Borland states that Black Light Burns is the culmination of the various projects he has been working on ever since he quit Limp Bizkit in 2001. Things began with Big Dumb Face, a solo project that Borland had worked on during his time with Limp Bizkit. Borland didn't take the project too seriously, and used it to basically test the waters, and see how hard it would be to do something serious on his own, without the aid of his band mates. After he quit the band, he began working on several different projects. The first of which was supposed to be an instrumental album one could listen to and simply relax. Simultaneously, he began Eat The Day. With this project, he became cocky, and thought because of his previous success with Limp Bizkit, duplicating that success with a new band would be simple. Borland soon found out this wasn't the case. Eat The Day eventually unravelled itself, as, in Borland's words, "I think everybody involved in that project had different ideas about the direction that it should go". Borland became self-absorbed, and along with continuous pressure from the label, and struggles finding a lead singer for the band, the project eventually disbanded.
In terms of their lineup, the band is somewhat of a successor to the brief project The Damning Well, which consisted of mostly the same members. The main difference this time around being that Borland has taken vocals into his own hands, after many attempts to find a proper vocalist in various projects.
After the 'failure' of Borland's various projects, he returned to Limp Bizkit once again, turning down the spot as Nine Inch Nails touring guitar player. According to vocalist Fred Durst, Borland only agreed to return to the band on the condition that their label, Geffen, agreed to support his solo project, Black Light Burns.
It began only as a side project, with Borland writing many of the songs during his time off from Limp Bizkit, but soon things in Limp Bizkit became very quiet, and Borland himself stated that Black Light Burns was now his main project, and anything else he did, including Limp Bizkit, was a side project. Eventually arguments broke out on MySpace between Borland and Durst, and Borland left Limp Bizkit once again, although according to him, the band members had already gone their separate ways, he simply decided not to return.
The Black Light Burns song titled "I Have a Need" was instrumentally written to be included on the Limp Bizkit release The Unquestionable Truth (Part 1) in 2005, but was cut in order for the EP to remain mostly metal oriented. It features Limp Bizkit's bassist Sam Rivers on the track, and Wes was allowed to use the song for Black Light Burns when the song was turned down for use by Limp Bizkit.
On June 16, Borland announced that the band and Geffen Records had parted ways. There was little word in the following months over the situation regarding a new label, though as of October 25, the band is in negotiations with a label, and are hoping to release their debut album early 2007.
Borland has stated that he is the only constant in Black Light Burns, as the other members of the studio lineup are expected to be mostly unable to participate in touring with Black Light Burns, such as the notoriously busy Josh Freese.
The initial touring lineup of Black Light Burns includes Nick Annis (previously in Open Hand, Turn of the Screw) as a guitarist and Marshall Kilpatric (previously in The Esoteric) on drums, as well as Wes Borland himself.
Black Light Burns' first tour was previously set to begin in fall of 2006 with From First to Last, who Borland also plays bass for on and off. This tour was to feature Borland doing double duty as the singer/guitarist for Black Light Burns and then bassist for From First to Last afterwards. However, Sonny Moore (singer of FFTL) developed a node on his right vocal chord and has to get surgery, thus ending Wes Borland's current touring stint with From First To Last.
In late 2007-early 2008, after a scheduled break from touring for the their label to secure an overseas release of Cruel Melody, Black Light Burns announced plans for a covers album that also includes remixes and b-sides from Cruel Melody, and a DVD containing live and behind the scenes footage of the band. Artists PJ Harvey, INXS, The Jesus Lizard, Love and Rockets, The Swans, Fiona Apple, Lard, and Borland's own old side project Big Dumb Face will be covered for the release. The two discs will be released together in spring of 2008.
On March 30, 2008 Wes Borland made a post on the band's MySpace about how he filled in for the band X Japan and was "looking forward to coming home and getting back to work on the next BLB album", by which he means the second full length Black Light Burns album, due to the fact that their cover song album was already complete by that point in time.
As of August 2008, at the ETP Conference, it was announced that Borland is now the current Marilyn Manson tour guitarist.
Also Two new songs have appeared on http://www.myspace.com/wesleyborland. They are entitled Cats and Cats And Cats, B4Lf3r
Much like Nine Inch Nails, Black Light Burns consists of two entities, the studio band, and the live band. Some members of the band that recorded in the studio may not be able to tour with the band, and future live members might contribute to future CD releases, therefore lineup changes could occur. Borland did all of the vocals, guitar, and bass on the album.
Studio Line-up
1. Wes Borland - (previously in Limp Bizkit, Eat The Day, Big Dumb Face)
2. Danny Lohner - (previously in Nine Inch Nails, A Perfect Circle)
3. Josh Freese - (The Vandals, Nine Inch Nails, A Perfect Circle, many more)
4. Josh Eustis - (Telefon Tel Aviv)
When asked on Black Light Burns's MySpace if the studio band listed above would return for the band's second record, Wes Borland replied "Probably not. Marshall is the full time drummer for BLB now, but Danny Lohner may be returning for some input on the next record."
