It seemingly took The Amity Affliction years to get their music together, releasing a demo in 2003 and a self-titled EP in 2004, but from the moment they released their High Hopes EP in 2007, the touring rampage began. Read Full BioThe Amity Affliction is a metalcore band originally from Gympie, Queensland. They have become one of the most well known hardcore bands in Australia through a strong touring ethic, a stunningly original sound and a commitment to creating a fun and exciting atmosphere within the scene.
It seemingly took The Amity Affliction years to get their music together, releasing a demo in 2003 and a self-titled EP in 2004, but from the moment they released their High Hopes EP in 2007, the touring rampage began. In no time, The Amity Affliction was a household name amongst the hardcore community of Australia. Their mixture of metallic riffage, rock swagger and sing/scream vocal attacks made its mark on all who got in their way.
But it’s not just their music that people have taken notice of – Amity (as they are affectionately known) have an attitude and aura about their music and actions that has helped propel them even faster to the forefront of the scene. Fans come to their shows expecting flat out fun and excitement – the members always committing to making the party after the show as intense as the performance itself. The sing-along chants don’t end when the band gets off stage, and fans don’t leave after they play. With members involved in putting on punk rock clubs, music magazines, graffiti magazines, graphic design companies and online blogs that are well known throughout the country, Amity and it’s members are well ingrained into the culture and ethic of Australian hardcore culture.
‘Severed Ties’ was recorded in July and August of 2008, a grueling cross-country marathon of a record, recorded in Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane to get the best results. With guest vocals from JJ Peters (Deez Nuts, I Killed the Prom Queen), Michael Crafter (I Killed the Prom Queen, Carpathian, Confession), Matthew Wright (The Getaway Plan) and Helmet (The Daylight Curse), and production with Adelaide’s Darren Thompson, the 11 track full length was released in October 2008.
Severed Ties debuted at #26 on the Australian Charts and solidified The Amity Affliction as one of the most popular "heavy" bands in Australia. Triple J's national radio show "Short Fast Loud" had Severed Ties as #2 on their best albums of 2008, and popular punk site "KillYourStereo.com" listed it as #1.
In mid 2010 the band released their sophmore record 'Youngbloods'. The album debuted at #6 on the ARIA charts and has since gained significant recognition with the album constantly being voted #1 for 2010 by the public and recognized magazines alike, beating out Parkway Drive's 'Deep Blue' on many occasions. The album saw Amity's popularity sky rocket as the band has since done a sold-out national tour, tour the UK,US and Europe as well as playing the Soundwave Festival. The band is set to go on their largest tour to date with the Destroy Music Tour during May.
In October, The Amity Affliction set out on a new Australian tour with support from Asking Alexandria and Skyway! the "Fuck the Reaper" tour sold out in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. starting 2012 off with a bang, The Amity Affliction toured the 2012 Big Day Out, with fellow label mates and good friends The Getaway Plan, before touring America alongside Asking Alexandria, Trivium and may others on the "Still Reckless Tour"
On 8 February 2012 it was announced that The Amity Affliction had been signed to Roadrunner Records for their next album and future. On 7 May 2012, the band headed over to Orlando, Florida to start recording their third album with producer Michael Baskette. On 7 June 2012 it was announced the band's 3rd album would be titled Chasing Ghosts and was set to be released on 7 September 2012 in Australia, 17 September for the UK, and 18 September for the US.
It was revealed in a news article and magazine cover posted on 13/14 August that guitarist Imran Siddiqi would no longer be a part of the band. Furthermore, Siddiqi then did not appear in the video clip for the single "Chasing Ghosts" released on 15 August. A fill in guitarist played their album tour and U.S tour in late 2012.
After the release of Chasing Ghosts, the band had an Australian nationwide tour in September–October promoting their new album with supporting acts The Ghost Inside, Architects and Buried In Verona. Amity appeared on Soundwave in 2013 in February–March and also Warped Tour Australia at the end of the year.
It was announced by Joel Birch on 24 March 2013 that Dan Brown was the new guitarist, although he did not appear on the "Open Letter" music video.
In 2013 The Amity Affliction was part of Warped Tour in the United States with Chad Hasty (Glass Cloud) on drums and percussion due to Ryan Burt severely damaging his cornea during a set in Portland, Oregon. Later in the tour vocalist Joel Birch was also hospitalized due to unspecified illness, forcing the band to cancel their set in Pittsburgh. The band's next show in Cleveland was played due to the help of Sam Carter (Architects), Jason Aalon Butler (Letlive.) and Chris Roetter (Like Moths To Flames) sharing the stage as replacement vocals for Joel. All shows after this were played with Joel back on vocals after his recovery.
