The classic-era of the band played about 80 shows, mostly around the New York City area, focusing almost entirely in lower Manhattan (CBGB, Wetlands, Bond St. Café). Darkside NYC - on a few occasions - played in Brooklyn (L'Amour), New Jersey (Studio One), Connecticut and Long Island, but those appearances were uncommon. The band made occasional forays north into upstate New York (Newburgh, Troy), Massachusetts (The Rathskeller), and south into the Baltimore / DC area. Darkside NYC's best out-of-state crowd responses were mostly in Pennsylvania (Unisound, Sea-Sea's, etc.). Darkside NYC frequently shared bills with New York hardcore bands such as WarZone, Breakdown, Madball, and metallic hardcore bands such as Merauder, All Out War, Confusion, Next Step Up and Starkweather. In 1994, the band had the distinction of being the only band to perform at both the "Superbowl of Hardcore" and the "New York Deathfest" shows, convincingly showcasing an ability to appeal to two completely different music scenes.
The earliest incarnation of the band featured Blake on guitar, along with Baron "Thorn" Misuraca (bass, vocals) and Jason Martin (drums), both also former Sheer Terror members. The band's core and best known lineup consisted of Blake, with Rich O'Brien (vocals) and Joe Branciforte (drums). The bass slot was, at times, a revolving door, but Jeff Morlos, Scott Helland, Joe Heller and Baron appeared on recordings. In 1995, Blake retired from playing music and Matt Melnick (Disassociate) filled in on guitar for a handful of shows.
The band reunited for one show in January 2003 at CBGB for the "Tribute to Frank Collins" show, in which fifteen bands played in honor of the former Confusion guitarist who died in a motorcycle crash the previous year. The line-up was Rich, Joe, Matt and Joe V on bass.
The band reformed in late 2006, and played several shows in 2007 and 2008 before spending the next few years keeping a low profile while writing a several albums of material. In 2011, the band played some select dates as a three-piece with Rich drumming and singing. In 2013, armed with a new rhythm section (Mark Sokoll - bass and Rick Beedners - drums), Darkside NYC began performing regularly in the NYC and surrounding areas. After playing Ieperfest in Belgium, Darkside NYC have decided to return to Europe for a small venue tour and have been added to the roster of M.A.D. right before the pandemic.
In 2014, "Optimism Is Self-Deception: Vols. 1 & 2" was finally released. "Optimism Is Self-Deception: Vols. 3 & 4" is currently slated for a 2021 release.
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Slipping Away
Darkside NYC Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fighting back; going under-gasping for air
A vast ocean of emotion; fucking nobody cares
Surrender to the tides of time and drift forever
Eventually wash up on a desolate beach
Slipping away
Grasping at nothing
All hope is abolished
Entwined in a perpetual vicious cycle of desperation
Enveloped in solitude-a major vortex of indifference
The lyrics of Darkside NYC's song "Slipping Away" portray a deep sense of despair and isolation. The opening line, "Drowning... in a sea of despair," sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer feels overwhelmed and suffocated by their negative emotions, struggling to stay afloat. The line "Fighting back; going under-gasping for air" suggests that despite their efforts to resist, they continue to sink deeper into their despair, desperately gasping for relief.
The lyrics go on to describe this overwhelming emotional experience as a vast ocean of emotion, where the singer feels like nobody cares about their struggle. The phrase "fucking nobody cares" expresses the frustration and disheartenment that comes with feeling utterly alone in their pain. The line "Surrender to the tides of time and drift forever" reflects a resignation to the passage of time, perhaps feeling helpless in the face of their circumstances.
The imagery shifts in the lyrics as the singer envisions themselves eventually washing up on a desolate beach. This image suggests a feeling of abandonment and desolation, a place that mirrors the state of their own emotions. The repetition of the phrase "Slipping away" emphasizes the persistent decline and loss of control that they feel. "Hands reaching higher" and "Grasping at nothing" paint a picture of desperation as they strive to hold on to something, anything, that might offer a glimmer of hope.
The final lines describe the singer being entwined in a perpetual vicious cycle of desperation, where they become completely consumed by their desperation and loneliness. They feel enveloped in solitude, trapped in a major vortex of indifference. This imagery further emphasizes their sense of isolation and their inability to break free from the pain they are experiencing. Overall, the lyrics of "Slipping Away" delve into the depths of despair and the overwhelming feeling of being unimportant and unseen in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Drowning... in a sea of despair
Engulfed in overwhelming sadness and hopelessness
Fighting back; going under-gasping for air
Struggling to resist the suffocating weight of despair and trying desperately to find relief
A vast ocean of emotion; fucking nobody cares
Surrounded by a multitude of intense feelings, yet feeling completely abandoned and disregarded by others
Surrender to the tides of time and drift forever
Giving up control to the passage of time and floating aimlessly, without any sense of direction or purpose
Eventually wash up on a desolate beach
Finally ending up in a barren and desolate place, symbolizing complete isolation and despair
Slipping away
Gradually losing grip on oneself, sanity, or hope
Hands reaching higher
Reaching out for help and support, desperately seeking salvation
Grasping at nothing
Trying to hold onto something, but finding nothing tangible or meaningful to hold onto
All hope is abolished
The belief in a better future or positive outcome is completely eliminated
Entwined in a perpetual vicious cycle of desperation
Trapped in an unending and cruel pattern of hopelessness and despair
Enveloped in solitude-a major vortex of indifference
Completely surrounded by loneliness and apathy, feeling swallowed up by an overwhelming sense of indifference from others
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Rich O'Brien
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind