Prior to starting Assemblage 23, Shear experimented with music under the name "Man on a Stage", beginning in the early 1980s. Most of Shear's music at this point was instrumental, as he lacked the confidence to sing; the quality of the music itself was highly questionable by his own admission. Shear eventually began to add vocals to his music; at the same time, Shear was also playing bass in a punk band called the "Advocates".
Assemblage 23 got its start in 1988, when at a "Depeche Mode" concert, founder Tom Shear heard the opening DJ spinning industrial dance music. Prior to hearing this type of music, Shear had been creating primarily synthpop and post-punk type music.
Hearing industrial music for the first time proved to be something of an epiphany for Shear, as he had finally found a form of music that combined the electronic sounds he loved from his synth-pop background with the heavier, darker aggression punk represented. Even so, the project was more of a hobby for Shear at this point; it took until 1998 for Assemblage 23 to gather enough positive acclaim to attract the attention of record labels.
Shear signed a deal in 1999 with the Canadian label Gashed! for a full-length album, "Contempt" (released in November 1999). A second album, "Failure", followed in March 2001 and was released by Gashed! in North America and Accession Records in Europe. A single from "Failure", "Disappoint", was released on Accession in October 2001. The song dealt with Shear's sense of loss after his father's suicide on October 28, 1999.
After falling out with Gashed Records following "Failure", Shear signed with US label Metropolis Records later in 2001; Metropolis re-released "Contempt" and "Failure" that November. A remix release, "Addendum", was also released in November only on Accession. By this point, Assemblage 23 had become fairly popular within the ebm genre.
The third studio album, "Defiance", was released in October 2002 on Metropolis and Accession, preceded by the single "Document" in September. October 2004 saw the release of a fourth album, "Storm"; two singles were taken from the album, "Let the Wind Erase Me" in August and "Ground" in November.
Almost three years later, in March 2007, Assemblage 23 returned with a new single, "Binary", which debuted at #21 on the Billboard US singles chart. This was followed by the album "Meta" in April.
In September of that year Shear released "Early, Rare, & Unreleased [1988-1998]", which is a limited edition collection of A23 tracks taken from the years 1988 - 1998, on his own label 23db records. This was followed in February of 2009 by a second collection "Early, Rare, & Unreleased: Volume Two", which was also limited to 1000 copies.
Late 2009 saw the release of "Compass". Both regular and deluxe limited 2CD editions were released in October 2009, preceeded in September by the single "Spark".
The latest album "Bruise" was released on June 12, 2012. It is also available in both regular and 2CD versions.
Shear also has a side-project, "nerve filter", which has been running alongside Assemblage 23 since 1995. However, no more albums will be released since the project is now open for remixes only.
Official website: www.assemblage23.com
Darker
Assemblage 23 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Unable to meet such disparate demands
Cries of frustration resound in it's head
And strewn at it's feet are the souls of the dead
Tearing the fractured divisions apart
The tandem destruction of brothers in arms
Crying for reason with none to be found
Has it grown darker or am I slowly going blind?
The day is fading, all our fates are intertwined
Without the light of wisdom what else can be done
But fumble blindly until at last our race is run?
Events resonate long after they've occurred
The lines between passion and reason have blurred
Its hard to find balance on unsteady ground
Instead we just pray that a way will be found
Acting on impulse without any thought
Ignoring the lessons our precursors taught
Emotion dictates what our actions will be
With no room for logic and little for peace
Has it grown darker or am I slowly going blind?
The day is fading, all our fates are intertwined
Without the light of wisdom what else can be done
But fumble blindly until at last our race is run?
Shadows spread out like a river of ink
Devouring the sky as the sun starts to sink
Counting the hours till it rises again
Instead of relying on light from within
Permanent nightfall, a total eclipse
Darkness takes hold with its sinewy grip
We begged for this outcome and now it's arrived
Cursing its name with our echoing cries
Has it grown darker or am I slowly going blind?
