Prior to its release, the band promoted the album by releasing a track per week on their Purevolume and Myspace website accounts, as well as on their own website. So far, two radio singles have been released from the album: A Day Late and Paperthin Hymn. Both have been quite successful on alternative rock radio. A video for A Day Late has been released and the video for Paperthin Hymn released on March 17, 2006.
Furthermore, Anberlin recorded covers of the Bob Dylan song Like a Rolling Stone, the Depeche Mode song Enjoy the Silence, The Cure's Love Song, and the popular Christmas song Baby Please Come Home, included on the compilation album Lost Songs in 2007.
Singer Stephen Christian is also working on some solo music under the name of Anchor & Braille with Aaron Marsh of Copeland, which is expected to take the form of a full length album sometime in 2008.
The band performed on G4's Attack of the Show on March 23, 2006
Anberlin's third album, Cities, was released on Feburary 20, 2007. There are two different versions: a regular version and a special edition containing three extra songs and a documentary on DVD. So far music videos have been released for Godspeed and The Unwinding Cable Car.
The singles Godspeed and The Haunting were available as of December 28, 2006 from the iTunes music store and may still be purchased.
Anberlin's final album with Tooth and Nail records, Lost Songs, was released November 20, 2007. It features many of its original hits, as well as live recordings and unreleased tracks.
They are now signed with Universal Republic and released their fourth LP, New Surrender, September 30, 2008.
They released their fifth LP, Dark is the Way, Light is a Place on September 9, 2010.
Songfacts reports that, Self-Starter, the first release from Vital, Anberlin's sixth album, was the band's first ever song to feature female vocals.
On July 22, 2014 they released what would be their final album - Lowborn. It was announced that after a final tour following the release of Lowborn the band would be parting ways.
The end of Anberlin is not sad but hopeful. There is no animosity or drama, but rather a celebration of what these five musicians have achieved both in the studio and onstage. “Usually breakups happen quickly and suddenly, an implosion of sorts,” McAlhaney says.
“What is unique about the end of Anberlin is that we discussed where people were at in their lives, what that meant for the band, and then made plans for the end on our own terms.”
The Resistance
Anberlin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Be the first to take us down
But you're alone
And there's no stopping us now
You called me mental
Your speeches are maligned
Take down this modern town
Four words penned with you in mind
[Chorus]
Speak
Speak for yourself
You paper tigers
You crash where you stand
You've got a riot on your hands
Speak
Speak for yourself
You paper tigers
Too late to make demands
When you've got a riot on your hands
Silent alarms are ringing
Sounds of revolt draw near
A new united front
That you will come to fear
We will hold together
To become the change
Those are the voices
With every common man engaged
[Chorus]
Ignite and watch us burn
Til every embers turn
My God we'll feel inspired
When we set your walls to fire
The lyrics in "The Resistance" by Anberlin speak of a group of people who are being targeted and watched by someone who wants to see them break. However, the group is not afraid and stands strong, stating that there is no stopping them now. The person watching them is referred to as a "paper tiger" who has no real power and their words are maligned. The group speaks up and encourages everyone to speak up for themselves, creating a united front that their oppressor will fear.
The chorus repeats the call to speak up for oneself against these paper tigers who crash where they stand. The individuals who join the resistance are reminded that it’s too late to make demands when they already have a riot on their hands. The lyrics describe the resistance as a movement of common people, holding together to become the change.
The last line drives home the point that the resistance is fighting against those who wish to oppress them. Their walls will be set to fire in a passionate display of revolt and, in the end, they will feel inspired to continue seeking justice.
Overall, the song is a call to action for those who are oppressed to stand up and speak out against those who wish to hold them down. It's a reminder that there is strength in numbers and that even the most powerful oppressors can be taken down by a united front.
Line by Line Meaning
You wanna watch us break?
Do you eagerly desire to see us fail and collapse?
Be the first to take us down
Be the pioneer to defeat us
But you're alone
You are all by yourself
And there's no stopping us now
You can not obstruct our mission anymore
You called me mental
You labeled me crazy
Your speeches are maligned
Your words are slandering and misleading
Take down this modern town
Overthrow the current establishment
Four words penned with you in mind
Four phrases composed just for you
[Chorus] Speak Speak for yourself
Express yourself, say what you believe
You paper tigers
Cowardly and fearful individuals
You crash where you stand
Your ideas and beliefs crumble under pressure
You've got a riot on your hands
There is an uprising occurring that you can not control
[Chorus] Speak Speak for yourself
Share your own opinions and attitudes
You paper tigers
Weak and timidlike paper
Too late to make demands
It is already too late to make requests or requirements
When you've got a riot on your hands
An rebellion is taking place which renders your authority irrelevant
Silent alarms are ringing
Unspoken signals are indicating a forthcoming event
Sounds of revolt draw near
The noises of a revolution are getting closer
A new united front
A fresh coalition with a common objective
That you will come to fear
You will be scared of this alliance
We will hold together
We will stick together
To become the change
To create transformation
Those are the voices
Those are the people who speak up
With every common man engaged
Each ordinary person is invested and involved
[Chorus]
Speak up for yourself; express your beliefs
Ignite and watch us burn
Incite us and observe us blaze
Til every embers turn
Until every last spark of the blaze fades out
My God we'll feel inspired
We will feel motivated and stimulated
When we set your walls to fire
When we obliterate and destroy your system
Lyrics © DistroKid, BMG Rights Management
Written by: CHRISTIAN EDWIN MCALHANEY, DEON REXROAT, JOSEPH MILLIGAN, NATHAN RUSSEL YOUNG, STEPHEN CHRISTIAN ARNOLD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind