11 Songs That Will Emotionally Destroy You

The thing I search for in the music that I listen to comes from having an emotional attachment to the songs. I will follow a band if they can rip my heart out with the lyrics and the delivery with everything else that follows. So, I want to ruin your day with these rollercoaster tunes that will either give you an overwhelming amount of anxiety, an immense amount of sadness, or you are like me who feels a sense of euphoria from negative themes.

#11: Disturbed – Already Gone

Disturbed have written around 100 songs that almost all will make you feel things. Singer David Draiman has gone over topics like broken relationships, mental illness, and the holocaust. Off the latest album, 2018’s Evolution, one song takes the cake, Already Gone.

Half the album holds the classic Disturbed style that they are known for, then the other half are ballads. This acoustic track brings out Draiman’s most emotional performance to date as he somberly sings about the overwhelming amount of death around him, heavily inspired by fellow musicians who have passed too soon in recent years.

#10: Cattle Decapitation – Death Atlas

It may seem weird to put Cattle Decapitation on here, but the title track to the band’s latest release is a thought-provoking masterpiece that will spiral you into a deep depression as you realize how we are hopeless in saving our planet. These veterans in heavy music deliver their bleakest record yet, and this song is a prime example.

#9: Carnifex – Dark Days

Sometimes a subject can be a band’s brand, like climate change with Cattle Decapitation, or how mental illness is for Carnifex. The deathcore legends have some of the most depressing music out there, and I think Dark Days goes deeper than anything without having to be over the top like other tracks.

The lyric that gets me before the guitar solo comes from the line, “a lost soul, no god can save.” Every time I hear that I feel cold, then we get a slick moment from Jordan Lockrey. The lead guitarist’s solo will drag you down into depths of sorrow, so don’t think Scott Ian Lewis stepping back for a few seconds means you are safe.

#8: Skillet – The Last Night

While it has hope, The Last Night is one of Skillet’s most chilling songs. The realistic look on someone with depression with lyrics describing parents who don’t care and cutting creates a dreadful image. They may be named after kitchenware, but the level of darkness has hardly been achieved by the Christian group since the release of Comatose.

#7: You Me at Six – Fireworks

I don’t know about you, but Fireworks never fails to destroy me every time I listen to it. Not only does it have compelling lyrics, but the structure also builds up for an impactful punch. When I want a sad relationship song, this is my first choice.

#6: Breaking Benjamin – Dear Agony

Not only is Dear Agony the best album that Breaking Benjamin has put out, but the title track is also their biggest heartstring puller. While much of the record seeps deep into mental health, this one dives straight to the bottom where all of misery and pain currently lie.

#5: The Ghost Inside – White Light

Losing someone close is never easy. Jonathan Vigil lost his brother, which lead to White Light. He brings out the most pain he has ever let out in his career. Usually, the band goes against the tradition of making negative music by writing uplifting tunes that will still give any metalhead that much needed adrenaline rush. This is the first time where that spirit turns black and delivers a different tone than fans are used to for The Ghost Inside.

If you want to feel even more than this song will already make you then watch a live video, trust me.

#4: Whitechapel – Diggs Road

When a song starts off by saying, “suicide, it brings me life,” then you know you are in trouble of shedding some tears. Phil Bozeman has had a painful life, and he expresses that in a majority of Whitechapel’s albums. From Our Endless War, Diggs Road closes things out on a somber note that has never been done before that release. Prepare yourself before listening.

If you are ready for it, then if you have not already, check out The Valley. The band’s most recent release delves into the whole story behind Bozeman’s dark lyrical content.

#3: Slipknot – Snuff

Speaking of songs that will have you cry, here is Slipknot’s most emotional creation in their entire history. Snuff is one hell of a monster, not only lyrically but vocally. Corey Taylor’s pain can be felt through his words and voice. There is a reason we don’t normally see the band play this one life.

#2: Beartooth – Sick and Disgusting

You know something is uncomfortably emotional when the singer of a band does not like his own song. Caleb Shomo sings and cries through his performance through the conclusion of the first Beartooth album. It is at a raw level that the vocalist has not said positive things about this track.

#1: La Dispute – King Park

Nothing gave me more chills then when my buddy sent me this song. La Dispute loves to tackle real stories in the news, and this one turns into their best and most haunting creation. King Park goes over the story of one person trying to kill another but ends up accidentally murdering a child, then the rest you need to listen to if you want to find out how it ends.

The final two minutes to minute and a half is where things get moving. The instrumentation is disturbingly tight, while Jordan Dryer continues his distinct twist on spoken word poetry. Nothing can prepare you for this, so listen with caution.