Let’s Talk About Everywhere at the End of Time
Start writing a post
Entertainment

Let’s Talk About Everywhere at the End of Time

A musical representation of dementia.

195
Source: vvmtest on YouTube

Recently, I have discovered an album that I became very interested due to its six-and-a-half-hour length. I had heard listened to bits and pieces of this album, but was too daunted by its length to listen to the whole thing until very recently, and little could've prepared me for the bone-chilling experience of this album.


The album in question is Everywhere at the End of Time by English musician James Leyland Kirby under the name The Caretaker. The album is set in six parts, or stages, which were released over time with the first stage being released in 2016 and the last stage being released in 2019.


The reason I described it as a "bone-chilling experience" is because of its subject matter and the way it portrays that subject matter. Everywhere at the End of Time is a musical representation of dementia, starting with the diagnoses and ending with death. The music itself represents memory and each of the six stages of the album represent a stage of dementia and the mental deterioration that accompanies it.


In stage one, the music sounds pretty normal; it sounds like oldies music from the 1930s or 40s, however, though it is original work designed by Kirby, it sounds like it is being played on a record player with the vinyl crackle and white noise that might naturally have. This stage represents early dementia, where the memories are still there, but there are slight distortions in them.


Stage two is very similar to stage one; the music is still there and sounds somewhat normal, but there is more vinyl crackle and white noise distorting the general atmosphere of the stage. In this stage, it is becoming more apparent that there is something wrong with the memory.


Stage three is the last of the awareness stages. Here, the music still sounds like music, but it is distorted, alongside the atmosphere, with reverb and echoes as well as songs ending abruptly or starting with white noise. Here, memories are still recognizable, but start to become entangled with each other as confusion seeps in.


In stage four, the first post-awareness stage, confusion takes control. There is no longer a sense of musical structure and the instruments are hard to determine. By this point, there are still elements of memories, but they no longer make sense and are almost unrecognizable.


In stage five, the music is pretty much thrown to the wayside and the album becomes more like a noise or drone album. Drones and mechanical sounds choke out any confused remnant of what might have once been music. In this stage, the mind grasps for any semblance of memory, but it can't take hold of anything no matter how hard it tries to remember.


Stage six is by far the most frightening part of the album. The music no consists of nothing but deep guttural drones and massive sweeps of sound until the last five minutes which ends with an almost angelic choir of sound and a solid minute of pure silence. In this stage, all memory is lost and the mind is left a blank state until death.


This album is an experience like no other. The entire piece can be found on a YouTube channel named vvmtest and includes detailed descriptions of each stage and each song on the album. If you ever get a spare six-and-a-half hours, and are in the mood to handle a sad and terrifying piece of music, I highly recommend checking it out.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

70938
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

132506
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments