On the threshold of life as we know
in a chasm cascading to the core
where nothing seems real anymore
in between the obtuse and obscene

so let the rains come down and explore
the possibility that it all ended that day,
and like all you dark clouds you sceptics
denying your true nature look away

past the concrete and the steel
flowing down to the valley below
drawn out for 99 years
splitting the seas
this terrestrial being

so let the rains come down and explore
the possibility that it all ended that day,
and like all you dark clouds you sceptics
denying your true nature look away

dormant beneath us what was will be
dwelling within us what is will be no more
and maybe it's not all what we built it up to be
sustaining scientific prophecy

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Darkest Hour's "Tunguska" suggest a liminal space, a point of indecision or confusion. This threshold is particularly significant because of its placement "on the chasm cascading to the core." Here, the band could be referencing the molten core of the Earth, but they might just as easily be referring to the molten core of the human psyche. The following line complicates this image by suggesting that "nothing seems real anymore." This could be interpreted as a symptom of the digital age, a world saturated with screens and pixels, or it could be interpreted as a more existential statement about the emptiness of modern life. The reference to the "obtuse and obscene" adds weight to this latter interpretation, suggesting that the world we live in is fundamentally flawed and possibly corrupt.

The second verse of "Tunguska" shifts focus to a more concrete image, that of water flowing past "concrete and steel" and down into a valley. The image is overlaid with a reference to a "99-year lease," which immediately suggests a corporate takeover of some kind. The language of "splitting the seas" again adds weight to this interpretation, suggesting that the powers that be are trying to control and reshape the natural world itself. The subsequent lines repeat the refrain of the first verse, with a plea to "let the rains come down and explore the possibility that it all ended that day." This line could be interpreted as a reference to the Tunguska event itself, a catastrophic explosion that occurred in 1908 and was so powerful that it leveled over 2,000 square kilometers of forest. Alternatively, the line could be interpreted as a call to action, urging the listener to consider the possibility that the world as we know it is coming to an end.

Overall, "Tunguska" is a densely layered and evocative song that speaks to the anxieties and fears of modern life. Through its use of vivid imagery and complex metaphor, Darkest Hour creates a sense of unease and dislocation that will be familiar to many listeners in the 21st century.

Line by Line Meaning

On the threshold of life as we know
At the cusp of our familiar existence

in a chasm cascading to the core
In a deep, dark and dangerous abyss

where nothing seems real anymore
Where our reality is distorted and surreal

in between the obtuse and obscene
In a space that is vague and unpleasant

so let the rains come down and explore
Embrace the possibility of catastrophe

the possibility that it all ended that day,
The possibility that everything ceased to exist on that fateful day

and like all you dark clouds you sceptics
Just like the doubters who deny the truth

denying your true nature look away
Refusing to see the reality of our impending doom

past the concrete and the steel
Beyond the synthetic constructs of our world

flowing down to the valley below
Streaming towards a lower level of existence

drawn out for 99 years
Manifesting over an extended period of time