The band formed in December of 1996, originally consisting of Skiba, Rob Doran (bass/vocals), and Glenn Porter (drums/vocals). 1997 saw the release of the band's first EP, Sundials. This was followed shortly after by the departure of Doran. He was replaced by Andriano, who had been the singer for Tuesday and bassist for the ska band Slapstick. The band released their second EP, entitled For Your Lungs Only, in 1998, which began to build them a sizable fan base in the American Midwest. Later that year, they released their first full-length album, Goddamnit, followed by Maybe I'll Catch Fire in 2000. Both were released on Asian Man Records. Also in 2000, the band released a collection of their previously-released EPs on a self-titled album.
Following the success of their Asian Man releases, Alkaline Trio signed to Vagrant. Joined by new drummer Mike Felumlee (previously of the Smoking Popes), From Here to Infirmary was released in 2001. It was their first album to see any interest from alternative radio and the mainstream media, with the semi-hit punk single "Stupid Kid" and the inclusion of the song "Armageddon" on the Tony Hawk's Underground as well as Tony Hawks American Wasteland video games. Their cover of "Over at the Frankenstein Place" was included in the compilation The Rocky Horror Punk Rock Show, an album made to pay tribute to the movie The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
After the release, Felumlee left the band too and was replaced by Grant, previously of The Suicide Machines.
Their next full-length album was Good Mourning, released in 2003, with the album's launch single "We've Had Enough" seeing a considerable amount of commercial success. The album was a significant departure from earlier works, featuring greater production value and a noticeable move toward a more mainstream sound.
The band has also appeared on various compilation albums, notably Plea for Peace Vol. 1 and Rock Against Bush Vol. 1. Skiba and Andriano have both independently recorded split records, Skiba with Kevin Seconds on Asian Man Records and Andriano with Mike Felumlee on Double Zero Records, as well as jointly performing backing vocal duties on the album This is Unity Music by Common Rider. They have also recorded two split EPs with bands who are no longer together: one with Hot Water Music in 2000 and the other with One Man Army in 2004.
Alkaline Trio released their fifth studio album on Vagrant Records, entitled Crimson, on May 24, 2005, which featured the single "Time to Waste." The single for this song also included bonus tracks produced by Mass Giorgini. The tracks "Mercy Me" and "Burn" have also been released as singles from the album.
In 2004 Andriano became a member of The Falcon, a super-group of consisting of The Lawrence Arms' bassist/co-vocalist Brendan Kelly (with who he had played with in Slapstick), and Neil Hennessy, drummer from The Lawrence Arms. The band released a 5-song EP in 2004, and its first full-length Unicornography in September of 2006.
In 2006 Matt Skiba collaborated with Josiah Steinbrick for the band Heavens.
In 2008 Alkaline Trio released Agony & Irony on Epic Records. The album charted at #13 on the Billboard 200.
Alkaline Trio's 7th studio album, This Addiction,was released on February 23rd 2010. This was their first album under their own label, Heart & Skull, an offshoot of Epitaph, and the album debuted at #11 on the Billboard 200, making it the highest the band has ever charted to date.
Alkaline Trio's eighth studio album, Damnesia,, was released July 12, 2011. Consisting of "a selection of beloved fan favorites selected from the group's extensive catalogue and presented in an intimate semi-unplugged format", the album also included two new songs, "Olde English 800" and "I Remember a Rooftop", as well as a cover version of the Violent Femmes' "I Held Her in My Arms".
On April 2nd, 2013, Alkaline Trio released "My Shame Is True".
On August 31st, 2013, Alkaline Trio released "Is This Thing Cursed?".
On June 8th, 2023, longtime drummer Derek Grant left the band due to mental health reasons and intentions to pursue music production as well as graphic design. He was replaced by Atom Willard, formerly of bands such as Rocket from the Crypt and Against Me!. The band then released the single, "Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs" on October 17th, 2023, and announced an album of the same name due for a release date of January 26th, 2024.
