The Skull and the Spear

The imagery of the skull and spear in this song was inspired by a carving I saw on the façade of the Ruins of St. Paul's in Macau.

The original carving depicts a skeleton with an arrow, accompanied by a message reminding us of our mortality and urging us not to sin.

This reflects the Christian tradition of Memento Mori , "Remember that you must die."

I was deeply drawn to the idea that awareness of death can influence how we choose to live.

From that inspiration, I developed my own interpretation of the skull and the spear as metaphors for mortality and the freedom to live according to one's own will.

To me, though, living a better life doesn't necessarily mean the same thing as living a morally righteous one.

What I wanted to explore was a question: Because our lives are finite, what do we truly value? What do we choose, and how do we choose to live?

In the lyrics, as I find myself in the depths of despair, my convictions become clearer and purer. I come face to face with something I have always known, something I could never bear to betray.

Despair doesn't have to be overcome. Salvation doesn't have to come.

Even if nothing changes, even if no light appears, the deeper the despair becomes, the clearer it can be what I must choose.

That's what I wanted to express through this song.