To thrive and ultimately succeed, this process requires shedding ego and letting go of pride. It resembles an active admission of humanity in all of its idiosyncrasies and imperfections. Most importantly, the message only resounds when the audience responds and resonates.
On their aptly titled third full-length album and first for Fearless Records, Signals, Devour The Day didn’t just blur the line between musician and listener; they abolished it entirely. The trio—Blake Allison [lead vocals, guitar], Joey “Chicago” Walser [bass, backing vocals], and Ronnie Farris [drums]—focused on getting closer than ever before by preserving the purity of these “signals” and honoring the crowd above all.
“If you’re part of the rock community, you’ve chosen to be a musical outsider,” says Joey. “The choice represents a certain integrity. We respect that so much. There’s no distinction or hierarchy between us and the people who listen to us. We’re all the same. A lot of times, that’s not clear in this business. It’s stuck in The Matrix where the artist is on a pedestal and the fan is below. We said, ‘Fuck all of this tired bullshit’,” he exclaims. “We’re admitting we don’t have ownership of these songs. Rather, they’re all gifts we’ve organized and put into the soundtrack for a community story. This is an escape from the norm. We’re just honored to have the opportunity to make another record and put everything into it.”
“We’re celebrating this community first,” adds Blake. “Whether or not we make music, we’re recognizing the fact we’re lucky enough to do this. We can’t take credit for the ability to create. We highlight the fact it’s a gift on this record by looking at everything from a different angle.”
A growing discography and countless gigs positioned the trio to do so. 2014’s Time & Pressure yielded the Active Rock Top 10 hit “Good Man,” which impressively sold 100,000-plus singles. Meanwhile, the band lit up festivals a la Rock on the Range in addition to touring alongside Sevendust, Three Days Grace, In This Moment, and many more. Most recently, 2016’s S.O.A.R. ignited a flurry of streaming success. “Lightning In The Sky” generated over 3 million Spotify streams and “The Bottom” cracked 2.6 million as the band regularly averaged nearly 200K monthly listeners on the platform.
Following tours alongside Skillet and Alter Bridge, the group returned from the road to commence work on what would become Signals in 2017. They eventually reteamed with S.O.A.R. producer Dan Korneff [Paramore, Lamb of God], but they revised and revamped the entire process prior.
Instead of penning a handful of songs and rushing to the studio, they accumulated nearly 100 pieces of music on their own. Without showing anyone outside of the core three-piece, they allowed the songs to evolve over six months, adding and tweaking along the way.
After laying down the music at Korneff’s spot, Blake personally tracked his vocals in his home studio.
“It was like being 12-years-old again and locking yourself in a room with your guitar amp and total freedom,” Blake smiles. “We got back to our roots and set about on our next creative evolution through doing so.”
The first single “Faithless” hinges on a hulking stomp brushing up against Blake’s guttural delivery. As a hyper-charged riff kicks in, the chorus rises in tandem to arena-size heights, seesawing between pummeling and passionate.
“The truth about so many aspects of our world has come to light,” the frontman goes on. “Dark secrets are being exposed in almost every corner of our society. The hidden prejudice of how we treat people is being uncovered. Power and greed have distorted our leadership. We are demanding a change. We must challenge the rules of conduct and refine them in every way to create an authentic world worth believing in.”
A barking dog trumpets the opener “One Shot” as muscular guitars and propulsive drums give way to another anthemic chant, “You only get one shot!”
Joey says, “Life moves like a passing shadow. We are a mist that appears and then vanishes. We can strive for success, power, glory, victory, fortune and acclaim but they too will fade. We have one shot at a legacy. We have one shot to be humble and gracious with a tireless and sincere conviction for something greater than ourselves. Keep your eye on the target.”
Elsewhere, “Wonderful Creatures” tempers thick beats and emotionally charged vocals as “Cliffhanger” encapsulates an all-encompassing theme, “There is a choice that begins all positive change.”
These Signals find Devour The Day stronger than ever, but they’re sharing their strength in the end…
“We want to level the playing field,” Joey leaves off. “We’re being real with our responsibility that we’re lucky to have.”
Good Man
Devour The Day Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want to be faithful but I know that I'm not
I want to be a good man, I want to do right
I don't wanna be a criminal for the rest of my life
Everything that I've done before
Has brought me back down on my knees
I'm crying out to you, Lord
It's getting harder and harder to see
Is there any good left in, me!
Is there any good left in me?
I want to be a good man
Is there any good left in me?
I want to be be a good man, I wanna be a saved
I want to be a free man but I feel like a slave
And I'm crying out to you, Lord
It's getting harder and harder to see
If there's good left in me?
