Released: 2003
AFI’s ‘Death Of Seasons’ is a powerful song that delves into themes of isolation, despair, and the struggle with inner demons. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a person wrestling with their own darkness, feeling disconnected from the world, and grappling with the harsh realities of life.
The opening lines ‘Of late, it’s harder just to go outside / To leave this dead space, with hatred so alive’ set the tone for the song. The ‘dead space’ here likely refers to the singer’s mind or soul, which is filled with ‘hatred so alive’. This could be self-hatred or a general disdain for the world around them.
The line ‘I decay, killed by the weakness / But forced to return’ implies a cycle of despair and recovery. The singer feels weakened by their struggles, yet they are compelled to continue facing them.
The chorus ‘I watch the stars as they fall from the sky / I held a fallen star and it wept for me, dying / I feel the fallen stars encircle me / Now as they cry’ is a poignant metaphor. The falling stars could symbolize lost hopes or dreams, their weeping and encircling the singer further emphasizing the sense of despair and isolation.
The line ‘Post-human extinction excels unrecognized’ might be a commentary on the dehumanizing aspects of modern society. The singer feels like humanity is losing its essence, and this process is going unnoticed.
The phrase ‘It won’t be all right / Despite what they say’ underscores the singer’s pessimism. They reject the common reassurances that things will get better, reflecting their deep-seated despair.
Finally, ‘And I hope to shade the world / As stars go out and I disintegrate’ could be the singer expressing a desire to leave an impact on the world, even as they feel themselves fading away. The ‘stars going out’ might represent the extinguishing of hope or life.
