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)
Rise Today
Arkaea Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This broken trust decays what we used to be.
Why defend lies when you're clearly the only one to blame?
I'm not this way.
Don't tell me who I have to be.
I can't be changed.
Take back what life I used to lead.
Now I see it's gone too far,
A traitor from the start.
Take your lies and hold them in your heart.
I've got something to say,
I will rise today,
Now it's time to take this life back.
I've got something to prove,
I will cut the noose,
Now it's time to take this life back.
I've got something to say,
I will rise today,
Now it's time to take this life back.
I've got something to prove,
I will cut the noose,
Now it's time to take this life back.
Another reason thrown in my face again,
You're breaking every bond that we used to have.
Why trust in lies and pretend you're something that you're not?
I'm not this way.
Don't tell me who I have to be.
I can't be changed.
Take back what life I used to lead.
Now I see it's gone too far,
A traitor from the start.
Take your lies and hold them in your heart.
I've got something to say,
I will rise today,
Now it's time to take this life back.
I've got something to prove,
I will cut the noose,
Now it's time to take this life back.
I've got something to say,
I will rise today,
Now it's time to take this life back.
I've got something to prove,
I will cut the noose,
Now it's time to take this life back.
I will break away. [x4]
You will never touch me.
You will never change me.
You will never stop me.
You will never kill me.
Now I see it's gone too far,
A traitor from the start.
Take your lies and hold them in your heart.
I've got something to say,
I will rise today,
Now it's time to take this life back.
I've got something to prove,
I will cut the noose,
Now it's time to take this life back.
I've got something to say,
I will rise today,
Now it's time to take this life back.
I've got something to prove,
I will cut the noose,
Now it's time to take this life back.
Take this life back.
You're all dead to me.
The lyrics to Arkaea's song "Rise Today" express the feelings of betrayal and broken trust within a relationship. The singer is being lied to and deceived by their partner and is no longer willing to tolerate it. They refuse to be changed or molded into someone they are not and want to take back the life they used to lead before the lies began to take over. The singer acknowledges that the situation has gone too far and that their partner was a traitor from the start. They want their partner to hold their lies in their heart and take responsibility for their actions.
Despite the pain and hurt caused by the betrayal, the singer also holds onto a sense of empowerment and determination. They have something to say and prove, and they are ready to rise above the situation, cut the noose of lies, and take their life back. The repeated chorus reinforces this determination, with the singer proclaiming that they will rise today and take control of their own life, even if it means cutting ties with those who betrayed them.
Taken as a whole, "Rise Today" is a powerful anthem of self-empowerment and standing up to those who have lied, deceived, and betrayed us. It reminds us that even when faced with difficult situations, we have the power to take control of our lives and rise above them.
Line by Line Meaning
Another promise taken from under me,
Someone has betrayed the singer by breaking a promise to them.
This broken trust decays what we used to be.
The broken promise has destroyed the trust and relationship between the singer and the other person.
Why defend lies when you're clearly the only one to blame?
The singer questions why the other person is lying and trying to blame someone else (possibly the singer) for their own mistakes.
I'm not this way.
The artist is stating that they are not the kind of person to tolerate being lied to and betrayed.
Don't tell me who I have to be.
The artist refuses to be told how they should act and react to the situation.
I can't be changed.
The singer is saying that they will not change who they are and how they deal with the situation.
Take back what life I used to lead.
The singer wants to regain the control and happiness they used to have in their life before the betrayal.
Now I see it's gone too far,
The artist has noticed that the situation has escalated too much and it's time to take action.
A traitor from the start.
The other person has been a traitor from the beginning of the relationship/friendship.
Take your lies and hold them in your heart.
The artist is telling the other person to keep their lies to themselves and not try to defend them.
I've got something to say,
The singer has something important to say about the situation.
I will rise today,
The artist will take a stand and fight back against the betrayal.
Now it's time to take this life back.
The singer is ready to take control of their own life and not let the betrayal ruin it anymore.
I will cut the noose,
The singer will break free from the negative and oppressive influences in their life.
Another reason thrown in my face again,
The other person has given the singer another excuse or justification for their actions, which the singer sees as an insult.
You're breaking every bond that we used to have.
The other person's lies and betrayals have destroyed the bonds and trust that used to exist between them and the artist.
Why trust in lies and pretend you're something that you're not?
The artist wonders why the other person is pretending to be a certain way when they are really someone who lies and betrays others.
I will break away. [x4]
The singer will break free and move on from the toxic relationship/friendship.
You will never touch me.
The other person will not have power or control over the singer anymore.
You will never change me.
The artist will not let the other person change who they are or how they live their life.
You will never stop me.
The other person will not be able to prevent the artist from achieving their goals or moving on with their life.
You will never kill me.
The other person's actions will not destroy the artist's spirit or will to live.
Take this life back.
The singer is determined to take control of their own life and happiness.
You're all dead to me.
The artist has officially cut ties with the other person and wants nothing to do with them anymore.
Contributed by Charlotte S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.