writer, uses allusions and symbolism to prove that you never should put your full trust into anything, especially religion, because it will not only bring you down, it will capture and destroy you.
When reading through the lyrics of “Termination Bliss,” certain similarities can be noticed with the “last angel’s” ending and Jesus Christ’s ending. Like Jesus, who died for his belief that he was the Messiah, or savior, she has nails in her feet and “wears her crown.” With other references to nails in the song lyrics, you can safely assume that the crown she wears is also made out of nails. Other references to wings, angels, preachers and saints will suddenly give way to the veracity that the entire song is an allusion to Christ’s crucifixion. This shows that (even though it is a girl rather than a boy) someone who puts their trust into something can have their “wings get nailed to the ground” and be cheated out of freedom (or rather, in this song, life) from them.
As well as being an allusion to Jesus Christ, the “she” can also be a symbol for humanity. Using her in a metaphor with a “dying child,” the connection is more easily made. “The cry that she made / Was the cry of a dying child,” is the quote that helps make the first connection. Like humans, she was able to fall victim to being betrayed, and also very much like a human, her body is cast away once her life is over. More symbols in the song are symbols pertaining to the modern world- “A Polaroid of shame / The last angel’s pathetic fame.” That quote symbolizes the modern civilization (a Polaroid to represent cameras and fame probably for movie stars) and put together with the rest of the song means that people living in the present are also able to fall due to a belief that hasn’t quite been proven true. The last, most prominent symbol in the song are wings. Wings are a symbol of freedom- “fly like a bird!” –and are also a symbol of angels and thus a symbol of heaven and immortality. Conversely, the wings in “Termination Bliss” are being nailed down. And, because the wings are being nailed to the ground, rather than tied down, the writer of the song is definitely trying to convey that it is at religion’s fault.
With so many people in the world on a mission for “truth” through science, controversy has risen between them and the people that are very happy with their religions. Some believe that religion will bring you down, and how can you believe something that has never really been proven true? No matter what belief you have, it is always best to remain open-minded and accept everyone for who they are. Songs like “Termination Bliss” are meant to distress anyone with a sense of religion or attachment to Christianity. However, music is an art, and just like illuminated manuscripts, religious paintings and any music praising God, lyrics written against religion must also be accepted, if not embraced.
