The Agonist's Lyrics and Sound
Business Suits and Combat Boots - The Agonist
Symbolism
Business Suits and Combat Boots
The video for this song points out many issues with the ideals of developed countries. The first thing depicted in this video is the visual of a business man stealing money from a homeless man, this is symbolizing the monetary inequality in developed countries, the top 2% of the population in the US hold as much money as the lower 60%. In addition to this the topic of unemployment is brought up later in the video which is showing the economic struggle of the working class. Jobs are being sent over-seas because it is cheaper to higher foreign workers than native ones. As a result the working class is facing insufficient minimum wage rates and are having to keep multiple jobs just to make ends meet. Another issue that is brought up in this video is the cultural ideal with regards to how women should look. This is shown through the “fat shaming”, or disregard of a culturally unacceptable female. Women in the US are bombarded with size zero models depicted as the norm and it is distorting what citizens view as the norm, or what is considered beautiful. Which leads to the out-casting of “unsatisfactory” potential mates, based solely on how they look. In an effort to avoid this issue many individuals turn to plastic surgery, which is depicted by the women who removes her glasses to show blackened eyes and a bandaged nose. One of the main symbolic points in this video is the usage of blindfolds to show how ignorant our society is to the issue that happen outside our “perfect, lush, protected” bubble. Individuals are shown blindfolded while scenes depicting animal cruelty and testing and war casualties are projected behind them. As a society we have stopped asking questions about where our goods come from, this allows the producers to use questionable methods to provide their wares.
Sound Analysis
The Agonist is one of the bands that fully utilizes the Beauty and the Beast method of singing. On chorus parts Alissa White-Gluz returns to a softer more melodic tone where during the verses of the song she growls and has a much harsher vocal sound. The drums in this bands performances is much more muted than other Metal subgenres, it is used far more as a basis for the other performers to follow in their own parts rather than a solo instrument itself. On the other hand we have the guitar which is used heavily for a melody outside of the vocalists sound. One of the guitarist’s main jobs is to emphasize the vocalist’s lyrics, especially when the line is important to the topic of the song. While the guitar isn’t used as often for solos in Death Metal songs it is still highly relied upon to give the music its unique sound.
Lyrical Analysis
The Agonist is a prime example of a politically based Death Metal band. The lyrics of their songs address major issues facing their audience base. As a results the group is among a small portion of bands in this genre that are politically based rather than shock value based, like Legion of the Damned. Each of the three songs that I have chosen focus on a different topic.
Thank you, Pain
This song is highly focused on crime based stigma and betrayal of a lover. The song starts out as a convicted individual pleading her case to an indifferent judge. “Listen before you convict, you see, I never did intend to ruin anything! / Intent is a guilty conscience’s white flag against pride, so I find you guilty of the crimes.” This line is followed by one referencing the idea that prisoners are thought of as property. Which is meant to put the justice system to shame. The rest of the song is from the prisoner’s point of view. “Through senses what can we explain? / Not joy, not guilt, not pain. / Is love the same?” This line leads me to believe that the main character in the song was betrayed by a lover rather than caught by a spouse. “Thank you, Pain! / For preventing me from returning to the source again.” These lyrics further solidify the idea that she was betrayed and she is thanking the situation she is in for keeping her from returning to her ex-lover. I believe that these songs are so popular because they tell a story that the listener can relate to, almost everyone has had a partner that has betrayed them and has praised the pain they went through for keeping them from returning to that person.
Business Suits and Combat Boots
This song doesn’t even attempt to hide its topic, which is anti-plutocracy or anti-consumerism. The lyrics also have an anti-war subtopic which is addressed in the chorus, as “Who tries to find the several hundred left behind. / When the border is breached, but not broken?” These lines are repeated throughout the song and they are pointing the finger at government bodies in charge of war for not returning for soldiers and P.O.W. after treatises have been signed or troops have retreated. This is solidified through the imagery used in the video (see above). On to the main topic, this song is a major fuck you to how consumer based our society is. “Fuck your skinned-alive designer wear, / Fashion shades and salon hair. / Heels to help where nature failed. / Artificial teeth and nails.” Later in the song the artist addresses the issue of sweat shops and their effect on consumerism in developed countries as well as the third world countries from which they are based. Another issue brought up in this song is the issue of the decline in maternal and paternal influences on children and the rise of corporate influences. As a result we have adults that hate their bodies and fuel consumerism through plastic surgery and luxury products. “So pay your surgeons - / It’s your parents who you should thank.” This line is enhanced by the video, at this point in the song there is a beautiful (by society’s standard) woman who removes her sunglasses to reveal two black eyes and a bandage on her nose, showing that she had recently gone through a rhinoplasty, or nose job.
Panophobia
As the title suggests this song is about the fear of everything, specifically war and the increase in school shootings over the past ten years. Starting with the topic of school shootings there are many lines in this song that when taken out of context directly relate to the school system’s reactions to the increase in school shootings. However, when left in context these lines are meant to draw parallels between war and these shootings, many schools now seem like they are under martial law, security scans, increase in campus officers, zero-tolerance policies, and fear. “Doors that weld shut behind you and books that fly like birds. / Crushed by backpacks filled with ammo,” This set of lines shows a parallel between school shootings and bombings/war activities taking place at a school. The references to Trojan warriors and undetected troops are also parallels, a school shooter must conceal their weapon until the moment they decide to act, much like an undercover soldier. These references could also be talking about the security members in the schools, they must constantly be watching for threats to the students and act as soon as that moment comes, again like an undercover soldier. To lead into the topic of war in this song I’ll point out another parallel. “All corporals agreed: zero-tolerance enforced.” Zero tolerance is an ideal that has been spreading through schools like wildfire since the rise in school shootings started, it is also used in war zones in an effort to protect citizens or to keep them from rebelling against the soldiers.