A Lyrical Deep Dive into Motionless In White's "Afraid of the Dark"
- 4 days ago
- 6 min read
TW: Mention of suicide ideation, PTSD, nightmares, family trauma, seizures
Shoutout to all fellow Creatures, because now is the time to claim the year! It's been a very thought-provoking and groundbreaking year for the fan base. Motionless In White have risen from the ashes with what I believe to be the Magnum Opus of their entire career; marking the band's 20th anniversary, they have returned to the scene with the single, "Afraid of the Dark." I have an autobiographical history that parallels this band's journey, and you'll see many similarities as we get started. Let's dive in!
"I've given my life, I suffered and sacrificed to find that fear is only fatal till it's alchemized; To heal is to repurpose, take the stage and siphon all the power from the pain – I turned my struggles into my strength."
For those of you who don't know me, I have Autism, and went through years of therapy to get where I am today. I am currently taking the stage for the second time by finishing my Master of Business Administration in Digital Marketing and have repurposed what struggle for healing. I turned my struggles into my strength because I have never faltered when working under pressure and have consistently used it to drive me further towards my goals.
"If the answer is in the unknown, would you question the path you take? If the past didn't hurt to let go, would your future be yours to reclaim?"
People around me know that I've never been shy about being openly available to the next generation. I've had some children come to me over the years when they've heard I'm in college, and this pre-chorus reflects what I would ask them because they're not sure which major to choose and, like me, want to plan so that they are not in fear of the unknown and can make peace with what is soon to be their past so that they can focus.
"You'll never know yourself till you walk alone with blind faith and broken bones, so follow the light in your heart and be not afraid of the dark."
I've always been a people pleaser, even as an adult, and have gone out of my way for people who didn't deserve it or who wouldn't do the same for me. This chorus has given me permission to focus on what I want and put myself first. It has also shown me that it is not selfish to do so. I need to stop crossing oceans for those who wouldn't even cross puddles for me and learn to accept that power. I could not stop crying because I believe in this message on a cellular level.
"Will you follow me to where love met destruction? Doubt only dies if you keep pouring trust in – Fight, or surrender your dreams 'cause it's give up or give everything!"
As a reference to their second EP, "When Love Met Destruction," Chris brings home the fact that he is offering a helping hand to walk through this darkness, this dread and this pain, and through every step we need to learn how to trust ourselves. We know that it's time to start fighting for our dreams the way that he fought for his when it came down to starting the band. He is telling us that it's give up or give everything, meaning that the only one stopping us from achieving our full potential is us, and we need to listen. I was led to the brink of suicide due to being ostracized, so I know the meaning of fighting with everything that you have just to get where you want to be; when everyone else decides that you're the enemy because you're standing up for yourself. Along with being Autistic, I also have social anxiety, depression, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Sometimes I get nightmares due to a serious trauma inflicted by a former family member. I needed to hear this sung to me.
"You'll never know yourself till you walk alone with blind faith and broken bones, so carry the torch in your heart and be not afraid of the dark. How much are you willing to bleed, to suffer for what you believe? We can't see the end from the start, so don't be afraid of the dark and walk with me."
This second chorus contains a reference to the song “Carry the Torch,” which is off the band's album from 2014, Reincarnate. Recycling these lyrics reminds us that you have become the torchbearer. You are the champion that is leading yourself out of the path once consumed by darkness. Chris walked with us and helped us along, but now we're in charge and leading him out for the rest of the way.
"From the ashes I was reborn free, and from the grave I was rebuilt by what broke me, rebuilt by what broke me – So tear me apart, and you'll see! You'll see the spine, the heart, the blood on the dirt – You'll feel the pain, the rage, that feeds on the hurt – On every scar is a badge of a lesson I've learned that took me 20 fucking years to earn!"
This is the hardest breakdown of any song I've ever heard. When I was four days old I had my first seizure and was rushed to NICU. For the first two weeks of my life, those seizures continued every 15 minutes. Eventually, they were able to get them under control. Fast forward to when I was 19 months old the seizures came back, this time continuing once for every hour. By age three I relied on Anti-Seizure Meds to keep stable. In October of 2007, shortly after my 10th birthday, I was thankfully weaned off all anti-seizure medication. Next year will be my 30th birthday, and I will also be earning my MBA in Digital Marketing in May of 2027; becoming the first in my entire family to have a Master's Degree. On my birthday, as I complete my studies at Northeastern State University, I also celebrate my 20th anniversary of being seizure-free. The band's 20 years are from 2006 to 2026, and my 20 years are from 2007 to 2027.
"And now I know I don't have to do this alone, A creature that found a home – When life drained the light from my heart, you pulled me from the dark! I've given you everything – A lifeline in pieces of me; We can't see the end from the start, but I don't fear the dark!"
This verse is the most vulnerable within the entire song. Chris refers to the Motionless In White fanbase as "Creatures," as it's also the name of their debut album from 2010. This is a love letter to us, the fans, and he's saying that we've pulled him from the dark just as much as a lot of us gravitate towards him and the band when we need a place to call home.
"Dark inside, with purpose and passion – Sweat and blood, from Stockholm to Scranton! Fight or fright, arise from the pages – Fear not the dark, if you mean it you'll make it!"
This is a callback to a few songs including “570” from their Graveyard Shift album released in 2017 (which is also an homage to their hometown, Scranton, Pennsylvania's Area Code). The lyrics "fight or fright,” nod to their third track "Werewolf" from the band's 2022 Release Scoring the End of the World as is "Be not afraid," which is a part of the album's title track if you go back and read the lyrics.
The duality between dark and light in the music video created a spectacular split between past and present and between harshness and harmony. They also added hologram images in parts of the video, which is a nod to "Cyberhex" from Scoring the End of the World. For those who don't know, I referred to that song as "Futuristic" in my previous album review.
The band's vocalist, Chris Motionless, is the Edgar Allan Poe of the metalcore scene and one of the greatest lyricists in music history, regardless of genre. This single is reminiscent of Poe's "The Raven," which is one of my favorite poems of all time. After its release on January 28th, it debuted at No. 8 and, within one week, reached No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Hard Rock Songs Chart for the first time. He deserves a place in the Central Pennsylvania Music Hall of Fame (CPMHOF) for his ability to connect with people through everything he's written for the band's discography since their inception. I want to congratulate the members of the band on this landmark anniversary and hope for another 20 years to come. From this day forward, we are forever bonded at 20 years strong.
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