Current members are Dennis Lee (screaming vocals), Shawn Milke (lead vocals, guitars, piano, synth, keys, programming, string composition), Patrick Thompson (lead guitar, backing vocals), Jeremy Bryan (drums, percussion), Shane Crump (bass guitar, backing vocals) and Jake Campbell (rhythm guitar, backing vocals).
Former members were Adam Ferguson (rhythm guitar, vocals), Steven Tomany (bass), Will Anderson (drums) and Daniel Magnuson (drums).
Shawn's sister Melissa Milke takes over the female vocal parts throughout every Alesana album without being officially part of the band.
On Alesana's third studio album "The Emptiness" Adam Fisher of Fear Before contributed the spoken words throughout the album.
Nero's Decay
Alesana Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The columns came crashing down
Faster than children could outrun the shadows drunk with hysteria
The survivors are running for their lives
As precious dreams erupt before their very eyes
Tonight, its over, at long last we will fall
Ruins will fight in our stead
My flesh is burning from the embers
But still the brilliant tale of our utopia
Survives tonight her beautiful exterior may crash and burn
To ash but the fight for her honor will rage on
I hope I never see the end I hope
I never have to live without her comfort but for now she dies
Oh Rome! so full of majesty, you're gone
Wind chokes on the ashes as acrid smoke strangles the sun
Their jealous arrows rain,
Hollow drums pound at the gates breaking the din of screams
Our feeble offerings to forgotten Gods are left to rot in temples of their lust
As they lay forth their plans to destroy our pride, our home
Tonight, its over, at long last we will fall
Ruins will fight in our stead
My flesh is burning from the embers
But still the brilliant tale of our utopia
Survives tonight her beautiful exterior may crash and burn
To ash but the fight for her honor will rage on
I hope I never see the end I hope
I never have to live without her comfort but for now she dies
Oh Rome! so full of majesty, you're gone
Beg the flames for our mercy
These aged walls have seen too much
To forget the past in the face of this final trial
Watch her crumble so true as mayhem cuts her down let them have our treasure,
Her voice lives on let them take our city for her splendor lives on
At long last we will fall
The lyrics of Alesana's song Nero's Decay depict the fall of the ancient Roman Empire. The opening lines suggest that the empire has fallen, and nothing could save it from collapsing. The following lines talk about how the survivors are running for their lives, witnessing their dreams shattering before their eyes. The singer of the song hopes to never live without the comfort of Rome but acknowledges that for now, Rome has died.
As the song progresses, the chorus repeats the phrase "tonight, its over, at long last we will fall," emphasizing that this is the end of the empire. The bridges of the song describe the destruction in more detail, with lines like "wind chokes on the ashes as acrid smoke strangles the sun." In the final verse, the singer acknowledges that Rome's walls have seen too much, and now, they can crumble as chaos destroys everything. Even though Rome may fall, the singer believes that its voice and splendor will live on.
Overall, the song encapsulates the emotions of despair, hopelessness, and resignation, as the once-powerful empire faces its inevitable doom.
Line by Line Meaning
Our empire has fallen
Our powerful kingdom has been defeated and destroyed.
The columns came crashing down
The important and influential structures of our kingdom have been destroyed and no longer stand.
Faster than children could outrun the shadows drunk with hysteria
The destruction happened very quickly and without warning, causing chaos and panic among the people.
The survivors are running for their lives
The people who managed to escape the destruction are fleeing in order to save themselves.
As precious dreams erupt before their very eyes
The people are seeing their hopes and aspirations being destroyed along with their physical environment.
Ruins will fight in our stead
Even though our physical kingdom may be in ruins, the memory of it will continue to inspire and motivate us to fight for its legacy.
My flesh is burning from the embers
The singer is physically and emotionally devastated by the destruction of their kingdom.
But still the brilliant tale of our utopia
The story of their idealized and perfect kingdom lives on in the minds of its people.
I hope I never see the end I hope
The artist does not want to witness the complete end of their kingdom and hopes that its memory will live on eternally.
Wind chokes on the ashes as acrid smoke strangles the sun
The destruction is so extensive that even the natural environment is affected and suffocated by the smoke and debris.
Their jealous arrows rain,
The enemy is attacking viciously and without mercy.
Hollow drums pound at the gates breaking the din of screams
The enemy's sounds of attack are deafening and overwhelming, causing even more chaos and fear.
Our feeble offerings to forgotten Gods are left to rot in temples of their lust
The people's attempts to appease and please their gods have been in vain and are now meaningless and worthless.
As they lay forth their plans to destroy our pride, our home
The enemy is not only destroying their physical space, but their emotional and mental wellbeing by erasing their sense of pride and belonging in their home.
Beg the flames for our mercy
The singer is pleading for compassion and mercy from the forces of destruction that are tearing apart their kingdom.
These aged walls have seen too much
Even the structures that have been standing for centuries have witnessed too much destruction and chaos.
To forget the past in the face of this final trial
It is impossible to ignore or overlook the past experiences and memories when facing such a crushing and final defeat.
Watch her crumble so true as mayhem cuts her down let them have our treasure,
The people are helplessly watching their kingdom be destroyed before their eyes and are resigned to surrendering their material possessions to the enemy.
Her voice lives on let them take our city for her splendor lives on
The memory of their kingdom and its majesty will continue to inspire and motivate its people to continue fighting, even if their actual city is lost.
At long last we will fall
Despite their attempts to fight against the enemy and save their kingdom, the people are acknowledging that their end is inevitable.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DENNIS LEE, DENNIS LAVELL LEE, PATRICK THOMPSON, PATRICK M. THOMPSON, SHAWN MILKE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind