Despite the seemingly ridiculous title, “Justin Bieber at the Gates of Hell” is a surprisingly somber affair. Low-light R&B synths catapult off a shallow, bouncy bassline as Damien Verrett — the man behind So Much Light — sings in an alt-’core tenor. The song does in fact recall the Biebs, in that its downward-spiraling structure and occasional pitched-down vocals mirror the Canadian singer’s ascent into a more twisted pop world. It’s alt-pop in the same world as Flume or How to Dress Well, morose and triumphant and serene all at once. It lies at the “gates of Hell” — at a place promising tantalizing darkness, a release in exchange for slavish devotion — and, as with other music in a similar place, that positioning gives it a wonderful topspin.
“I began writing this song shortly after a breakup that left me feeling like a dump,” says Verrett. “I was entering that post breakup phase where you’re trying to hype yourself up and get the self-confidence flowing again by hyperbolizing what a great person you are.”
“I wanted to channel that attitude and sort of play on the way a positive action motivated by negative circumstance can become twisted,” he continues. “Sometimes it feels like we’re trying to become better versions of ourselves to spite somebody. It’s a trap”.
Stream “Justin Bieber at the Gates of Hell” below.