Descend into the Void: Playlist Analysis
Playlist Analysis
Angel Eyes (feat. Christ Motionless) – New Years Day
This is the theme song of book 2. This is Amaya and Sebastian.
(There is a darkness, I can feel it in your touch. Such a deep disguise, the devil’s right inside. I don’t care how many times it takes to get through to you. This is a force that not even god can stop. You’re fucking mine.)
Whispers – Halsey
Whispers from the citizens as they exit the plane. Whispers and gossip from Palagui's courtiers.
But also, Amaya's anxious thoughts whisper to her. When we don’t trust ourselves, we can get confused about what thoughts are ours and what thoughts were put there by family, friends, culture. Amaya doesn’t trust herself to know the difference. She relies heavily on doing what her friends convince her is the right thing to do instead of listening to her own guidance and her own body.
Black Sheep – Payale Royale
This is Sebastian’s song. He would see himself as the black sheep, being a cancer, having no choice.
(I am the outcast. I am your cancer. I am everything you hate. I am unwanted. I’m not the answer. You were hoping that I’d change.)
Float – Call Me Karizma
You don’t realize that you’ve started a depressive episode until those waves have taken you over. There’s something both hopeful and at the same time hopeless in this song. That in one sense you can “ride out the tide” and float to the surface ---- but what else floats in water? Dead bodies.
In Chapters 13 and 14 Amaya sinks into her depression. (Sinking, not floating, get it?)
Tonight is the Night I Die – Payale Royale
(Drowning, please save me. Could I be a prisoner for the voices in my brain?)
Zombie – The Pretty Reckless
Sympathy – Too Close to Touch
There is a micro-burst of rage in this song, which I associate with that moment someone tells you that you will be okay, that the depression is in your head, that you just need to go for a walk.
(Don’t you dare say I’m gonna make it. There is a sickness living inside of me. You can spare me all your sympathy.)
Sabotage – Thousand Below
This song is absolutely coming from Sebastian, but also Gwen and Nico--who are all watching both Amaya and Sloane during their mental health crises.
(Cause I feel you slipping far for me, fading slowly)
Just Pretend – Bad Omens
Sebastian is saying this to Amaya.
(I can wait for you at the bottom, I can stay away if you want me to. I can wait for years if I gotta. Heaven knows I ain’t getting over you)
(if) you are the ocean (then) I would like to drown – VIOLET NIGHT
Sebastian’s love song
Not Strong Enough – Apocalyptica, Brent Smith
This is Sebastian's song after he flees to Merbany, isolating himself and staying away from Amaya.
(And it’s killing me when you’re away And I wanna leave and I wanna stay And I’m so confused, so hard to choose between the pleasure and the pain. And I know its wrong and I know its right. Even if I try to win the fight, my heart would overrule my mind. And I’m not strong enough to stay away.)
Twisted – Two Feet
Vibes. Pure sexy vibes.
Follow You – Bring Me the Horizon
This is Sebastian's song for the engagement ritual in Chapter 16.
(So you can drag me through hell, if it meant I could hold your hand. I will follow you cause I’m under your spell. You can throw me to the flames. I will follow you. You got me on my knees, I’m your one-man cult.)
I Will Follow You into the Dark – Death Cab for Cutie
This is Amaya's response song to Sebastian's engagement ritual song.
She says: “Shadows don’t scare me, Sebastian. I will follow you into the dark.”
And isn’t that so perfect? It’s a response to the engagement question of “will you descend into the darkness with me” But it's also so much more. Because Sebastian would follow her, be dragged through hell for her. And she’s cutting through all of his trauma and baggage. Shadows don’t scare her. He doesn’t scare her. His shadow doesn’t scare her. She’ll walk into his darkness without fear.
And that’s what he needs. He needs someone brave enough to face his demons with him.
So it’s a little cheesy…but that’s what makes engagement proposals one of my favorite things in the world.
Nightmares – Palaye Royale
I imagine this playing after Chapter 14.
My dreams become my nightmares. My mind won’t go to sleep. So I embrace the terror. My soul needs yours to keep
Wasted Sorrow– Payale Royale
This is a depression song, but it has an upbeat tempo that I associate with the beginning of a climb out of depression (ie the void). In Chapter 18 Amaya uses Sebastian's shadow to prove she can handle him. She’s starting to get better, starting to be herself.
Paradise – Sixlight
I imagine this song playing while Amaya and Sebastian are on the beach in Merbany.
(All I need is you and Paradise. Just stay with me for one more night. We’ll go someplace where we don’t have to die.)
