The tribulation began at the dawning of 2005, when singer and guitarist Dave Raymond broke up his former band League to "write the music I wanted to write and have everybody in the same mindset." Pulling guitarist Matthew Kipp with him out of the wreckage of League, Raymond set about to design a line-up that both befit the musical sensibilities he hoped to foster and which championed a sense of internal camaraderie. Now comes the first sacrifice: Brad McRae, former drummer of Sleeping Girl Drowning, hopped on a bus from Orlando to Buffalo, a 30-plus hour ride, to join Raymond's vision as drummer.
So with a line-up of a three, Damiera began writing songs that they used to audition bassists. When luck did not proffer up a musician who fit the band's mold, Damiera's friend Mark Henry, then the singer of Queen City Nights, stepped in to help record bass on Damiera's debut EP, which the group self-produced and released in March of 2005 and immediately followed with self-booked tours ("I figured it out by doing things all the wrong ways first and then making it work," Raymond says of booking shows). Sacrifice two: After a term with a touring bassist, Henry called Raymond to announce he was breaking up his band of eight years to become Damiera's full-time bassist.
Don't get comfortable yet, though. As soon as Damiera had solidified the position of bassist, Kipp quit and the band set about on the daunting task of auditioning over 100 guitarists all over the country. Finally, after Raymond posted an ad on PureVolume.com, Damiera got a call from New Orleans-based guitarist Rock Whittington, just a month before the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Then comes the third sacrifice: Months later, while deleting numbers from his phone, Raymond came across Whittington's and instead of deleting him, pressed the send button ("This is where the fate thing really gets weird," Raymond says). Whittington joined Damiera in Buffalo as their guitarist shortly thereafter.
Damiera immediately locked themselves in a rehearsal space in Buffalo for the next two months, writing what would becomes their dynamic, charging debut album, M(US)IC, in nearly complete isolation. When they emerged from what Raymond calls "one of the most intense experiences" of his life, Damiera had in hand the 10 surging tracks that producer Jayson DeZuzio (Coheed & Cambria, My Chemical Romance) would refine into tight, layered songs that draw their power from an extreme emphasis on melody over the course of the next month at his New Jersey studio.
Always the patrons of DIY promotion, Damiera pressed 1,000 copies of the record in partnership with now-defunct label Tamerlane and sold every single one as they trekked back and forth across the country at the behest of Raymond's now-perfected booking skills, playing nearly 200 shows in 2006. Word of mouth brought news of the band to Equal Vision Records, who signed Damiera in the summer of 2006 and will re-release M(US)IC on January 23rd, 2007.
You can relax now. This is where the story has brought us, to the moment Damiera defeated their greatest challenge through hard work and sacrifice, and are preparing to set sail on a comparatively smooth sea, armed with an impressive debut that brings to mind the progressive tones of At the Drive-In, the prancing guitars of Minus the Bear, complex layers of Faraquet and the compelling melodies of Braid. Not only does the record, which resounds with the ever-relevant themes of sacrifice, self-discovery and change, reveal an exceptional talented band with a singular and clear vision, but it represents the human capacity for accomplishment.
"It's the realization of a dream and it far surpasses what I thought," Raymond says. "I could feel it. I knew it was possible. I just didn't think it would happen in my life. We all have that feeling."
taken from www.damiera.com
Damiera has not broken up, they have now reformed from the break up in April of 2007.
As of September 2008 they're on tour with Fear Before (formerly Fear Before the March of Flames)
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Damiera Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Left was a needless contender extending
Comprehending
The balance to stand
Tall invested in cooperative landing contradiction in the flow
Drowning falling
Embracing careless default
It disproves upon the calendar day
We're all lost in the day
Sinking to a place to call
Something, something making its way to function from
All logistic thoughts and cautious reactions are undone
While this high wire
We're strung from leaves us exposed and overcome
Accept, accept
Lasting elation bridging anticipation
All the while holding our breath
Can it, can it stop from dissoving my thoughts
Stranded broken withdrawn
A body left to steady and actualize
Now it's focused
Withdrawn
A body left to steady and actual
All logistic thoughts and cautious reactions are undone
While this high wire
We're strung from leaves us exposed and overcome
Accept, accept
In Damiera's song "MIC," the lyrics speak to the struggle of finding balance in one's life while dealing with the pressures of society and the expectations placed upon oneself. The first verse sets the tone with the image of someone who is lost and drowning, unable to find solid ground to stand on. They are embracing their default mode, which is careless and not productive, while they try to disprove the passing of time. The second verse introduces the concept of bridging anticipation with elation, meaning that there is a sense of hope that things will get better. However, the fear of not being able to control one's thoughts and actions becomes overwhelming. It feels like they are stranded and broken, and they need to pull themselves together and steady their thoughts and actions to survive.
Line by Line Meaning
Found
Start of the song
Left was a needless contender extending
Some have been left out or forgotten
Comprehending
Trying to make sense of it all
The balance to stand
Trying to remain stable
Tall invested in cooperative landing contradiction in the flow
Trying to keep balance in a world of contradictions
Drowning falling
Feeling overwhelmed and helpless
Embracing careless default
Giving up control and just going with the flow
It disproves upon the calendar day
Time reveals the flaws and shortcomings of things
Paused trailing
Momentary pause to reflect on the situation
We're all lost in the day
We are all lost in our daily lives
Sinking to a place to call
Falling into a low point where we feel like we have nothing left
Something, something making its way to function from
Something is trying to come together and work
All logistic thoughts and cautious reactions are undone
Planning and caution have failed
While this high wire
The danger or challenge we face
We're strung from leaves us exposed and overcome
We are vulnerable and struggling
Accept, accept
Resigning ourselves to the situation
Lasting elation bridging anticipation
Hope and excitement for a better future
All the while holding our breath
Waiting anxiously
Can it, can it stop from dissolving my thoughts
Trying to hold on to our thoughts and maintain clarity
Stranded broken withdrawn
Feeling abandoned and disconnected
A body left to steady and actualize
Comforting ourselves and grounding ourselves in physical reality
Now it's focused
We have found our focus and determination
Withdrawn
Retreating to ourselves for comfort
A body left to steady and actual
Focusing on the physical world and what we can control
All logistic thoughts and cautious reactions are undone
Planning and caution have failed
While this high wire
The danger or challenge we face
We're strung from leaves us exposed and overcome
We are vulnerable and struggling
Accept, accept
Resigning ourselves to the situation
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ARTHUR SCHWARTZ, HOWARD DIETZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind