Formation and Early Years (2000 – 2001)
Emery formed in 2001 in Rock Hill, South Carolina but moved to Seattle, Washington in search of a better musical environment. The band was named after a first grader that Toby Morrell met while working as an intern for a teacher in college. The four members in the band at the time, Toby Morrell (vocals/guitar), Devin Shelton (drums), Matt Carter (guitar/keyboards), and Joel "Chopper" Green (bass) actually left Rock Hill, South Carolina for Seattle on September 11, the day of the terrorist attacks; they found out about the attacks when they stopped at a local diner in South Carolina. Most of the members are from the bands Sachul, Joe 747, Simply Waynes and Oogie Brown. After a little while Seth Studley, who was one of the original members of the band, broke out of a serious relationship and followed them to Seattle and resumed his post as drummer. Since Seth took over drums, Devin went ahead and took the position of guitarist.
The Weak's End (2002 – 2004)
After making Emerald City their new home in Seattle, Washington, Emery signed a record deal with Tooth & Nail Records, also of Seattle, in 2002. Wasting no time, Emery paired up with producer/engineer Ed Rose and worked on their debut album, The Weak's End. It was produced at the Black Lodge Studio in Eudora, Kansas. The record was released in January 2004 by Tooth & Nail Records. Emery toured extensively to promote their new release.
The Question (2005 – 2006)
While touring, Seth Studley decided to leave the band in order to get married and Emery had to look for a new drummer. While touring with Haste the Day, Dave Powell was brought out to audition. Powell was officially put in the band on November 2005. Powell originally played in the Indianapolis-based metalcore/hardcore band The Bowels of Judas.
Soon after touring, Emery went back into the studio to record their next record with production done by Aaron Sprinkle this time around. The band took five weeks in recording sessions. The Question was released on August 2, 2005. "Studying Politics" was released as the album's first single with a video emerging on June 29, 2005. On November 21, 2006, Emery re-released The Question, adding a DVD, five acoustic versions of previously recorded songs and two new demo tracks, which were produced by Matt Carter. The DVD included a documentary film of Emery, live songs and bonus footage.
After the re-release, Joel "Chopper" Green decided to leave the band. On September 19, 2006, Emery posted a blog on their website explaining the departure. Devin and Toby since then switched bass parts in concerts and in the studio.
I'm Only A Man (2007 – 2008)
While touring with Underoath in Australia, Emery announced that they were releasing a new album. The album, I'm Only A Man, leaked onto the internet before its official release on October 2, 2007. The album was produced by Ryan Boesch and Matt Carter and recorded at Dark Horse Studio in Tennessee. It received mixed reviews. Emery released a deluxe edition of the album as well, which featured four acoustic songs that were recorded while on the Take Action Tour with The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and DVD with a live footage and a documentary. The iTunes version of the deluxe edition also added a bonus track called "Whoa! Man".
While Broken Hearts Prevail and ...In Shallow Seas We Sail (2008 – 2010)
Emery announced in an interview on TVU that they finished a new 8-track EP entitled While Broken Hearts Prevail, which was released on October 28, 2008. They began premiering some of the new material while on tour opening for The Almost, including a song entitled "Edge Of The World".
In an interview with Toby Morrell, Emery announced that would be releasing a new album called ...In Shallow Seas We Sail. Up until the announcement of Emery resigning to Tooth & Nail Records, it was unsure if the band would seek a new label, since their contract had expired. They re-signed with Tooth & Nail and soon gave out information on their new release.
On April 7, 2009, Emery released a new song entitled "Cutthroat Collapse" on their Myspace, Purevolume, and iTunes. On May 29, 2009, Emery put ...In Shallow Seas We Sail in its entirety up on their Myspace. On June 2, 2009, ...In Shallow Seas We Sail was officially released.
During their headlining U.S. tour, Emery had selected dates filmed for a DVD in the works. The release date is unknown at this time. Emery set out on tour supporting Underoath on their fall/winter headlining tour for the rest of the year. In the summer of 2010 they went on the "Scream it Like You Mean it" tour with Silverstein, Ivoryline, Dance Gavin Dance, We Came as Romans, Sky Eats Airplane, and I Set My Friends On Fire.
We Do What We Want (2011- 2012)
On January 26, 2011 it was announced that the band's fifth album We Do What We Want is set to be released on March 29, 2011. The band also released a clip of a song titled "Scissors". Another song titled "The Curse of Perfect Days" has been released to Christian rock radio stations.
On January 31, 2011, vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and bassist Devin Shelton announced he was taking an "indefinite hiatus" from Emery.
On February 1, 2011 a song titled "The Cheval Glass" was released on the band's Facebook, Youtube and Myspace page. On February 17, 2011, the band announced that We Do What We Want would be released through both Tooth & Nail and their hardcore/metal subdivision Solid State Records reflecting the heavier sound of the album.
In 2012, Toby Morrell and Matt Carter formed a side project duo, simply called Matt & Toby, with a more acoustic/electronic type sound. The duo released a self-titled album in November of that year via Tooth & Nail.
Bad Christian Music (2013 - present)
In 2013 Emery did not resign with Tooth & Nail records, subsequently leaving the label. Later that year, they founded Bad Christian Music, a blog & podcast website, as well as an indie record label.
In 2014, the band released two books, Bad Christian, Great Savior, and The M Word.
On May 19th, 2015 Emery released their sixth full length album, their first album via Bad Christian Music, You Were Never Alone. The album peaked at No. 69 on the Billboard 200, No. 1 on Top Christian Albums, No. 6 on Independent Albums, No. 8 on Alternative Music[ No. 10 on Top Rock Albums and No. 31 on Top Album Sales.
