During a recent Q&A session on Reddit, Shawn Crahan said the meaning of ‘Vermillion’ changed for him over the years.
When a fan asked if any songs meant something different to him as time had gone by, the percussionist replied:
“‘Vermilion.’ Over the years, ‘Vermilion’ has changed colors in my mind, I used to listen to it from a possible Corey [Taylor] position, and somewhere along the ride the color changed to more of my personal position and the words became more my words and I started seeing different things in my mind. I feel a lot during that song and express a lot. It’s needed.”
What Is ‘Vermilion’ About?
‘Vermilion’ is the second single from their third album, ‘Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses).’ Corey Taylor previously spoke about the song:
“That song was on a demo that Paul [Gray, bassist] and Joey [Jordison, drummer] put together. For some reason, as soon as I heard it, all I could see was the colour red. I love the idea of creating a world from the standpoint of a stalker. I was trying to recreate that dark urgency and desperate need. Anyone who’s ever had that jealous rage knows what that feeling is.”
The late drummer Joey Jordison also said the following as one of the co-writers of the track:
“I wrote most of this, then Paul put the middle section together. When I write, I’m always thinking of [singer] Corey’s place in the song. That chemistry between me, Paul, and Corey has always been interesting.”
During live performances of the song, the band swaps their regular masks for ‘death masks,’ which are casts of each member’s actual face. ‘Vermilion’ is included in the soundtrack of the 2004 film ‘Resident Evil: Apocalypse,’ playing during the end credits.
‘Vermilion Pt. 2’ continues from the first part of the song. As Taylor explained before, ‘Vermilion Pt. 1’ focuses on anticipation and neurosis, while ‘Part 2’ explores the aftermath and potential guilt after experiencing those emotions.