Track By Tracks: Avernus - Grievances (2024)

1. Nemesis:

There is a statement that was released around the same time “Nemesis” was released as a single. It was expressed in the lyrics for this song that I am writing about the harm to our planet done by man. This is definitely part of what I am expressing, but not all of it. I wrote “Nemesis” based more on my experiences getting older and realizing the potential of humanity, but also realizing humans are unfortunately more interested in living vicariously through crappy politicians, religions, and celebrities instead of trying to make life better for all of us here on this planet I don’t see us ever moving past our own bullshit, at least in my lifetime.

2. Exitus:

I wrote this song from the perspective of growing older. I’m in my early fifties now and this is my way of reflecting on life and acknowledging I am no longer the same young man who was cool with 3 hours of sleep a night and then could function just fine the next day, had my head stuck in a cloud of possibilities for the world and didn’t experience the physical pains that come with being half a century old!

3. The Burning Down:

Avernus is not a satanic band, or anything like that, but everyone in this band is very much anti-religion of any kind and that is definitely reflected in these lyrics. This song, in particular, is a response to the awful White Christian Nationalism that is a cancer to American society at this moment.

4. Return to Dust:

The lyrics, for the most part, attune to the recurring theme of getting older and closer to death. This song does not carry a “wanting to die” mentality rather, it’s more contemplative in nature.

5. Quietus:

This song takes a more skeptical view of life in that none of us ask to be here, but here we are, thick in the trenches of working ourselves to death, and if we have time, maybe find something purposeful in life that makes it a little bit easier to exist.