Affliction
Youth Avoiders Lyrics

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Lighting cigarettes in a row
Burning wax candles in a flow
Fingerprints disappearing under
this layer of thick wax tearing
It makes me want to walk on embers
To feel like a wick consuming
When your skin is slowly melting
When there is something burning on your feet

I took a risk
The burn is killing me
Don't feel the pain
There's no one healing me
I'm desperate to get new feelings
To scream 'til the first tears
I experienced obsessions and fears
I felt guilty for all the pleasures that I got
I slit my wrist, there's blood spilling on me

Don't feel any pain
There's no need to heal me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Youth Avoiders' song "Affliction" delve deep into the theme of self-harm as a form of catharsis. The opening lines speak of lighting cigarettes in a row and burning wax candles in a flow, creating a surreal and almost hypnotic image. The use of wax symbolizes a protective layer, one that conceals the wounds underneath. The lyrics describe the desire to walk on embers, to feel pain, and to consume oneself, as a form of release. This feeling is juxtaposed with the sense of guilt for the pleasures previously felt. The line "I took a risk, the burn is killing me" suggests a realization that the pain felt may be harmful, but the desire to continue is overpowering.

The lyrics speak of the need to feel something new, to scream until the first tears, indicating that the pain has become numb, and only intense sensations can alleviate this. The lyrics also convey a sense of loneliness and the longing for someone to heal the pain. However, the final lines suggest a resignation to the situation, with no need to heal, no one to heal, and no pain felt.

Overall, "Affliction" is a thoughtful and powerful exploration of self-harm as a coping mechanism, expressed through vivid imagery and evocative emotions.

Line by Line Meaning

Lighting cigarettes in a row
Continuously lighting one cigarette after another as if seeking comfort through an addiction.

Burning wax candles in a flow
Lighting melting candles in succession as if to let the passing of time subdue one's emotional pain.

Fingerprints disappearing under this layer of thick wax tearing
Losing one's sense of identity - even one's fingerprints - under the weight of emotional trauma that tears at one's soul.

It makes me want to walk on embers
Feeling so numb that one desires to feel something, even if it means walking on hot coals.

To feel like a wick consuming
Desiring to be consumed by negative emotions like a candle's wick being burned by the very flame that sustains it.

When your skin is slowly melting When there is something burning on your feet
Experiencing physical torture becomes a metaphor for the emotional pain one endures.

I took a risk The burn is killing me
Risking one's own safety and well-being while being painfully aware of the inevitable consequences of one's actions.

Don't feel the pain There's no one healing me
Becoming so desensitized that even pain no longer registers, and feeling like no one can ever truly fix things.

I'm desperate to get new feelings To scream 'til the first tears I experienced obsessions and fears
Being so desperate for a change that one craves any new feeling - be it joy or pain - to break free from the monotony of their current existence, due to feeling trapped by their own fears and obsessions.

I felt guilty for all the pleasures that I got
Feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt for even the smallest moments of happiness, as if it doesn't align with the pain inside.

I slit my wrist, there's blood spilling on me Don't feel any pain There's no need to heal me
Escalating one's self-harm to a dangerous level, while acknowledging the severity of the situation yet no longer expecting anyone to heal the wounds.

Contributed by Kayla E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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