Counterparts formed in Hamilton, Ontario in 2007.[7] Counterparts consisted of vocalist Brendan Murphy, guitarist Jesse Doreen, guitarist Curtis Washik, bassist Eric Bazinet, and drummer Ryan Juntilla. In 2009, Washik departed from the band, and Alex Re joined the band temporarily as their guitarist before becoming their permanent guitarist. In March 2009 Counterparts toured Canada. In 2010 Shane Told, from the band Silverstein, signed them to his Verona Records label.
Lead vocalist Brendan Murphy was featured on the song "The Artist" on Silverstein's fifth album, Rescue. He also appeared in their music video.
The band's debut album Prophets was released 23 February 2010 on label Verona Records. In 2010, Juntilla left the band, and was replaced by Chris Needham. A split EP, featuring Needham on drums was released 21 November 2010 with hardcore punk band Exalt. The band toured North America in support of the album, which was inspired by Mussy.
In spring of 2011, the band was signed to Victory Records. The band continued to tour until the summer of 2011, when they announced that they were recording a new album. During this time, Needham left the band to see a speech therapist. A search for their next drummer was started, but ultimately, Juntilla rejoined the band, just in time to start recording for their second album, The Current Will Carry Us. The album was released 24 October 2011 on Victory. A music video was released for the song "Jumping Ship".
Kyle Brownlee, formerly of Canadian deathcore band Majesty, filled in for Juntilla for the entirety of the band's Canadian headliner tour, later on in summer of 2012, it was announced that Juntilla departed from Counterparts because he no longer wanted to be a part of the band. Days after the announcement, bassist Eric Bazinet commented on his Tumblr page that Juntilla had left the band in February and most of the members have not spoken to him since then. He had left to pursue interests in a band he was in during Counterparts. Bazinet added that on their last tour with Juntilla, "he was especially uninterested."
The band's third album The Difference Between Hell and Home was released on 24 July 2013 to positive critical reception. A music video for the track "Witness" was posted ten days prior to the release of the album.
In late 2013, guitarist Alex Re posted on his personal Facebook page that he had left Counterparts and would be playing his last show with the band at their hometown show in December. He was later replaced by Adrian Lee. In 2014, bassist Eric Bazinet announced that after seven years, he was leaving the band to pursue a career, and to spend time with family. After Bazinet's departure, Blake Hardman from Hundredth filled in on bass for the band on the "Fuck the Message Tour" that was headlined by Stick to Your Guns. Shortly afterwards, the guitarist of Kills and Thrills, Brian Kaczmarczyk, joined on bass, becoming the only non-Canadian member of the band.
In the spring of 2015, vocalist Brendan Murphy announced in an interview that their fourth album, Tragedy Will Find Us, is expected to be released in the summer of 2015. On 23 April, the band announced that they have signed to Pure Noise Records, and New Damage Records. Pure Noise will released the album in the U.S., while New Damage released it in Canada. The fourth album was released in July 2015. Tyler Williams, a bandmate of Hardman's in Nashville hardcore act on Point, also joined the band during this period. It was announced in March 2017 the band would play the 22nd annual Vans Warped Tour.
The band's fifth album, You're Not You Anymore, was released on 22 September 2017 via New Damage and Pure Noise Records. They have also shared singles from the album, called Haunt Me, Bouquet, and No Servant of Mine. "You're Not You Anymore" was the first recorded effort without the participation of Doreen due to his departure from Counterparts.
The band released their sixth studio album, Nothing Left to Love, on 1 November 2019 via New Damage and Pure Noise Records. The record marks the return of guitarist and backing vocalist Alex Re. "Nothing Left to Love" was the band's first record to break into the top 100 of the Billboard 200 charts, peaking at 97.
On May 31, 2022 Counterparts announced on all social media platforms their seventh studio album A Eulogy for Those Still Here due for release on October 7, 2022 through Pure Noise Records. The first single "Unwavering Vow" was released on June 1, 2022. The second single "Whispers Of Your Death" was released on July 26, 2022, and was written about Brendan Murphy's cat Kuma. The third single "Bound to The Burn" was released on September 7, 2022.
Current Members
Brendan Murphy – lead vocals (2007–present)
Alex Re – guitar, backing vocals, clean vocals (2009–2013; 2019–present)
Kyle Brownlee – drums, percussion (2012, 2016, 2017–present)
Tyler Williams – bass guitar, backing vocals (2017–present)
Jesse Doreen – guitar (2007–2016, 2021–present)
Former Members:
Curtis Washik – rhythm guitar (2007–2009)
Chris Needham – drums, percussion (2010–2011)
Ryan Juntilla – drums, percussion (2007–2010; 2011–2012)
Adrian Lee – rhythm guitar (2013–2019), bass (2017)
Eric Bazinet – bass (2007–2014)
Brian Kaczmarczyk – bass guitar (2014–2017)
Ben Leathem – drums, percussion (2016–2017)
Kelly Bilan – drums, percussion (2012–2016)
Blake Hardman – guitar, backing vocals (2016–2021), bass (2014, 2017)
Compass
Counterparts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Spoiled by defeat, forced to drown in what's left of me
That's when breathing became routine
And I could feel myself fading
I am stranded
No direction, I am a compass
Constantly spinning
Never reaching our destination
But the goal was never when
Or where
Or who
It was only you
I appeared in your arms as if I had been born there
You promised you'd never let me go
But I don't know what I believe anymore (what to believe anymore)
Affection allowed me to let the light in
The fear made me whole again
Help me rebuild my broken bones
Help me regain my sanity
But with caution always present
Our pasts manifest themselves
And we act as if this is what we deserve
But I refuse to fail again
I'd force my ghost to write your name in the flowers on my grave
I watched the world give up on me
I used to spend my nights, praying for air in my bloodstream
Now I long to feel your breath pass through my arteries
The goal was never when
Or where
Or who
It was only you
I appeared in your arms as if I had been born there
You promised you'd never let me go
But I don't know what I believe anymore (what to believe anymore)
Fill me with your faith and let me leave
I'm scratching at my skin to take my mind
Off the absence we've created
The lines blur together like the veins in my arms
And I wish I wasn't so alone
You are the difference between hell and home
The lyrics in Counterparts' song Compass describe a sense of being lost and unfulfilled, but with a glimmer of hope that someone else can bring meaning to life. The first verse begins with a despairing tone, describing feeling defeated and hopeless. Breathing, which is a necessary and automatic bodily function, is now routine, indicating a lack of energy or motivation to engage with life. The singer is searching for a direction or purpose to guide them, but they feel stranded and aimless. They are, however, fixated on someone, and the singer emphasizes the fact that the goal has always been that person. The second verse describes a moment of hope and renewal when the singer was able to let light and affection into their life. However, they are also cautious about the past and the potential for failure. The singer confesses a desire for their loved one that seems almost physical, and they are haunted by the fear of being alone. The repetition of the line "the goal was never when, or where, or who" suggests that love is the guiding force in life, even if it is elusive and difficult to understand.
