Rivet Head
Chemlab Lyrics


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Shooting blanks, relentless, pitchblade,
Microwave and the old collision
Out of order
Everything just turns to drool
And white-hot indecision
The pages burn
The stomach churns
The cycle turns
Lose your peace
Lose your mind
Crack the eggshell to escape
The total trauma suicide deadline

Going out of my head!

Lying on your back in the dark
Listening to the hum of the machine
Tricked up wound up wound up
Trying to break your dreams
The Watcher Seeker hunting out with a hungry eye
The destroyer needs to feed
It's hard to find the door,
The lock, when your whole life is out of key

Going out of my head!

Want to slip that needle in
Want to smell those fumes again
Want to beat those skins again
But there's something wrong
There's something wrong





Going out of my head!

Overall Meaning

The song "Rivet Head" by Chemlab is a reflection of the extreme and chaotic lifestyle of the industrial subculture. The lyrics describe the feeling of being lost, overwhelmed, and out of control, which are common experiences for people who are drawn to this kind of music and lifestyle. The song begins with the line "Shooting blanks, relentless, pitchblade," which suggests a feeling of impotence or helplessness in the face of overwhelming forces. This is followed by a series of images that suggest a sense of disorientation or confusion, such as "Microwave and the old collision, out of order," and "everything just turns to drool, and white-hot indecision."


The chorus, "Going out of my head," expresses the sense of madness and instability that comes with living on the edge. The second verse continues to explore this theme, describing the feeling of being trapped in a world that is hostile and unforgiving. The lines "Lying on your back in the dark, listening to the hum of the machine," and "It's hard to find the door, the lock when your whole life is out of key," suggest a feeling of isolation and desperation.


Overall, "Rivet Head" is a powerful and intense song that captures the mood and feeling of industrial music and culture. It speaks to the sense of alienation and dislocation that many people experience in modern society, and offers a way to express and channel these feelings through music.


Line by Line Meaning

Shooting blanks, relentless, pitchblade,
Firing empty shots, relentlessly attacking with sharp words, using a cutting edge approach


Microwave and the old collision
Combining modern techniques with classic methods


Out of order
Disrupted, not functioning properly


Everything just turns to drool
Causing confusion and loss of focus


And white-hot indecision
Being torn between decisions, feeling intense pressure


The pages burn
The past is disappearing, fading away


The stomach churns
Feeling sick or anxious


The cycle turns
The pattern repeats itself


Lose your peace
Losing one's sense of calm and inner stability


Lose your mind
Going crazy, experiencing mental breakdowns


Crack the eggshell to escape
Breaking free from confinement or restriction, like breaking out of an eggshell


The total trauma suicide deadline
Feeling overwhelmed by stress, facing an impossible situation with no way out


Going out of my head!
Becoming unhinged, losing one's grip on reality


Lying on your back in the dark
Feeling helpless, stranded with no direction


Listening to the hum of the machine
Feeling trapped in a mechanical, artificial world


Tricked up wound up wound up
Being deceived, manipulated, or controlled, feeling tense and anxious


Trying to break your dreams
Facing obstacles and challenges that prevent one from achieving their goals or aspirations


The Watcher Seeker hunting out with a hungry eye
Feeling watched, spied on, or pursued, often by an adversary


The destroyer needs to feed
Something destructive and harmful is seeking to harm or destroy


It's hard to find the door,
Feeling trapped and unable to find a way out


The lock, when your whole life is out of key
Feeling disconnected, unable to find a connection or sense of belonging in life


Want to slip that needle in
Craving drug use and the temporary escape or release it brings


Want to smell those fumes again
Craving the high, buzz, or rush from inhaling substances


Want to beat those skins again
Craving the physical release and expression of playing musical instruments


But there's something wrong
Something is off, something is not right


Going out of my head!
Becoming unhinged, losing one's grip on reality




Contributed by Hunter Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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