Track By Tracks: BLACK DAGGERS - Phantasmagoria (2023)

The album is about a Faustian Bargain gone awry. Musically it is a mix of genres that borrow from many familiar sounds but sounds like nothing before it.

Track by Track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY)

1. Best I’ve Got:

The song is about feeling like you’ve given everything you can, and nothing is ever good enough. It was really a cathartic song to write, and I feel like many people could relate to that.

2. These Broken Bones:

These Broken Bones starts off with our character at a low point in his life. He is feeling very desperate and alone and decides to bargain with the Devil. Midway through the song, it switches to the Devil’s perspective, where he outlines the deal that has been made.

3. Surfin’ A Vibe:

This songs lyrics can really be interpreted in a number of different ways. When I was writing it the idea behind it was the character was feeling “high” with a feeling of euphoria, following his deal with the Devil. I think it could also be loosely interpreted as a struggle with addiction and it was really meant to paint the picture of the character being very manic, and making poor life choices.

4. Voices:

With Voices I really tried to create the feeling of someone who is losing touch with reality and made a conscious effort to change up the vocal delivery, and I used two different styles of singing to capture the different voices in his head. This song is also a nod vocally to the late Mark Lanegan.

5. I’m Here:

This song picks up with our character after he has fully gone off the deep end. We find him locked away in a mental institution, plotting his escape. At this point, he doesn’t believe there is anything wrong with himself but after escaping, he realizes how insane he truly is.

6. Wasted:

This song is from the point of view of speaking to your inner demons, and this song freely switches from one to the other. It’s not meant to be clear who is the one speaking at any given point, but it’s a conversation in the mirror. I think this is a relatable concept for people who struggle with their own inner demons.

7. City Limits:

We reach the final chapter for our character where he decides he made a mistake by making the deal with the Devil and tries to run away and escape from his fate. Unfortunately, by this point, it is already too late and the Devil comes calling. This song is kind of a warning about addiction and the path it can lead you down, and the destruction it can inevitably cause.

8. Carpe Diem:

This is our hero character's swan song. At this point, he is already dead, and he is reflecting on the time he wasted and the things he didn’t get to say, or do. This song is one I collaborated on with Marek Forysinski (Engineer, Rated R - Queens Of The Stone Age).