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
I Am The Rain
Assemblage 23 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The cure is the disease
And it's only growing worse
Day by day it takes its hold
Divides its cells a thousand-fold
And makes your blindness seem perverse
Are deadly traits when they're combined
But it's easier that way
Sit and watch the world go by
While all the problems multiply
With nothing left to do but pray
I am the rain
Falling down to cover you
Wish me away
But I'm here for your own good
I am the storm
Sent to wake you from your dream
Show me your scorn
But you'll thank me in the end
These amenities are nice
But there is need for sacrifice
You must lose so you may gain
It's too easy to malign
The implements that steal our time
But it's we who are to blame
Fill your pockets while you can
And try to keep the upper hand
The voice of reason sounds so shrill
Surround yourself with all you own
Work your fingers to the bone
And happiness evades you still
I am the rain
Falling down to cover you
Wish me away
But I'm here for your own good
I am the storm
Sent to wake you from your dream
Show me your scorn
But you'll thank me in the end
Too eager to appease
You've lost the forest for the trees
And it really is a shame
It is such a sorry sight
When you evaluate your life
You've only got yourself to blame
I am the rain
Falling down to cover you
Wish me away
But I'm here for your own good
I am the storm
Sent to wake you from your dream
Show me your scorn
But you'll thank me in the end
The lyrics to Assemblage 23's song "I Am The Rain" reflect a theme of warning and critique of society. The first verse talks about how people are too eager to please and how this eagerness is a disease that is only getting worse. It talks about how blindness to the problems of the world is becoming more and more apparent as society progresses. The second verse is a commentary on how people try to distract themselves from the problems of the world, by filling their pockets, accumulating things, and working themselves to the bone. It is noted that happiness still eludes them, and the voice of reason seems shrill in contrast to their daily struggles.
The chorus of the song suggests that the rain and the storm are metaphors for the things that wake people up from their dream of comfort and distractions, forcing them to face the problems of the world. It is noted that people will wish these things away, but ultimately they are necessary for their own good. The bridge of the song emphasizes that people need to sacrifice something in order to gain something better, and that it is too easy to blame the implements that distract them when it is really their own fault.
Overall, the song seems to be urging people to face the problems of the world, even if it is uncomfortable, and to take responsibility for their own lives and the state of the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Too eager to appease
Being overly accommodating can be harmful, and in this case, it is worsening the current situation.
The cure is the disease
The solution to a problem, in this case, is causing more problems and only making things worse.
And it's only growing worse
The situation is getting progressively worse as time goes on.
Day by day it takes its hold
As time progresses, the issue becomes more severe and entrenched.
Divides its cells a thousand-fold
The problem replicates and multiplies, making it more challenging to resolve.
And makes your blindness seem perverse
The situation has deteriorated to the point where it's impossible to see the truth, and that is perverse.
Out of sight and out of mind
Neglecting a problem that is out of sight is easy when it is out of mind.
Are deadly traits when they're combined
When both of these traits are combined, it can have dangerous consequences.
But it's easier that way
Ignoring the problem is the easier option, even though it may cause long-term harm.
Sit and watch the world go by
Being a bystander and watching the world crumble is never a good option.
While all the problems multiply
Continued inaction leads to an increase in problems that are hard to fix.
With nothing left to do but pray
When we have exhausted all options, we can only hope for a miracle.
I am the rain
This is a metaphor where Assemblage 23 represents a storm that forces change.
Falling down to cover you
The storm is coming to provide a much-needed wake-up call.
Wish me away
At first, people will wish the storm would go away and leave them be.
But I'm here for your own good
The storm is here to push us out of our comfort zone and bring about change for our own good.
I am the storm
The storm is a metaphor for a problem that forces change to occur.
Sent to wake you from your dream
The storm has the power to awaken people from their daydreams and make them take action.
Show me your scorn
Initial reactions to the storm are likely to be dismissive.
But you'll thank me in the end
In the end, the storm will be appreciated for the changes it brought about.
These amenities are nice
The comfortable but ultimately superficial things in life are pleasing to have around — but they don't provide genuine happiness.
But there is need for sacrifice
To achieve something greater, sacrifices must be made.
You must lose so you may gain
One must be willing to lose something to gain something of more value in the long term.
It's too easy to malign
It's easy to detest what we blame for our problems, mostly when the issue is related to time management.
The implements that steal our time
Objects and systems designed to save time actually end up taking more time than they're worth.
But it's we who are to blame
Blaming a system obscures individual responsibility for one's actions.
Fill your pockets while you can
People tend to accept greed as a positive trait, looking to get as much as possible to enjoy the moment.
And try to keep the upper hand
Maintain control and dominance over others by any means necessary.
The voice of reason sounds so shrill
Voicing a logical argument can seem like whining, especially when others accept irrational arguments easily.
Surround yourself with all you own
People tend to place importance on material possessions as their most valuable assets.
Work your fingers to the bone
People will toil without pause in the pursuit of material gain, ignoring their health and relationships.
And happiness evades you still
Despite all efforts and possessions, happiness remains unreachable.
Too eager to appease
People are too willing to satisfy others, even at the cost of their wellbeing.
You've lost the forest for the trees
Despite focusing on details to the front, the bigger picture is lost to the side.
And it really is a pity
It's truly regrettable that people are too focused on trivial pursuits.
It is such a sorry sight
Failing to prioritize and manage one's life can lead to undesirable outcomes.
When you evaluate your life
Looking back to assess past choices can bring clarity and guide future decisions.
You've only got yourself to blame
Personal responsibility is key. Your life is what you make it.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LARS HALAPI, SOPHIE ZELMANI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind