1. An American indie band.

2. A Politcal rapper from New Hampshire. … Read Full Bio ↴1. An American indie band.

2. A Politcal rapper from New Hampshire. (http://www.reverbnation.com/denalih1)

1.Denali was an American indie band that formed in April 2000 in Richmond, Virginia. The group disbanded in 2004, but reunited in 2008-09 for several performances.

Denali began in Richmond, Virginia in 2000 when Maura Davis approached her older brother Keeley Davis (then singer/guitarist withEngine Down with the idea of fleshing out some songs she had been working on. Keeley enlisted the help of Engine Down bandmate and former Sleepytime Trio drummer Jonathan Fuller and was followed slightly thereafter by Cam DiNunzio, longstanding member of Richmond's music community. Together these three gentlemen would help realize Maura's musical ideas into what eventually became Denali.

The name Denali (meaning "the great one") is taken from the Athabascan name for Alaska's Mount McKinley, the highest mountain in North America. The meaning is fairly obvious: Cold, remotely desolate, permanent... something the band felt pertained rather well to the sound they were stumbling upon. After recording and selling a five-song demo at live shows, Denali caught the ear of record label Jade Tree.

Denali released their debut album denali in the spring of 2002. In August 2003, they released their second album the Instinct. Shortly after the release, Jonathan Fuller and Keeley Davis left the band to focus their attention on Engine Down. Davis was replaced by bassist Stephen Howard and Ryan Rapsys replaced Fuller. Despite (or because of) these changes, Denali broke up in April 2004.

Denali performed a reunion show on July 5, 2008 at The National Theater in Richmond. This was followed by two further shows in New York City in September. In June 2009, two additional shows were performed in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C..

Hold Your Breath
Denali Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

What's your reason to kill or not
This has come a long way
Too fake for the season, is it real or not
Totally in this I'll stay
Too many sensations now for a good feeling
I'll take a step back
Let's go under and hold our breath
Who's got the reason now

In one little mouth it goes
Never will surface
Too many sensations now for a good feeling

I'll take a step back
Too many sensations now for a good feeling

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Denali's song Hold Your Breath seem to be questioning the motives and emotions behind violent actions. The first line asks "What's your reason to kill or not?" signaling a discussion about the decision to take another's life. The following lines refer to the complexities of reality, with a lament that it's hard to discern what's "real or not" in the world. Despite this, the singer seems committed to staying fully invested in the world, as evidenced by the line "Totally in this I'll stay."

The chorus begins with a contrast. The first half refers to "Too many sensations now for a good feeling," suggesting a sense of being overwhelmed, while the second half "I'll take a step back" implies an intention to minimize that feeling. The chorus then shifts gear and suggests a metaphorical underwater escape. "Let's go under and hold our breath" is repeated multiple times, creating an impression of submerging oneself beneath the "sensations" referenced earlier. The final line in the chorus "Who's got the reason now/In one little mouth it goes" serves to emphasize the ambiguity of the situation.

Overall, the song seems to be criticizing the oversimplification of situations and the inability to take decisive actions when faced with moral dilemmas. The singer seems overwhelmed by the complexity of reality, and his solution is only to retreat. The song is a somber meditation on difficult decisions and the challenging nature of living in a nuanced world.

Line by Line Meaning

What's your reason to kill or not
What drives your decision-making process, whether it's to harm or not

This has come a long way
The situation has developed and progressed significantly

Too fake for the season, is it real or not
It seems insincere and out of place, making it difficult to determine its authenticity

Totally in this I'll stay
I am committed to this regardless of any doubts or uncertainties

Too many sensations now for a good feeling
There are too many overwhelming emotions and experiences that are preventing a positive outcome

I'll take a step back
I will remove myself from the situation to gain perspective and clarity

Let's go under and hold our breath
Let's submerge ourselves completely and endure the discomfort in order to overcome the challenge

Who's got the reason now
Who is justified in making the decision based on their perceived logic

In one little mouth it goes
The answer or solution is a small but significant piece of information

Never will surface
It will remain hidden and undisclosed

Too many sensations now for a good feeling
The abundance of emotions and experiences is making it difficult to achieve a positive outlook

I'll take a step back
I will take a moment to reflect and reconsider my approach

Too many sensations now for a good feeling
The overwhelming emotions and experiences are affecting the ability to feel content and satisfied

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Becki Devries, David Michael Davis, Joshua Todd Hawkins, Kayla Marie Erb

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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