Ace Troubleshooter came to an abrupt end in February 2005 when lead singer John Warne left to play bass for Relient K. Toby David posted the announcement of the Ace's death on the band's message board, mentioning that even though he was not an original member of the band, he felt like he was. It has been said that Ace was starting to fall apart as it was, and they were not going anywhere, which may have led to the band's split.
The Ace Troubleshooter lineup changed several times; even Relient K former drummer Dave Douglas filled in as a guitarist for a short time. Only two original members remained when the band came to an end. Those two members, John Warne and Josh Abbott, both played in the short-lived band Guerilla Rodeo shortly before Ace's death. While John Warne went on to play for Relient K, Josh Abbott went on to play for My Red Hot Nightmare.
Phoenix
Ace Troubleshooter Lyrics
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When You leave me to myself
A burned up, hollow, angry, empty shell
An actor on a barren stage
An even-keel with unchanneled rage
Sinking deeper into hell
Bind me to You
Consume me with Your fire
Ravage my heart
Tear me clean apart
And still be my desire
As I descend it starts again
Sliding down, spiraling
Grasping on the breath of corruption
Fighting undertow
Holding on, realizing
My own hopeless helplessness finally letting go
All is madness
As the flames engulf me
Oblivion, refining fire
Making ashes of this life
Burn, fire, burn
Clean this temple
Restore Your holy name
In the onslaught of Your love
And now, as gradual as the fall
The dawn of hope, the brillian sun
Sending all the shadows fleeing
Sweet daylight
A new man rising from the ashes
Clothed in white, bearing a new name
I leave it all behing
And take to flight
The lyrics of Ace Troubleshooter's "Phoenix" explore the consequences of being left to oneself without the guidance and presence of a higher power. The singer admits that when left alone, they become a "burned up, hollow, angry, empty shell" who spirals down into madness and despair. Despite their descent, they long to be consumed by the fire of their higher power and be purified.
In the second verse, the singer fights against the corruption that tries to pull them down and holds on to hopelessness until they finally let go. They ask their higher power to burn away everything that does not belong, to clean and restore them, and to make their life holy once again. The song ends on a hopeful note as the singer rises from the ashes, clothed in white, and takes flight as a new person.
Overall, "Phoenix" is a powerful song of redemption and transformation that acknowledges the darkness within us while pointing to the hope of being purified and renewed by a higher power.
Line by Line Meaning
So this is what I become
The singer expresses his nature when left alone.
When You leave me to myself
He suggests that his nature isn't determined by himself but by You.
A burned up, hollow, angry, empty shell
He describes himself as an empty and bitter being.
An actor on a barren stage
He compares life without You to a stage with no performance.
An even-keel with unchanneled rage
He reveals that though he might seem calm, he is struggling with anger.
Sinking deeper into hell
His state of affairs pushes him to disastrous depths of self-pity and sorrow.
Bind me to You
The singer is pleading to be tethered to You.
Piece me straight through
He wants to be wholly penetrated by Your Spirit.
Consume me with Your fire
He desires to be annihilated by the force of Your love.
Ravage my heart
He asks You to ravage his heart.
Tear me clean apart
He wants You to destroy every impure thing in him.
And still be my desire
Even after purification, his love for You remains constant.
As I descend it starts again
Each time he falls down, he knows You are with him to bring him back up.
Sliding down, spiraling
The singer is caught in a downward spiral of depression and despair.
Grasping on the breath of corruption
He is suffocating under the weight of his own sin.
Fighting undertow
He struggles against the current of his own self-destructive tendencies.
Holding on, realizing
The struggle continues as he clings to You and realizes his dependence on You.
My own hopeless helplessness finally letting go
He surrenders his own efforts to save himself from his sin.
All is madness
He feels as though he's going insane.
As the flames engulf me
Your fire consumes him fully.
Oblivion, refining fire
You are refining and purifying him through the fire of Your love.
Making ashes of this life
You are burning away his old life and making him new.
Burn, fire, burn
The singer invites You to bring full purification through Your love.
Clean this temple
He asks You to cleanse him of all impurities and sin.
Restore Your holy name
By doing so, his heart and life may glorify You more.
In the onslaught of Your love
He understands that Your love is powerful.
And now, as gradual as the fall
Lifting up from the state of degradation is as gradual as slipping into it.
The dawn of hope, the brillian sun
Like the dawn of a new day, there is hope for a better future.
Sending all the shadows fleeing
The light of Your love banishes all darkness.
Sweet daylight
A new day, full of promise and hope, awaits.
A new man rising from the ashes
You have made him new and restored him.
Clothed in white, bearing a new name
He is forgiven and renewed in Your love and bears the name he is given by You.
I leave it all behind
His past, impurities, and sins have been erased.
And take to flight
He is free to soar in the grace and mercy of Your unending love.
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP, Capitol CMG Publishing
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bradley Stevens
Brilliant.
GoldenSKATE
Nice intro!