Permanent Dark

Song Meaning

The lyrics plunge into a descent, a conscious choice to enter a "permanent dark." This isn't a passive fall but an active "fuck it up," a deliberate step "too far." The immediate consequence is a loss of self: "Once it takes hold / You forget who you are." It paints a picture of someone actively choosing oblivion, perhaps as a drastic solution to an overwhelming internal or external pressure. The central tension revolves around identity and truth, framed by the repeated assertion, "No man is self-made." This challenges the idea of individual autonomy, suggesting a deeper, perhaps inescapable, interconnectedness or influence. The narrator grapples with this, asking "Who are you?" both to an external subject and, implicitly, to themselves. The act of running from truth is met with its own evasion, creating a futile cycle where self-deception only deepens the isolation. The most striking craft element is the stark, almost nihilistic refrain: "If anything is anything / Then everything is nothing." This phrase, repeated with an "Oh!" of either despair or resignation, collapses meaning itself. It suggests a profound disillusionment where distinctions lose their power, leading to a state of existential emptiness. This echoes the earlier loss of self, amplifying the feeling of being adrift in a meaningless void. This track hits hard because it articulates a raw, almost violent rejection of self and reality. The lyrics don't shy away from the bleakness, presenting a narrative of someone actively seeking an end to their known existence. The fear isn't of the unknown, but of the known ending, a sentiment that breeds a profound, "completely isolated" feeling. It's a stark portrayal of self-destruction as a response to an unbearable truth.