#taaposts

[the-annotated-antichrist]

The Annotated Antichrist is a fan-written deep dive into Therion's "metal musical with opera voices" Beloved Antichrist, a song-by-song breakdown with an analysis of the plot, the characters, the Biblical parallels. This is a periodic reminder of this blog for people who haven't seen it yet :)

[the-annotated-antichrist]

Act III, Track 03 - Forgive me

Song links: Spotify - YT Music - Apple - Tidal

This is another track with a lot of dialogue, in which big things happen. It is also almost 10 minutes long. If you're looking for opera and drama, look no further. Let's begin...

Johanna, Agnes and Mare have infiltrated Seth's residence. In a secluded chamber, Johanna sits gazing at the holy dagger in front of her. She prepares to fulfill her mission and kill the Antichrist while her friends walk around the candle-lit room.

[Johanna:] In thy grace... [Johanna & Agnes:] ...turn to me and bless the soul of this faithful child None more divine than thee our lord [Johanna:] Lead me on to be strong - holy mission And guide my hand Amen

Seth enters the room. This in itself is significant. He could send his guards to deal with them. Three trespassing outlaws with one dagger probably wouldn't be a big problem for them. Yet Seth appears in person, alone, and does not call for back-up.

[Seth:] Now face thy foe! [Agnes:] Our lord has brought you here [Seth:] I heed no call, none but my own [Agnes:] To be boastful suits no mortal man

Seth tauntingly tempts Johanna, who is not impressed:

[Seth:] Join the night supreme I will be your guiding star I will set you free [Johanna:] Into the darkness forever you must go

Suddenly Helena comes in, urging reconciliation. As you may remember, she overheard Johanna and her friends talking about how only Johanna's dagger would be able to kill the Antichrist, so she knows why they are here.

[Helena:] Still the dawn may rise and shine [Seth:] Out of the darkness, my love I knew that you would come [Agnes:] Join with us Join with God [Helena:] It must not end, not like this If we conjoin as one

It is far too late for that of course. Seth and Johanna will not, cannot make peace. Johanna doesn't comment on her sister's appearance at all and instead likens Seth to a fallen angel again.

[Seth:] Join the night supreme I will be your guiding star I will set you free [Johanna:] Into the darkness forever you must go Fallen you are, fallen from the heavens to our world Fallen you are 'til the end of our time and beyond

As the music becomes more and more tense, Helena says:

[Helena:] Sister, O blood of mine Hand me the dagger Hand me the answer Hand me the voice of God

Reluctantly, Johanna gives Helena the dagger. At this point, I don't exactly know how lyrics and action go together. With a bang, the music comes to a complete stop and based on the scene description, I'm pretty sure it is here that Helena puts the dagger against Seth's chest. Into near-complete silence, Seth sings:

[Seth:] Come to me, to the fallen, my love

Seth calls himself "the fallen" and echoes the way Johanna (above) as well as Professor Pauli and the Pope (in Cursed be the Fallen) speak about him in the moment in which the one person whose affection he was certain of seems to take the side of his enemies. It will be interesting to see, if and when BA is staged, whether the actor who plays him says this sentence in an evil, seductive way or if he sounds like he's pleading with Helena. Thomas' rendition sounds ambiguous to me.

Helena answers sadly:

[Helena:] Deep down somewhere, in me, I knew what I had to do

The music starts again, both Seth and his enemies are calling to Helena, who still has the dagger to her husband's chest. Seth is calling for her to take his side, the women urge her to kill him.

[Seth:] Come to me, to the fallen, my love [Helena:] My love Forgive me [Johanna & Agnes:] Hear the whisper within you, sister From God and may peace come to your heart

Helena's words here are nearly inaudible, since the music and the urging of the other characters is so much louder. A tense instrumental part follows in which Helena makes her choice. With both sides pressuring her, she cannot decide between her loyalty to Seth and to Johanna. She turns the dagger around and plunges it into her own chest. All rush to her side, their enmity forgotten for the moment.

[Johanna, Mare, Agnes & Seth:] In the cloak of night, fallen you are Thou shall rise again Enter the void

The music slowly becomes calmer as Agnes speaks to the dying Helena and prays over her in her beautiful dark voice:

[Agnes:] In stillness keep eyes of gold your name Night birds take flight and sing [Johanna, Mare & Seth:] In the cloak of night, fallen you are Thou shall rise again, enter the void [Agnes & Seth:] Bless you Into moonlight And the temple you shall now meet in turmoil The soul will flow and shine

Afterwards, Seth, with a heavy heart, returns the dagger that is fated to kill him to Johanna. I don't know if he does this to imply that Helena's blood is on her hands, if he isn't thinking clearly or if he is simply too shocked and crushed to care about anything, even his own survival.

[Seth:] Give me your hand, receive this tool For it belongs to you

He picks up Helena's corpse and leaves the room with her as a choir of angels sings.

