Dead by April is a modern metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden.

The ba… Read Full Bio ↴Dead by April is a modern metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden.

The band released a demo in 2007 and another in 2008, and they both leaked out to several peer-to-peer-sites. During this time they also played in local venues around Gothenburg. The demo also spawned one radio single, Falling Behind. In 2008, the band received two awards, both for Best Newcomer, on “Swedish Pop Awards” and “Bandit Rock Awards”

Their first single “Losing You” was released 6 March, 2009 at their MySpace page. The song gained attention to the band by being background music to Expedition Robinson 2009. On the 13 May 2009, the band released their debut album Dead by April, which contains 13 songs, eleven of which are remastered demo songs, with the other two being new ones. On July 21 2009, when the band was on a UK tour with Skindred, Dead by April announced that the track “Angels of Clarity” would be their next UK only single. The band has also announced a second Swedish single, “What Can I Say”.

Current members:
Christoffer Andersson- harsh vocals (2013 - present)
Zandro Santiago - vocals (2010 - present)
Marcus Wesslén – bass guitar (2007 - present)
Alexander Svenningson – drums (2007 - present)
Pontus Hjelm - guitars, vocals (2007 - present)

Former members:
Jimmie Strimell – vocals (2007 - 2013)
Johan Olsson – guitars, backing vocals (2007 - 2010)
Henric Carlsson - bass (2007)
Johan Eskilsson - guitars

Session Members:
Jonas Ekdahl - drums (2010 - 2011)
Joel Nilsson - guitars (2010)

Hold On
Dead by April Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I’ve been questioning myself the wrong way
My insecurity made me wanna feel pain
I’d put a knife to my wrist, and part of my story ends
Used to swallow them pills, tried to ease the pain
In fact the truth is, I did again and again

[Chorus:]
Hold on, hold on

Let me take the pain away
Hold on, hold on
There’s no need to feel afraid
‘Cause I am here and I’ll protect you
Tell me what’s wrong?
What did they do to you, to you, to you, to you?
What did they do to you, to you, to you, to you?

Been approaching my inner self the wrong way
My self-esteem was so low, I only felt hate
My own worst enemy, but part of my story ends
After two years of battling, I’m feeling better than
I’m feeling better than ever, I’ll stay like this forever

[Chorus]

Fear not, I’ll never leave your side
Until the end, I’ll be here
Take my word for it, it’s the truth
Come here, it’s okay, it’s alright
It’s okay, it’s alright
Let me hold you close

[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Hold On" by Dead by April shed light on the singer's struggle with mental health issues, including depression and suicidal thoughts. The first verse reveals that the singer has been asking himself the wrong questions, leading to a tendency to hurt himself. He has resorted to self-harm in the form of cutting his wrist and taking pills to numb the pain. The chorus provides hope and solace, with the singer offering to take the pain away and protect the sufferer. He wants to know what has caused their pain and pledges to be there for them.

In the second verse, the singer realizes that he has not been addressing himself correctly, leading to feelings of self-loathing and low self-esteem. He becomes his own worst enemy, but eventually begins to feel better after two years of battling with his inner demons. The chorus repeats, emphasizing the idea of holding on and not giving up, with the singer promising never to leave the sufferer's side.

The lyrics of "Hold On" encourage those battling mental illness to seek help and find hope in the presence of others. They promote the message of never giving up and that there is always someone out there willing to help.

Line by Line Meaning

I’ve been questioning myself the wrong way
I’ve been doubting myself and my abilities in an unfair and negative manner.

My insecurity made me wanna feel pain
My lack of confidence and self-esteem led me to try and feel something even if it caused harm.

I’d put a knife to my wrist, and part of my story ends
I tried to end my own life by slicing my wrist, which would have resulted in my story ending.

Used to swallow them pills, tried to ease the pain
I used to swallow pills in an attempt to relieve my pain even though it was harmful.

In fact the truth is, I did again and again
I repeated this harmful behavior multiple times despite knowing the consequences.

Hold on, hold on Let me take the pain away
Stay strong and keep fighting, I am here to help ease your pain.

There’s no need to feel afraid
You don't have to be afraid, I am here to help you.

‘Cause I am here and I’ll protect you
I am here right beside you and I will make sure you are safe.

Tell me what’s wrong? What did they do to you, to you, to you, to you? What did they do to you, to you, to you, to you?
Please share what is troubling you, and who has caused you harm or distress.

Been approaching my inner self the wrong way
I have been treating myself and my inner thoughts unfairly.

My self-esteem was so low, I only felt hate
My opinion of myself was so low that all I could feel was hatred towards myself.

My own worst enemy, but part of my story ends
I was my own biggest obstacle, but I have turned things around now.

After two years of battling, I’m feeling better than I’m feeling better than ever, I’ll stay like this forever
After two years of fighting against my own demons, I have overcome them and I am feeling better than ever. I am confident in my ability to continue being healthy.

Fear not, I’ll never leave your side Until the end, I’ll be here
Do not worry or be afraid, I will always be here by your side until the end.

Take my word for it, it’s the truth
I promise you that what I am saying is true and sincere.

Come here, it’s okay, it’s alright It’s okay, it’s alright Let me hold you close
Come closer to me, everything is okay and alright. Let me hold you close and comfort you.

Hold on, hold on
Stay strong, and keep fighting on.

There’s no need to feel afraid
You do not have to be afraid, I will be here to help you.

‘Cause I am here and I’ll protect you
I will be here to protect you and make sure you are safe.

Tell me what’s wrong? What did they do to you, to you, to you, to you? What did they do to you, to you, to you, to you?
Please share with me what has been troubling and causing you harm.

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing
Written by: PONTUS HJELM

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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