Ego Likeness was created in 1999 by artist Steven Archer, a DC native, and … Read Full Bio ↴Ego Likeness was created in 1999 by artist Steven Archer, a DC native, and writer Donna Lynch in Baltimore, Maryland. Taking their name from Frank Herbert’s classic science fiction novel Dune, the band began as an experimental/ dark trip hop project. A demo called ‘Songs From a Dead City’, recorded on a four track, was released in 1999.

By 2000, Archer and Lynch were moving the project in a darker electronic/dance direction, resulting in a self-released full length album entitled ‘Dragonfly’.

After a short hiatus from recording and a lengthy period of trial, error, and revision, and many regional live performances, Ego Likeness signed with Dancing Ferret Discs/ Noir Records for the release of 2004’s ‘Water to the Dead’. This album featured the band’s electronic roots while exploring a bit of a heavier rock
sound.

2005 saw the band tour Germany, Luxembourg, and the continental US with label mates The Cruxshadows, as well as performing at several festivals on the east and west coast, including Convergence 11 (San Diego CA), Dracula’s Ball (Philadelphia PA), Black Sun Festival I (New Haven CT), Freaks United (DC), Eccentrik Festival I (Raleigh NC), and others.

Their first album ‘Dragonfly’ was re-released on Dancing Ferret Discs in 2005.

In addition to The Cruxshadows, they have had the honour to share the stage with Voltaire, The Damned, Chris Connelly, Collide, Razed in Black, Bella Morte, Das Ich, Rasputina, The Start, Iris, Decoded Feedback, The Azoic, More Machine Than Man, In Strict Confidence, Combichrist, and many others.

They have also appeared on numerous compilation CDs, including several Asleep by Dawn releases and 'Where's Neil When You Need Him?' (a tribute to the work of author Neil Gaiman, DFD July 2006); released remixes for The Cruxshadows (Cassandra-Fortress in Flames), The Last Dance (Terribly When- Reflections of Rage), Thou Shalt Not (Inside of You, In Spite of You- The Projectionist), and Black Tape for a Blue
Girl (Tarnished- Scarecrow); and appeared on Voltaire's album Then and Again. EL has also been featured in publications such as Gothic Beauty, Outburn, ABD, Sideline and Sonic Seducer, to name a few.

Their third full length album, ‘The Order of the Reptile' (release date July 4th 2006, Dancing Ferret Discs) ventures back into the realms of heavy electronica, a bit of trip hop, and darkwave.

Archer and Lynch have been married since October of 1999 and currently live in Baltimore. Steven is also the creator of the atmospheric electronica project Hopeful Machines, and performs with the industrial/ power noise act Blind Till Now. All three members of EL, along with Alexx Lackey of echomatrix make up the experimental/ spoken word outfit The Trinity Project.

Former band mate Justin ‘Dingo’ Sabe also lives in Baltimore with a lovely belly dancer and some rather large cats. When not performing with EL, he spends his time on fire and robots and knitting, and can often be found at festivals that involve fire, robots, and/or knitting. He also plays the tuba and hopes to form a marching band in the very near future.

Current line up:
Steven Archer - Guitar/ Programming/ Music & Words/ Vocals
Donna Lynch - Vocals/ Piano/ Words & Music
Mike K. Johnson - Drums

Former members:
Justin 'Dingo' Sabe - Keytar/ Synths/ Noise

Official Site: www.egolikeness.com/

Steven also works on a solo project at www.hopefulmachines.net

Raise Your Red Flags
Ego Likeness Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

So many assassins
But which one is yours
Mind your intuition
But I've said this before
I've adorned my skin
With symbols and runes and other helpful things
And the blood that I shed was a warning in red to remind me
To remind me

Burn your white flags
Refuse to surrender
And raise your red flags
To remember
To remember

Hammer on nerve
Fingers on bone
And though I have shed my skin
I can't tell if I've grown

Burn your white flags
Refuse to surrender
And raise your red flags
To remember
To remember

I have poisoned myself for the last time
For the last time

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Ego Likeness's song "Raise Your Red Flags" have multiple interpretations. However, the most prominent one is about self-empowerment and trusting your intuition. The singer of the song seems to be warning someone of the dangers of dealing with unknown assassins. She tells them to trust their instincts and use their intuition to identify their real ally. The singer herself has adorned her skin with symbols and runes as protective measures. She has shed her blood as a warning and reminder that no matter how much she trusts someone, she should always be careful.

The chorus of the song, "Burn your white flags/ Refuse to surrender/ And raise your red flags/ To remember/ To remember" seems to be a call for action. The singer advises her listener to stop surrendering to other people's opinions and raise their own red flags. Red flags are usually raised as a warning of danger or distress, and by doing so, the singer encourages the listener to stay alert, mindful, and cautious in their choices.

In the second verse, the singer talks about how she has grown through tough experiences. She has hammered on her nerves and fingers on the bone, meaning she has pushed herself to her limits physically and mentally. But despite all that, she still cannot tell if she has grown or not. It is a reflection of how growth is a never-ending process, and we have to keep pushing ourselves even after experiencing multiple failures.

Line by Line Meaning

So many assassins
There are numerous harmful events that could harm you

But which one is yours
It's ambiguous which particular action will affect you negatively

Mind your intuition
Be alert and follow your instincts

But I've said this before
I'm repeating what I've said earlier

I've adorned my skin
I've embellished myself with meaningful symbols

With symbols and runes and other helpful things
I've used various signs and languages for my benefit

And the blood that I shed was a warning in red to remind me
The blood I shed helps me remember the warning I gave myself

To remind me
To refresh my memory

Burn your white flags
Don't give up without a fight

Refuse to surrender
Don't give up easily or bow down to the circumstance

And raise your red flags
Be cautious and attentive to any warning signs