[Choir of angels:] Float, float with time And the night soon shall see you, greet you, tell you... of dawn...

With this, the song ends. I still get goosebumps from it every time I listen to it, at least if I pay attention to what is happening in it. I have some things to say about it, but I think I'll put them into the next post, when Seth mourns Helena and we have perhaps somewhat recovered from this scene...

[the-annotated-antichrist]

Act II, Track 05 - Temple of New Jerusalem

Song links: Spotify - YT Music - Apple - Tidal

Today, we are getting more into the Biblical sources. I normally put them into extra posts, but they're too important for this song, so I'll discuss them here. I also apologize if I miss any important references or misinterpret anything - this song touches on a lot, and I am not a theologian. As always, this is my analysis which I am fairly confident in, but it's not an "official" interpretation.

Seth is now a well-established leader for whom everything is going well at the moment, so of course he has new plans. But so does Apollonius:

[Apollonius:] Listen now thee Caesar to me: Christians are speaking of pain Open shall I The gate beyond high to the astral domain..?

This is, I think, phrased a bit weirdly, but what it means (according to the scene description) is that Apollonius is "perplexed" that Christians are starting to doubt Seth and the suspicion, previously only expressed by Johanna, that the Antichrist might be on his way and that Seth might even be the Antichrist, is becoming more widespread.

This is perhaps not as surprising as Apollonius seems to think, since he and Seth sort of match the description of the Antichrist and his right hand in the Book of Revelation.

Apollonius' solution to this is to open the gates to an astral dimension and allow demons to come through. I don't really know what he hopes to accomplish by this, but Seth shoots down his idea immediately anyway and starts talking about his own plans.

[Seth:] Gates must not be opened Nothing but the flow is for us to follow hear me now There used to be a temple in Jerusalem that shall reach the heavens once again Palace dreams of ancient might Bring the past trough time to the light Let's build a temple!

He wants to restore Jerusalem, which at this point is "only a fragment of a town", to its former glory by building a spectacular temple that will also be a palace for him to live in. This too is a very questionable idea from a Christian perspective, since it's disturbingly similar to what the "Man of Sin" does in the Bible:

He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, declaring himself to be God. (Thessalonians 2:4-8, New Revised Standard Version Bible)

Seth's servants agree with his plans:

[Servants:] Caesar, we hear

[Seth:] Let's build it now Let's build a temple! [Servants:] Future and past... [Seth:] ...unite the world Congress of the truth Within the temple walls One day soon shall triumph

[Male servant:] Holy, Holy majesty [Seth:] Palace dreams of ancient might Bring the past trough time to the light Let's build a temple! [Servants:] Time Rise through time The given sign Always to remember thee divine Hail! We all hail May it prevail Temple of new Jerusalem

So why would Seth do something so antichristy? Well, he calls his temple-palace the "Temple of New Jerusalem". New Jerusalem appears in the Bible as Jerusalem after the Apocalypse, a place of peace and plenty. So it's really a matter of interpretation where we are in the Christian timeline - is the Apocalypse only beginning and the Man of Sin is about to put himself above God? Or was the collapse of industrial civilization the Apocalypse and Seth is the Second Coming of Christ? It's the same two-sided imagery we saw previously when Seth was called the "morning star".

However, New Jerusalem in Revelation explicitly does not have a temple - it doesn't need one because God and the angels are there themselves. The very thing that Seth wants to do proves that it's not the real "New Jerusalem" he is creating. One could see the use of the two-sided symbolism here as a clever way to set up something that a shallow Christian could reasonably see as a good idea but a Christian who looks closely will see as a warning sign.

At the same time, Seth is keeping it a blasphemous secret that he sees himself as something akin to a new and improved version of Jesus. Yet his servants seem to have no problem with the whole idea. Do they not see the connection? Or do they not care? Seth is getting worshipped like a god anyway - maybe many of them do privately see him as a second Messiah, but won't say it out loud. Then again, maybe they do say it out loud. "Always to remember thee divine" - does that refer to God or to Seth..?

In the Solovyov book, the temple is no big deal. In Beloved Antichrist however, it kinda is. In the next song we will hear about its construction.

[the-annotated-antichrist]

Act II, Track 14 - Astral Sophia

Song links: Spotify - YT Music - Apple - Tidal

In this track, we hear from Sophia Orsini, the mother of Johanna and Helena, again for the first time since "Through Dust, Through Rain". Her body may be dead, but her soul is alive and entering "an astral dimension, characterized by distinctive combinations of light and colours."

Sophia is being awaited by someone she knows:

[Satan:] Colored shadows taste Astral Sophia Scarlet juices hear Astral Sophia

These lines imply an overwhelming synaesthetic experience. Clearly, in a place like this, the senses melt together. There is an effect on Satan's voice that, fittingly, feels quite disorienting to me. I imagine Satan appearing first here, then there, all around Sophia. However, she is neither afraid nor confused. As the experienced occultist she is, she has probably visited the astral realm before. She responds respectfully, but calmly:

[Sophia:] Have you been here long Floating in the dark Like a shining stream? Have you, Majesty?