Dead And Broken
Alkaline Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But this bay can't keep it unforgotten.
And a story that was told has now grown taller than we'd ever wish to be
Beyond belief
I'll grab the boat if you go grab the anchor,
The tarp and twine and the weights that sank her.
They weren't enough look who showed up
Side by side, dead and broken
Our lives aren't the same since the night yours went stolen.
Blood ran black beneath the moonlight. Your lover's blood ran cold,
Cutting off the hands he used to hold.
A deep dark secret down at the bottom
But this bay can't keep it unforgotten.
And a story that was told has now grown taller than we'd ever want to be
Beyond Belief.
Side by side, dead and broken
Our Hearts aren't the same since the night yours went stolen.
Blood ran black beneath the moonlight. Your lover's blood ran cold,
Cutting off the hands he used to hold.
We used to hold.
In Alkaline Trio's song Dead and Broken, the lyrics describe a deep, dark secret that has been kept hidden in a bay. Despite the attempts to keep the secret hidden, the truth has been revealed and the story has become larger than anyone could have imagined. The lyrics suggest that the secret is related to a murder, with references to blood and severed hands. The song's haunting melody reinforces the somber mood, as the singer mourns the loss of the person who was killed and the impact it has had on their own life.
At the heart of the song is the theme of secrets and their power to destroy lives. The bay that is mentioned in the lyrics can be seen as a metaphor for the human mind, which can hold secrets but often cannot keep them hidden indefinitely. The line "a story that was told has now grown taller than we'd ever wish to be" suggests that the secret has taken on a life of its own, becoming a burden that is too heavy to bear. The imagery of the bay also evokes a sense of isolation and loneliness, as if the characters are trapped in their own personal hell.
Overall, Dead and Broken is a powerful song that deals with themes of death and secrecy in a thoughtful and poignant way. The lyrics are full of vivid imagery and metaphors that add depth to the message of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
A deep dark secret down at the bottom
A secret that is hidden deep inside that nobody knows about.
But this bay can't keep it unforgotten.
Even though it is kept concealed, it cannot be forgotten.
And a story that was told has now grown taller than we'd ever wish to be
What was once a small story has now become much bigger than anyone could ever want.
Beyond belief
Unimaginable or difficult to comprehend.
I'll grab the boat if you go grab the anchor,
Let's work together to fix the situation.
The tarp and twine and the weights that sank her.
The tools that were used to cover up the crime that was committed.
They weren't enough look who showed up
Even with all of the cover-up attempts, someone still found out the truth.
A new light shed is shining through. Illuminating you as we lay
Despite our attempts to hide the truth, the light of the truth is now shining upon us.
Side by side, dead and broken
We are now together but have been completely destroyed by this event.
Our lives aren't the same since the night yours went stolen.
Our lives changed forever on the night when you were taken from us.
Blood ran black beneath the moonlight. Your lover's blood ran cold,
There was a violent crime committed which resulted in someone's death.
Cutting off the hands he used to hold.
The perpetrator took away the victim's ability to hold anyone's hand again.
A deep dark secret down at the bottom
The secret remains hidden even though it is known.
But this bay can't keep it unforgotten.
Time cannot make this unknown.
And a story that was told has now grown taller than we'd ever want to be
The story has become much more noticeable than we would ever want.
Beyond Belief.
Unfathomable or beyond comprehension.
Side by side, dead and broken
Together in our misery.
Our Hearts aren't the same since the night yours went stolen.
We are all emotionally scarred from the loss.
Blood ran black beneath the moonlight. Your lover's blood ran cold,
The dark and gruesome event that caused the loss.
Cutting off the hands he used to hold.
The victim can no longer hold anything - this is one lasting and dire consequence.
We used to hold.
We miss the victim deeply, we have longing for him or her.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DANIEL MICHAEL ANDRIANO, DEREK R. GRANT, MATTHEW THOMAS SKIBA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind