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The Course of Empire

from Antediluvian by OPHION

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about

Named after Thomas Cole’s painting series, The Course of Empire deals with man's journey from savagery to empire – and ultimately, desolation. Cole’s portrayal of human ascent is eminent beyond question. Yet, in order to add amplitude to his representation we must turn elsewhere. The ancients tell us that behind all human growth lies an inner force, or forces, of which our built environment is but a shadow. In this regard we should ask ourselves: Is empire, therefore, within man?

Contemporary authors have introduced new perspectives to the subject matter whilst at the same time appreciating the reality perceived by the ancients. In the work The Collapse of Complex Societies, advancement is seen as differentiation in the degrees of complexity respecting stratification, specialization, information, among others. But not unlike the wise of yore, the work acknowledges a deterioration in the quality of inner constitution to be one of the causes of collapse – that is, a descent from a higher degree of complexity to a lower one. Does not this conclusion lead us back to those inner forces of which the ancients spoke?

Long and arduous though man’s journey is, the great paradox of his material achievement is that for all its magnitude, it is fragile. It is for this reason that the noble pillars which hold his mighty structure must be guarded with strength and wisdom. For whatsoever be raised upon a foundation of imperishable laws, if material, is subject to fall.

lyrics

The ages of man
Archaic as they are
Gave rise to countless powers
For all their might
Even the most edified collapsed
And still, his eyes are set on splendor

A savage, he roamed the prehistoric Earth
And made of cliffs and caves a dwelling
This half-formed creature of beast-like loins
Would in time become a king

Mastering his environs now behold!
The dawn of sophistication
Eras of war, art, and wisdom
Herald the rise of kingdoms

Amidst the fire of ambition
Flash visions of consummation

See his rise!
So brazen and emboldened
Urged from within
Claim your destiny
He is meant to ascend
And yet is subject to fall

In the course of empire...
Consummation bears so heavily upon him
–Are you not as godly as
you make thyself to be?
Where is the scepter? thy firmness, thy fortitude–
Vainglory and the labyrinth corrupt you
Grandeur imperatively demands grandeur!

The days of yore are long behind us
Aureate clouds of aspiration
His eyes ever set on splendor
Conceiving the advent empire…

Sift through the fragments of your ruins
A pillar, he shall stand at desolation...

...who works his marble for long standing

credits

from Antediluvian, track released August 31, 2020
Mixed and Mastered at The Empty Hall Studio, along with guitars reamping and vocals recording.

www.theemptyhallstudio.com

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OPHION Madrid, Spain

Ophion is an international extreme metal band formed in 2017 and integrated by Focalor and Monarch. Exploiting the intensity of feeling and epic atmosphere of the genre, the band conjures musical passages through which they explore diverse themes related to antiquity, mythology and human nature.

*Dominican/Spanish ... more

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