Black Hole – We Came as Romans
(Emptiness, but I don’t feel a thing. I fall into a black hole in my head)
Eternal Life – Payale Royale
This song is definitely playing during Chapter 21-22. Amaya wants to disappear, but she can’t. She has to complete the plan set out by her friends. She is ashamed of herself for falling for Sebastian and his tricks.
(I wanna crawl away into eternal life. Take me far from me. My worst enemy)
Just Tonight – The Pretty Reckless
Amaya is sleeping with the enemy in Chapter 26, not only is she feeling an intense draw toward Sebastian, but she's also sad and empty and doesn’t know who she can trust.
(Just tonight, I will stay and we’ll throw it all away)
Ritual – AWAY, Echos
This song is playing during the Chapter 26 shower scene. Amaya is sad that she has to drug Bash to snoop through his phone, but she realizes that her body and her mind--every piece of her--wants him… So she invites him to shower with her.
(Like a ritual. I got you inside of my soul. You’re the cracks in my hollow bones.)
The Letdown – Bad Omens
Sebastian is pretty attuned to Amaya. He knows something is wrong when they are dancing. He doesn’t know what it is, but his mind is spinning. He has put off telling her the truth this whole time because he knows that she will be angry, that she will hate him forever. Sebastian saw how quickly Amaya dumped Rien when he made a mistake that got her friend hurt. He knows that her loyalty to them is deeper than anything she could feel for him, and he knows he has let her down.
(I’ve tried so hard to forget. I’m being buried under the memory of all my regrets. I know its over, please be over, there’s nothing left to save. Let me let you down. I can’t watch you drown with me.)
The Loneliest – Maneskin
This is the song that plays in Amaya’s head while they are dancing at court during the engagement party. She knows that this is the last time she will be with Sebastian and it’s tearing her up inside that she has to do this.
(It’s torturous. Tonight is going to be the loneliest.)
Secrets and Lies – Ruelle
Sebastian's shadow lied to Amaya about not knowing what a draxis is. Watching the video of Sebastian/Sebastian's shadow taking the high priestesses' power with glee is the final straw for Amaya.
(I know all your secrets. I know all your lies. I know where you keep them. Buried Deep inside.)
No Time to Die – Billie Eilish
(Was I stupid to love you? Was I reckless to help? Was it obvious to everybody else? That I’d fallen for a lie.)
The Death of Peace of Mind – Bad Omens
Sebastian hasn't had a single moment of peace of mind since he first saw Amaya.
(It wasn’t hard to realize that love is the death of peace of mind. When the curtains call the time. Will we both go home alive?)
One of Us is the Killer – The Dillinger Escape Plan
In Chapter 33, Amaya realizes Bash won’t stop, won’t give himself up, so she thinks she needs to kill him. Bash, knowing they are mates, goads her a little, because she can’t kill him, and because our Bash is a glutton for punishment.
(Now one of us must die, but the killer won’t survive)
Trespasser – Red Handed Denial
(The call of the void utters my name. And the darkness, impending demise Despicable thoughts come alive. And as I descend the demons arise.)
This is the moment that Amaya lets her shadow guide her. It’s a play on words because the void is Amaya’s depression, but it's also part of who she truly is. These despicable thoughts, the ones that haunted her in her depression, the ones that are asking her to hurt those who hurt her.
(A wound never healed is hard to conceal. Putrefied sores will fester and spoil. Free from the shackles of my innocence. I no longer see through the rose colored lens. I see the world for what it really is. The goodness is gone so I'll take what I can)
She’s freed from the shackles of innocence. She doesn’t see the world in black and white anymore. She knows Sebastian was making the best out of a terrible situation, which is what she thought throughout the book, but she let her friends sway her too much. Now she sees that she has to stand up for herself. For him.
Devil Inside Me – Halocene
I love that both a girl and guy are singing this song. It really takes us all the way back to the top and makes a full circle to the "Angel Eyes" song, which also had a girl and guy singing.
(The devil digs deeper down inside of me.)
Both Sebastian and Amaya have these shadows that whisper to them.
(Do you crave me, or am I just your escape? From the darkness that resides in your brain. Call me devil, baby, but you know the truth. The only thing that you fear is you.)
Amaya is accepting this devil, this darkness, this shadow inside of her and she’s calling out to Sebastian to do the same.
I imagine this playing as the end credits roll and everyone is walking out of the theater. It’s setting up for the next book and the turmoil that Amaya and Sebastian are going to have to go through to fight for each other and fight for themselves.
Conclusion
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If you liked this, you might like my chapter-by-chapter narrative analysis.