Satan speaks with the same disorienting effect again:

[Satan:] Many are my names Moving above me Ominous my touch Searching beneath thee

He then launches into a monologue:

Locked beyond the gate of stars I've been sent to travel far Broken seals from long ago Wells below await to flow Burning, grieving Ruling this lonely world Glorious entity, dear child of mine Hear him, hear me Hear all and every word Knowing, believing A new form of light [Sophia:] I see in you... A new form of light

Satan speaks about Seth, calling him his "dear child" and acknowledging the emotional extremes he goes through on his journey. Both speak of "a new form of light" that Satan brings, which is, interestingly, exactly what Seth has also seen in Satan - he uses the very same expression in "Anthem", his victory speech after being made president/emperor. Satan also states that "seals" have been broken and things are now in motion. This might be a reference to the Book with Seven Seals from Revelation. Something has changed on a cosmic level which is allowing the plot that is taking place in the material world to happen.

Since Satan has mentioned his son, Sophia mentions her daughters:

[Sophia:] My Helena brings peace to thy son And my Johanna his fate [Satan:] They're mesmerized by their false disguise Cradle set alight leads us into night again

Satan seems to know something that the human characters do not. He can see what the future will hold, but he does not spell it out. Sophia sees the impact of her daughters on Seth's story quite clearly.

[Satan:] Walls of sleep shall fade away Rid them of their human waste Spirits of their misery Shall embrace the enemy [Sophia:] Our children seek the way They will not be afraid No seed may be condemned When revelation ends [Satan & Sophia:] Viewing horizons of future serene Born on the night sky to all of our dreams

What does Satan hope to accomplish? The music here - one of the many tracks written by Christofer - is truly epic, but the lyrics only hint at an answer. Satan's hints make more sense if you return to them after the end of the story though. It is like a prophecy that you only understand when it's too late. There is some foreshadowing in what the characters say, though the poetic language half-hides it.

[the-annotated-antichrist]

Act III, Track 10 - My Voyage Carries On

Song links: Spotify - YT Music - Apple - Tidal

Apollonius suddenly finds himself powerless. His arsenal of spells does not work anymore and his demons can't reach him.

[Demons:] Come to us now, Magic Master

Sophia's spirit rises behind the demons. Her magic has bound him and by her chanting she is able to turn Apollonius' demons against him. She is taking revenge for what he did to Johanna.

[Sophia:] Demons you did send To possess my Johanna My child!

He also killed her btw. I find it sort of touching that Sophia appears to avenge Johanna even though they were so estranged when she was alive. Sophia cares for Johanna despite their differences and even though Johanna would not even visit her at her deathbed.

Apollonius tries to defend himself from her magic, though not from her accusations.

[Apollonius:] Rest assured my lore will my soul defend Reach me you can never who are from heaven sent

It's interesting that he claims she's "from heaven sent". We the audience know that she actually met Satan in whatever astral afterlife she was in. Does Apollonius see anyone who opposes him as an agent of God? Or was Sophia in heaven, but Satan is allowed there?

[Demons:] Come to us now, Magic Master [Apollonius:] In this time and place, where will I go? Sophia, be cursed Eternally I shall haunt you [Sophia:] Not the only one with powers, magic man you are [Apollonius:] I will cast you out, you traitors of the spell Serpents of Sophia, be gone [Demons:] Here we are still, all by the light rejected And by your will in astral vaults created [Sophia:] Now from a kingdom of your own to the void you return

Apollonius makes some seemingly empty threats that don't appear to intimidate Sophia. He then threatens his own demons, who are also unfazed. Finally, he realizes that it would be best if he fled. Being immortal, he reasons that he can still re-enter history later.

[Apollonius:] At this growing eve, could it be that I'm done? Why should I come to grieve? My voyage carries on [Demons:] You will join us in the darkness Come to us now, Magic Master

[the-annotated-antichrist]

Act II, Track 06 - The Lions Roar

Song links: Spotify - YT Music - Apple - Tidal

In this broad, majestic track, we see the building master and his builders construct the temple-palace Seth has decided he wishes to reside in. It is clearly a labour of love - the builders speak of how they are "building hope for a future world", a beautiful palace with golden doors and glowing walls. This place is supposed to be an embodiment of the glorious destiny that Seth is leading humanity towards. The builders are glad that they get to participate and are doing their best.

I hear the rhythmic clanging of their hammers in the drum sound and the soaring vocals make me imagine the sheer size the building must have. The building master, by the way, is played by the same Kaj Hagstrand who already sang the role of the old president. It is not unusual for theater, musical or otherwise, that someone plays two roles, but if you're really attached to George Wyndham, then perhaps you will want to imagine that he has, somehow, found fulfillment in a new profession.

