Deathless

Song Meaning

The lyrics to "Deathless" plunge into a Faustian bargain, where the speaker and a companion seek immortality by selling their souls. This quest is driven by a profound fear of dying "unsatisfied and unresolved." They imagine their "portraits crack, our faces never grow old," a vivid image of static existence. The motivation behind this desperate pursuit of permanence is complex, blending ambition with a darker edge. The narrator admits to "brokering some shady deals" and acknowledges a partner thrilled to see "our rivals crushed." This suggests that the desire for deathless status isn't just about personal legacy, but also about power and competitive triumph. The chorus, with its insistent repetition of "I want to be deathless," reveals the core tension: "I've been dying to live for something" and "living to die for something." This inversion powerfully captures the speaker's willingness to sacrifice life itself for a perceived purpose, believing it's "better than dying for nothing" or "living for nothing." The imagery of a "mime who's stuck in time" further underscores the potential cost of such a bargain – an eternity without true movement or change. However, the lyrics take an ironic turn in the third verse, asking, "Now that we're deathless, what shall we do?" The achievement of immortality doesn't bring peace, but a new form of existential ennui, caught between a "life that mocks and chokes the muse." The narrator's self-description as a "snake oil salesman playing with the truth" hints at the hollowness of the bargain, suggesting that even a deathless existence can be a form of self-deception, leaving one singing a "Purgatorio canto" – a song of suffering and purification.