The Butterfly Effect are a alternative rock band from Brisbane, Australia, … Read Full Bio ↴The Butterfly Effect are a alternative rock band from Brisbane, Australia, formed in 1999. Since February 2002 the band has toured Australia and Europe extensively, and have performed over 800 times both locally and overseas as a headlining act. The band have performed at all major rock festivals in Australia including Big Day Out, Homebake, Livid and Falls Festival.

Their first EP, The Butterfly Effect (EP), was released in 2001, and charted well on the ARIA Independent charts. This first release, featuring the Triple J single "Take Me Away", was more "nu-metal" than later recordings although contained much of what was to become their signature soundscapes. They followed this with the critically-acclaimed Begins Here, released on 3 August 2003. The album peaked at No. 23 in Australia, reaching gold sales accreditation by mid-2006. It produced the minor hit Always, and attracted considerable critical acclaim

On 17 June 2006, the album Imago was released, with a move towards progressive rock and a less heavy sound. It was produced in Los Angeles by Joe Barresi, who had just produced Tool's "10,000 Days" album. The album was commercially successful, being featured on national radio station Triple J, peaking at No. 2 in Australia in its first week and attaining gold sales accreditation just nine weeks later. The single A Slow Descent also peaked at No. 9 on the singles charts.

Their next album, Final Conversation of Kings, was released on 20 September 2008. It was produced by Forrester Savill on the Central Coast of New South Wales, and represented a significant change in their sound, but did not match either the commercial or critical success of previous releases despite charting at No.3 in its first week in Australia.

On 6 February 2012, the band announced on Facebook the following message:

The Butterfly Effect wish to inform their fans and media that singer Clint Boge is officially leaving the band to pursue other musical interests. The remaining members of the band, Ben Hall, Kurt Goedhart and Glenn Esmond will continue to work together and will announce their intentions in the not too distant future.

Clint’s departure is an amicable one and the band are giving fans a chance to see them perform together for the last time on the club circuit by announcing the “EFFECTED” national tour starting late April 2012. To celebrate 10 years of recordings The Butterfly Effect is releasing an “EFFECTED” compilation CD of their best work in April and signed copies will be available at shows on the tour."

In late 2013, the band introduced new singer Paul Galagher with the release of a single, "Eyes Down", and a small tour. However, the band soon became inactive, and in 2016, it was announced that they had permanently disbanded.

In July 2017, the band announced the reformation of their original lineup, with Boge again as the lead singer, and announced they would begin touring Australia again in March 2018. In 2019 they released Unbroken, their first new music since reuniting.

September 2nd, 2022 saw the release of the bands long awaited 4th Full length album IV.

A Slow Descent
The Butterfly Effect Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Picture yourself by yourself,
No tomorrow yesterday,
Drowning in your own decay,
You'll never be alone this time,

So follow the trend break or bend,
It's your funeral long goodbye,
Shut tight an open eye,

You'll never be alone,

Over out,
It's all over out,
It's a slow decay,
You'll never be alone,

In the shade of the fire,
No desire for the comfort,
Pleasure's pain,
Lost on your motorway,
Just look the other way again,

And the better the drain,
Force again and the push to,
Stall within,
Cornered by the cinder's sin,
Just look the other way,

Over out,
It's all over out,
It's a slow decay,
You'll never be alone,

Over out,
It's all over out,
It's a slow decay,
You'll never be alone,

All has begun and the empty is falling
Over the edges and in though your walls,
And it's harder to win and harder to take,
And we live for the day,
We're no longer awake and it's

Over out,
It's all over out,
It's a slow decay,
You'll never be alone,

Over out,
It's all over out,
On your way down,

All it's lost,
On your way down

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "A Slow Descent" by The Butterfly Effect are melancholic and describe the feeling of being alone despite being surrounded by people. The song starts with a picture of someone alone with no past or future, and drowning in their own problems. However, the singer is told that they will not be alone this time, implying that there is hope for companionship or solace in the future. The chorus ("Over out, it's all over out, it's a slow decay, you'll never be alone") suggests that the singer has resigned themselves to a slow, painful decline but is comforted by the knowledge that they will never be entirely by themselves.

The second verse is where the singer confronts their demons and decides to ignore them. They're described as being "in the shade of the fire", having "no desire for the comfort" and feeling "lost on your motorway". However, instead of facing these issues, they "look the other way again". The singer seems to be preaching a message of fatalism, encouraging listeners to stop fighting against the tide of life and accept defeat with grace. The final verse adds to the downbeat nature of the song. The lyrics talk about an empty fall, things getting harder, while they live for the day when they are no longer awake. All of this paints a picture of hopelessness and despair.

Line by Line Meaning

Picture yourself by yourself,
Imagine being alone,

No tomorrow yesterday,
No hope or relief from past or future,

Drowning in your own decay,
Consumed by your own deterioration,

You'll never be alone this time,
Even in your loneliness, you have company,

So follow the trend break or bend,
Conform or challenge, the choice is yours,

It's your funeral long goodbye,
Your actions lead to consequences, farewell,

Shut tight an open eye,
Be aware but turn a blind eye to pain,

You'll never be alone,
There's always something that's with you,

Over out,
It's the end,

It's all over out,
It's the final conclusion,

It's a slow decay,
Gradual destruction,