Drawing Flies (2016 Remaster)

Song Meaning

The lyrics immediately plunge into a scene of profound stagnation and self-loathing. The speaker is "Sitting here like uninvited company," a vivid image of alienation. They are consumed by their own negativity, feeling like "wet ashes with X's in my eyes" and literally "drawing flies." This paints a stark picture of decay and emotional paralysis. Beneath this passive despair, a fierce internal battle rages. The speaker describes using "inspiration for a guillotine" and firing a "mental cannon to the page," suggesting a destructive creative impulse or a mind actively turning against itself. There's a complex reliance on "self denial" as a pedestal, even as they "shoot my holy pride," indicating a cycle of tearing down and propping up internal defenses. The craft here is particularly effective in its visceral, almost grotesque imagery. The personification of sharing "a cigarette with negativity" makes the internal struggle feel tangible and inescapable. The repeated image of "wet ashes with X's in my eyes / And drawing flies" anchors the sense of lifelessness and attracting unwanted attention, a powerful metaphor for a mind consumed by its own rot. The bridge introduces a crucial shift, questioning the source of this torment: "What you yelling / About conditions, permission, mirrored self-affliction." This suggests an internal dialogue grappling with external blame versus self-inflicted pain, hinting that the speaker recognizes their own role in their suffering. The repetition of key lines throughout the verses reinforces the cyclical, inescapable nature of this deeply personal and destructive internal state.