Together since high school, and still only in their early twenties, Dont Look Down have earned their stripes as relentless road-dogs, sharing stages nationwide with the likes of Yellowcard, Simple Plan, RUFIO, New Found Glory and endless others since releasing their debut full-length Start The Show in early 2002.
With their honest and evolving style (a compelling and unique blend of pop/punk energy and dark, driving rock....played with precision and intensity) and impressive appetite for touring, Dont Look Down's hard work was paying off: the band sold over 5,000 copies of their Five EP, produced by Will Salazar (Fenix TX), on their own in a matter of months, Nitro Records snapped them up in 2003 and recently matched the band up with Brian McTernan for their sophomore album. The Fear In Love is Dont Look Down's next step in their sonic evolution.
“We wanted there to be more of an emphasis on instrumentation on this record to show off our playing ability a bit more,” explains Ogren “We always want to keep challenging ourselves musically.”
Producer Brian McTernan (Thrice, Cave In, Hot Water Music) played an integral roll in Dont Look Down’s maturing sonic signature, bringing The Fear In Love a welcome sense of scale and depth-of-field without sacrificing the band’s emotive rough-edges or performance panache.
Though all four members of Dont Look Down contribute to the writing process, Ogren remains their creative leader. Music entered his life early. He grew up listening to the classic rock of Led Zeppelin and Guns ‘n Roses, before being impacted by the ‘new school’ punk of NOFX, MXPX and later the Ataris and New Found Glory.
More recently, musically ambitious influences like Thrice, Recover and Story of the Year have also influenced the songwriting which became The Fear In Love: the restless riffage and twin-guitar harmonizing of “Stages Of Dying,” juxtaposed against Ogren’s optimistic, cinematic vocal refrains; the ominous bass, interjected guitars and intricate counter-melody of opener “Right Where It Hurts;” and the shape-shifting guitar and drum assault of “Last Breath,” which sets up plaintive plateaus of hope and harmony.
Lyrically, The Fear In Love is at once a personal and universal document, relating what Dont Look Down have been through as a band to what we all experience in life and relationships: “The title, The Fear In Love refers to the fact that with anything involving love there’s always an aspect of fear,” says Ogren. “We love what we do but there’s no guarantee that it’s going to work out - just like with any relationship: you put in all you have, but in the back of your head you really don’t know what’s going to happen. You just have to hope for the best ...”
Having grown up together, Dont Look Down have a best friends’ chemistry on stage which can’t be manufactured, and, though they’re as energetic a band as you’ll see, they have too much respect for their music to let adrenaline overwhelm artistry:“We try to find some sort of medium between going off on stage and playing really well, being a really tight band ...we just try to go out there and play every show as if it is our last.”
A rare coming-together of youthful intensity, unique songwriting skill, fierce playing ability, and endless back-breaking roadwork: Dont Look Down have nothing to fear with The Fear In Love.
Last Breath
Don't Look Down Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
you only come to when your down
I'm broken by the days
I'm empty and cold now
I'm still waiting, for you to watch me fall
I'm lost and longing, you always haunt me
you're choking me
you're words are hands around my neck
you penetrate my skin
and kill me
This pain is frowning once again
It only comes when you're around
these days are longer and
I can't block out the sound
I'm still waiting, for you to knock me down
I'm lost and longing, you always haunt me
Cause I can't breathe
you're choking me
you're words are hands around my neck
you penetrate my skin
and kill me
Cause I can't breathe
you're choking me
you're words are hands around my neck
you penetrate my skin
The things that you say, mean nothing to me
It's over this time, you made me believe
That I can break you, That I can break you
That I can break you, That I can break you
Cause I can't breathe
you're choking me
you're words are hands around my neck
and you're words kill me, and your words kill me
kill me
Cause I can't breathe
you're choking me
you're words are hands around my neck
you penetrate my skin
and kill me
The lyrics to Don't Look Down's song Last Breath paint a picture of a toxic relationship that is causing immense pain and suffocation to the singer. The opening lines, "I find it hard to be the one you only come to when you're down" indicate that the singer is not a priority in their partner's life and is instead only approached during times of emotional distress. The singer then goes on to describe themselves as broken, empty, and cold, indicating that this relationship has caused significant emotional damage.
The chorus serves as a metaphor for how the partner's words are choking the singer and suffocating them, both emotionally and physically. The repetition of "Cause I can't breathe, you're choking me, your words are hands around my neck" emphasizes the feelings of being trapped and overwhelmed. The second verse continues with the theme of pain and describes how it only comes when the partner is around, indicating that the singer is constantly on edge and anticipates hurt when they are together.
The bridge provides a shift in the narrative as the singer realizes that they can break free from the toxic relationship and the partner's hold over them. The repetition of "That I can break you" indicates that the singer is finding strength and empowerment in this realization.
Overall, Last Breath is a powerful song that captures the intense emotions and pain that can come from a toxic relationship. The metaphorical language and powerful imagery make the lyrics especially impactful.
Line by Line Meaning
I find it hard to be the one
It's difficult for me to be the only person you turn to when you're down.
you only come to when your down
You only seek my help when you're feeling low.
I'm broken by the days
The daily struggles have left me feeling shattered.
I'm empty and cold now
I feel devoid of any emotions and numb.
I'm still waiting, for you to watch me fall
I'm waiting for you to witness my downfall.
I'm lost and longing, you always haunt me
I feel lost without you and yearn for you even though you constantly haunt me.
Cause I can't breathe
I'm suffocating.
you're choking me
You're making it hard for me to breathe.
you're words are hands around my neck
Your words are suffocating me just like someone's hands around my neck.
you penetrate my skin
Your words are piercing through my skin and hurting me.
and kill me
Your words are killing me slowly.
This pain is frowning once again
This pain is returning and making me frown again.
It only comes when you're around
This pain only surfaces when you're near me.
these days are longer and
The days seem to be never-ending and unbearable.
I can't block out the sound
I'm unable to drown out the negative voices in my head.
I'm still waiting, for you to knock me down
I'm waiting for you to push me over and make me fall.
The things that you say, mean nothing to me
I don't value or believe in anything you say.
It's over this time, you made me believe
It's finally over between us and you made me believe that it was worth it.
That I can break you, That I can break you
I used to believe that I had the power to break you, but now I know better.
your words kill me, and your words kill me
Your words are not only hurting me but also killing me from the inside.
kill me
Your words are causing me immense pain and suffering.
you penetrate my skin
Your words are piercing through my skin and leaving a deep scar.
Contributed by Nolan Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.