The day is fading, all our fates are intertwined
Without the light of wisdom what else can be done
But fumble blindly until at last our race is run?
The song "Darker" by Assemblage 23 features lyrics that evoke images of despair, frustration, and hopelessness. The first verse paints a picture of a world that is overwhelmed by the demands placed upon it, and is incapable of meeting them. The cries of frustration and the sight of souls of the dead strewn at its feet give the impression of a world that is broken and defeated. The second verse speaks to how people have struggled to cope with this situation, torn apart by their differences and unable to find reason or wisdom. The lines between passion and reason have blurred and people act on impulse, ignoring the lessons of their precursors. The chorus repeats the question, "Has it grown darker or am I slowly going blind?" with a sense of resignation to the fact that the world is fading, and there seems to be little hope for recovery.
The third verse continues in this vein, using the metaphor of shadows spreading out like a river of ink to describe the coming of darkness. It suggests that people have been acting in ways that have led to this outcome, and now they are cursing it with their cries. The final chorus repeats the same question, "Has it grown darker or am I slowly going blind?", but now it feels more defeated and final, as though the answer is irrelevant at this point. The song, therefore, seems to be a commentary on the state of the world and the human condition, suggesting that people are lost and adrift, unable to find their way in a world that is collapsing around them.
Line by Line Meaning
The world is asleep with it's head in it's hands
The world is facing tough challenges and unable to cope with it.
Unable to meet such disparate demands
The world is not able to fulfill the different expectations and challenges it's facing.
Cries of frustration resound in it's head
The world is frustrated with the situation and doesn't know how to overcome it.
And strewn at it's feet are the souls of the dead
The world has already lost many lives in the pursuit of overcoming its challenges.
Tearing the fractured divisions apart
The world is further dividing or breaking up into fragments.
The tandem destruction of brothers in arms
People who were united in the past are now fighting or destroying each other.
Crying for reason with none to be found
People are desperately trying to find a reason or explanation for what's happening, but they are not able to find one.
Engulfed by the ominous, deafening sound
People are overwhelmed and haunted by the negative and loud impact of their dire circumstances.
Has it grown darker or am I slowly going blind?
The situation seems to be getting worse, or maybe people are just losing their awareness or ability to understand it.
The day is fading, all our fates are intertwined
Time is running out, and everyone is affected by the outcome of what's happening.
Without the light of wisdom what else can be done
People need guidance and insight to overcome their challenges.
But fumble blindly until at last our race is run?
Without guidance, people are just guessing and trying random strategies, hoping to survive.
Events resonate long after they've occurred
The impact of past events lingers on for a long time.
The lines between passion and reason have blurred
People are unable to distinguish between their emotions and rational thinking.
Its hard to find balance on unsteady ground
Finding stability or equilibrium in this unstable situation is challenging.
Instead we just pray that a way will be found
People are hoping for a miracle or divine intervention to save them.
Acting on impulse without any thought
People are reacting impulsively, without considering the consequences.
Ignoring the lessons our precursors taught
People are not heeding the advice or wisdom of those who came before them.
Emotion dictates what our actions will be
People are making decisions based on their feelings rather than logic or reason.
With no room for logic and little for peace
In this emotional state, there is no space for rational thinking and barely any chance for harmony.
Shadows spread out like a river of ink
The darkness is expanding and consuming everything like a flood of black ink.
Devouring the sky as the sun starts to sink
Even the sky, usually a source of light, is being swallowed by darkness.
Counting the hours till it rises again
People are waiting for a glimmer of hope, a sign of light to return.
Instead of relying on light from within
In this trying time, people need to find strength and resilience from within.
Permanent nightfall, a total eclipse
The darkness has taken over completely, with no sign of light.
Darkness takes hold with its sinewy grip
The darkness has a strong and suffocating grasp on everyone and everything.
We begged for this outcome and now it's arrived
People are getting what they wished for, but they are not happy with the outcome.
Cursing its name with our echoing cries
People are angry and disappointed with the situation and are expressing their frustration loudly.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind