Eternal Rains Will Come

Opeth's song "Eternal Rains Will Come" delves into themes of inevitable loss, emotional suffering, and the struggle against overwhelming darkness. The lyrics paint a picture of an impending, unstoppable force symbolized by eternal rains, which can be interpreted as a metaphor for persistent sorrow or depression. The opening lines suggest a farewell, indicating that the characters in the song must part ways and endure their pain alone, as their previous beliefs and thoughts have been proven wrong.

The recurring struggle to keep darkness at bay is a central theme in the song. The lyrics, "So hard to keep the darkness from seeping through," highlight the difficulty of maintaining hope and light in the face of overwhelming despair. The flood mentioned in the song represents a catastrophic event or emotional breakdown that is beyond the characters' control, emphasizing the helplessness they feel. This sense of inevitability is further reinforced by the lines, "And when the flood comes to drown us there is nothing we can do."

The song also touches on the concept of time and the futility of waiting for something that may never come. The advice to not wait "unless I could wait forever" suggests that the characters are trapped in a situation where time is meaningless, and they must find solace in their past experiences. The final lines, "Here it comes, our death comes / And in my sleep I can’t forget / Reaching for the surface, I see you," evoke a sense of finality and the haunting nature of memories. The imagery of reaching for the surface implies a desperate attempt to escape the depths of despair, only to be confronted with the lingering presence of a lost loved one.