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)
Solace
Counterparts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Abandonment still fresh upon the tips of our tongues
The whispers we've chosen to live and die in will
Infect deaf ears with the discordance of deceit
Why do we scream when there is nothing left to say?
Silently acknowledging the solace in loss
I am content with throwing everything away because I lost myself when I found you
My conscience is my coffin and I swear sometimes i'd rather be dead
Make sure that I still feel, I don't care how much it hurts
I'll always be numb on my side of the earth
In the dark I watched the light hit your skin
Hoping that my eyes might never adjust
Soft sounds save me from the confines of sleep
Because hearing your voice once was never enough
I think i've finally identified the difference
I think I live in both my hell and my home
I will forever be a slave to your distance
Don't let me in
Don't let me go
Carry me back to your bed
My conscience is my coffin and I swear sometimes i'd rather be dead
Make sure that I still feel, I don't care how much it hurts
I'll always be numb on my side of the earth
Don't let me in, don't let me go
(in this moment)
I'd rather die than live without you
I'd rather die
Solace by Counterparts is a deeply emotional and introspective song that explores themes of love, loss, and abandonment. The lyrics paint a picture of two people who are struggling to communicate with each other, shivering in the pause between words and grappling with the aftermath of abandonment. The whispers they have chosen to live and die in are infecting deaf ears with discordance, highlighting the destructive power of deceit. Despite the feeling of being lost and numb, the singer finds solace in acknowledging the loss and contentment in throwing everything away because they lost themselves when they found the other person. The line "Silently acknowledging the solace in loss" is particularly poignant as it suggests that sometimes it's better to accept loss and move on rather than fighting against it.
The chorus is a haunting plea to be carried back to the other person's bed, even though the singer's conscience feels like a coffin and they would rather be dead. They don't care how much it hurts, as long as they still feel something. The line "I'll always be numb on my side of the earth" is a powerful metaphor for emotional distance and the feeling of being disconnected from the world around you. The bridge of the song introduces a new element, with the singer watching the light hit the other person's skin and hoping that their eyes never adjust. This may suggest a fear of losing the intensity of the connection they have, or a desire to hold onto a moment of beauty and intimacy forever. The final lines of the song, "I'd rather die than live without you", are a gut-wrenching declaration of love and a reminder of the depth of feeling that can come with human connection.
Line by Line Meaning
We shiver in the pause between words
The atmosphere is tense, we're struggling to communicate
Abandonment still fresh upon the tips of our tongues
We're trying to move on, but can't help remembering the past
The whispers we've chosen to live and die in will Infect deaf ears with the discordance of deceit
Our secrets and lies are harming relationships, even if they go unnoticed
Why do we scream when there is nothing left to say?
We're angry and frustrated, but there's no real resolution to be found
Silently acknowledging the solace in loss
We must accept the ending of things and find comfort in the stillness
I am content with throwing everything away because I lost myself when I found you
Our love has consumed me to the point of self-destruction
Carry me back to your bed
I need to feel close to you to find peace
My conscience is my coffin and I swear sometimes i'd rather be dead
My guilt and regret are eating away at me, making me wish for an end to it all
Make sure that I still feel, I don't care how much it hurts
I need to know that I'm alive, even if pain is the only sensation
I'll always be numb on my side of the earth
My pain is unique and isolated to my own existence
In the dark I watched the light hit your skin
I'm fixated on you, even in the darkness
Hoping that my eyes might never adjust
I never want to stop seeing the beauty in you
Soft sounds save me from the confines of sleep
Your voice is like a lifeline, pulling me out of the darkness of my own mind
Because hearing your voice once was never enough
I'm always craving more, no matter how much I get
I think i've finally identified the difference
I've figured out why things went wrong
I think I live in both my hell and my home
My love for you both comforts and torments me
I will forever be a slave to your distance
I'm trapped by my own longing for you, no matter how far away you are
Don't let me in
I'm not sure I can handle the intensity of our connection
Don't let me go
I can't bear the thought of losing what we have
(in this moment) I'd rather die than live without you
You are the only thing keeping me going, I can't imagine life without you
I'd rather die
My love for you is so intense that the idea of losing you is unbearable
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Brendan Murphy, Jesse Diamond Doreen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Birdseed99
"I think I’ve finally identified the Difference. I think I live in both my hell and my home."
Favorite line on the whole record.
@tomzen981
That mention of Difference Between Hell and Home was perfect
@xelor_incaos9084
It's sad to know that even though he thought that she was the difference between hell and home, now he realizes that he lives in both. The acknowledging of solace.
@Mitzey
The feels are strong with this one
@HeyAbyss
This is almost as good as guilt free
@samtiles
Mark Grabban Fuck yeah mate this music touches right on the point
@bourdovalos1
+Mark “Conceptions” Grabban counterparts never fail to deliver, leading melodic hardcore band. conceptions could have been there too. feelsbadman
@sarumadaki
Lmao remember when you used to be a scene kid celebrity for absolutely no reason
@Mitzey
@@sarumadaki And here you are, Mr. Nobody. Couldn't be me lmao.
@quadzilla60
this has got to be one of the most dramatic nd emotional chord progressions nd effects combo I've heard. as soon as the guitar comes in at the beginning, you immediately get the exact tone of the song before any words are said.