Jerry Cantrell's song "Anger Rising" tells the story of a young boy who lives in a trailer park in Alabama and is scared of his abusive father. The father beats him and the boy is constantly afraid, seeking solace in the scorpion crawling on the wall. In Cold Alaska, the boy and his mother are hiding from the abusive father and the boy wonders if his father even cares that he is scared. As the boy grows up, he becomes angry and bitter, feeling alone and isolated. He feels like he is living with the lepers and wants someone to hold his hand and help him. The devil begins to rise up inside him as he struggles to cope with his past and the trauma he has endured. The song ultimately speaks to the cycle of abuse and how it can perpetuate from generation to generation, with the third generation feeling solitary and alone because of the hell created by their father.
