Volz embraced the opportunity to make music in a different way than he ever has before. "Personally, this record was my turn to grab the reins. This album is, with no offense meant to any of my former bandmates, the chance to do everything I've always wanted to do." While past studio time with his bands may have taken considerably longer and was likely rife with a number of strong, artistic personalities coming together, sometimes clashing, sometimes making musical magic, the recording process on "Redemption" took two weeks, the fastest recording experience of Volz's career. "I have never recorded that expediently. The musicians we worked with were extremely professional and productive. It all flowed very well and everything fell right into place."
Volz's label, Rock Ridge Music, gathered a who's who of rock to work on the album: Matt Chiaravalle (Kittie, Crossbreed, Warren Zevon) and Jason Spiewak (Five.Bolt.Main) worked in both a production capacity and as players on the record. Also performing on the record were: Danny Schuler (Biohazard), Chris Vitali (Orange 9mm), Johnny Pisano (Ryan Adams, Marky Ramone, Jesse Malin), and Rich Smalley (The NightRats, Looker). The album was mastered by Geoff Ott (Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains) at London Bridge Studio in Seattle.
Says Schuler of the recording process: "I've done a lot of session work, and really enjoyed playing on this record. Chris and the guys were great, made me feel comfortable. The songs came together so quickly, the music basically wrote itself. All I had to do was listen. Being involved was a pleasure." Adds Spiewak: "Our goal from a production standpoint was to deliver on Chris's vision."
Volz, who is based in Louisville, Kentucky, began his rock career in the band FLAW, which was signed to Republic/Universal Records. As part of FLAW, he released two albums that sold almost half a million copies, before being unceremoniously dropped in late 2004. Picking up the pieces with former FLAW drummer Ivan Arnold, Volz continued to rock with Five.Bolt.Main, which came together in 2005 and released a studio album ("Venting", which sold over 22,000 copies) and a live record on Rock Ridge Music before calling it quits in early 2007. In a sort of band flashback, between the time spent recording "Redemption" and its release, Volz's first band FLAW has gotten back together, and he's been on the road with them throughout the Midwest this spring and summer.
"The greatest gift I have in this world is the ability to express myself through music," he says. "I wish for nothing else but the ability to continue with that. It is my life." Volz is very excited about the new material. "We had a great team working on the record, and it's giving me a chance to fully express myself in a solo capacity," he says. "I've put a lot of time and effort into the material for this album, and it's based on stuff I've worked on for years. The songs are somewhat of a growth process for me as an artist, but I'm looking forward to getting it out there for people to hear it."
Once Again
Chris Volz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Common sense is in demand but there’s something wrong with her head.
Misunderstanding things again, she reaches for anything,
Still wondering what might have been, but the sound is deafening.
Once again she pretends the time is now to make her stand
once again she pretends she won’t allow her will to bend.
Common sense is in demand, but there’s something wrong with her head.
She needs another plan to accomplish anything,
it’s time to make a stand but the sound is deafening.
Once again she pretends the time is now to make her stand
once again she pretends she won’t allow her will to bend.
Well, she’s so sick and tired of feeling sick and tired (2x)
Why can’t she understand even a simple thread?
Common sense is in demand but there’s something wrong with her head.
Once again she pretends the time is now to make her stand
once again she pretends she won’t allow her will to bend.
Once again she pretends the time is now to make her stand
once again she pretends she won’t allow her will to bend.
The song "Once Again" by Chris Volz is about a woman who is struggling to understand simple concepts and make decisions due to an underlying issue with her mental state. The lyrics suggest that she is constantly misunderstanding things, and is unable to make progress without constant direction from others. She is holding on to a thread, trying to make sense of everything around her, but her mind is not allowing her to do so. The song suggests that she needs to create a new plan to accomplish anything, and that it is time for her to make a stand despite the deafening sound of her own thoughts.
The woman in the song is pretending that she is ready to take action and stand up for herself, but the lyrics suggest that this is not the first time she has made this promise. She is so sick and tired of feeling sick and tired, yet she is unable to overcome her mental obstacles. The repetition of the phrase "once again" highlights her consistent lack of progress.
This song highlights the struggle of individuals with mental health issues and the difficulty they face in day-to-day life. The lyrics suggest that it is important to seek help and develop new strategies to overcome these obstacles. It also emphasizes the need for empathy and understanding towards those who are dealing with mental illness.
Line by Line Meaning
Why can’t she understand even a simple thread?
She's struggling to comprehend even basic concepts.
Common sense is in demand but there’s something wrong with her head.
She lacks fundamental understanding and reasoning skills.
Misunderstanding things again, she reaches for anything,
She frequently fails to grasp things correctly and grasps at any solution.
Still wondering what might have been, but the sound is deafening.
She's stuck in the past, unable to move forward, and the weight of it is overwhelming.
Once again she pretends the time is now to make her stand
She's convincing herself that she's ready to take action.
once again she pretends she won’t allow her will to bend.
She's telling herself she won't give in easily.
She’s holding out her hands, clutching on the thread,
She's holding on to any small hope she can find.
She needs another plan to accomplish anything,
Her current strategy is ineffective and she requires a new approach.
it’s time to make a stand but the sound is deafening.
She knows it's time to take a stand, but it's mentally overwhelming.
Well, she’s so sick and tired of feeling sick and tired (2x)
She's reached a point of exhaustion and desperation.
Contributed by Taylor D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ryan Davis
I frickin' love this song!
Judd Carson
chris volz is a true musician
shadowmoses2557
I agree, chris's voice makes him stand out,though I think the magic flaw had together was amazeing. but anything he sings is fantastic, he and phil anselmo are two singers that put many others to shame these days
Deleted
It's Chris Volz... He's just that amazing.
freakichik
Man, how do they just know the exact notes that melt me?
Tiffany Lopez
That's right! Chris Volz! <3 his VOICE! Beautiful!
mgs19901
i love the bass line.
Big Up Liquid Chilli
Amazing bass intro. <3
Bradley Daiker
Chris Volz. The man
sarah machado
he rocks