Grandier's Funeral Pyre

"This is about Urbain Grandier, a man of the church who lived in Loudun, France in the 17th century. He
was doomed to be tortured to death and burnt at the stake after being framed by a false diabolical pact
he was supposed to have sealed with the Devil and his demonic spawn (in the second Chorus you can find
an extract from the original text). In my alternative version of the story, he was a just man and equal
to all: rich, poor, weak or strong. Thus, even being so true to the pure original ideals of
Christianity, he was accused of paganism and witchcraft. His stake wasn't considered an execution place
though but a funeral pyre where all the people devoted to him paid tribute and mourned his passing."

A blissful maid has pierced my heart
She's feasted on my soul
A banquet made of flesh and bone
So I was dethroned
Like kings without shields and swords
Like bards without their chords
Now call the Ravens, light the fire
To rot in hell my curse.

Besieged by the flames - By the church declaimed
Unholy will - Pagan I die, as a pagan I lived.

The sons of Grandier bade command
Hither to bring all the people from afar
The rich, the poor and the sick were gathered
Countless quite! As the priest was a hero to their eyes
The wood smoke rose black over blaze
And blend was the roar of the fires in the sky
In heavy mood, misery they moaned
As the sky was devoured by the funeral pyre.

"Mephistopheles bring wrath
Upon the ones who insult and stain the name of God
with vileness and greed
Upon the ones who torture and their cursed breed".

Before Decay's abismal fingers
Brush against my brow
And sweep the lines where beauty lingers
I will pledge my vow
Of all the villains claimed to live
In chastity and need
"A thousand times into the fire"
The oath I now decree.

Besieged by the flames - By the church declaimed
Unholy will - Pagan I die, as a pagan I lived.

A false diabolical pact was written
In the name of Grandier and all the spawn of Hell
"The love of women, the flower of virgins
The respect of Kings, honors, lust and charming spells"
"He will join us in our crusade
And sin by sin he'll become the Devil's blade"
In noble mood, dignity he owned
As the sky was devoured by the funeral pyre.

[Guitar solo: Raphael]

His eyes were fiery and yet so hollow
Sixteen pints of water he was forced to swallow
But he did not kneel, and vauntingly swore:
"In thy gaze I see the eyes of Satan".

The sons of Grandier bade command
Hither to bring all the people from afar
The rich, the poor and the sick were gathered
Countless quite! As the priest was a hero to their eyes
The wood smoke rose black over blaze
And blend was the roar of the fires in the sky
In heavy mood, misery they moaned
As the sky was devoured by the funeral pyre.

Les Démons de Loudun.