Text written by WikiBrother Gabriel Brandino , from @moshinhell
Christianity is called into question in one of Dimmu Borgir's best songs.
Today we'll talk about "Hybrid Stigmata – The Apostasy," which is on the album *Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia *, one of the best from the Norwegian symphonic black metal band.
This was the band's peak, featuring members like bassist Vortex with his clean backing vocals, and keyboardist Mustis who created a veritable orchestra in the band's music.
Speaking about the song, it refers to a person leaving Christianity behind.
"Reflections seen by a fugitive /
Trying to escape the glassy gaze
/ Blood runs from the open wounds of false flesh /
The only one in front of the mirror exceeds the image
/ Anxious to escape more and more, but still chained."
He is reflecting on his life, and the mirror may be an illusion invented by the church, where he must surpass the reflected image to understand that it is not real.
Even wanting to escape, he still feels "chained" to Christianity and its beliefs.
It's probably a very autobiographical song, not only for the band members, but also for many of their fans.
"Born dead in a world of coma.
Like chronic suffering trapped in paradise lost."
The world of coma is a world where people are practically vegetables, without any agency over their own attitudes and ideas, something similar to the idea of paradise, or more precisely, something exactly like our world today.
“Charlatans and deceivers walk the line in prejudice.
The cracks narrow the veins in the search for the crown.
The paradox of the daily speaker, the confidant is suspicious.”
The crown mentioned is a common Christian symbol, and he sees his “brothers” metaphorically referring to it in search of reconciliation with their savior, but he doesn't want to live like them.
The paradox of the daily speaker can be seen as someone who prays daily, but acts completely differently from what their ideas suggest.
In the middle of the song, the heaviness ceases, and then we have a violin solo, almost angelic, and at that moment I believe the person has finally managed to free themselves from their beliefs related to Christianity.
“Make sure you are satisfied with the ways of your death […]
A demon to some, an angel to others.”
Finally free, he can be considered a demon to Christians, and an angel to those who also feel liberated from lies.
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