Track-by-Track: Dead Poet Society Flesh Out Their Record ‘FISSION’

Songwriting is a very effective way to unpack one’s thoughts, which somewhat describes the purpose of Dead Poet Society’s new record, FISSION. The band’s sophomore full-length effort unpacks the personal journey the members have been on lately. Featuring 13 new tracks, it examines personal change and the turmoil of growth. Within the record, deeply introspective moments look at the key events that change who we are. Addiction, personal relationships, responsibilities, evolution, loss, and the challenges of adulthood: FISSION unpacks a lot of the emotional pain that comes with maturing and growing up.

As a learning experience, Dead Poet Society would like listeners to take from FISSION “the truth.” As an honest piece of music, they hope that this connects easily with their audience, with easily relatable songs. It is laden with depth and substance and will appeal to audiences of the band’s first record –!– and those just looking for something to rock out to. Musically, it cuts through the cloth of anthemic alternative rock, darker-edged hard rock and progressive indie. It won’t catch you off guard, but it represents a large step forward for the Boston ensemble.

Joining us today for a quick track-by-track rundown of FISSION are the members of Dead Poet Society themselves, as they offer us the inside scoop on all 13 songs.

1. “5:29:45”

“This song is about the apocalypse and new beginnings. Not being afraid, but rather excited and looking forward to the freedom of nothing.”

2. “Running in Circles”

“This explores the paranoid voices inside our heads. It’s about the struggle of being real with yourself — avoiding the ‘fake.’ Sometimes, it feels impossible to avoid. It was written about not being true to yourself and the shame that follows.”

3. “HURT”

“There’s not a lot in life that’s more gut-wrenchingly frustrating than trying desperately for years to build a career and having little to show for it. From living on floors and friends’ couches or out of your car, to working job after job just barely making ends meet, to going on tour and coming back with less money than you had before. We wrote this song as a symbol of that nagging doubt and insecurity. The doubt that consumes you and that can be triggered by people or events in your life, but more often than not, again it’s the voice inside your head.”

4. “How Could I Love You?”

“This is about betrayal and the anger of feeling like you put time and effort into someone who didn’t deserve it.”

5. “I Hope You Hate Me”

“This song furthers the point of ‘How Could I Love You?’ It reflects on the post-relationship feelings of apathy and the preservation of self and ego.”

6. “Uto”

“‘Uto’ is about chasing the unobtainable, and the consequences that come as a result.”

Dead Poet Society ‘FISSION’ album artwork

7. “Tipping Point”

“‘Tipping Point’ is about moving on, understanding where you went wrong, putting the period on that chapter of your life and being done with whoever made you write that chapter.”

8. “LA Queen”

“The anger hasn’t set in yet, you’re just wondering what happened, but still, you know you’re better off alone than with them. It hurts all the same.”

9. “Hard to be God”

“Ego is a Trojan horse. Being on the other end of someone’s narcissistic tendencies is like receiving ammo from the enemy. Eventually there will be a counter, you just gotta wait for it.”

10. “81 Tonnes”

“This song is about a moment in a very low point in my life. I had just found my mom had cancer, just gotten out of a bad relationship, and didn’t have anywhere to live. It’s times like those that really stick in your head, and this song came about as a recollection of that time.”

11. “My Condition”

“‘My Condition’ is about knowing you’re gonna die eventually, so fuck it, might as well do what you want to do and fail than sit around and wait for the end.”

12. “Koet”

“It’s kind of hard to describe this one. It’s more of a feeling than a meaning.”

13. “Black and Gold”

“‘Black and Gold’ is about self-hatred and going down the rabbit hole of doubt.”