The song "Carnal Epitaph" by Exhumed tells a dark and gruesome story through its lyrics. The protagonist of the song is a deranged and sadistic individual, who takes pleasure in inflicting pain and death upon others. The lyrics describe how the protagonist scrawls an ode, or a poetic tribute, onto the back of a victim using scarlet ink. The act is described as a dreadful toil, indicating the twisted satisfaction the protagonist derives from his actions. The victim, depicted as having ivory skin and livid eyes, silently pleads for mercy from the protagonist. However, the protagonist proceeds to carve into the victim's flesh using a scalpel and rasp, sculpturing their body into an epitaph, a commemorative inscription for their life. The secrets the victim holds, which should have been taken to their grave, are revealed through the gruesome act. The lyrics suggest that the protagonist finds inspiration from the victim's pale and lifeless body, referring to it as both his parchment and muse. The lines are written with incarnadined hands, meaning stained with blood. The act of carving these lines is depicted as cruel and damaging. The lyrics question the value of words when they are written through tissue damage and violence. The chorus repeats the theme of carving the victim's flesh into an epitaph, with words composed of blood, pus, and grume, which refers to congealed matter or gore. It emphasizes how the secrets spill out during the act, exposing the victim's hidden truths. The song implies that these secrets are too dark and vile to be heard or known by others, and thus should remain unheard. The time has come for more than just words to be minced, suggesting that the protagonist intends to continue his acts of violence and brutality. The phrase "parting words don't often cut this deep" suggests that the usual exchange of farewell messages or last words does not compare to the deep impact of the protagonist's sadistic acts. The secrets engraved on the victim's back will be kept hidden, symbolizing the narrator's intention to continue these horrific acts. The lyrics convey a chilling and macabre story, focusing on the sadistic pleasure and obsession with violence that the protagonist derives from their actions. It portrays a disturbed individual who takes joy in inflicting pain and continues to do so, even in death.