Overall, the lyrics of Compass speak to the human need for direction, purpose, and love. The singer is struggling with depression or some kind of emotional pain, but they convey the possibility of healing through connection with someone else. This desire for connection is expressed in physical terms, such as feeling someone else's breath and warmth, but it is also emotional - the singer wants to believe in someone or something outside of themselves. The song is a meditation on the way in which love can guide and anchor us, even in the midst of confusion and doubt.
Line by Line Meaning
The weight came and went and took my will to live
Defeat and setbacks have robbed me of my motivation to keep going
Spoiled by defeat, forced to drown in what's left of me
Failures have left me jaded and drowning in my own misery
That's when breathing became routine
I've become so numb that even breathing feels like something I just have to do
And I could feel myself fading
I can sense my own slow decline and erosion from within
I am stranded
I am lost and directionless
No direction, I am a compass
I am aimless and searching for guidance
Constantly spinning
I am in a state of perpetual confusion and uncertainty
Constantly searching for the end
I am trying to find some kind of resolution and clarity
Never reaching our destination
We are always falling short of our goals
But the goal was never when
We were never focused on time or deadlines
Or where
Physical location was never the priority
Or who
The focus was never on other people
It was only you
The only thing that mattered was the person I cared about
I appeared in your arms as if I had been born there
Being with you feels natural, like I was always meant to be there
You promised you'd never let me go
You made a vow to always be there for me
But I don't know what I believe anymore (what to believe anymore)
I'm not sure if I can trust in that promise anymore
Affection allowed me to let the light in
Love and care helped me open up and start to heal
The fear made me whole again
Even though I was afraid, the experience allowed me to feel complete
Help me rebuild my broken bones
I need support and care to repair my emotional wounds
Help me regain my sanity
I need help to restore my mental health and well-being
But with caution always present
I'm still wary and careful about opening up too much
Our pasts manifest themselves
Our history and baggage influence our present selves
And we act as if this is what we deserve
We sometimes accept our struggles as punishment we deserve
But I refuse to fail again
I am determined not to give up or be defeated
I'd force my ghost to write your name in the flowers on my grave
I am so committed to you that even after death, I would remember you
I watched the world give up on me
It felt like everyone else had lost hope in me and my abilities
I used to spend my nights, praying for air in my bloodstream
I used to feel suffocated and hopeless, but now I long for something life-giving
Now I long to feel your breath pass through my arteries
I want to feel connected to you on a deep physical level
Fill me with your faith and let me leave
Give me the courage and belief to move forward
I'm scratching at my skin to take my mind
I'm desperate to escape my own thoughts and feelings
Off the absence we've created
Our distance and disconnection is weighing on me
The lines blur together like the veins in my arms
Everything feels hazy and indistinct
And I wish I wasn't so alone
I feel isolated and cut off from others
You are the difference between hell and home
Being with you is the only thing that feels comforting and safe
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Alexander John Re, Brendan Murphy, Eric James John Bazinet, Jesse Diamond Doreen, Kelly Alexander Bilan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@pedroferreira5489
This song is therapy, unbelievable fusion of sadness, anger and hope
@JerryRoweGuitar
Better than 100% of the Metalcore bands and so far the best Melodic Hardcore band i've heard IMO, and i've heard a lot of em. Melo hardcore beats Metalcore any given day,
@Luciferswife
IM SCRATCHING AT MY SKIIIIIIINNNNNNNN, TO TAKE MY MIND OF THE ABSENCE WEVE CREATED. THE LINES BLUR TOGETHER LIKE THE VEINS IN MY ARRRMMMMSSS, AND I WISH I WASNT SO ALONE. YOURE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HEELLLLL ANDDDD HOMEEE
@7mgs
this song will never be bad. been a good 6 years and still listening to it
@ShatteredToDust
That build up to the whole "I watched the world give up on me." is perfect
@thepanda973
Counterparts- Compass: You are the difference between hell and home
Solace: I think I live in both my hell and my home
This is why they have quickly become my favorite band
@khalifa13thy
Damn never noticed that thanks g!
@GuitardedDude88
3:51 is so powerful as is the whole album. It`s all the small things in this album that makes it so outstanding, tops any other band in whatever `genre`people want to label them into.
@VoteforPaulo
From 3:18 onwards is soooooo chilling. That slow eerie guitar interlude, then it comes full stop, and then bursts straight into epicness. And the lyrics....my god...so bone-chilling and memorable. I love that outro.
@alinamichelle2531
A+ lyrics wow too good