Peregrine - Reduced to Ashes

Lyrics for Peregrine's "Reduced to Ashes":

Rendition of WSEE (CBS affiliate) in Erie, PA newscast on Sept. 9^th while Kevin being subpoenaed by the FBI to appear before the Grand Jury was front page news:....

So what does E.L.F. want? Why are they committing these criminal acts? We spoke to a local terrorism expert [Dr. Jeffrey Bloodworth] at Gannon University.....

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“They're against modernity, they're against the 20th century if you read their literature they intend, Kevin Tucker if you read what he says, wants society to devolve back into small hunter gathering clans. They call themselves anarchists and they believe modern society is oppressive.” ....

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Under the night, beyond their eyes, the ghosts of wildness smile upon us now. Words we can not say now turned to action. And in the morning, they’ll see this war has two sides. ....

For all that exist, for all that has been cleared away. Exposed machinery tonight will be consumed in flames. These actions negate your legality. The hand of Progress has been stayed. ....

Shackles, interrogation, their prisons, their profits; their jails detain, but they can’t kill this rage. ....

For all the rivers, for all the lives lost, for all the cages, for all the oil spilt; this contagious disease, all the needless blood spilt. For all the mines, for the industry, for all the toxins, for this misery; for all their laws, for our ancestors, for all of those maligned by history.....

Reduced to ashes. Reduced to ashes, their world, this throne to Progress. Reduced to ashes, their dreams of conquest complete. ....

And there’s no conceit to think that this war has been won. For every fire set, for every animal unleashed; these acts remind us, of our own need to be free. Our time will come and this fight is ours. ....

Reduced to ashes our time will come. Reduced to ashes their progress lies undone.....

This song appeals to a more radical and violent form of anarchy.  It talks of negating legality, unleashing animals, setting fires, and reducing things to ashes.  It speaks out against "Progress", pollution, and needless killing in the form of war.  In the quote that mentions Kevin Tucker, an anarcho-primitivist writer and speaker, we find:  "They call themselves anarchists and they believe modern society is oppressive."  From the lyrics that follow we can assert that Kevin Tucker and anarchism is being defended by the band.  They clearly believe modern society is oppressive and they speak of fighting against it.  They also say, "Words we can not say now turned to action."  It's hard to tell whether the band actually advocates such radical anarchism or if it's just appealing to it.  After all, the band is not out starting fires and wrecking havoc; they are merely writing songs and playing music.  Maybe the band looks up to people who literally fight for the cause but they are not willing to physically defend it themselves.  Or maybe it's just a more harsh and stimulating way to approach their anarchist music than merely pointing out the government's flaws as so many other artists do.  It could be meant to attract more attention.

 - DEREK HOLDEN