[Building master:] Towers that shall tremble not Will reach for heaven's hall And shall strike a chord within us Mighty calls that winds forgot Are the grace that's standing tall In the palace high for Caesar Seth [Builders:] Listen to the roaring voice, the sound of truth and stone When the sun comes up from another side of the moon We are building hope for a future world A temple full of stairs to a golden door where the lion's roar fills the air [Building master:] Gilded stars bid lovers wait Tomorrow they shall see what the shadows dark will bring us Glowing walls restoring faith All of which he's wisely sown And that safely he may call his own [Builders:] Listen to the roaring voice, the sound of truth and stone When the sun comes up from another side of the moon We are building hope for a future world A temple full of stairs to a golden door where the lion's roar fills the air Raising high Raising high Raising high Always Raising high - future tolling Raising high - angels calling Raising high - palace of dreams

I have noticed some contradictory information in the inlay and in interviews about BA concerning whether Seth is supposed to be "only" the leader of Europe or of the whole world. I choose to believe that it's only Europe for a variety of reasons. It would be very difficult for him to extend his rule to the whole world in such a short period of time, no matter whether he embarks on some kind of neo-colonialist venture or tries to convince the rest of the world with arguments to follow in Europe's footsteps. Vast parts of the world have adopted traditional modes of existence again - it would be very hard to contact all these scattered groups in a few months (in the Bible the Antichrist rules for less than four years), much less integrate them into Seth's system - provided they are even willing, which I would doubt. After the last millennium, there would probably be a very healthy skepticism about Europeans with visions of salvation and a better world among people on other continents. And then there's the whole religious angle of his reign, which non-Christians might have a hard time getting behind.

Why do I bring this up now? Because Seth is moving to Jerusalem, which would be at least at the very edge of his realm, provided the Eastern Mediterranean is somehow counted as belonging to Europe. There's a lot of religious symbolism involved in this move for the very Christian Europeans, but it's probably a bit impractical for the ruler to be so far away from most of his realm, especially since they probably don't have air travel unless a demon carries you on their back. It fits Seth's grandiosity though. What do supply chains and lines of communication matter when you are the divinely chosen salvation of the world? To Seth, living in a place with such huge religious importance would probably be more important than any practical considerations.

[the-annotated-antichrist]

Act II, Track 04 - Dagger of God

Song links: Spotify - YT Music - Apple - Tidal

While Seth meets his semi-divine and totally not suspicious future right hand, Johanna has her own spiritual experiences. She meets with her two confidantes, Agnes and Mare, in secret to show them a special, holy dagger that she has. It is the only weapon that can kill the Antichrist.

[Johanna:] Behold this dagger Dagger of God, wrapped in this cloth Purpose it has only but one [Agnes:] Unveil the prophecies and what this blade must do So much I've heard Tell me if it is true [Johanna:] Dagger of God has come to me The Antichrist - my nemesis Dagger of God - do touch the blade We all must be ready and brave [Agnes:] Nothing but this can kill, conquer the evil one Oh Lord tell me, what will of this become? Blessed be this dagger, this dagger of God

This is another mysterious reference to prophecies. I wonder about the background. Did God appear to Johanna just like Satan appeared to Seth? Did he physically give her the dagger? This is never explained. Remember when Johanna said Helena's marriage to Seth was predestined and when the people in Hail Caesar! made reference to a "foretold age of reason"? It seems people in BA are familiar with a lot of prophecies (Agnes states that she has already heard of Johanna's dagger) and Seth is not the only one with supernatural contacts.

Anyway, let's talk about Johanna's two sidekicks for a while... I hadn't realized until I wrote these texts how often Agnes and Mare appear. They probably have more "screentime" than all other characters except for Johanna, Helena and Seth.

Agnes' birth name is Agnessa Azarova. Led by an early interest in religion, she moved from Moscow to Rome, converted to Catholicism and changed her name to Agnes. She is played by Ulrika Skarby, who also sang the alto vocals on Lemuria, one of the most popular songs by this band.

Mare Aravena is the child of refugees from "disease-ridden Corsica". She was born on the boat that took her parents off the island and was named after the ocean. She then went to Rome as an adult and joined the Order. She is played by Lydia Kjellberg.

The background of these two characters never comes up in any of the songs, but it is mentioned in the inlay and I found it interesting that the people behind this work cared to give them a backstory at all. For reference - the Solovyov book does not contain any female characters, so all of them are invented by Therion. Johanna has a few commonalities with Solovyov's character "Elder John", but he only appears in one scene really and Johanna is very different from him. Her name is similar to his, but she is also based on Joan of Arc, who is called Johanna von Orleans in German.

