When Shadows Grow Longer
Empyrium
The Elegy of Dusk: A Journey Through Sorrow and Darkness
Empyrium's song "When Shadows Grow Longer" is a poignant exploration of sorrow and the inevitable approach of darkness and death. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the transition from day to night, using the setting sun as a metaphor for the end of life and the onset of grief. The imagery of shadows growing longer signifies the encroaching darkness, both literal and metaphorical, that brings with it a deep sense of sorrow and loss.
The line "our sorrow is stronger as darkness and death are now near by our side" suggests a profound connection between the physical darkness of night and the emotional darkness of grief. This duality is a common theme in Empyrium's music, which often delves into the melancholic and the sublime. The band's use of nature and its cycles to reflect human emotions is a hallmark of their style, blending elements of dark folk and doom metal to create a hauntingly beautiful soundscape.
The final lines, "Many a sun will set and tears of grief will be shed," reinforce the cyclical nature of life and death. Each sunset represents another moment of loss, another tear shed in mourning. This repetition underscores the inevitability of sorrow and the perpetual presence of grief in the human experience. Empyrium's lyrical and musical composition invites listeners to reflect on their own encounters with loss and the ways in which they navigate the shadows that grow longer in their lives.