In the Presence of Enemies: The Heretic and the Dark Master

In the Presence of Enemies
Systematic Chaos
Length	09:00 (pt. 1), 16:38 (pt. 2), 25:38 (overall)
Working title	The Pumpkin King
Release date	June 4, 2007
Lyrics	John Petrucci
Music	Dream Theater
First live performance	SDSU Open Air Theatre, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA, on Jul. 24, 2007
Total live plays	224 (approx.)
Recorded	Avatar Studios
Other appearances	Chaos in Motion, Distant Memories
Previous song	Octavarium (album) (Precedes Pt. 1) The Ministry of Lost Souls (Precedes Pt. 2)
Next song	Forsaken (Follows Pt. 1) Black Clouds & Silver Linings (album) (Follows Pt. 2)

In the Presence of Enemies is one of five Dream Theater songs that eclipses the 20 minute mark. Featured on their ninth studio album, Systematic Chaos it is split into two parts - the first and last tracks, because the band believed that it was a great opener and a great closer for the album. Some people class it as an epic. It's heavy throughout, with a five minute instrumental intro.

Part 2 begins in a more atmospheric way and features haunting piano, and chanting during "The Slaughter of the Damned." When the 2 parts to this song are combined, it becomes the 2nd longest song Dream Theater has ever recorded, beaten only by Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, which is 16 minutes and 22 seconds longer.

John Petrucci recorded this song using a 6-string guitar in standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E).

Personnel

• John Petrucci - Guitar, backing vocals
• John Myung - Bass
• Mike Portnoy - Drums, percussion, backing vocals
• Jordan Rudess - Keyboards
• James LaBrie - Vocals

Lyrics

PART 1

"I. Prelude"

(Instrumental)

"II. Resurrection"

I saw a white light
Shining there before me
Walking to it
I waited for the end
A final vision
Promising salvation
A resurrection
For a fallen man

Do you still wait for your God
And the symbol of your faith?

I can free you from this Hell and misery
You should never be ashamed, my son
I can give you power beyond anything
Trust me you will be the chosen one

I was forgotten
A body scorned and broken
My soul rejected
Tainted by his blood
Beyond redemption
A sinner not worth saving

Forever taken
From the one I loved

Do I still wait for my God
And a symbol of my faith?

I can lead you down the path and back to life
All I ask is that you worship me
I can help you seek revenge and save yourself
Give you life for all eternity

Servants of the fallen
Fight to pave the way
For their saviour's calling
Of this wicked day
Through a veil of madness
With a vicious play
One man rises up
Standing in their way

Redemption
Redemption for humanity

PART 2

"III. Heretic"

Welcome tired pilgrim
Into the circle
We have been waiting
Everyone's gathered for your arrival
All the believers

Angels fall, all for you, heretic
Demon heart bleed for us

I've been waiting for you,
Weary preacher man
You have been expected
Now we can begin
Let this hollow day of judgment reign

I have known you father,
And your sacred quest
Blessed soldier fighting
You shall never rest
I have known you, but do you know me?

Angels fall, all for you, heretic
Demon heart bleed for us

(My soul is yours dark master, I will fight for you)
Dark master within,
I will fight for you
Dark master of sin,
Now my soul is yours
Dark master, my guide,
I will die for you
Dark master inside

I cannot see his face
But I could feel his spite
A presence from the dead
Abandoned by the light
This shadow will consume him from within

This power that I sense
The rage behind those eyes
Is just a shrouded ghost
A spirit deep inside
The body and the soul both threats
For they are one

Angels fall, all for you, heretic
Demon heart bleed for us

My soul is yours dark master,
I will fight for you

Dark master within,
I will fight for you
Dark master of sin,
Now my soul is yours
Dark master, my guide,
I will die for you
Dark master inside
Dark master, Amen,
I belong to you
Dark master within

"IV. The Slaughter of the Damned"

Don't,
Bother trying to find them
They will be coming to you
Fight,
Fight and destroy
Until you can't take anymore

Slay!
Spill the blood of the rebels
They are the children of hell
Flesh,
Of the undead
Stopping at nothing to kill

Sin,
Caught in a moment of weakness
Committed the greatness of all
Sold,
Half of my soul
And now its too late for you

I judge us, my eyes see
I judge and I am just
For I speak of the beast
That lives in all of us

Unwelcome ones
Your time has come

Lord,
You are my god and my shepherd
Nothing more shall I want
Walk,
Through the abyss
Into the shadow of death

Fear,
There is no evil to fear now
For I know you are with me
My,
Cup overflows
With my enemy's blood

I,
Decay in the house of the lord
Forever, amen
Death,
Will follow me
All the days of my life

I judge as,
My eyes see
I judge and I am just
For I speak of the beast
That lives in all of us

Unwelcome ones
Your time has come

Servants of the fallen
Fight to pave the way
For the savior's calling
On this wicked day

Through a veil of madness
With a vicious play
One man rises up
Standing in their way
It's time for your reckoning

"V. The Reckoning"

(Instrumental)

"VI. Salvation"

My soul grows weaker
He knows and he waits
He watches over me
Standing at the inferno gates
In the hour of darkness
The moment I feared has passed
The moment I lost my faith
Promising salvation
My soul is my own now
I do not fight for you,
Dark master

Analysis

The lyrics were inspired by a manhwa (a type of Korean comic, similar to the Japanese manga) named Priest, a horror comic which tells the story of fallen angels, which is what inspired the Dark Master character from the song. In an interview, Petrucci summarizes, "It's a story about somebody who loses himself and end struggles with the darkness, symbolized by the Dark Master. And the story ends up really being the darkness within and goes through the different faces where he has to fight demons and things like that."

Tone

The song is very progressive in tone, with several solo sections included in both parts, most notably an extended instrumental section (Movement 5: The Reckoning) during Part 2, lasting from 9:17 to 13:12 on the second track. The long slow and emotional guitar solo from Part 1 is then repeated in the 6th Movement, but Rudess plays the lead part, even jumping up an octave. The key modulation does not happen in this solo reprise. The intro to Part 2 is very atmospheric and is reminiscent of horror movie soundtracks. Both sections are also quite heavy, with the pop element almost entirely absent, despite the use of the pop song form (or some variation) minus the final chorus in three of the fourth movements that have vocals. The exception is the final movement that closes the track where LaBrie sings a short verse about how he will not ruled and will not fight for the Dark Master any longer. However, the Dark Master's effect on the protagonist is still present in them, as after LaBrie finishes singing, the band play a reprise of the Dark Master theme found in the chorus of the third movement.

Appearances

• Systematic Chaos - Original recorded version
• Chaos in Motion - Live version