Early years (1992 - 2000)
In 1993, drummer Trevor Reilly, guitarist John Carvalho and bassist Jonathan Teves formed the band Adam's Crack and recorded a Nirvana-inspired demo cassette. In 1994 Reilly and Carvalho started a side band with Nuno Pereira on vocals, and others. The side band played one show before disbanding. Members from the two bands would merge into one, taking the name Koen. The lineup of Koen consisted of Pereira (vocals), Reilly (drums), Teves (bass), Carvalho (rhythm guitar) and friend Mat Demelo (lead guitar and trumpet). Under the name Koen, the band released one cassette titled "The Big Fall...", this time with their sound evolving more into skate punk and ska. In 1997, the band changed its name again, this time to Smackin' Isaiah, and released a cassette titled "Give Girls More Beer...". Mat Demelo left the band shortly after. During this time, Reilly would switch between drumming and guitar duties, with an unknown drummer playing in the band for a brief amount of time. Nicholas Angelini was eventually tapped to play drums on a permanent basis. In 1998, the band released another demo cassette, titled "Gets Eaten Alive".
Tank Records era (2000 - 2001)
The band's first CD release was on Tank Records, a record label created by Carvalho and Teves. The CD was a split release with the bands Moronique and Merrick, entitled "6:6:6" after the number of tracks each band contributed. Soon after, the band released its debut album, "The Way to a Girl's Heart Is Through Her Boyfriend's Stomach". The band considers this their first "real" release, as all the songs had been written after Angelini joined the band. In retrospect, they consider it their most cheerful record. It was reissued the following year on All About Records, but the band stayed with Tank Records to release its second album, "Benefits Of Thinking Out Loud. During the album's recording, the band members had a strained relationship as they argued over its production. Six outtakes from the album's recording sessions were compiled onto an EP entitled "The Champagne of Bands... We Know Sexy" released by Fork in Hand Records. Following its release, Carvalho left the band. Christopher Levesque quickly replaced him.
Final name change and move to Nitro (2002 - present)
With the band moving to a more serious style with Benefits, they decided to once more change their name, finally settling on A Wilhelm Scream. Signing with new label Jump Start Records, they re-released "Benefits of Thinking Out Loud" under their new name. After touring the United States and Canada a few times, they then began recording their next album, "Mute Print", with Jump Start Records. For the recording of the album, the band decided to put "as much shit as you can possibly fit into a song and pull off live" into the songs, to which they attribute their faster, more aggressive and more technical sound. The album was produced by Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore, whom the band looked up to. Although the album was finished while the band was signed to Jump Start Records, the rights to the album were then bought by Nitro Records, who released it in 2004.
Only a year after "Mute Print", the band released a second record on Nitro Records, again produced by Stevenson and Livermore. The record, entitled "Ruiner", was released on August 16, 2005. Following stress from touring, founding member Jonathan Teves left the band, and was replaced by bassist Curtiss Lopez. They then embarked on their first European tour with Lagwagon, and also toured with Less than Jake. Midway through the latter tour, Lopez abruptly quit the band. This left A Wilhelm Scream without a permanent bassist until Brian J. Robinson joined in April. The band continued to tour throughout 2006. They also released an 7-inch Extended play titled "Diver" on Jump Start Records. This was because the title track was recorded during the "Mute Print" sessions, but left off the album, and thus was not purchased by Nitro Records.
In 2007, the band returned to the studio with Stevenson and Livermore to record their third album with Nitro Records. The record, according to the band, was "very, very fast" and a few songs were dropped for not being fast enough. The record, "Career Suicide", was released on October 9, 2007. However, only two weeks before its street date, long-time guitarist Chris Levesque announced that he was leaving the band, elaborating with the following statement:
"I have maintained for the duration of my time in Smackin' Isaiah/A Wilhelm Scream that when it stopped being fun, I would give it up. The bottom line here is that I just don't enjoy the day-in, day-out grind of being on tour anymore.... There are no personal or creative differences between any of us. None of that bullshit. I still love this band and everything it stands for. The six years that I've spent in SI/AWS have been the best of my life. We've accomplished more than I ever expected, and I take with me with more amazing memories than most people experience in a lifetime."
The band began their tour in support of "Career Suicide" with several rotating guitarists, before Mike Supina, formerly of the Detroit-based band Alucard, was announced as Levesque's permanent replacement. The tour brought the band to over eighteen different countries, finishing in September 2008. Following its conclusion, guitarist Trevor Reilly announced in his blog that the band would take a break for the rest of the year, but implied that they would write new songs soon.