Anyway. Helena overhears the entire above conversation in secret and, depending on how much she knows about Seth and Johanna's thoughts, may now be aware that her sister plans to kill her husband.

[the-annotated-antichrist]

Act III, Track 13 - To Shine Forever

Song links: Spotify - YT Music - Apple - Tidal

The music turns as sweet and gentle as it hasn't been in quite a while. Hand in hand, Johanna and Seth float into the sky. Sophia and Helena appear as spiritual beings and greet them. Mare, Agnes, an angel and a demon also appear. I wondered earlier how "heaven" is conceptualized in BA given that Apollonius states that Sophia was there, when we know she was actually in a place where Satan also was. Here, a demon appears alongside an angel while the main characters go to a place that might reasonably be assumed to be heaven, or a heaven-like place. Maybe the unification of all beings, the good and the evil, that Seth attempted on Earth has actually happened in the spiritual world?

Johanna and Seth are welcomed with no bitterness, only love. The union of the opposites has come to pass. There is light, then darkness, "only a bright star is visible."

[Mare & Agnes:] Melt your eyes, create a key to eternity [Agnes:] We had dreams Where are they now? The dreams in our hearts [Mare, angel & demon choir:] Ageless glass of light Turn it on its head and we shall fall Just like stars Through time into night Run and flow until dawn Rise to all the beauty in the darkness divine To shine forever

[Angel:] Bid farewell [Mare & Agnes:] Farewell

[the-annotated-antichrist]

Act III, Track 08 - Rise to War

Song links: Spotify - YT Music - Apple - Tidal

By now, everyone knows the truth about Seth and the - mostly Christian - population of Europe has had to make a difficult choice: are they willing to accept being ruled by the Antichrist if in return they get a life of peace, prosperity and happiness? Or will they oppose him on principle? "More or less every man and woman of weapon-bearing age" has joined in the fight, which to my mind shows that they aren't thinking clearly anymore and are caught in some kind of mental death spiral. Whichever side wins the war - what will they eat once the battle is done? Having nearly every adult fight in a war is not a sustainable way to run a society. Who is working in the fields? Who's taking care of the children? Assuming that Seth's brilliant ideas haven't made agriculture and childcare (and a multitude of others things that need to be done every day to keep society running) obsolete, of course.

Apollonius has rallied Seth's army. He and Seth are speaking to some elite soldiers.

[Apollonius:] Rise to your Emperor Rise to war [Seth:] Hail! Hail! Hail! Hail! [Soldiers:] Fighting for the Emperor [Apollonius:] Face the end and dawn of time Rise to war [Seth:] All rise to me [Seth & Apollonius:] Rise and unleash fury

An instrumental interlude follows that I think sounds quite scary considering the subject matter. The mix between a marching rhythm and sudden large orchestral moments makes me think of some kind of gigantic war machinery (even though European society is canonically on the technological level of the 19th century). There is something merciless about this song, a feeling that the only way out is forward now.

Seth tries to inspire the soldiers by promising that once the war is over, the beautiful future he and his followers have envisioned will finally be possible.

[Seth:] History shall tell our tale New age to be Future will bring our name's supremacy Summon pride for us to give The strong and free Courage and we shall live Eternally [Apollonius:] Rise to war Revelation soon will end with us The past and all therein Shall come to dust

Apollonius says it explicitly: They are going through the prophecy of the Book of Revelation. I guess there's nothing left to hide at this point, the soldiers know they're fighting for the Antichrist. Seth appeals to the "pride" of "the strong and free", implying that the other side wants to enslave them. What Seth and Apollonius are saying sounds quite grim. It sounds to me like they are preparing the soldiers for a likely death.

[the-annotated-antichrist]

Act III, Track 07 - Day of Wrath

Song links: Spotify - YT Music - Apple - Tidal

The title is likely a reference to a famous line from Revelation 6: "For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?"

Johanna and Seth are sleeping, dreaming, preparing themselves for the final battle. Sophia and Satan are watching from the astral plane.

[Sophia:] Slowly, mist erases dawn Turn to dust shall the island of dreams and silver [Sophia, Seth & Satan:] What will of this day become? Colored red is the heaven behind our darkness [Johanna:] Oh saviour, show me the way Oh saviour, show me [Seth:] Out of the dark My nocturnal art Soon shall become morning Echoes of pain Following my name None shall remain - fire bring [Sophia:] When the tales of love are gone One by one on the stairway of no returning... [Sophia, Seth & Satan:] ...love itself shall linger on It will be there Vibration, like rhythm burning [Johanna:] Saviour, guiding my way My faith shall never fail [Satan:] Shadows of light Children of the night Soon shall unite mankind Eyes of the deep Watching in your sleep Dreams running free through your mind [Johanna:] Lord, your day has come- Your day of wrath

Something I find interesting here is that Johanna sings alone while the other three join their voices together. It seems to imply that Seth is closer to Sophia and Satan's consciousness than she is, that they see things the same way. They are thinking about the future and cosmic processes while Johanna only speaks to call to Jesus for guidance.

