Track By Tracks: Plaguewielder - In Dust & Ash (2024)

1. Eulogy:

This is the introduction to IN DUST & ASH. This album dedicated to the memory of my late grandmother Bette Delelles as it is about me going thorough the stages of grief following her death and my own existential crisis, depression, and suicidal thoughts.

2. Spaces:

This song represents a lot to me and is a very emotional song. These lyrics touch on the subject of connection, transience, and the unceasing nature of life. Like we are linked to something greater than ourselves. The chorus “In spaces we cannot see, In dreams, I find you near me”—captures the ethereal and emotional longing for those we’ve lost while also expressing the hope of continued connection in ways beyond the physical world. That focus on the unseen and the subconscious transforms the personal into something universal, touching on the shared human experience of love and loss.

3. Empty Nights:

This song is raw and powerful, capturing the deep anguish and existential questioning that often accompanies profound grief. It conveys an intense sense of isolation and emotional torment and reflects a profound struggle with identity and meaning in the wake of loss.

“Confined to the flesh, making peace with death” touches on the duality of being—acknowledging the physical limitations of life while striving to come to terms with mortality. The repeated theme of the “unknown” and the plea for “Mercyful death” evoke a longing for resolution, a yearning to reconnect with something greater or find peace.

This song speaks to the everlasting nature of pain, the pull toward transformation, and the disorienting solitude that can come with grief. The struggle of navigating loss and the longing for understanding. It is a deeply personal yet very universal feeling.

4. Sadness:

This song speaks to the hopelessness that grief can impose. Sadness is raw emotion. Anyone that has ever felt trapped by their own emotions can relate. It also suggests the struggle between vulnerability and the instinct to protect yourself from further pain. It’s a very personal battle of self-perception and fate. It captures the inescapable weight of depression and sorrow. The sense of lost time in “Wasted years, I can’t comprehend” adds another layer of pain—grief not only for the person lost but also for the impact of that loss on one’s own life and sense of purpose.

5. Manifest:

Manifest feels like a yearning for reunion or resolution, a longing for something—or someone—beyond the veil. This song has a very eerie vibe. It sets a foreboding tone, suggesting an intimate relationship with mortality and the inevitability of its presence.

“Silent like the coldest night, ghosts show the way” suggests guidance from those who have passed, adding an element of connection amidst the darkness, while the “shapeless figure manifesting” evokes the haunting and unpredictable nature of grief or fear. There is a layer of disorientation, as though seeking clarity only leads to more confusion. The closing lines—“The sheer dark rips me apart, restless souls unleashed”—end Manifest with raw intensity, emphasizing the chaotic and destructive power of unresolved grief or the pull of the unknown.

6. Wallow:

Wallow speaks to the finality of death, the unraveling of life’s threads, and the cold, stark reality of absence. It’s both visceral and poetic, expressing a profound emptiness that feels almost tangible. It touches basis with mortality and the divine inevitability of death. The imagery here is stark and evocative, invoking both despair and reverence. Wallow is a bittersweet farewell, a hope for peace for the departed, contrasted with the lingering pain of the one left behind. It’s desperately seeking closure or answers, ultimately it’s not being able to process the loss and grief. The only way to find closure is to dig her up and be with her once again.

7. Silhouettes:

This is about one of the last times that I spoke to Bette on her deathbed. We made our peace with one another and expressed understanding and undeniable love. She whispered sorry to me. I asked her what and she said “dying on everyone” and that did something to me. I’m not sure what it did and I’m still trying to process that 5 years later. The phrase “A shadow casts eternal” carries a sense of lasting impact and an indelible mark left behind by loss or grief. It suggests something that lingers beyond time, an absence so profound it becomes a presence in itself. The “shadow” could represent memory, sorrow, or the enduring influence of someone or something that is gone, while “eternal” emphasizes its longevity. This lyric is a pivotal moment on IN DUST & ASH. Capturing the inescapable nature of grief or the way loss can reshape one’s world forever. Silhouettes reflect a paradox of beauty and despair, suggesting that even in grief, there is something awe-inspiring about the vastness of loss.

8. ASH:

Ash is the embodiment of both fear and fascination. It feels as though the darkness holds secrets meant only for us. It creates a powerful duality, portraying a cosmic interplay of opposing forces. It invokes you into a dreamlike space where good and evil coexist in a strange, almost beautiful harmony. It captures the disorienting uncertainty that permeates Ash, reinforcing the sense of being caught between realms—light and dark, past and present, life and death.