Live Line-up
1. Wes Borland - Vocals, Guitar
2. Marshall Kilpatric - Drums (previously in The Esoteric, Today is the Day)
3. Nick Annis - Guitar (previously in Open Hand, Turn Of The Screw, shortly played for Seether while on tour in Ozzfest)
4. Dennis Sanders Jr.-Bass
Wes Borland's MacBook Pro will be playing the keyboard or loops that the four above bandmembers can't/won't be playing live. According to Borland, Josh Eustis, who played keyboards and sound design on Cruel Melody, was supposed to join the live lineup, but opted to do production instead, leaving Borland to use his laptop to reproduce samples and keyboards live.
4 Walls
Black Light Burns Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And kiss it away, kiss it away, kiss it away
Everything that brings me pain
It's not as hard to bend in the end
So let's do it again, do it again, do it again
And this feels so new...
I watch the paint peel
But I cannot wake from this dream
'cause this is not love
This is not clean
I'll keep digging down deeper in you
Until I find what makes you scream
I get a little aroused as it dies:
That look in your eyes, look in your eyes,
Look in your eyes
As I begin to get under your skin
And now I know why I do
Take it out on you, take it on you
'cause you always take it on the chin
That's what you get for letting me in
These 4 walls are blistering
I watch the paint peel
But I cannot wake from this dream
'cause this is not love
This is not clean
I'll keep digging down deeper in you
Until I find what makes you scream
The lyrics of "4 Walls" by Black Light Burns express a twisted and disturbing relationship where the singer finds pleasure in causing pain to their partner. The opening lines set the tone for the song as they talk about going for the jugular and cutting the vein, which can be interpreted as a metaphor for causing great harm to the person they are in love with. However, the singer seems to take pleasure in this act by kissing the pain away, making it seem almost like a form of sadomasochism.
The next verse talks about the singer's need to keep doing this, as if they are addicted to the pain they cause. They are aware that it's not normal, but they can't help but continue to do it, suggesting that they are trapped in their own dark desires. The chorus highlights the feeling of being trapped, which is emphasized by the image of the blistering walls and paint peeling off, symbolizing a sense of decay and confinement. This is contrasted with the idea of the dream, which represents the illusion of love that they are trying to hold onto, even though it's not real.
The last verse brings out the true intentions of the singer as they talk about getting aroused by the pain they cause. They find pleasure in seeing the look in their partner's eyes as they hurt them and enjoy getting under their skin. The outro talks about digging deeper until they find what makes their partner scream, which suggests that the singer is not in love, but rather obsessed with causing pain.
Line by Line Meaning
Go for the jugular, cut the vein
Act aggressively and without mercy, causing blood to flow freely.
And kiss it away, kiss it away, kiss it away
Try to make the pain go away through physical affection.
Everything that brings me pain
All sources of discomfort and distress.
It's not as hard to bend in the end
It's not difficult to give in eventually.
So let's do it again, do it again, do it again
Repeat the same actions.
And this feels so new...
Despite the repetition, it may still feel exciting and novel.
These 4 walls are blistering
The environment is oppressive and suffocating.
I watch the paint peel
I observe the decay and decline of the surroundings.
But I cannot wake from this dream
I feel trapped in a situation that seems illusory or surreal.
'cause this is not love
This feeling or relationship is not genuine affection.
This is not clean
The situation or feeling is sullied and impure.
I'll keep digging down deeper in you
I will explore and uncover the deepest parts of you.
Until I find what makes you scream
I will persist and probe until I discover what triggers fear or pain.
I get a little aroused as it dies:
I become slightly stimulated as the source of pain diminishes.
That look in your eyes, look in your eyes,
I focus on the expression on your face.
Look in your eyes
The look on your face indicates your reaction to my actions.
As I begin to get under your skin
I am starting to make you uncomfortable or get a reaction.
And now I know why I do
I understand my motivation for my actions.
Take it out on you, take it on you
I will vent my emotions or frustrations on you.
'cause you always take it on the chin
You always seem to absorb or endure the brunt of my actions.
That's what you get for letting me in
You are facing the consequences of allowing me to enter your life or space.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
stay wise
They're so damn underrated it's crazy I fuckin love this band so much I love this song.
Pip
its just sad wes just leave black light on hiatus.
screechandmoan
Good god, this song is powerfully perfect to me!
screechandmoan
This is so damn good! Kinda hope their 2nd album carries the same feel as this one.
glen sanchez
this is pure NIN style by wes borland... i dig it!!
1nkee
ur right, 11 years later u made me notice
Vinyl666
Maybe a smidge if Kyuss too.
Vinyl666
Yeah I gave off that kind of vibe
Michael
Danny Lohner all the way brother
Vinyl666
Wes is way too good for Limp Bizkit holy shit!