Sophia mentioned in Act I that Johanna is not yet ready to understand "anything that enriches the human spirit" and "that humanity needs both light and darkness". Johanna's single-minded - one could say fanatical - devotion to a dualistic worldview that is based on good and evil, allowed and forbidden, holy and sinful limits what she is able to consider and mentally accept. She does not try to imagine the future or understand the deeper truth behind her situation: God has a plan, and that is enough for her. Sophia and Seth are not bound by these constraints and thus able (or forced?) to think more independently.

[the-annotated-antichrist]

Act III, Track 02 - Beneath the Starry Skies

Song links: Spotify - YT Music - Apple - Tidal

As the Christians are forming an army for a more organized revolt against the Antichrist, Seth and Helena are having an emotional conversation on the roof at night. In a sense, this track is a (perhaps intentional) mirror image of "Jewels from afar" in Act I. However, this is not a romantic duet. Rather, the music reflects the "stressed and chaotic" mood in the palace and creates a sharp contrast to the hopeful and sweet atmosphere at the beginning of the musical.

[Seth:] I am still lost between the whispers and the cries Forgotten in your arms beneath starry skies A human touch still embracing who I am Embracing me, silencing the pleas of this man [Helena:] A wind bringing us rain never again Beneath the starry skies [Seth:] Dissolve words on my tongue Behold waters flow into the sea Tides will carry us home, undress for spring On my lips place your name For your eyes are pearls beyond this world [Helena:] Poets may promise us all gold that can never come true But what will be left through the glass of love Starry skies sparkling above, you and I My angel eyes, my angel eyes

Seth, as so often, is seeking comfort from Helena. To my mind, he is echoing the desire for a harmonious existence far from the demands of the world that Helena expressed earlier in "To where I weep". But the future looks grim.

[Helena:] Dripping darkness cover morning Enter our hearts Beneath the starry skies [Seth & Helena:] Dripping darkness cover morning Enter our hearts Beneath the starry skies

I probably don't need to point out the night/morning imagery again.

A choir of demons appears behind them. If you get a kick out of it, you may like to know that it is played by the singers who also play the Pope, Professor Pauli, and the priest who comforts Helena after her mother dies.

[Demon choir:] Lost in chaos of time you are Turn of future shall rise for thee So seek the hall of the empty God Fate will bring you eternity

[the-annotated-antichrist]

Act II, Track 12 - Resurrection

Song links: Spotify - YT Music - Apple - Tidal

An emotional, soaring duet between Johanna and Professor Pauli while a long procession of Christians moves into the desert. Once again the lyrics are more poetry than narration. Lean back, listen, take a deep breath and imagine the scene, the way the air might smell, the way the characters might feel.

Imagine especially how Johanna might feel here. The ruler of her continent, her brother-in-law, has just revealed himself to be the Antichrist. She has been killed by magic, then brought back to life by a miracle. I also wonder where her soul went when she was dead.

Imagine: You now have proof that God is on your side, personally. You have been vindicated after a period of time when even your closest friends thought you were paranoid. Your mission to kill the Antichrist has been confirmed again and your brothers and sisters will follow you wherever you may lead them.

Johanna, interestingly, compares herself to Jesus in this scene as well, much like Seth likes to do:

[Johanna:] Just like the moon, the sun, and our saviour I rise Nevermore I shall succumb or fall Nevermore [Professor Pauli & Johanna:] Never, never again will darkness... [Professor Pauli:] ...escape wonders of our Lord [Johanna:] Faith in thy heart are counting the stars Eastward, our faces are set Weaving is night in front of our eyes Morning we cannot see yet [Professor Pauli & Johanna:] Drink from streams of life Rivers are all blessed with sky Find the truth unheard Light shall unfold every word Prayers, sweet and fair, hover like wings in the air Sending waves to grow Into the desert we go

I imagine the air is pregnant with meaning and purpose, but the characters are probably also afraid of what is to come.

[the-annotated-antichrist]

Act II, Track 11 - Cursed be the Fallen

Song links: Spotify - YT Music - Apple - Tidal

It says "Cursed by the Fallen", on the CD, but I'm pretty sure "be" is what is meant.

Professor Pauli, who is played by Linus Flogell, enters the stage and banishes Seth. In the Solovyov book, Ernst Pauli is a German professor who represents the Protestants, just as Elder John (who provided some inspiration for Johanna) is the representative of the Orthodox Christians. Here, he does not have much of a background story beyond being a religious intellectual who is "close" to the Pope.

[Professor Pauli:] Words we have been told - Rise of glory End of pain - Are all betrayal He is the Antichrist Cursed be the fallen

A light falls on Johanna and the Pope and they come back to life. Mare and Agnes cheer.

