Greta Van Fleet’s “The Battle at Garden’s Gate” Holds Up 5 Years Later
Article ★ Kenzie Gay ★ @kenzwrites ★ 6 Minutes
2026 marks 14 years since modern rock band Greta Van Fleet first formed in the homey, small town of Frankenmuth, Michigan. Over these last 14 years, the band has grown exponentially and dealt with their fair share of public scrutiny as they discovered their own sound.
On this day in 2021, the four piece released what many consider to be their Magnum Opus (so far): The Battle at Garden’s Gate. Produced by Greg Kurstin and released through Lava and Republic Records, The Battle At Garden’s Gate served as a big turning point for the band upon its release. It follows the group’s first two albums, From the Fires and Anthem of the Peaceful Army, and it possesses a sound that hadn’t yet been heard from Greta Van Fleet before. The band took a more cinematic approach, shaking off the Zeppelin and Rush-esque elements of their earlier work to create something new entirely.
Today on The Battle at Garden’s Gate’s 5th birthday, let’s take a look back at the monumental LP and some of its most influential tracks.
Greta Van Fleet shot by Anna Lee Media 2022 (left) The Battle at Garden’s Gate album art (right)HEAT ABOVE
Heat Above opens The Battle at Garden’s Gate through an uplifting, almost pacifistic lens. Accompanied by arguably one of the group’s best keyboard pieces via Sam Kiszka (bass, keys), the song serves as a heavenly tune focused on love triumphing over hatred. Though this record was never specifically defined as a concept album by the band’s members, it isn’t far-fetched to draw a cinematic story from the music we’re given.
Those who have dissected the album and its ties to literature and old folklore have pointed out that in the context of a story, Heat Above could be symbolic for a falling action despite the fact that it's first on the album. It gives listeners a taste of what’s to come, posing the rest of the story through a frame narrative of sorts.
Vocalist Josh Kiszka leads the peaceful army through lyrics that, as I mentioned, indicate themes of anti-war and love winning in the end. This is hinted at through several lines throughout Heat Above such as “we do not fight for war but to save the lives of those who do so” and “can you feel my love? Rising with the heat above. Life’s the story of ascending to the stars as one”.
MY WAY, SOON
Directly following Heat Above is My Way, Soon. Initially released as a single in October of 2020, the song and its coinciding music video represent motifs of destiny, letting go, and personal freedoms. It’s backed by the grit of classic rock that’s predominantly expressed through Jake Kiszka (guitar)’s Gibson SG alongside Daniel Wagner (percussion)’s Neil Peart-esque approach on the kit and from that first release, it had fans hooked.
The most appealing aspect of My Way, Soon to Greta Van Fleet listeners is the aforementioned elements of carving your own path and not letting people or fear hold you back. It was quick to become a fandom-wide anthem, especially for those who “chose the road” and travelled to several of the band’s shows during their 2021 Strange Horizons mini tour and their 2022-2023 Dreams in Gold World Tour.
The main meat of the song’s lyrics, which say “I have but a lifetime. Seems so long but it flies by and in the moments passing I'll bear no load. I have yet to wander. Many miles for yonder and with so much left to ponder I choose the road. I've packed my bags and I've got my freedom. I've sacked the rules so I don't have to heed them. I'll bet on a chance if I've just got one. I'll throw out the plans and live with no burden.” has become an iconic mantra across fans old and new, inspiring many to release their inhibitions and chase dreams instead.
AGE OF MACHINE
Further down the line at track 5 comes Age of Machine: my personal favorite from the whole record. With a much darker edge to it than the other songs I’ve chosen to highlight, the song is gut-wrenching and goosebump-inducing in the best way possible. I always say it’d be well fitting in any sort of dystopian film, particularly something to the likes of The Hunger Games or Divergent. The song also sits at a lengthier run time of 6:53 and most of those precious minutes and seconds are taken up by the mysterious, gloomy, spasming instrumentals. Jake particularly speaks through the guitar in this one to the point where I’d have half the mind to name Age of Machine as his mightiest work yet - if it weren’t for a different song that comes around later in the album (wink, wink, nod, nod).
The lyrics of Age of Machine also reflect the obscurely somber tone of the song. Josh sings about the corruption of mankind that comes as a result of capitalism, technology, and social media, framing it as a hopeless cry for help. The most resonating lines from the song have proven to be found in its chorus: “Feeling. Oh God, the feeling. We need some healing. We need some healing. God knows if you feel defeated, you have been cheated. You have retreated”. Being such a young band, these themes are extremely relevant both to the members and their listeners. Though the group’s been around for over a decade, the eldest members (as of publishing) are just shy of 30 years old which would make them around 23 or younger when these songs were first written.
LIGHT MY LOVE
Track 8 gifts listeners with the timeless masterpiece that is Light My Love. It’s one of the more romantic songs to come out of this decade let alone out of this band and it delivers a message of unignorable importance that drives home Greta Van Fleet’s brand of peace, love, and unity.
Core lyrical segments of the song that many listeners have quoted and pulled influence from include “your mind is a stream of colors extending beyond our sky” and the renowned line “hate bound by fear will unwind”. Many have even equated the song to the experience of being Queer, as it depicts ideas of fear surrounding love and one’s true self. This was especially built on when Josh publicly came out in the Summer of 2023, sparked by a slew of legislation in the state of Tennessee, where he currently resides, that wrongfully targeted same-sex relationships and transgender people.
Side note: Light My Love is also one of Sam’s more memorable piano pieces - especially in a live setting!THE WEIGHT OF DREAMS
The Weight of Dreams formally closes out The Battle at Garden’s Gate although using my plot diagram analogy from earlier, it certainly feels like more of a climax rather than a resolution. It holds the longest run time of any of their songs to this date, standing at a lengthy 8:51.
The song’s core idea is based on greed and how it has spoiled much of mankind and society. It also touches on the moral punishments of greed, suggesting that such a sin blinds and even poisons people. It uses lyrical imagery often found in biblical times, referencing things such as wine, rivers, gold, and royalty.
The cream of the crop within The Weight of Dreams, however, is found within the closing guitar solo - that’s so much more than a solo. Standing at around 4 minutes in itself, the solo is powerful and potent. Jake pulls every trick out of the hat for it and it pays off, too, as it’s still talked about in the guitar and rock communities - even by those who are still convinced that Greta Van Fleet is nothing but a Led Zeppelin cover band. In 2021, Total Guitar actually went as far to name it as one of the greatest guitar solos of the 21st century.
The Battle at Garden’s Gate turns 5 today. In another 5 years, I’ll still have plenty to say about it and the same will be the case in another 10-20, I’m sure of it. The album is a vivid, commanding beast of a record and that says a lot coming from a casual listener, doesn’t it?
To celebrate the album’s birthday, fans can give it a few listens whether it be on streaming or through physical media like the Greta Gods intended. Rumors of a late 2026 album from Greta Van Fleet have been circulating for a number of months now but nothing has been confirmed by the band as of publishing.
