Misguided is fondly remembered as a pivotal and widely influential album both within the Christian industrial sub-scene and in the scene at large. The album blended many genres through a solid framework of industrial metal, featuring spoken word, chant, experimental electronica, horns, heavy use of samples, and even ragtime piano. In addition, the album was filled with dark, bitter lyrical themes purportedly written as catharsis for an abuse scandal at the band's church while growing up. Given the nature of the Christian music industry through which the album was distributed, the themes of the album brought much backlash against the band for being "too dark" or "not Christian enough", and the the controversy became so heated that the project was called off in 1996 before a proposed split EP with Klank could be finished.
In the summer of 1995, Argyle Park made their only live performance at the Cornerstone Festival in Bushnell, Illinois.
Argyle Park "reopened" in 1999, appearing on Tooth & Nail Records' roster as AP2. They released one album called Suspension of Disbelief in 2000, but once again faced some controversy due to the themes in the record. This time around, Klayton acted as producer and co-writer on only a couple of songs while Buka and Level a.k.a lvl (another one-man industrial band with a strong following in the underground, and now known to be Klayton's younger brother) created most of the album themselves. Tooth & Nail had no framework for marketing an industrial band and, due to poor sales, AP2 was dropped later that year and disbanded once again.
Long out of print, Misguided was remastered and reissued by Retroactive Records in a limited edition run of 1000. Klayton himself then remastered and rereleased the album in 2016 with many bonus tracks and one completely new track created with the help of Bret from Blue Stahli, and titled Fanny Pack (feat. Blue Stahli & Mark Salomon).
Headscrew
Argyle Park Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sound mind and insane are rearranged
To fit the mold, a truth untold
Resisting, persisting, unspoken and held within
Liar refractor
With my soul at rest I will no longer grieve
For a new path now stands before me
And I will carry this burden though
Knowing how to carry it is foreign to this child's mind.
So with no direction, I begin this long nights journey
And pray that I survive this life without any harm.
Violation is universal perversion is a common thing
Deception can be found in light and dark place
The heart is wicked desperately
The closest friend can be the darkest enemy
Unguarded hearts over powered
Remember the devil is a stalking lion
To you he may devour
The lyrics of Argyle Park's Headscrew explore the dichotomy of the human mind, portraying the struggle between sanity and insanity. The phrase "merciful and merciless" implies that the mind can be both compassionate and cruel, victimizing itself in the process. The lines "Sound mind and insane are rearranged / To fit the mold, a truth untold" suggest that the mind's perception of reality can be manipulated and altered to conform to societal norms. The use of the terms "resisting, persisting, unspoken and held within" and "Liar refractor" suggests the internal battle of trying to express and communicate inner turmoil, while simultaneously being held back by societal pressure and shame.
The latter part of the song implies that the singer is letting go of the past and moving forward in life, but still carrying a burden. The lines "With my soul at rest I will no longer grieve / Of childhood memories and thoughts of the past / For a new path now stands before me / And I will carry this burden though" show the singer's desire to move on from their past trauma, but also acknowledge that carrying the burden is a necessary step towards healing.
Overall, the song touches on the universal concept of inner conflict, the struggle of trying to cope with traumatic experiences, and the fear of not knowing how to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Merciful and merciless, Victim
The victim of an unpredictable and harsh reality experiences both kindness and cruelty.
Sound mind and insane are rearranged
The mind becomes distorted, creating confusion and chaos, where sanity and madness are interchanged.
To fit the mold, a truth untold
The individual conforms to society's expectations, but at the cost of concealing their true identity.
Resisting, persisting, unspoken and held within
The emotional struggle of hidden resistance and persistence remains unexpressed and internalized.
Liar refractor
One who manipulates truth to their advantage, causing self-deception and blind spots to the reality of the situation.
With my soul at rest I will no longer grieve
My inner peace will come when I let go of my past grief and move on.
Of childhood memories and thoughts of the past
The memories of childhood and past experiences linger, causing conflict and shaping the present.
For a new path now stands before me
The future offers a chance for growth, change, and redemption.
And I will carry this burden though
Despite the challenges that lie ahead, I will persevere and not give up.
Knowing how to carry it is foreign to this child's mind.
The child-like and innocent spirit feels alienated in the face of adversity, and lacks the necessary tools for coping.
So with no direction, I begin this long nights journey
Embarking on a journey with no clear destination or guidance can be a daunting and lonely task.
And pray that I survive this life without any harm.
In the midst of uncertainty and danger, I hope to emerge unscathed and whole.
Violation is universal perversion is a common thing
Wrongdoing and corruption are commonplace and widespread, affecting everyone.
Deception can be found in light and dark place
The art of deceit can happen anywhere, regardless of the setting or context.
The heart is wicked desperately
Human nature is inherently flawed and corrupt, causing desperation and despair.
The closest friend can be the darkest enemy
Betrayal can come from those we trust the most, leaving us vulnerable and devastated.
Unguarded hearts over powered
Bare and unprotected emotions can lead to being overpowered and broken.
Remember the devil is a stalking lion
Be mindful of the enemy that walks among us, cunning and ready to strike.
To you he may devour
Without caution, we are at risk of being consumed and destroyed by the forces of evil.
Lyrics © FIXT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Great Zoose
Keep Moving! Holy Crap this track never gets old
Brad the Pitts
To find the sample, watch the movie, "Escape From New York". And remember, once you're outside you're on your own...
erandy 02
one of the best breakdowns toward the end.... sad that most will never hear it.
samuel turner
I now know what I want to buy myself for Christmas. this sounds amazing
Trevor Wood
Yesss! You need to do something new with Klank again!
The Sussy Stallion
The "keep moving" makes this the perfect addition to any workout playlist.
Jay Wade
Been amazed for 28 years by this masterpiece. It's a horror soundtrack to a film of someone coming back from hell with no dialogue or video. I played this in a dark toom while tripping with my best friend. We saw the exact same thing.
BTW I don't abdicate the use of drugs, but they've always worked for me.
Dan Andersson
Those Brainscan samples! Argyle Park should have been in the movie.
Ruebengericht
Still a masterpiece...
Nickolaus Pacione
A combination of ghost house and groove metal ala Killed By Cain and mid-period Prong.