Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: hardcore
Song Meaning of “Under a Killing Moon” by Thrice
This hauntingly beautiful song by Thrice paints a vivid picture of one’s defeat and acceptance at the hands of a destructive force. The narrator is filling a deep, momentous void, and being driven to contemplation as a result of the pain that lies ahead. He is ultimately rendered speechless, and forced to accept the darkness that death will bring.
The line “under a killing moon” is symbolic of the inevitability of life’s end. The image of the moon brings forth feelings of loneliness, a deep sense of being alone amidst a vast, unknown universe. The narrator, much like the moon, is lost in a sky too expansive to be tamed.
As the song progresses, it is further refined by riffs that reflect the gradual surrender to what lies beyond. What was once pain is replaced by a sense of acceptance through understanding. The lyrics echo the narrator’s journey as he looks to the sky, exchanging fear for peace in the face of darkness.
The song’s final line speaks to the inevitable and mysterious nature of death, as its haunting refrain testifies to the thought process and struggle of the narrator: “Walk away, under a killing moon”. Here, it is likely that the narrator, in his quest to find solace amongst the darkness, finds comfort in the realization of life’s end. He ultimately walks away, now comforted by the knowledge of death’s embrace.