While "Lux Æterna," the lead single off Metallica's upcoming new full-length, 72 Seasons, offered an upbeat message of finding "some sense of hope or light," the other two previews have been much gloomier.
"Screaming Suicide" took an unguarded look at the taboo of self-destruction, and the album's third single, "If Darkness Had a Son," sees James Hetfield woefully proclaim that if the titular darkness had an offspring, then "here I am" — a man stricken with "temptation," "yearning" and "quenchless craving" for some unnamed sin. Alcohol? Sex? Metallica leave that up for interpretation, but there's no mistaking this seven-minute thrash stomper for a warm and fuzzy romp.
Listen to "If Darkness Had a Son" above via YouTube while you read the lyrics below.
Temptation
Temptation
Temptation
Temptation
The beast still shouts for what it's yearning
He stokes the fire, desire burning
The never-ending quenchless craving
The unforgiving misbehaving
If darkness had a son, here I am
Temptation is his father
If darkness had a son, here I am
I bathe in holy water
Temptation, leave me be
Temptation
Temptation
Temptation
Temptation
So paint your eyes as black as sorrow
Hide yourself behind tomorrow
The nightmares search for infiltration
In domination, captivation
If darkness had a son, here I am
Temptation is his father
If darkness had a son, here I am
I bathe in holy water
Temptation, leave me be
Return again to where it's darkest
Dragging home this heathen harvest
And all the children subjugated
Manipulated, propagated
If darkness had a son, here I am
Temptation is his father
If darkness had a son, here I am
I bathe in holy water
If darkness had a son
Here I am
If darkness had a son
Here I am
If darkness had a son
Here I am
I bathe in holy water
Temptation, leave me be
