Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: metal
Song Meaning of “Chemicals” by Love and Death
Love and Death’s ‘Chemicals’ is a powerful visit to an all-too-familiar inner struggle. The song speaks to the pain and confusion of mental and emotional exhaustion, spinning in endless circles of sadness and hopelessness. As the lyrics speak of the narrator’s struggle to quit a substance and the inner battle that ensues, the heavy metal rock of guitarist Brian ‘Head’ Welch provides a sonic backdrop of tumult and unrest.
The first verse introduces the story as the narrator arrives at an intersection of sorts. His inner confusion is a place of chaos and loneliness, where he is being callously pulled in different directions and is losing control. His response is to reach for the crutch of substance abuse.
The chorus reveals the depths of the narrator’s lack of self-control. Although he longs to break free, his addiction is like a wild beast that he simply cannot tame. He pleads with God to be his deliverance and to save him from losing himself completely.
The second verse paints a harrowing image of his current state. He feels empty and tired, yearning for release from the cycle of pain. He speaks of a ‘chemical rush’ and a false sense of euphoria, a ‘mask of peace’ that keeps him from facing the truth. He again requests divine intervention, begging for strength to break away from the struggle.