After taking us to church, this Irish singer-songwriter is taking us on a different kind of artistry with his latest album, Unreal Unearth.
Speaking about creativity, there’s no way in this world we can think about how madly Hozier thinks of this whole process as his playground—his actual sculpture.
Like real people do
Hozier is the perfect painting of perfection. He referenced Irish poet Seamus Heaney on his second album, 2019’s Wasteland, Baby! and Biblical and Celtic contexts on his 2014 self-titled debut, which is absolutely bonkers!
He contemplates his pandemic experience while referencing Dante Alighieri’s well-known poem Inferno, seeing that there were some lines that actually match the hell of his energy and thought process in creating his songs. He felt that there were some lines from Dante’s Inferno that truly resonated with him.
His Lullaby
As a master of prose and the lyricist that he is, he’s taking this artistry to new heights. Like, all people’s reactions went fleeting—it’s as if they just entered a museum! Kid you not, it just feels like that. The “Inferno” section of Dante Alighieri’s “Divine Comedy,” which was written in the 14th century, serves as the basis for several tracks on the album. There is a wealth of other literature and political commentary that Hozier has come to be closely associated with, all of which fall under the general theme of Dante’s “Inferno.
The Tracks And The Circles Of Hell
De Selby (Part 1)
“The likes of a darkness so deep
That God at the start couldn’t bear”
“De Selby (Part 1)” and “De Selby (Part 2)” pose as a precursor to the Circles of Hell, taking inspiration from Flann O’Brien’s The Third Policeman. According to Hozier, the songs explore the dark recesses of one’s connections to oneself, others, and a sense of time and space. In this track, it uses Gaeilge, the native language of Ireland. The darkness is treated more romantically in the translation of the lyrics; it almost seems like a forbidden love or an impossibility.
Francesca
“I would still be surprised I could find you, darlin’, in any life”
This track talks about lust, the second circle of hell. The main idea is based on Francesca da Rimini, a 12th-century noblewoman who was executed for having an affair with her husband’s brother, Paolo. Hozier made references to their situation in the Divine Comedy, being swept away through the circle.
I, Carrion
“And though I burn, how could I fall?
When I am lifted by everything you say to me”
“I, Carrion (Icarian)” tells the story of Icarus and his father, Daedalus. Icarus and his father were imprisoned but managed to escape using wax wings. In his love for the sun, Icarus flies too close to it, melting his wings in the process. His father is forced to continue as he crashes into the water and perishes. Hozier takes it on the same level as Francesca–a story about love. The song “I, Carrion’s title implies that the singer is already deceased and has thus already suffered the results of his careless romantic behavior. They continue to demonstrate in the lyrics that they are careless despite being aware of their recklessness. Icarus’ myth has a darker side, which is illustrated by the term “carrion,” which refers to rotten flesh.
Butchered Tongue
“So far from home to have a stranger call you, darling
And have your guarded heart be lifted like a child up by the hand”
Butchered Tongue explores the seventh circle of Hell: violence. It is a political song that speaks of the Wexford Rebellion of 1798, during which Irish rebels’ bodies were dismembered and proper burials were withheld in an effort to humiliate them.
Unknown/Nth
“Do you know I could break beneath the weight?
Of the goodness, love, I still carry for you
That I’d walk so far just to take
The injury of finally knowing’ you”
The song looks at the ninth circle of hell, treachery. The circle itself is divided into four sections, with those who are in the circle being punished depending on what form of betrayal they perform. A betrayal in and of itself, “Unknown/Nth” delves deeply into the topic of emotional distance. Hozier still tries to connect with his lover in any way they can, despite their growing separation. He had idealized his partner, considering them to be “like an angel,” and it’s possible that he hurt himself more as a result.
First Light
“But after this I’m never gonna be the same
And I am never going back again”
After passing through Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory, First Light depicts Dante’s entrance back into the world of the living. The song has a cinematic feel, and it almost feels like we are entering the light alongside him. “First Light” is the optimism that has been acquired through learning from other people’s mistakes after having passed through Hell.
