Show Notes: Monstrance Clock
To the sound of the monstrance
Air is cleansed, assembled flock
Black candles burn, all minds aligned
Can we talk first about the way this Chorus is sung? It’s so low, almost like a whisper with very little musical backup. I would say this is Papa gloating that his plans have succeeded, wouldn’t you?
What is a Monstrance Clock? A monstrance clock is a clock ordained with a “monstrance” on the front. A monstrance is an ornate display used primarily by the Catholic church to display the consecrated body of Christ (or occasionally other stuff to do with the saints). If you’ve seen a Church sermon, you have more than likely seen a Monstrance. Because of this, they are extremely connected to the Church and are symbols of great faith in Christ and God.
The fact that Papa is using the monstrance clock as part of a new Satanic ritual is deliciously ironic. It’s like not only has he performed a coup, but he is using their very symbols against them.
Air is cleansed, assembled flock
Black candles burn, all minds aligned
The “air is cleansed” line refers to an act of burning a herb before the act of a ritual, which this song is describing. Referred to also as “smudging” in some cultures most notable native american, it is typically used to cleanse the air around of existing spiritual energy and start off a ritual with minimal spiritual interference.
“Assembled Flock” is once again mocking Christ and God by using their own words against them. Jesus was known as “shepard of the flock” and the flock of course, being his followers. Or humanity as a whole, however you want to see it. Now Papa is the Shepard and judging by his tone, leading his lambs too slaughter.
Burning candles is typically symbolised as an act of faith, often done before a prayer to.. strengthen it? Get Gods attention? Either way. I was fascinated to find a whole HOST of meanings for burning different coloured candles. White, for example, reprsents purity and innocence. Red candles draw in spirit energy once it has been cleansed, orange help empower your strength and individuality and so on.
Black candles are extremely important to Satanic ritual as it turns out, would you believe it? They’re often lit with other colours as Black tends to negate spiritul energy, leaving a void of nothingness that needs filled. However, in this instance, this does not appear to be the case.
The “alligned minds” which we are to presume are the populace now under their new religion are burning black candles only. Perhaps this is to symbolise the attempted removal of the past religion completely, even on a spiritual level?
To the sound of the monstrance
Air is cleansed, assembled flock
Black candles burn, all minds aligned
The same verse as above but sung louder this time. Perhaps the population are now joining in, or this is an official sermon. Maybe before it was practice?
As the parish sighs in smoke
Enters lady, revealed of cloak
To haunting sound of the monstrance clock
Singing
A parish church for those unfamiliar is simply the name given to a Church, often in rural communities. This is because it is the central Church of a “parish” which is a territory of Christian faith. They’re kind of like town halls of God and anything outside their area belongs to another parish church.
With that said, the line could have three meanings. Either a) the population of the former religious territory is cleansing the air so much around their homes it sounds as if the wind is sighing, B) they are burning the church or C) The Clergy have taken over this particular Church of God falling the downfall of Christianity and are cleansing the air of Gods spirit. I’m gonna go with C.
“Enters Lady, revealed of cloak” is certainly an interesting line. Revealed means “to allow something to be seen that, until then, had been hidden” and in this instance is infact referring to a nude lady entering the parish Church, presumably for whatever ritual the clergy have planned. Orgy?
Come together
Together as one
Come together
For Lucifer's son
Let us get this out of the way. Yes, this song has been given an “official” definition by the band based on the word play of this chorus. If you do not know, this song is meant to celebrate the female orgasm, and the “come” can easily be replaced with, well the version containing U.
With that in mind, we can give this chorus two distinct options. The first is that this is simply a congregation of the Clergy members and their followers and that Papa is asking them to “arrive at the same place in unison” to worship the Anti-Christ.
The second, and drawing back to what we said a few moments ago, is the orgy route. Is this simply a congregation or is this Papa encouraging the debauchery that was denied to the population for so long by quite literally “cumming together”?
To the sound of the end of day
Mesmerized, the assembled sway
Black candles burn, all minds aligned
This particular line has a dual meaning. The first of course is the “end of day” is quite literal, that it is turning midnight which is a commonly held belief of when Black Mass is set to begin (people also say this is at 3.33am). So we can infer this is taking place at midnight. The other less literal side of the line is that it is in reference to the Book of Revelations, specifically referring to the Apocalypse or “end of days” when Satan breaks free from his prison and rules over Earth.
Mesmerized, the assembled sway again is a very interesting line and depends what route we’re taking. If I could first go down the route of Satanic orgy, this is simply the movements of the participants “swaying” in motion. You can sway “forwards and backwards” as well as side to side after all.
If you don’t take that route, this line because abit more sinister. Mesmerized is clearly referring to the populace having been brainwashed by the efforts of Satan and are barely staying on their feet with what little independent thought they have left.
Hypnotizing horns of ram
Paralyzing pentagram
And the eerie sound of the monstrance clock
Singing
This verse is pretty much describing the scene that is taking place before us. If before we pictured a typical Church, crosses and monstrances on display with the body of Christ, this image now officially destroys that.
What is being referred to here is obviously the new symbols adorning the walls of the Church, most like the Symbol of Baphomet. If you haven’t seen it before, please imagine a pentagram with a goats face (well a demon goats face) inside the star itself surrounded by a circle containing runes.
Interestingly, this symbol is said to represent “carnality and earthly principles”, which fits rather nicely into the orgy scenario we’ve been describing.
Come together
Together as one
Come together
For Lucifer's son