Track By Tracks: Archsin - On Death And Dying (2024)

As ArchSin bases its work upon the excellent book "On Death and Dying" by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, verbal descriptions of that book still apply. Each song of the full-length release "On Death and Dying" represents a single stage of processing the inevitable, according to the mentioned book. ArchSin also partially acknowledges later critiques of the book by intermixing the stages instead of presenting them in their distilled form. The following descriptions are used at the US National Library of Medicine, available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507885/

Denial is a common defense mechanism used to protect oneself from the hardship of considering an upsetting reality. Kubler-Ross noted that patients would often reject the reality of the new information after the initial shock of receiving a terminal diagnosis. Patients may directly deny the diagnosis, attribute it to faulty tests or an unqualified physician, or simply avoid the topic in conversation. While persistent denial may be deleterious, a period of denial is quite normal in the context of terminal illness and could be important for processing difficult information. In some contexts, it can be challenging to distinguish denial from a lack of understanding, and this is one of many reasons that upsetting news should always be delivered clearly and directly. However, unless there is adequate reason to believe the patient truly misunderstands, providers do not need to repeatedly reeducate patients about the truth of their diagnosis, though recognizing the potential confusion can help balance a patient's right to be informed with their freedom to reconcile that information without interference. Music-wise, the initial confusion and attempts to avoid painful realization are conveyed through fluid time signatures. As a foreshadowing of Anger, the music gradually becomes heavier, only to come back to crippling fear later.

Anger is commonly experienced and expressed by patients as they concede the reality of a terminal illness. It may be directed at blaming medical providers for inadequately preventing the illness, family members for contributing to risks or not being sufficiently supportive, or spiritual providers or higher powers for the diagnosis' injustice. The anger may also be generalized and undirected, manifesting as a shorter temper or a loss of patience. Recognizing anger as a natural response can help health care providers and loved ones tolerate what might otherwise feel like hurtful accusations. However, they must take care not to disregard criticism that may be warranted by attributing them solely to an emotional stage.

Death metal was selected to portray the overwhelming emotion directed indiscriminately at everyone within reach, mixed with interludes of brief exhaustion and even some daring feats of bravado.

Bargaining typically manifests as patients seeking some measure of control over their illness. The negotiation could be verbalized or internal and could be medical, social, or religious. The patients' proffered bargains could be rational, such as a commitment to adhere to treatment recommendations or accept help from their caregivers, or could represent more magical thinking, such as efforts to appease misattributed guilt they may feel is responsible for their diagnosis. While bargaining may mobilize more active participation from patients, health care providers and caregivers should take care not to mislead patients about their own power to fulfill the patients' negotiations. Again, caregivers and providers do not need to repeatedly correct bargaining behavior that seems irrational but should recognize that participating too heartily in a patient's bargains may distort their eventual understanding.

The bargaining process is musically depicted as an antiphony between the guitar and the keyboards in the central theme. Successful bargaining results in a temporary reprieve from self-delusion, only for the sweet lies to gradually dissonate with reality. However, the collapse of the illusion only results in a new stage of bargaining.

Depression is perhaps the most immediately understandable of Kubler-Ross's stages, and patients experience it with unsurprising symptoms such as sadness, fatigue, and anhedonia. Spending time in the first three stages is potentially an unconscious effort to protect oneself from this emotional pain. While the patient's actions may potentially be easier to understand, they may be more jarring in juxtaposition to behaviors arising from the first three stages. Consequently, caregivers may need to make a conscious effort to restore compassion that may have waned while caring for patients progressing through the first three stages.

Monotonous piano ostinato is a sure companion to oblivion. The short bursts of grief feel like a reprieve from the anhedonia mixed with a flashback of the exhaustion theme from Anger.

Acceptance describes recognizing the reality of a difficult diagnosis while no longer protesting or struggling against it. Patients may focus on enjoying the time they have left and reflecting on their memories. They may begin to prepare for death practically by planning their funeral or helping to provide financially or emotionally for their loved ones. It is often portrayed as the last of Kubler-Ross's stages and a sort of goal of the dying or grieving process. While caregivers and providers may find this stage less emotionally taxing, it is important to remember that it is not inherently more healthy than the other stages. As with denial, anger, bargaining, and depression, understanding the stages has less to do with promoting a fixed progression and more to do with anticipating patients' experiences to allow more empathy and support for whatever they go through.

Music of Acceptance depicts a calm reflection and reconciliation with one's emotions. It features the themes of the previous stages with the emotional intensity tuned down and gradually dissolved into a single repeating note of a heartbeat soon to stop.

Melancholy describes a state of persistent sadness, pensiveness, and low spirits.

Those experiencing melancholy may feel deep sorrow, emptiness, and a lack of joy or interest in activities they once enjoyed. Melancholy is the last bonus track of the album. Its sad and melodic theme concludes the journey in unresolved major-minor dissonance.