Bands such as Abandon Kansas and The Classic Crime have also joined the artist roster of Bad Christian Music.
Members
Toby Morrell: lead vocals, guitar
Matt Carter: guitar, aggressive vocals
Josh Head: keyboard, vocals, aggressive vocals
Dave Powell: drums
Former Members
Devin Shelton: guitar, lead vocals (on indefinite hiatus now)
Seth Studley: drums
Joel Green: bass
Joey Svendsen: bass
Holding Out For A Hero
Emery Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where's the street wise Hercules to fight the rising odds?
Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero till the end of the night
He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast
Somewhere after midnight
In my wildest fantasy
Somewhere just beyond my reach
There's someone reaching back for me
Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat
It's gonna take a Superman to sweep me off my feet
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero till the end of the night
He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast
And gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero till the morning light
He's gotta be sure and he's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life,
Larger than life
Up where the mountains meet the heavens above,
Out where the lightning splits the sea
I would swear that there's someone somewhere watching me
Through the wind and the chill and the rain
And the storm and the flood
I can feel his approach like a fire in my blood
He's like any kid in a small town,
They said he couldn't do it,
He knew he had to.
Hero
Hero
Hero
Hero
Hero
Hero
Hero
Hero
Hero
Emery's "Holding Out For A Hero" is a song that talks about the longing for a knight in shining armor to come and rescue the person who can't seem to find her way in life. The song starts with a very important question, "Where have all the good men gone and where are all the gods?" This line seems to refer people are looking not just for a man, but a savior of sorts. It goes on to question the whereabouts of Hercules, who was known for his strength and bravery in Greek mythology. The chorus then emphasizes the urgent need to find this hero, someone who possesses strength, speed, and vigor.
The second verse of the song pushes this need for a hero even further. The singer reveals that she is unable to sleep at night, due to the longing for a hero. She describes her wildest fantasies and reveals that she has an image of someone strong, someone who could sweep her off her feet, someone like Superman. The chorus repeats, but this time, the need for the hero is not just until the end of the night but until the morning light. The person must be "sure and quick" and "larger than life" further emphasizing the importance of someone who can only be described as superhuman.
Line by Line Meaning
Where have all the good men gone and where are all the gods?
I'm looking for someone who embodies values and strength beyond the norm, but they don't seem to be around.
Where's the street wise Hercules to fight the rising odds?
I need a hero who's confident and experienced to tackle the difficult situations that come our way.
Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
I'm hoping for a hero who's gallant and rushing to come to my rescue in a dramatic, grand fashion.
Late at night I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need
I'm deeply yearning, even in my sleep, to find a hero who can fulfill my needs and help me feel safe.
I need a hero
The hero I'm searching for is vital for making it through the challenging times.
I'm holding out for a hero till the end of the night
I'm willing to wait and not settle until I find the hero I'm looking for, even if it takes all night.
He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast
The hero must possess extraordinary physical strength and quickness.
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight, fresh from the fight
The hero has to be battle-ready even before we encounter any challenges.
Somewhere after midnight
I don't know exactly where or when, but there must be a hero out there for me.
In my wildest fantasy
This is my deepest, most fervent dream, to be rescued by an ideal hero.
Somewhere just beyond my reach
I can feel the outline of the hero I'm longing for, but I haven't been able to find them just yet.
There's someone reaching back for me
I believe that the ideal hero is also yearning for me and we are destined for each other.
Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat
The hero I'm looking for is unstoppable, impervious to danger, and able to rise above any situation.
It's gonna take a Superman to sweep me off my feet
I need a hero who's theatrical, iconic, and able to dramatically sweep me off my feet in a moment of danger or uncertainty.
I'm holding out for a hero till the morning light
I won't give up on finding my hero even as the night turns to day, and I'll keep searching until I find them.
He's gotta be sure and he's gotta be soon
I need the hero to act quickly and decisively when it comes to helping me out of tough situations.
And he's gotta be larger than life, larger than life
The hero isn't just a regular person, but someone larger than life, able to transcend everyday problems and challenges.
Up where the mountains meet the heavens above, Out where the lightning splits the sea
I know that my hero is out there somewhere, and it's like they exist in a realm above human experience, near the great forces of nature.
I would swear that there's someone somewhere watching me
I have a sense that my hero is already keeping an eye out for me, even though I haven't met them yet.
Through the wind and the chill and the rain, And the storm and the flood
In the face of danger, my hero will remain steadfast, enduring even the harshest natural phenomena by my side.
I can feel his approach like a fire in my blood
I can sense that the hero I'm longing for is drawing nearer, making my heart race with excitement and anticipation.
Hero Hero Hero Hero Hero Hero Hero Hero Hero
The concept of a hero is so essential and powerful that it bears repeating, reinforcing how vital the search for a hero is for me to feel truly safe and protected.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dean Pitchford, Jim Steinman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jonathan Condor
Oh snap Emery. Most underrated band ever....
Ixil Adams
Emery is the best band ever! I hope they don't ruin their stuff with this reimagined bullshit they are doing! But this song is awesome! I actually love it!
jcr dude
Everyone once in a while I find myself writhing on the floor screaming HE-ROOOOOOO and my gf looks at me weird when it happens.
Jahron Williams
I loved the hardcore ending
SleepingWithPanic!AtTheDisco
Jahron Williams more like Post-Hardcore but yes it was awesome.
José Vitor
❤
ChewTubeOfficial
Nice
Siyah^
güzel
SleepingWithPanic!AtTheDisco
Glad this is the only song with screaming in it. This album would be shit if it had all Screamo bands on it but one or two doesn't ruin the album.
C-Dro
Arby's : we have the meats