Arch Enemy - Stigmata (1998)

ARCH ENEMY LYRICS
Stigmata (1998)

1. Beast Of Man
2. Stigmata
3. Sinister Mephisto
4. Dark Of The Sun
5. Let The Killing Begin
6. Black Earth
7. Hydra
8. Tears Of The Dead
9. Diva Satanica
10. Damnation's Way
11. Vox Stellarum
12. Bridge Of Destiny




1. Beast Of Man

[music: M. Amott / C.Amott; lyrics: M. Amott]

Beware the beast of man
For he's the devils pawn
Alone among god's primates
He kills for sport, lust or greed

The sacred scrolls...
The truth unfolds...

Shun him - or become like him
Shun him - the beast of man

Let him not breed in great numbers
For he will make a dessert of his home and yours
Shun him - drive him back into his jungle lair
For he is the harbinger of death


2. Stigmata

[instrumental]

[music: M. Amott]


3. Sinister Mephisto

[music: M. Amott; lyrics: M. Amott]

Into the night - the darkest corner of my mind
Sink into my inner self, an erotic fantasy
A spiralling vortex - an instant alter ego fix
Here I am the ruler of all, in this kingdom of sin

(Floating in a dreamlike state
I am the emperor of a paralell universe)

Sinister mephisto - ride the sky
Sinister mephisto - the ultimate high

What I can't have in actuality
I feast upon in my "reality"
An extravaganza of forbidden pleasures
No sexual wish dark enough, to suppress
I am no longer a mortal man

As master of the ceremony - divine perversion
I hereby declare the orgy to begin
Ravage yoru luscious virgin flesh (how I love it)
My cup runneth over - drink my distilled insanity


4. Dark Of The Sun

[music: M. Amott / C.Amott; lyrics: M. Amott]

Like insects of the night, we are drawn into the light
Feeding off the starglow energy - controlling our fate

Bloodsucker selling hope to the hopeless
Newborn messiah or the devil incarnate?
Surrounded by a field of lost souls
These feeble minds - so easy to control

Salvation
Damnation
It's all the same to you
But does anyone really know
What the future holds in store

A day will come
When the sun will rise again
Rays of black will shine
And together as one,
We will walk in the dark of the sun

Say a prayer for the unborn child in the womb
The children are the heirs of this dogmatic chaos
Is there a future in this claustrophobic tomb?
We can only rely upon ourselves, to save us

We are the resistance, our last line of defense
Prepared to fight for our promised land
Rebels at heart, they will hunt us to the ends of the earth
The chase is on - forever going on and on


5. Let The Killing Begin

[music: M. Amott / C.Amott; lyrics: J. Liiva / M. Amott]

Anxiety prevails in the end
On deathrow awaiting my fate
Sacrificed upon the altars of justice
Part of the ritual of ultimate fear
Determined men prepare to slay
Executioners axe draws near
On my way to depart from life
Lost all sense, all the gallows I will die!

Let the killing begin
Let the end your life of sin
Feel the torment within
As the beauty of death sets in

Counting the days, the sleepless nights
Wide awake in a state of lunacy
Voices echo inside my head
Haunting memories, punishing me
Through a tunnel of madness
These endless catacombs
Left to die in a pit of confusion
Swept away by a wave of illusion


6. Black Earth

[music: M. Amott; lyrics: J. Liiva / M. Amott]

Across the lake of fire
Through the desserts of decay
The flames are burning higher
In this land of death you're easy prey

Black Earth
Save - Our - Souls

Looking back in anger
At the twentieth century
Tormented we surrender
In artificial serenity

Twisted, torn and burnt
Violation of the crust
Man got what man deserved
Turned the future into dust

A millenary failure
The dark age has returned
Waiting for a miracle
To save the common herd

"In a century of darkness
The horror spreads within -
As our planet stops to turn
All hope is lost for man"


7. Hydra

[Japan Bonus]

[instrumental]

[music: C.Amot / F. Nordstrom]


8. Tears Of The Dead

[music: M. Amott; lyrics: M. Amott]

Hideous crimes, atrocities
The slaughter of millions - beyond belief
Those were dark times, so different from now
The law of evil ruled our fatherland

I was but a pawn in their game
Why should I feel any guilt?
Still when I close, close my eyes
The words unfold, it all comes back

I can't defy it, can't deny it
I know it ot be true
In my sleep - they come to haunt me
They know it to be true
Tears of the dead

We are all on the turning wheel of fate
A young man, standing proud in uniform
I never stopped to hesitate
Until it was far to late

My hands are soiled, covered in blood
Stains that never wash away
Their hollow eyes...
Confronting me - Judging me

Now an old man, at the end of my days
Contemplating - My life of sin
Living is never simple - the rosad is hard
I had no say - just a puppet in a sick play


9. Diva Satanica

[Japan Bonus]

[music: M. Amott / C.Amott; lyrics: M. Amott]

Divine queen of evil
Sowing her seeds of hate
Mistress of pain
Diva satanica - Master of temptation

Medusa... abuser... both beast and beauty
Seducer... she'll use you... bring you to your knees

Blinded by her infinite beauty
you are lured into the temple
The smell of incense burning
this carnal pleasure yearning
Bride of satan
Transgress the rules of this world
Too late you realize
this love is ripping you apart

Medusa... abuser... both beast and beauty
Seducer... she'll use you... as fodder for her dreams

Drinking the blood
Eating the flesh
She's getting high on you
Watching you die gives her a thrill
...There is always more blood to spill...


10. Damnation's Way

[Japan Bonus]

[music: J. Liiva / M. Amott; lyrics: J. Liiva / M. Amott]

Set me free, let me out of here
From these chains to which I am bound
Time was always on your side
While my final hours slipped away

[Chorus:]
Frustration in their minds
The hatred in their eyes
A new breed will now rise
Damnation's way:

Losing my grip on reality
Outside this cage I am struck by paranoia
A paradox to all life's mysteries
A never ending trail to follow:

I am the sinner upon damnation's way
Always deprived of hope, never to see the break of dawn
My life I lived in the shadow of you
The other side now greets me with open arms

[1st lead - Christopher]
[2nd lead - Michael]


11. Vox Stellarum

[instrumental]

[music: F. Nordstrom]


12. Bridge Of Destiny

[music: M. Amott / C.Amott; lyrics: M. Amott]

Standing at the bridge of destiny
So long since I tasted fear
Lurking in the darkest holes
Awaiting my minds weakest moment
Old words from an old world
Against the laws of nature
They say the truth is overrated
Wall of anger corrupts my thought

Standing at the bridge of destiny
Show me a sign
On the verge of losing my sanity
Free my soul

My inner demons torture me
Flapping their wings in my face
Damn you! You twisted illusion
I am no longer afraid
See through their liquid souls
Evil eyes that will hypnotize
You can no longer hurt me
I am my own worst enemy

Unleash the trapped souls of the dead
Spirits since long forgotten
Guardians fo the lost faith
Destined for glory?
Watch them all turn into sand
And the wind blow them away
Wisdom pours into my soul
...endlessly...