Toxic
Front Line Assembly Lyrics
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A grey, toxic rain
Starts to appear
No real life
Just human wasteland
All around...
Vapours of nerve gas
No natural light
No law
Or religion...
Mutants
Roam the earth
Covered by ruins
The stars are gone
Time is up...
This is another world
This is another world
There is no room
For existence
Nuclear warfare
The answer
To all our questions...
Prisoners
In their own life form
Support systems
Rave failed
Human disease
This is another world
This is another world
"Where are we? We're in my brain."
"You could call it the kinder, gentler lobotomy."
Nervous convulsion
Create grinding faces
Eyes are burning
Polluted noise
Splits ear drums...
This is another world
This is another world
"Just another dream. Oh, thank God."
The lyrics to Front Line Assembly's song "Toxic" paint a bleak and desolate picture of a post-apocalyptic world. The singer questions their own reality, wondering if they are dreaming or already dead. They describe a world that has been destroyed by nuclear warfare, where a toxic rain falls and there is no natural light or life. Instead, the only beings that roam this desolate landscape are mutants, covered by the ruins of what was once society. The stars have disappeared, and time seems to be up. The singer reiterates that this is "another world," implying that the world they knew before has been forever destroyed.
The lyrics also mention the presence of nerve gas in the air, indicating the extent of the destruction that has taken place. The absence of any law or religion suggests the complete breakdown of society and the loss of any sense of morality. The singer describes people as being "prisoners in their own life form," their support systems having failed. The toxic environment has caused human disease, leaving survivors to suffer painful nervous convulsions, burning eyes, and polluted noise that splits ear drums.
Overall, the lyrics to "Toxic" paint a picture of a world that has been destroyed beyond repair, where humanity has brought about its own demise through nuclear warfare. The singer's questioning of their own existence, coupled with the bleak description of the world around them, creates a sense of despair and hopelessness.
Line by Line Meaning
Where am I? Am I dreaming or is this death? I'm dead, I think.
The singer is confused about their surroundings and questions whether they are alive. They express their belief that they are dead.
A grey, toxic rain
The rain is polluted and represents the bleakness and danger of the environment.
Starts to appear
The toxic rain is beginning to fall, adding to the danger.
No real life
The environment has been so destroyed that it can no longer support life as we know it.
Just human wasteland
The environment is a desolate and barren land that has been destroyed by humans.
Vapours of nerve gas
The air is filled with toxic chemicals that could cause physical harm to those who breathe it in.
Fill the air
The air is completely saturated with the toxic nerve gas.
No natural light
There is no longer any sunlight, likely due to a nuclear winter.
No law
There is no longer a functioning government or legal system in this environment.
Or religion...
The absence of religion in this environment could signify a lack of hope and morality.
Mutants
As a result of the toxicity, some people have mutated into something other than human.
Roam the earth
These mutated individuals wander the destroyed landscape and could pose a threat to any living humans.
Covered by ruins
The environment is full of rubble and destruction left by the society that used to exist here.
The stars are gone
The destruction has had such a catastrophic effect that even the stars are no longer visible.
Time is up...
There is a sense of finality and despair, suggesting there is little hope for the future.
This is another world
The environment is so drastically different from what is known that it could almost be considered an entirely different reality.
This is another world
Repeated for emphasis, the environment is so vastly different that it warrants deeper reflection.
There is no room
The environment is too dangerous to sustain human life.
For existence
It is apparent that the remains of humanity cannot continue to survive in this environment.
Nuclear warfare
The destruction of the environment is likely due to a nuclear war.
The answer
This suggests that the conflict was the result of a failed attempt to solve some larger problem through war.
To all our questions...
The society was seeking answers or solutions to some unsolvable problem before turning to war and mutually assured destruction.
Prisoners
The people left in this environment are trapped, with no hope or means of escape.
In their own life form
The environment no longer supports human life, leaving those who remain as a pale shadow of humanity.
Support systems
The technology that could sustain human life has failed, leaving those who remain to suffer.
Rave failed
The attempts to maintain environmental and societal order have been unsuccessful, leading to the current desolation.
Human disease
Due to the environment and conflict, humanity itself is ailing and is being destroyed as well.
"Where are we? We're in my brain."
This could suggest that the bleakness and despair of the environment is a manifestation of the artist's own mentality.
"You could call it the kinder, gentler lobotomy."
This statement builds off of the previous, suggesting that the environment is a product of the artist's subconscious, meant to purge negative thoughts.
Nervous convulsion
The toxic environment is causing involuntary, spasmodic movements and reactions from the human body.
Create grinding faces
The involuntary movements could manifest as contorted or strained expressions on the human face.
Eyes are burning
The pollution and toxicity of the environment is causing physical harm, such as burning the eyes.
Polluted noise
The sounds in the environment are as equally unpleasant and fraught with danger as the sights and smells in the landscape.
Splits ear drums...
The noise pollution is so extreme that it can cause physical harm to the body, such as causing a ruptured ear drum.
This is another world
Echoing previous lines, the environment is so vastly different from what is known that it is practically another reality.
This is another world
Reiterated for emphasis, the artist continues to underline the newness and shock of this environment.
"Just another dream. Oh, thank God."
Despite the harshness of the environment, the surreal imagery likely means that it is just the product of the singer's subconscious, and they are relieved that it is not reality.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: NOWELL RHYS FULBER, WILHELM ANTON LEEB
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind