“Age of Machine” by Greta Van Fleet
Greta Van Fleet is a band who takes their lyrics seriously. So even though the wording of “Age of Machine” may seem intimidating, the concept it is based on is relatively-easy to grasp.
And that is partially because it is one we have encountered numerous times before, this idea of we modern-day human beings being too dependent on technology and plugged into the matrix, if you will.
Behind all of the metaphors being put forth in the first and second verses, it is apparently such a notion that is being relayed.
Thus ideologically ‘unplugging yourself from the source’, i.e. becoming free of this dependency on digital technology, is the best course of action.
That is not only what is being put forth during the latter half of the second verse but also in the chorus. Indeed the singer is under the impression that mankind – or at least the people who fall into the above categorization of being hooked on tech – need some type of divine intervention to defeat the matrix.
Like “The Matrix”?
But comparing this song to “The Matrix” (1999) straight up may not be the best allusion. For in the film, people are more or less forced to be plugged in.
However, the sentimentality in this song, specifically in the chorus, connotes that in real life individuals rather opt to be plugged in themselves.
That’s the kind of feeling that the line “we need some healing” relays. And as far feeling “defeated”, “cheated” and “retreated” no, we may not know exactly what the vocalist is talking about.
But in the grand scheme of the lyrics, it would obviously be some type of less-than-favorable aftereffect one can encounter in the “age of machine”.
In fact the title of the song itself implies that in said moment in history, machines, i.e. technology is even more dominant than human beings.
Music Video
Greta Van Fleet self-directed the music video to this track, doing so in collaboration with Matthew Daniel Siskin.
And in describing the clip, they also implied that the song itself does ponder “where is technology taking us” and also deals with subjects such as “self-confidence” and “humanity”.
Also they touted themselves as individuals who don’t spend a lot of time on the internet.
Release Date of “Age of Machine”
This song is from Greta Van Fleet’s second album, “The Battle at Garden’s Gate”. And it would apparently be somehow related to “Age of Man,” a track from the band’s first album, “Anthem of the Peaceful Army” (2018).
The release of this track was a joint effort between Lava and Republic Records. And it officially came out on 4 December 2020 as the second single from its project. Other songs that Greta Van Fleet released as singles from the Garden’s Gate project are as follows:
Writing Credits
The song was written by the Greta Van Fleet crew, which consists of the following members:
- Josh Kiszka
- Jake Kiszka
- Sam Kiszka
- Danny Wagner
And the producer of the track is Greg Kurstin, one of the most-successful musicians in the industry as of the release of this song.
Greta Van Fleet
As you have probably already ascertained three members of this band are relatives or more specifically siblings. They are twin brothers Jake and Josh Kiszka, who respectively serve as guitarist and vocalist.
Then there is their little bro, Sam, the bass guitarist. And Danny Wagner, who joined the crew back in 2013 (a year after they were officially formed) is Greta Van Fleet’s drummer.
And the band is from a small town in Michigan called Frankenmuth.
Meanwhile their most-successful individual song to date may be considered their very-first single, 2017’s “Highway Tune”. They also have a Grammy under their belt, winning the Best Rock Album award for their 2017 EP “From the Fires”.
In fact altogether they were nominated for four Grammy Awards in 2019.
