Uncovering the Hidden Meaning of Metallica’s ‘Enter Sandman’ in ‘Severance’

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Caution: Contents Reveal Some Crucial Scenes of ‘Severance’. If you’re yet to watch all episodes, tread carefully… or perhaps read it and then promptly erase it from your memory!

I’ve grown even more appreciative of my newly subscribed Apple TV+ service, having watched “Severance” in Season 2. This exceptional sci-fi series, which follows employees whose personal and work memories are compartmentalized, is one of my favorites. What I adore about it is the clever choice of songs that beautifully resonate with the show’s underlying themes. A song from a renowned rock band’s catalog that particularly caught my attention underscores these thematic elements.

Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” Alludes To The Severed Experience

In the fourth episode of the first season of Severance, which leaves many questions unanswered, the character Mark Scout (played by Adam Scott) – or simply referred to as Mark’s outie – attends the funeral of his late coworker, Petey Kilmer (Yul Vazquez). During the ceremony, a video is played showing Petey and his daughter, June (Cassidy Layton), playing “Enter Sandman” by Metallica together. This moment adds a bit of lightness to an otherwise somber setting, as Ms. Cobel/Selvig (Patricia Clarkson) clandestinely removes the severance chip from Petey’s skull. I believe that the song selection serves a significant and particularly ominous meaning.

In collaboration, Petey and June perform the eerie “Now I lay me down to sleep…” interlude from the 1991 single, a part that originates from an ancient prayer requesting divine guidance if one were to die in their sleep. This song segment seems strategically incorporated into the series to subtly criticize the experience of being a Lumon employee as akin to drifting off to sleep without knowing your fate. This chilling concept aligns perfectly with the dark atmosphere of Severance, emphasizing how Lumon’s practices, to put it mildly, are morally questionable.

This Is Not The Only Recent Time A Hit Series Has Made Great Use Of A Metallica Track

Without a doubt, discussing the powerful impact of the “Enter Sandman” scene from Severance wouldn’t be complete without mentioning another exceptional use of music in TV this year – the electrifying “Master of Puppets” sequence on Stranger Things. As a music enthusiast, I can confidently say it ranks among the top musical moments that graced our screens in 2022.

In the pulse-pounding climax of Stranger Things Season 4, Joseph Quinn’s character Eddie Munson electrifies with an awe-inspiring performance of Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” title track from their 1986 album. This was done to divert a horde of sinister creatures known as “Demo-bats” away from Vecna’s lair in the Upside Down. Though it seemed implausible for Eddie to master such a complex song so swiftly post-release, and his tragic end was indeed heart-wrenching, even Metallica themselves acknowledged that Dustin’s (Gaten Matarazzo) assertion of it being “the most heavy metal moment ever!” held true.

Other Amusing Needledrops On Severance

In comparison to the memorable “Master of Puppets” scene in “Stranger Things”, I find myself more captivated by the symbolic song selections in the Apple TV+ original series, “Severance”. For example, at his retirement party, Burt G., portrayed by Christopher Walken, selects Paul Anka’s “Times of Your Life.” This song symbolizes the gathering and preservation of one’s happiest moments, a privilege that the characters known as innies would not have after leaving Lumon.

In addition, one scene from the debut of “Severance” Season 2 (which sparked numerous intriguing fan speculations) required some thorough contemplation for me to grasp its possible thematic connections. The episode concludes with a play of “God Walked Down” by The Allergies, which incorporates lyrics from Son House’s “John The Revelator” concerning Adam’s embarrassment after sinning with Eve, which brought to mind Milchick’s (Tramell Tillman) humorous assertion that Lumon is “embarrassed” about the innies’ mistreatment that triggered the Macrodat Uprising. Interestingly, on the opposite side of this coin, the innies are resuming their duties as usual, yet they have their own secret objectives to gain a deeper understanding of the company and their outies.

I eagerly anticipate each new episode of Severance on Fridays for several reasons, one of which being who will make a guest appearance following the amusing portrayal by Keanu Reeves as the office personified by Lumon. Yet, the music ranks very high among those reasons.

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2025-01-31 13:07