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Cold Slither II
A Wilhelm Scream Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
cobra...
cobra...
dead weight
cobra...
cobra...
cobra...
we'll rule it with an iron fist
behind a drum beat again
it's all over you motherfuckers
the moral to story is shit to a rug
two fingers up if judgement comes
and one keg stand
for satan
weak hearted sorry fakers,
in times of danger
they just fold up and run
if you are, you are
dead weight
cobra...
cobra...
cobra...
dead weight
cobra...
cobra...
cobra...
infection spread like iron to rust
the cure for the disease
like chain links surrounded me
sometimes they are
weak hearted sorry fakers,
in times of danger
they just fold up and run
if you are, you are
dead weight
and we might just show the world
the hopeless anger
in us
every other day is just more time to kill we want to wake
to find the sound
in aching waves from our hearts
nevertheless, we're just staring at a wall
manners, missed conscience!
where are you now
left staring at a wall
before that sound
forces us to stop, drop, and run,
hear me now
or watch the bodies pile
weak hearted sorry fakers,
in times of danger
they just fold up and run
if you are, you are
dead weight
when all the monumentous
lecherous imitations you pull off
start wearing off
to show what you are
if you are, you are
dead weight
The song "Cold Slither II" by A Wilhelm Scream is a fast-paced, high-energy punk rock song that contains lyrics that are both confrontational and introspective. The repeated refrain of "cobra...cobra...cobra...dead weight" sets the tone for the song, which is about identifying and rejecting those who are weak-hearted and fake in times of danger. The lyrics suggest an "us vs. them" mentality, with the band and their fans as the strong, unwavering cobra, and everyone else as the dead weight that will be left behind when the world gets dropped and ruled with an iron fist.
The lyrics also touch on the idea of the band wanting to "show the world the hopeless anger in us" and the frustration of feeling stuck or trapped ("nevertheless, we're just staring at a wall"). The final verse warns of the consequences for those who don't heed the call to action: "hear me now or watch the bodies pile." Overall, the song seems to be a rallying cry for those who want to break free from the limitations and expectations placed on them by society and stand strong in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Cobra...
Repetition of 'Cobra' creates a sense of warning, like a venomous snake's hissing.
Dead weight
Someone who is not helpful or is a burden to others.
The world gets dropped, left covered in rust
The world is metaphorically dropped and left to decay and rot.
We'll rule it with an iron fist
They will take charge and control forcefully and without mercy.
Behind a drum beat again
They are gearing up for battle, like warriors preparing behind the beat of a drum.
It's all over you motherfuckers
They are coming to take over and it's too late to do anything about it.
The moral to story is shit to a rug
The lesson to be learned is ignored and dismissed.
Two fingers up if judgement comes
They will not back down or show fear when being judged.
And one keg stand for satan
They are willing to go to extremes and rebel against traditional morality.
Infection spread like iron to rust
The infection, like rust on metal, spreads quickly and is hard to stop.
The cure for the disease
The solution to the problem.
Like chain links surrounded me
They feel trapped and confined, like being surrounded by chains.
Sometimes they are
The situation can make people weak and helpless.
And we might just show the world the hopeless anger in us
They have a lot of anger and feel hopeless, and may act out to show it to the world.
Every other day is just more time to kill we want to wake to find the sound in aching waves from our hearts
Every day feels the same and is leading to death. They want to feel more alive and in touch with their emotions.
Nevertheless, we're just staring at a wall, manners, missed conscience!
Despite their desires and emotions, they feel stuck and unable to act. They lament the lack of manners and conscience in themselves and others.
Where are you now? Left staring at a wall
They wonder where they went wrong and how they ended up so stuck and hopeless.
Before that sound forces us to stop, drop, and run. Hear me now, or watch the bodies pile
They are warning others to listen and take action before it's too late to escape danger and death.
When all the monumentous lecherous imitations you pull off start wearing off to show what you are. If you are, you are dead weight
When people see through their act and know their true nature, they will be exposed as dead weight - not useful or helpful to anyone.
Contributed by Madison F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Bliingboii
God damn it's so good live.
ricardo sabeli
Tedoide essa música é MT foda bixu eu passo mal
R PG
here we have an a symphony such as Beethoven, long life AWS the kings!!!
Hernan Peckaitis
who's Curtiss?