Ice Chemicals are here to take us on a detailed track-by-track through their latest EP ‘The Pyre’
The French Alternative Metal outfit Ice Chemicals has been making waves recently on the alt-metal scene.
Their recent release ‘The Pyre’ has everything a metalhead could ask for.
From their Nu Metal and Metalcore influences and growling, grungy vocals, Ice Chemicals are a force to be reckoned with.
Their unique lyricism matched with untapped metal infused energy is an infectious hit to all who listen.
And they’re not stopping there.
Ice Chemical’s recently took some time to chat with us about each one of the tracks on their EP.
Exploring their introspective lyrics, loud Nu Metal influences and even the state of humanity itself.
Join us as we go track-by-track with Ice Chemicals.
End this world
The opening track is probably my favorite. It is kind of a nihilist and atheist song.
The verse lists all kinds of things that humanity inflicts to itself : war, poverty, misery, climate change… The bridge makes a powerful statement about religion : seeing all that, we should realize that either the Gods are against humanity, or they simply aren’t there.
The chorus is then a bit gloomy, picturing us as mindless insects devouring earth as a fruit until our own extinction. But it ends on a call to finally accept the end, and since it is inevitable, help it to come earlier. The tribal drums of the break is a call to dance in the fire, and live our last days in a burst of primitive joy and chaos.
Ultimately, the question is : are we doomed yet, or can we still change humanity ? I want to believe that the future will be brighter, but I must say that those last years did not put us on promising tracks.
Forbidden dream
This one takes the shape of a fable. Picture something like the opening credits from Disney’s Aladdin movie, when a lone traveler comes out of the desert after a long journey and arrives at a marvelous city hidden between the dunes. They are welcomed by two inhabitants (embodied by the two voices) : one that describes the city and its wonders, the other one warning about a darker side. Behind the beautiful walls, lies a difficult reality : power and riches are only in the hands of an entitled minority, and most of the citizens live in poverty. They have no hope of a better life, and the city feels more like a prison for them, with tradition forbidding any progress or change.
Feeling familiar yet ?
The second half of the track sees the citizens asking if anything exists beyond their walls, and somehow the traveller coming to them means that yes, there is a hope for something else. The ending is the point of view of the traveller, lured by false promises and refusing to see that somehow, something is wrong, because they have no hope to get back.
This song is ultimately about social justice and wealth distribution, which are more or less a problem in basically any human society.
Watch Me Burn
Although being probably the most accessible track of the EP, it has maybe one of the darkest themes. It’s also maybe the closest to the type of lyrics we can usually find in Nü-Metal.
It begins with a very nostalgic vibe, a reminiscence of first love as teenagers. Happy years with no adult worries. Then Nana takes her creepy voice and brings the razor blade into the story, which takes a turn towards melancholy and sadness in front of a deep loss of the loved one.
The first chorus is beginning the process of recovery through the burning of all memories, love letters and pictures. We are very proud of this chorus because we had a lot of compliments on it, and many people asked me to sing more often like that !
The second half of the song takes an ever darker turn as the protagonist realizes that they were in a toxic relationship, and that now they are gone, they can finally begin a new life.
An interesting twist in those lyrics is that the death is never clearly stated, even though I’m talking about cold or lifeless eyes – this can also be used to describe someone alive. So the razor blade itself is maybe not the instrument of death, but only a threat ? An emotional blackmail typical of toxic relationships ?
I have several of my friends that were imprisoned for years in relationships that were toxic, or turned toxic over time. This song is dedicated to them, as a celebration of rebirth.
It’s Been a Day
The last track is about someone snapping into violence after a bad day. So I could say it’s about mental health, and social pressure.
Do you know this quote from the Joker in “Batman – The Killing Joke” by Alan Moore ?
“All it takes is just one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy. That’s how far the world is from where I am. Just one bad day.”
In this song, the protagonist is just tired about people, about society, about what is expected from them. Good behaviour, politeness and calm, even when deep into depression, breeding into a burst of violence.
Part of the lyrics are also directly inspired by the movie Fight Club, and specifically the scene where the protagonist snaps during a fight and goes on hitting someone on the ground. He then says “I felt like destroying something beautiful.”
The twist is that the lyrics are never clear about whom the violence is directed against : other people, or the protagonist itself? They also do not say if the burst really happens, or if the animal is kept in the cage (for now ?).
The message is : take care of your friends. Be on the watch for signs when they are having a bad time, and help them get through to happier days.
The Title and Cover
The title of the EP is from the chorus of “End this World” : “Light the pyres of dawn”.
The pyre here is encased in a tarot card, as some kind of omen of things to come. All tarot cards can be read in different ways depending on the context, and the pyre no less : it is an item of grief, of death. It exists to signify the end of something.
But through the fire it is also an acceptance, a celebration of a rebirth. It is a recurring theme in those four tracks – some things must be broken to be rebuilt. Or destroyed to give way to something new.
I think it was also strongly inspired by the Burning Man festival in the US, where I’ve been a couple times. It obviously strongly revolves around fire, both as a huge celebration of joy and humanity, and as purifying force.
I’ve felt few things as emotionally powerful as visiting the Temple, which is the second main structure after the “Man” itself.
It is a collective monument of grief, filled with the memories of people : letters, photos, messages in various ways – to departed people, to past lives, to regrets and good times. Witnessing this Temple burn, at the very end of the event, is something of rare beauty and significance.