Is there any good left in me?
I want to be a good man
Is there any good left?
I want to be a good man
Is there any good left in me?
I want to be a good man
Is there any good left?
Pull me from the darkness, lift me back into the light
Fill this empty vessel, fill this hole I have inside
Am I worth forgiveness, I can't make myself believe
Show me that you're listening and tear this devil out of me
I want to be a good man
Is there any good left in me?
I want to be a good man
I want to be a good man
Is there good left in me?
I want to be a good man
Is there any good left in me?
The lyrics to Devour The Day’s song “Good Man” speak to the internal struggle of wanting to be a better person, to be seen as a “good man,” but feeling weighed down by past mistakes and the difficulty of breaking free from them. The singer desires to be faithful, to do right, to be saved, and to be free. Yet, despite these desires, he finds himself feeling like a criminal, like a slave. The lines “It’s getting harder and harder to see / if there’s good left in me?” speak to the doubt and desperation that can come with feeling trapped in one’s own negative patterns.
The repetition of the central question, “Is there any good left in me?” emphasizes the urgency and intensity of the singer’s struggle. The final verse pleads for help from a higher power to lift the singer out of the darkness and emptiness he feels. The lines “Show me that you’re listening and tear this devil out of me” beg for a sign of hope and for divine intervention to break free from the singer’s inner demons.
Overall, the lyrics of “Good Man” are about the constant battle to be a better person, to do the right thing, and to overcome one’s own struggles and doubts. Through honest introspection, the singer acknowledges his own flaws and shortcomings, but also expresses a desire and hope for redemption.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to be a good man, I want to see God
The singer desires to lead a virtuous life and see God in the afterlife
I want to be faithful but I know that I'm not
Despite their aspiration to be faithful, the singer acknowledges their past shortcomings
I want to be a good man, I want to do right
The singer seeks to do what is morally right and just
I don't wanna be a criminal for the rest of my life
The artist desires to turn away from their past misdeeds and avoid a lifetime of criminality
Everything that I've done before
Has brought me back down on my knees
The artist's past actions have caused them to feel regretful and remorseful
I'm crying out to you, Lord
It's getting harder and harder to see
If there's good left in me?
The singer is in a state of desperation and seeks guidance to determine if they have the capacity for goodness
Is there any good left in me?
The singer questions their own morality and whether or not they are capable of being good
I want to be a good man
Is there any good left in me?
The artist reiterates their desire to be good, and questions their own capacity for goodness
I want to be be a good man, I wanna be a saved
I want to be a free man but I feel like a slave
The artist longs for salvation and freedom, but feels trapped and burdened by their past actions
Pull me from the darkness, lift me back into the light
Fill this empty vessel, fill this hole I have inside
The artist seeks divine intervention to fill their emotional emptiness and restore their moral integrity
Am I worth forgiveness, I can't make myself believe
Show me that you're listening and tear this devil out of me
The singer is unsure if they are deserving of forgiveness and beseeches God to show them a sign of mercy
Is there any good left?
I want to be a good man
Is there any good left in me?
The artist repeats their longing to be a good person, but questions whether or not they possess the inherent capacity for goodness
I want to be a good man
Is there any good left in me?
The singer reiterates their desire to be a good person, and questions whether or not they possess the inherent capacity for goodness
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BLAKE CARNEY ALLISON, JOSEPH DAVID WALSER, SKIDD MILLS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Justin Cameron
"I wanna be a good man, I wanna see God. I wanna be faithful but I know that I am not." Those lyrics hit deep with me
denisejustdenise
I can relate completely to the place of desolation that any of us, born-again christians, can find ourselves in when we compromise. Painful, but effective. Important song!
Madison Reacts
My first concert was yesterday. I saw them with Skillet, Pop Evil, and Sevendust. Let me tell you they put on the best show.
theamazing mrslick
No way bro was that the richmond one in august?
Lee Miller
Seen all those bands more than once and they all wail!!!! Have not gotten the chance to see Devour The Day though. That must have been one helluva show!!! Cheers.
DARK DESPAYRE
Wanted to know if it was in Reno? That was one of the best concerts I've ever been to.
ultraalex20
Damn. The inner 13 yr old in me is screaming at the fact that this concert existed and that I didn’t get to go. xD
SycoKid
Nice! I've seen Skillet and Sevendust, they are both really good live!
Nicholas O'Bryan
I'm not religious at all. this song is so damn addicting though. Can't get enough of it. Crank it up as loud as I can every time
Carl Smith
@Jared Kravor Dude I'm not religious either but there are some days that even I yell to something. Its still a good song. I feel it even if I am not yelling to the same person he is. Not cool