Late in 2013 the band went on to play the "Brothers In Arms" tour across Europe and Australia with support acts Landscapes and In Hearts Wake for the European portion and Chelsea Grin, Stick To Your Guns and In Hearts Wake for the Australian segment. In late 2013, the band released a demo of the song "Cave In". The single was speculated to be featured on the upcoming album. However, this was proved false when the band announced the track list for their upcoming fourth studio album. The first single from the bands forthcoming album titled "Pittsburgh" was released on 14 April. The second single "Don't Lean On Me" was released on 15 May. The album itself, titled Let the Ocean Take Me, was released on 6 June in Australia, 9 June in the UK, and 10 June in the U.S. it debuted at No. 1 on the Australian ARIA albums chart, becoming the band's second consecutive No. 1.
On 11 October, lead guitarist Troy Brady announced that he had decided to leave the band, making Ahren Stringer the only original member left in the band.
On 18 May 2015, The Amity Affliction released a trailer for their upcoming documentary film titled Seems Like Forever on YouTube. The video description contains links to pre-order the film, released on 10 July 2015 as a stand-alone DVD or a deluxe two-disc edition CD version of Let the Ocean Take Me, including two unreleased tracks, "Skeletons" (featured in the trailer) and "Farewell".
On 18 May 2016, The Amity Affliction posted a video to their Facebook page announcing their fifth studio album, This Could Be Heartbreak. It was also announced that the album would be released on 12 August and the band also released the music video for the first single, "I Bring the Weather with Me". The song also features clean vocals from Joel Birch. . On 10 July the band released their second single for the album, the title track "This Could Be Heartbreak" along with a music video. On 9 August, the band released a lyric video for the song "All Fucked Up" on YouTube. The band was also featured on the Fearless compilation Punk Goes Pop Vol. 7, covering The Weeknd's hit song "Can't Feel My Face". A music video for the cover was released on 22 June 2017. The Amity Affliction officially announced that Ryan Burt departed from the band due to mental health concerns on February 5, 2018.
On 20 June 2018, The Amity Affliction released the first single, "Ivy (Doomsday)", from their upcoming sixth studio album, Misery. The band announced that the album will be released on 24 August through Roadrunner Records. The band released an official video along with the release of "Ivy (Doomsday)". The band released the song "Feels Like I'm Dying" as a second part to the "Ivy (Doomsday)" video. The official track listing was eventually revealed on the band's website. It is their 4th album in a row to hit #1 on the Aria Albums Chart.
Two years later the band returned with Everyone Loves You... Once You Leave Them, their first studio LP with new drummer Joe Longobardi.
Links:
The Amity Affliction at Wikipedia
Don't Lean on Me
The Amity Affliction Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning | Line by Line Meaning
You've gotta know kid that it ain't easy
To take on all of your grieving
Yeah you gotta believe me
Well don't lean on me 'cause I am falling
Please don't fall with me
I really need you here
Yeah I need you so don't leave
And don't count on me 'cause I am drowning
Please don't drown with me
Just hold me in your heart
Let the ocean take me
Let the ocean take me
And you think I don't read every message that you send?
You think I turn a blind eye
You think I'm just like them?
It breaks my heart, all these stories
Brings me to tears all this grief
And I feel so fucking helpless
When I can't be your relief
Well don't lean on me 'cause
I am falling, please don't fall with me
I really need you here
Yeah I need you so don't leave
And don't count on me 'cause
I am drowning, please don't drown with me
Just hold me in your heart
Let the ocean take me
There is hope in my eyes
There is hope in these words
And there are far too many reasons
For you to stay here on this earth
Stay with me
Well don't lean on me 'cause
I am falling, please don't fall with me
I really need you here, yeah
I need you so don't leave
And don't count on me 'cause
I am drowning,
Please don't drown with me
Just hold me in your heart
Let the ocean take me
Let the ocean take me
Let the ocean take me
The Amity Affliction's song "Don't Lean on Me" is a powerful and emotional message about the struggle with mental health and the difficulty of being there for someone who is going through it. The lyrics suggest that the singer is going through a tough time and is struggling to cope with their own emotions. They address their listeners directly, telling them not to rely on them for support, as they are not in a position to offer it. The repetition of the phrase "don't lean on me" is a plea for the listener to find other sources of support and not to fall into the same darkness that the singer is experiencing.
The lyrics also acknowledge the challenges of dealing with other people's struggles, as the singer expresses their sadness at not being able to help. They talk about the messages they receive from people and how difficult it is to read stories of grief and sadness. The line "It breaks my heart, all these stories/Brings me to tears all this grief" shows that the singer truly cares about their listeners and wants to help, but they feel helpless and unable to do so.
Ultimately, the song is a message of hope, as the singer reminds the listener that there is always a reason to stay on this earth. They urge their listeners to hold onto hope and to stay with them, even if they cannot provide all the support they need. The final line, "Let the ocean take me," can be interpreted as a surrender to the overwhelming and powerful emotions that the singer is experiencing, but also as a reminder that sometimes, we need to let go and let the waves carry us to a better place.
