I can’t believe I’ve made it this far without using a Two Steps From Hell song. This group will come up again.
Song of the Week: Disappear by Two Steps From Hell
Two Steps From Hell is made up of Thomas Bergersen and Nick Phoenix. They produce music designed for use in trailers, movies, TV shows, and video games. Their first public album release was in 2010, and since then, they’ve released almost 1,000 unique tracks.
This isn’t my favorite song from TSFH, but it is the most timely. Some of their music really resonates with me, and I can visualize what a music video for the song would look like. For others, it’s Superman and an eagle flying together, or a blacksmith creating a magic sword (and you’ll hear about those, plus more, in future weeks). For Disappear, the video is my grandpa’s life flashing before his eyes as he dies in his sleep.
It starts with him on his bed, but he’s in a void of soft light. He gets up, moving slowly because of age and joint pain. There are open doors scattered throughout. As the music kicks in around 0:25, he opens the first door.
It reveals a freeze-frame that I will take from a photograph of him in WWII. As he watches, it springs to life, showing him with his squad. He watches for a moment, but doesn’t have time to reminisce.
From 0:25 to approaching 1:45, similar scenes play out. Him and his wife Katherine. Spending time with his children. Working on cars. He sees them, remembers them, but doesn’t spend the time to really remember.
But at the 1:45 mark, the music hangs in the air. Grandpa clutches at his heart. He realizes what’s happening.
The music is intense now. The doors start to close. He’s moving faster than before, as if his knees never had surgery, and his face is looking younger, but he can never catch more than a glimpse before each door is slammed in his face.
But after every other door has closed, there’s one more left. This is around 2:15, the second time through this “chorus”. Katherine is there, wrinkles and all, sitting in her living room chair. He runs to her, throwing his now middle-aged head in her lap. For a moment, she doesn’t move, but then she moves a hand and lifts his head. She’s smiling the same soft smile that our entire family remembers, and her face is noticeably younger. With her other hand, she wipes the tears from his eyes as she stands up. He follows her as she turns towards the bright light that has grown from off-camera.
At 2:42, when the final hits come, they take each other by the hand. Their faces are young, like in their early pictures. Together, they walk into eternity.
I don’t know if I’ll be able to actually make this before he dies. He’s not doing well right now, and Grandma really did die before him, so I’m not sure if he can make it without her. But he’s a tough trooper, so anything’s possible.
Tune in next week, where hopefully I won’t be crying while I write the post.
That's Pretty NEET 