One of the last tracks written for the album. Composed and fully recorded in one sitting. The title is taken from the poem of the same name by Stephen Crane and the lyrics are a slight reworking of said poem. This song features a partial reprisal of the intro theme and the lead work during the heavy section of the song is reprised and tweaked during the closing track. This song was originally about 40 seconds long and only contained the heavier portion but was fleshed out to make it feel more complete and consistent with the rest of the album.
lyrics
In the mirror I saw a creature,
naked and bestial.
Squatting upon the ground,
My eyes always met with his.
He held his heart in his hands,
and ate of it.
"Is it good, friend?"
"It is bitter, but I like it."
"Because it is bitter?"
"And because it is my heart"
"My heart?"
"Our heart."
The instrumentation alone is so viscerally emotive and still outstanding on a technical level… Add to that the masterfully raw vocals and profoundly beautiful lyrical imagery, and you’re left with one of the most soul-stirring pieces of music in all of rock’s history. Simply the greatest screamo band of all time. There is nothing quite like it. Audrey
Toronto band Respire deliver a post-hardcore tour de force on the largest scale possible, orchestrally rich and incessantly uncompromising. Bandcamp New & Notable Jan 6, 2021