The band was formed by Christian Olde Wolbers and Raymond Herrera (formerly of Fear Factory) who had recorded a demo for a new band. They sent the demo to Threat Signal vocalist Jon Howard and Arkaea was spawned. They tried to obtain Sam Rivers of Limp Bizkit for bassist, who was all for it but then decided to back down due to location. Ryan Martinie of Mudvayne then offered his services for the album but it was felt it would be too difficult for another bassist to replicate his unique basslines live as he could not tour due to Mudvayne commitments. After some time spent searching for the perfect bassist, another Threat Signal member, Pat Kavanagh, was finally chosen.
Their debut entitled Years in the Darkness was set to be released on March 3, then March 10 but was not released until July 14, 2009, selling roughly 980 units in its first week. Half of the songs that appear on the album were originally intended to be for a possible new Fear Factory album. In addition to a 5 minute long sampler the band posted the opening track "Locust" on their Myspace.
Members
Jon Howard - Vocals (Threat Signal)
Christian Olde Wolbers - Guitar (ex-Fear Factory)
Pat Kavanagh - Bass (Threat Signal)
Raymond Herrera - Drums (ex-Fear Factory)
Locust
Arkaea Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Worthless denial across your face,
control feeble minds then destroy our race.
Helpless die for you in vain,
devour all our pride lead us to disgrace.
Wake up nation,
why we've become,
hates own victim.
If the answer is so clear then why are we so blind?
Escape from ourselves and leave it all behind.
Thoughtless trust into the lies,
resent what your told see the truth inside.
Senseless accusations rise,
divide ourselves from what they call divine.
This is your life.
Don't be so blind.
This is your life.
Don't be so blind.
Wake up nation,
see the reason,
why we've become,
hates own victim.
If the answer is so clear then why are we so blind?
Escape from ourselves and leave it all behind.
If the answer is so clear then why are we so blind?
Escape from ourselves and leave it all behind.
Take a look at what you believe in.
Take a chance and follow my reason.
Now we all unite in unison.
I can't be stoppped.
If the answer is so clear then why are we so blind?
Escape from ourselves and leave it all behind.
If the answer is so clear then why are we so blind?
Escape from ourselves and leave it all behind.
Escape from ourselves and leave it all behind. [x4]
The lyrics of Arkaea's song "Locust" address the themes of self-awareness, awakening, and unity. The song starts by addressing an individual in denial with a feeble mind that controls and destroys their race. The helplessness of the masses that die in vain is also highlighted, with all of their pride being devoured, leading to disgrace. The chorus calls out for the nation to wake up and see the reason why hate has become the victim, and to escape from themselves and leave it all behind. The second verse reaffirms the importance of realizing the truth within oneself, rather than blindly trusting in lies and senseless accusations, which divide rather than unite.
In the final parts of the song, there is a call for individuals to take a look at what they believe in, take a chance, and follow the singer's reason, leading to the unity of all. The song ends with the repetition of the chorus, echoing the idea of escaping from the self and leaving everything behind.
Overall, "Locust" is a powerful song capable of inspiring listeners to re-examine their lives, beliefs, and relationships with others. It's a reminder to stop denying the truth, to escape from one's self-interest and self-destructive thinking, and to work towards unity and harmony.
Line by Line Meaning
Worthless denial across your face,
You are hiding your true feelings with a futile attempt to deny them, and it is obvious from your facial expressions.
Control feeble minds then destroy our race.
You are manipulating weak-minded people to do your bidding, and this could ultimately lead to the destruction of society.
Helpless die for you in vain,
People who are powerless are being sacrificed for your selfish pursuits, and their deaths will be in vain.
Devour all our pride lead us to disgrace.
You are causing us to lose all sense of dignity and self-respect, and this will ultimately lead to our downfall.
Wake up nation, see the reason,
We need to awaken as a society and understand the root causes of our problems.
Why we've become, hates own victim.
We have become our own worst enemies, as we allow hate and negativity to consume us.
If the answer is so clear then why are we so blind?
We should know the solution to our problems, so why are we unable to see the way forward?
Escape from ourselves and leave it all behind.
We need to break free from our negative thought patterns and habits, and move on towards a better future.
Thoughtless trust into the lies,
We are blindly believing in falsehoods without questioning their validity or authenticity.
Resent what your told see the truth inside.
Instead of becoming resentful about what we are told, we need to seek out the truth for ourselves.
Senseless accusations rise,
We are making unfounded accusations without having any concrete evidence to back them up.
Divide ourselves from what they call divine.
We are creating rifts and divisions among ourselves based on what is supposed to be 'divine' or holy.
This is your life. Don't be so blind.
We need to take charge of our own lives and stop living blindly, letting others take control.
Take a look at what you believe in.
We need to closely examine our beliefs and make sure they align with reality and the greater good.
Take a chance and follow my reason.
We need to be open to new perspectives and ideas, and trust that they are backed by reason and intellect.
Now we all unite in unison. I can't be stopped.
We are all coming together in harmony and will not be stopped by those who seek to divide and conquer us.
Escape from ourselves and leave it all behind. [x4]
We need to continue striving towards a better future by letting go of our past negative experiences and beliefs.
Contributed by Claire E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nino Falletta
Haven't heard this in a couple years. Felt like hearing it.
Kyo Bennington
Jon is like a mix of Chester (Linkin Park), Christian (Ill Niño) and Chad (Mudvayne) sounds like Nu Metal with Industrial jajaja FUCKING AWESOME
Harold Campbell
Fuckin incredible! Why did they only do one album? Their sound is perfect!!!!
RaeVillaDPG
AMAZING...if u haven't seen TS live u must..Jon is an amazing vocalist and front man!
Rosstafa
I agree man! I first heard Threat Signal and this guy is one of my new fave vocalists. He can do growls, screams, singing and that edgy melodic stuff that sounds a bit like Chester Bennington. I think he's actually one of the more versatile vocalists about. In the song Faceless by Threat Signal, he does some epic screaming in the verse :)
Lyndsay
Jon Howard is amazingly talented. everytime i see him live, he brings a great performance everytime! I fuckin LOVE his voice. This song is killer!
chris muppet
i love the drummer from fear factory he is the best
rkochamp07 07
I saw these guys live when they opened for Kittie. They were really good!!! The funniest thing was when someone in the crowd screamed FEAR FACTORY!!! lol I know they mustve been pissed lol
DTfan43
Most of the material on this record was supposed to be a Fear Factory album; with the fact that Dino is replacing Burton (for the third time) with a male who is "kind of known" in the metal world, I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up hiring Jon.
SicilianBeast8248
I agree, the album is epic. The album is the best I have heard in a while