[Mare & Agnes:] Hallelujah Blessed be thee - heavenly wonders Hallelujah [Agnes:] With thee we all soon shall rise

There is also another parallel to the Bible here - especially in the Solovyov book, but also here, Johanna and the Pope are strongly reminiscent of the Two Witnesses.

The Christians decide to go to the desert and wait for Jesus' real second coming there.

[Professor Pauli:] Beyond the desert dunes The secret coming of our Lord awaits us from heaven

[the-annotated-antichrist]

Act II, Track 10 - Behold Antichrist!

Song links: Spotify - YT Music - Apple - Tidal

Well, the toothpaste is out of the tube now. Seth realizes his mistake and tries to squeeze it back in, but he is met with renunciation by Mare and Agnes:

[Seth:] Hear my name - Caesar Seth Understand who I am [Mare & Agnes:] Godless and forsaken you are Hush your nonsense [Seth:] Do not fear - Caesar Seth Trust again who I am [Mare & Agnes:] Behold revelation Beware of the serpent

In increasing desperation he addresses the room:

[Seth:] I am the one, the one you desire, the voice of God I am the one, the one you desire, the voice of God [Pope Pete II:] Sublime thy soul It will lead us into Sodom [Mare, Agnes & Johanna:] Behold Antichrist! Beware Antichrist! [Pope Pete II:] We challenge you, spawn of the abyss, seductive beast The fallen one, by our Lord expelled from him

In the instrumental segment that comes next, Apollonius conjures up a storm and Johanna and the Pope are struck dead by his lightning. Seth and Apollonius try to present this as divine justice:

[Seth:] Behold, our Lord has spoken To protect the truth from the lies awoken [Apollonius:] For this treason and accusations false God avenged his son

Apollonius sounds more confident than Seth, who to my ears is almost pleading for people to take his side. Apollonius may not sound very convincing to his audience, but at least he restrains himself enough not to cackle after pretending not to know who killed Johanna - unlike in this early version of the song from 2013. Seth then half-collapses and Apollonius leads him away while Seth leans on his shoulder. The shocked Christians are left with the two dead bodies.

[Mare:] Always remember Johanna Holy one of grace eternal [Agnes:] Save thy servants for all to see Us thy children who trust in thee [Professor Pauli:] Always remember these two hearts Father, greet their souls immortal

[the-annotated-antichrist]

Act III, Track 14 - Theme of Antichrist

Song links: Spotify - YT Music - Apple - Tidal

If Beloved Antichrist were a film, this is the track that would play during the end credits. Nothing new happens, but much of the story is summed up. Also a devil/dragon type creature plays the drums in the video, we finally see Marcus Jupither's terrifying face (not really), and the female singers have found a glitch that gets them to the highest point of the map. ...I'm sorry. Look at these 90s video game graphics! A bold visual choice for sure, and not uncontroversial, but personally, I like it. This is also the only time Seth is explicitly called the "morning star".

[Choir:] He came to our world, to save us all from disaster In search of truth, to bring us hope for a new day But haunted by his pride, mirror of a lie, he was led astray Moving silence cold Visions to behold He would lose his way Antichrist Antichrist Antichrist [Apollonius:] A new kind of vision Nothing may be what it seems [Seth:] Consigned to the flames Bloodshed would rise from my dreams [Choir & Johanna:] Hallowed be thy name But what will remain More than empty words? Never take away questions from the Answers to the world [Seth, spoken:] "Path of night, where dark is light The only left to claim Only one, to travel on, which shall remain the same." [Helena:] Our bodies have parted But never our spirits Joined in my soul with him With the morning star forever more (ah-ah!) [Choir:] Antichrist Antichrist Who is good? Who is evil? Will we ever live to see the truth?

I thought I'd comment on the end of the story here instead of in the post about the last song so as to not lessen its spontaneous emotional impact.

The ending of BA was generally meant to be open and leave some room for interpretation, something that I think it achieves quite well. What was the place Seth and Johanna went to when they died? Where is God in all of this? What will become of the survivors of the battle - the children, the old and maybe certain disabled people? And will Apollonius try to influence the development of their society? What were Satan's true intentions when he contacted Seth? How would things have continued if Seth had been allowed to rule unchallenged?

However, Christofer stated that the end was also written with an eye toward how the audience might react: Had the Antichrist lost, metal fans might have been unhappy about it. But since the ambition behind BA was to create something that could also be staged for a general audience, an ending that sees the Antichrist come out on top might have alienated people without a metal background and allowed the work to be pigeon-holed as the "typical" satanic story a metal band would tell. Thus, an ending in which everyone would die was deemed best.

