Lyric discussion by yelliee 

Cover art for No Poetic Device lyrics by AFI

saying that this song is about depression is a little vague, don't you think? this song is about a destructive decision that was made... consequently destroying a dream he had for the future: "Set fire to my home before I turned and walked back in."

yall are focusing too much on the gory diction used... he may not be specifically referring to self mutilation here; ever hear of a thing called imagery?