Line by Line Meaning
Let the ocean take me
I want to let go of everything and let the ocean take me away
You've gotta know kid that it ain't easy
Dealing with the pain is not easy and it's important to understand that
To take on all of your grieving
It's difficult to handle everyone's grief all the time
Yeah you gotta believe me
Trust me when I say it's not easy
Well don't lean on me 'cause I am falling
Don't rely on me because I am not in a good place
Please don't fall with me
Don't let my pain bring you down with me
I really need you here
I need your support and presence
Yeah I need you so don't leave
I am counting on you to stay with me
And don't count on me 'cause I am drowning
Don't depend on me because I am struggling to keep myself afloat
Just hold me in your heart
Keep me in your thoughts and feelings
Let the ocean take me
I want to let go and the ocean can take me away
And you think I don't read every message that you send?
Don't think that I'm ignoring you because I am reading every message you send
You think I turn a blind eye
You may think I'm ignoring you or not paying attention, but that's not the case
You think I'm just like them?
Do you really think I'm like the people who hurt you?
It breaks my heart, all these stories
It's painful to hear all these stories of people hurting
Brings me to tears all this grief
All this sadness and pain is making me cry
And I feel so fucking helpless
I feel completely powerless to help you
When I can't be your relief
When I can't take away your pain
There is hope in my eyes
I still believe there is hope in the world
There is hope in these words
I want my words to be a source of hope for you
And there are far too many reasons
There are many reasons to keep living
For you to stay here on this earth
I want you to keep living your life and finding those reasons
Stay with me
Don't leave me, stay with me through this pain
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: JOEL FLETCHER C BIRCH, TROY JON-COLIN BRADY, DANIEL KENNETH BROWN, RYAN RICHARD BURT, AHREN CHARLES STRINGER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Norris Oduro
Let the ocean take me, oh
You've gotta know, kid, that it ain't easy
To take on all of your grieving
Yeah, you've gotta believe me, oh
Well, don't lean on me 'cause I am falling, please don't fall with me
I really need you here, yeah, I need you, so don't leave
And don't count on me 'cause I am drowning, please don't drown with me
Just hold me in your heart, let the ocean take me
Let the ocean take me
And you think I don't read every message that you send?
You think I turn a blind eye? You think I'm just like them?
It breaks my heart, all these stories; brings me to tears, all this grief
And I feel so fucking helpless when I can't be your relief, oh
Well, don't lean on me 'cause I am falling, please don't fall with me
I really need you here, yeah, I need you, so don't leave
And don't count on me 'cause I am drowning, please don't drown with me
Just hold me in your heart, let the ocean take me
There is hope in my eyes, there is hope in these words
And there are far too many reasons for you to stay here on this earth
Stay with me
Well, don't lean on me 'cause I am falling, please don't fall with me
I really need you here, yeah, I need you, so don't leave
And don't count on me 'cause I am drowning, please don't drown with me
Just hold me in your heart, let the ocean take me
Yeah, let the ocean take me
Yeah, let the ocean take me
Richard Horton
on a serious note, Joel wrote this with the feeling in mind that he receives after reading fan mail from depressed teenagers or just depressed fans in general. It was said in a blog he posted on reddit that there would be evidence of self harm on countless show goers. He relates with a lot of us on such a personal level. He said he felt helpless because there's no way he could try to individually help these kids writing him. therefore he transcended it in to this song and video. To send the message that he relates and wants us to know that we are not alone. He feels our pain. This alone is one of the MANY reasons I LOVE Joel and The Amity Affliction all together.
Cosminen
@Crisp Chaos 😅😅
Theo
FACTS TAA are the only thing that kept me alive as a teenager and shit even as an adult!! Mad respect luv these guys !!
Vee 💋
“cause i am drowning please dont drown with me”
Ron Williams
I love it.
Joseph Quinonez
That’s beautiful and bad ass
carolina maia
I got to see them live this week, this was one of the songs they played and my favourite song by them and the first song I ever heard back when I was 12/13. I'm now 22, almost 23 and seeing them live was an amazing feeling after waiting so many years, amity has helped me so much throughout my darkest moments i cried my eyes out when they played this. for some like myself, music is so much more than just music, is healing, comfort and sometimes our only friend. I can't wait to see them again ❤️
Fabi Ankl
i turn 29 this week. TAA followed me through my deepest breakdowns, self harm and even a suicide attempt. It's like they are by my side, always around me. I can't describe the feeling seeing them live, Joel and Ahren fought with their own tears while so many people started crying in the crowd.
In my own case, The Amity Affliction are my life savers.
Olivia Reed
I found them when i was 12. they helped me so much. 2 years later now, Im chasing my dreams still listening to them
chloe nicole
I wish Amity would perform live in my room whenever I feel like this...
I love all of their songs and they have all got me through tough times. The lyrics to this song mirror my feelings perfectly.
❤🖤❤