A Vidclip a Day: Pain Of Salvation, “Iter Impius”

This is not a music video per se, but has most of the required qualities. It’s taken from the DVD for Pain Of Salvation’s original stage production of their album BE (Chinassiah) (2004). I encountered it online by chance, and thought it would make an excellent introduction to BE. And although I rarely do this, here the full song lyrics:

I woke up today
Expecting to find all that I sought
And climb the mountains of the life I bought
Finally I’m at the top of every hierarchy
Unfortunately there is no one left
But me

I woke up today
To a world that’s ground to dust, dirt and stone
I’m the king upon this withering throne
I ruled every forest, every mountain, every sea
Now there’re but ruins left to rule for me
And you see, it beckons me;
Life turned its back on us
How could you just agree?

I woke up today
To a world devoid of forests and trees
Drained of every ocean, every sea
Just like a useless brick upon the shore
The morning after the storm
That swept the bridge away
Relentless tide
No anger
Just this relentless time
That calls us all on

But I’m never crossing that line
Leaving this world behind
I will stay on my own
On this bloodstained throne
I rule the ruins and wrecks
And the dust, dirt and stone
I rule rage rod and rattling of bones

I am on my own
I am all alone
Everything is gone
Stuck forever here
Already cold

I’m never crossing that line
Leaving this world behind
I will stay on my own
On this bloodstained throne…

The character whom we hear speak/sing is Mr. Money, the wealthiest man in the world, who has bought himself even immortality, and now wakes up from the long cryogenic sleep in wait for the technological wonder that enables it. Here, he finds out that there is no one else to share the world with him now. I cannot add anything that would make this moment more powerful, so I’ll shut up and let you see the clip. Q. W3ary out.