Meaning of "Elder Misanthropy" by The Black Dahlia Murder

The lyrics of "Elder Misanthropy" delve into themes of immortality, religion, hatred, and existential despair. The narrator is depicted as an ancient being who has accumulated great wisdom and power, symbolized by their "sword one thousand battles strong" and the "blood of the ancient one burning through their veins." Their immortality has led them to witness the rise and impact of various belief systems and faiths, which they find displeasing and view as a testament to the gullibility and weakness of humanity. The narrator's deep-rooted misanthropy arises from their disillusionment with the world and their awareness of their own inability to escape from it. The song suggests a desire for death as a means of release from their eternal suffering.

The use of imagery in the lyrics further emphasizes the narrator's disdain for humanity and their longing for death. The references to "enveloping darkness," "eclipsing," and being "revolted by the meek" suggest a deep-seated anger and a desire to bring darkness and destruction upon the world. The line "In the blink of a sunken eye, I see one hundred winters pass" evokes a sense of weariness and despair, emphasizing the eternal torment that the narrator is subjected to.

The overall message of the song revolves around themes of nihilism and the futility of existence. The narrator is trapped in a cycle of eternal suffering, forever bound to the earth without the release of death. Their immortality becomes a curse, as they long for an end to their existence. The lyrics suggest that even knowledge, power, and immortality cannot bring true happiness or fulfillment, and that the ultimate fate of all creation is inevitable destruction.