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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Killing It
A Wilhelm Scream Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If there's a way out, I'm gonna find out.
As it burns my black eyes red.
Repress this.
My only regret: this memory.
So we can convince them that this is all we are.
Watch the martyrs when they face the ghosts.
Killing it will only make it stronger.
Killing it will only help it box you in.
Killing it will only make you lose your way.
Shot down the last witness.
Committed to finish, this is the beginning I can't miss.
The fucking looks those people gave us.
No fucking bullets can erase this.
In A Wilhelm Scream's song "Killing It," the lyrics speak of a desperate attempt to escape a situation that is suffocating and all-encompassing. The singer is "losing their words in this smoke-filled room," indicating that they are overwhelmed and unable to express themselves clearly. They are determined to find a way out, as they experience the physical effects of the smoke in their eyes.
The lyrics also mention "convincing them that this is all we are," which suggests a feeling of being trapped in a certain identity or image. The mention of martyrs facing ghosts and shaking hands amidst waste further evokes a sense of despair and futility.
The repetition of the phrase "killing it" throughout the song also carries a double meaning. On one hand, it could refer to the idea of succeeding or excelling in a certain area. However, the lyrics suggest that killing it (whatever "it" may be) will only contribute to a sense of being boxed in or losing one's way. This could perhaps be interpreted as a commentary on the pressure to constantly perform and succeed, even at the cost of one's own well-being and sense of identity.
Overall, "Killing It" is a song about feeling trapped and suffocated, and the desperate desire to break free from these feelings.
Line by Line Meaning
To lose my words in this smoke filled room,
I can't find the right words to express myself in this overwhelming environment of confusion and chaos.
If there's a way out, I'm gonna find out.
I'm determined to find a solution to this problem, no matter how challenging it may be.
As it burns my black eyes red.
The intensity of the situation is taking its toll on me and causing me to feel overwhelmed and emotionally consumed.
Repress this.
I'm trying to suppress these negative feelings and emotions, but they continue to haunt me.
My only regret: this memory.
The memory of this difficult experience is weighing heavily on me, and I regret being involved in it.
So we can convince them that this is all we are.
We're putting on a facade to make it seem like this struggle is all we're capable of, but in reality, we're much more than this.
Watch the martyrs when they face the ghosts.
Observe the brave individuals who are standing up to their fears and facing the consequences of their actions.
Shake hands as the waste surrounds you.
Despite the negative surroundings, it's important to maintain a sense of unity and comradery in the face of adversity.
Killing it will only make it stronger.
Attempting to eliminate the problem through violent means will only serve to strengthen it.
Killing it will only help it box you in.
Trying to forcefully solve the problem will only lead to further complications and restrictions.
Killing it will only make you lose your way.
Taking violent action to solve the problem will ultimately cause you to lose sight of the bigger picture and your intended goals.
Shot down the last witness.
The last person who could speak about the situation has been silenced and removed from the equation.
Committed to finish, this is the beginning I can't miss.
I'm dedicated to seeing this through to the end, and I can't afford to miss the opportunity to make a positive change.
The fucking looks those people gave us.
The judgment and negative opinions of others are making this situation even more difficult to handle.
No fucking bullets can erase this.
The damage that has been done cannot be undone through violent means, and attempting to do so will only make things worse.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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