Indeed the end is quite different in the Solovyov book: There are some rebellions by Christians, but it's a minority movement. Most Christians (the "superficial" ones) continue to be enchanted by Pope Apollonius' "miracles and spectacles". Eventually the Jews rebel too, showing far greater unity. A "final battle of the two armies" nearly comes to pass here too, but the Antichrist and Apollonius end up dying in a volcanic eruption instead. Then the real Second Coming of Christ happens and the faithful Christians and Jews who had been killed by the Antichrist come back to life to rule with Jesus for a thousand years.

Solovyov, after all, was a Christian theologian and mystic and thus probably did not worry too much about whether his Short Story about the Antichrist might alienate a Satanist reader.

---

This is the end of the Annotated Antichrist series. If you've read this far, thank you for your attention! This was fun to write and I hope it was fun to read.

[the-annotated-antichrist]

Act I, Track 13 - The Palace Ball

Song links: Spotify - YT Music - Apple - Tidal

This is going to be a longer post. The Palace Ball, one of the two songs in BA that were composed by Linnéa Vikström, is one of the most musical-like tracks with the most storytelling and characterization. It is full of changes of pace and mood and has a lot of dialogue and... subtext!

Linnéa Vikström photographed by Tim Tronckoe

As the title indicates, this song is about a ball in the palace that Seth, as president and emperor, now inhabits. "Lots of stylish guests are strolling around", the scene description states. "Murmurs and toasting can be heard." An opulent scene. A choir sings:

[Guests:] Light of moon is falling through the evening curtains Glittering when finding jewels, gold and all Strolling in excesses, fancy suits and dresses Raising our glasses to the palace ball

"Elegantly dressed, Helena and Johanna enter the newly appointed Emperor's residence."

[Helena:] Follow me, Johanna Join me in a toast [Johanna:] Not so fast, Helena Where is our host? [Helena:] Over there, I see him Elegance and pride [Johanna:] Let us go to greet him Look into his eyes

Helena, as before, admires Seth. Johanna is suspicious. Given that she is on the lookout for signs of the Antichrist's appearance, that she witnessed Seth's outburst in a church a while earlier and given his sudden rise to fame and power, one can only imagine what she thinks of him at this point. After all, in the Biblical Book of Relevation, the Antichrist rules the world for a while during the End Times...

They walk over to Seth. As guests of honour, they are greeted warmly, although the music sounds tense. Helena probably really wants Seth and Johanna to get along, plus Johanna has considerable influence in the Vatican, so her impression of him is important.

[Seth:] Enchanting, yes it is to meet Madame again Allow me now to kiss your tender little hand [Helena:] Such an honor, Caesar, to kneel here at your feet Next to me, my sister, I wish for you to meet [Seth:] This must be Johanna Your eyes do mine entrance May I have the pleasure to offer you a dance?

This may just be my impression, but Seth comes across as somewhat awkward in this exchange. Would you say "tender little hand" to a woman you (officially) barely know..? And he "offers" Johanna a dance, as if he's doing her a favour..? Seth has come to fame very quickly. He used to be an isolated mystic, probably regarded as a bit of a weirdo. Whether this is intentional on the side of the authors or not - he is trying to be charming, but it seems he doesn't quite get the hang of it so far.

The scene description states that Helena willingly offers her hand to be kissed while Johanna is reluctant. Seth "gets an irresistible impulse" to dance the first dance of the night with Johanna, who hesitates, being "a bit jumpy and resolute". Helena is quite socially fluent, but Johanna, much like Seth, is not at home in this kind of situation. She does agree in the end though and the two dance. The conversation, of course, quickly leaves behind the usual pleasantries.

[Seth:] Like wings you cross the air of our tune As night birds do when tides obey the moon [Johanna:] Deeper is your soul than a waterfall Drowning in your memory of God [Seth:] To dance among the somber shadows Pain shall be the drying sun of every rain [Johanna:] What have you to show? Powers from below Powers that are dangling from a string

The scene description states that Seth is "trying to establish deep contact" with Johanna but that she "rebuffs him politely". I don't know if this really matches the lyrics. Johanna is quite direct and reads him accurately - she sees his past as a Christian mystic in him somehow, but also outright states that his powers are coming from hell. She warns that he can easily lose what he has.

Seth does not agree with her dualistic thinking, he remarks rather light-heartedly (listen to the vocal melody here) that:

[Seth:] Light and darkness are the chords we play Two melodies will find a common way [Johanna:] Listen I will not to this evil plot, Caesar So I thank you for this dance

To Johanna this way of thinking is clearly evil. Seeing light and dark, good and evil, merely as aesthetic choices, as opposites to be reconciled, goes against all her convictions. She says so and leaves. Even though he does not express this in words, Seth is, according to the scene description, quite discouraged to have been rejected and criticized so clearly. He walks onto a balcony while the guests continue their celebration.

[Guests:] Light of moon is falling through the evening curtains Glittering when finding jewels, gold and all The silence is unbroken, a million words unspoken By sleeping ghosts awoken at the palace ball