Exploring Brand New’s The Devil and God Are Raging Inside of Me: A Journey of Pain, Redemption, and Sound
The Devil and God Are Raging Inside of Me is often hailed as one of Brand New’s most important and impactful albums, and for good reason. Released in 2006, this album marked a seismic shift in the band’s sound and lyrical depth, blending the raw emotions of punk rock with the introspective complexity of indie and post-rock. The record is a deeply personal exploration of faith, guilt, love, loss, and redemption, and it remains a powerful reflection of the human condition. I first saw Brand New live in 2005 at the House of Blues in Boston, just before the album was released. I remember hearing a few of these unreleased tracks that would later become part of this haunting record, giving me an early glimpse of the emotional weight they were about to unleash. At the end of the show, the drummer tossed me one of his sticks, making the experience even more memorable.
Brand New’s previous album, Deja Entendu, introduced the band as one of the most intelligent and nuanced acts in the early 2000s punk scene. But The Devil and God Are Raging Inside of Me took those themes of self-doubt, disillusionment, and existential struggle to an entirely new level. With a sound that was more experimental and a focus on introspective storytelling, the album was a revelation to fans and critics alike.
What sets The Devil and God Are Raging Inside of Me apart from its predecessors is the album’s sonic complexity. The instrumentation is darker and more atmospheric, with layers of guitars, delicate piano work, and haunting, subtle electronic touches. This expansive soundscape complements the album’s lyrical content, which explores the turmoil of internal conflict, the ambiguity of faith, and the search for meaning in the face of existential despair. The songs are often brooding and introspective, with moments of catharsis that hit like an emotional tidal wave.
The album opens with “Sowing Season (Yeah),” a track that starts quietly before erupting into a whirlwind of emotion, setting the tone for the album’s journey. From there, we’re led through a series of intense songs that explore themes of death (“Jesus Christ”), personal failure (“Degausser”), and the loss of faith (“The Archers’ Bows Have Broken”). Each track feels like a piece of a puzzle, slowly revealing the album’s central questions and themes. But it’s the emotional depth and vulnerability throughout the album that makes it unforgettable.
One of the standout tracks on The Devil and God Are Raging Inside of Me, “Limousine” is a dark and haunting song that exemplifies Brand New’s ability to blend narrative storytelling with raw emotion. It’s a song that grapples with themes of guilt, tragedy, and the complexities of life and death—often taking listeners into uncomfortably personal territory. This track’s emotional weight, paired with its haunting instrumentation, makes it one of the most unsettling yet profoundly powerful pieces in Brand New’s catalog. Sometimes, I find myself humming “Hey, beauty supreme”.
“Limousine” opens with a relatively sparse arrangement, with a lonely, echoing guitar riff and Jesse Lacey’s soft vocals. This sets the tone for the song, which gradually builds into an emotional and sonic crescendo. The song’s lyrics center around a tragic car accident involving a young girl, a metaphorical event that’s based on a real-life incident that Jesse Lacey has mentioned in interviews.
The first verse introduces the situation: the protagonist is grappling with the aftermath of an accident that has changed everything. The story Lacey tells is vague but visceral, as if the listener is piecing together the emotions of someone whose life has been irrevocably altered by a moment of carelessness or fate. The lyrics, “There’s a secret, I’m gonna tell you, and I swear to you, that it won’t hurt / It’s the only thing I’ve left,” create a feeling of tragic inevitability, implying that the protagonist is haunted by something they can’t escape, something they can’t forgive themselves for.
The use of the “limousine” in the title is poignant. Limousines often symbolize luxury and celebration, but in this case, it becomes a vessel of tragedy. It’s a clear symbol of the accident itself, something typically associated with joy or importance now forever tied to grief and loss. The juxtaposition of luxury with the horrors of what occurred is a stark way of conveying the deep emotional conflict that the song explores.
At the heart of “Limousine” is an exploration of guilt and the inability to absolve oneself. The chorus, “If it makes you less sad, I will die by your hand,” speaks to the desperation of someone who feels so overwhelmed by their actions that they’re willing to make the ultimate sacrifice just to atone for their perceived sins. The notion of dying by someone else’s hand, though it may seem extreme, is a desperate plea for resolution and forgiveness. The protagonist here isn’t asking for life, but for a chance to escape the crushing weight of guilt that seems to have no end. Jesse Lacey is a true poet.
What makes the song so gripping is how it paints the internal emotional state of someone who has been witness to or responsible for another’s pain or death. The protagonist’s desire for redemption is palpable, but they seem unsure whether they deserve it. “Limousine” doesn’t provide any clear answers, making it a complex and cathartic experience for listeners who have faced their own emotional turmoil. Throughout the song, Lacey’s vocals rise and fall, mirroring the emotional intensity of the lyrics. As the track builds, it becomes more powerful both musically and lyrically, as if it’s charting the emotional collapse of the protagonist.
The song’s arrangement further emphasizes the feeling of emotional chaos. As the track progresses, the quiet, almost delicate guitar work gradually shifts into an intense, swirling wall of sound that envelops the listener. The dynamic contrast between the sparse beginning and the explosive climax mirrors the internal conflict described in the lyrics, an external release of the anger, confusion, and sorrow that had been building inside.
One of the standout moments in “Limousine” is the shift at around the 3:50 mark, where the song takes on a more full-bodied, chaotic sound. This shift marks the emotional apex of the track, where all the tension and sorrow built up until that point is unleashed in a cathartic explosion. The instrumentation becomes more aggressive, mirroring the emotional upheaval of the protagonist. It’s as if the song itself is struggling to contain the intensity of the feelings it conveys.
The production by Mike Sapone, who also worked with the band on Deja Entendu, is a perfect match for the song’s thematic content. The haunting reverb, subtle electronic touches, and layered guitar work elevate the song’s sense of unease and depth, making it feel as though the song is enveloping the listener in its dark, mournful embrace.
The conclusion of “Limousine” is as emotionally raw as the rest of the song. The final few moments are sparse, with Lacey repeating, “And I swear I’ll never be that person again,” a line that conveys a desire for change and a painful acknowledgment of past mistakes. However, the way Lacey sings this line—with such resignation and uncertainty—suggests that this change may never come, or that the person who once existed is forever lost.
There’s a sense of resolution in the lyrics, but also an overwhelming feeling of hopelessness. The protagonist has no control over the events that have transpired, and it’s unclear if they can ever truly heal from the trauma they’ve experienced. The emotional rawness in the delivery of these final words leaves a lasting impression, creating a sense of unfinished business—emotional wounds that may never fully close.
The Devil and God Are Raging Inside of Me remains one of Brand New’s most beloved and influential albums, a record that continues to resonate with listeners who find themselves grappling with their own internal battles. From the brooding despair of “Jesus Christ” to the cathartic release of “Limousine,” the album’s blend of emotional depth, narrative complexity, and sonic experimentation makes it a standout in the world of alternative and post-punk music and I’m so here for it.
