The band is named after a boat belonging to Roughton "Rou" Reynolds' uncle, and a character in a play which he wrote before forming the band, both of which are named Shikari. Despite being offered several major label record deals, their debut album Take to the Skies was released on their own label - Ambush Reality - in March 2007, reaching the dizzy heights of #4 in the UK's official Album Charts and going on to sell over 100,000 copies in the UK (the album was released in Europe through PIAS, in North America on Ambush Reality / Tiny Evil, and in Japan on Hostess).
In March 2008, after spending 12 months on the road across the globe, Enter Shikari set up camp in their rehearsal room (a large shed in Chris Batten's back garden which they christened "The 'Low") to begin writing tracks for their second album such as Antwerpen which was released as a free digital-download from the band's website.
In July they played to their largest live audience at the UK date of Linkin Park's 'Project Revolution' travelling festival alongside JayZ, Pendulum and N*E*R*D, as well as playing several shows with Linkin Park in mainland Europe.
Enter Shikari followed a UK / Ireland tour in October 2008 with the release of a one-off single 'We Can Breathe In Space, They Just Don't Want Us To Escape' (a finished version of a track the band demoed in 2005 but never got around to ever finishing properly until the summer 2008).
In mid-November 2008 the band started work recording their second album in Arreton Manor on the Isle of Wight with producer Andy Gray. Here they demoed, produced and mixed new tracks for the band's second album titled Common Dreads which was released June 15th 2009 on CD, Vinyl and digital download. The first track to be heard by the public was Juggernauts aired on 15th April 2009 as Zane Lowe's "Hottest Track in the World" on BBC Radio 1. Juggernauts was released on the 1st June 2009 reaching #26 in the UK Official Single Charts and was aired regularly by Radio 1.
Following the release of Common Dreads via Ambush Reality on the 15th June 2009, the album reached #16 on the UK Top 40 Official Album Chart and was highly-rated by magazines such as Kerrang!, Rocksound and Metal Hammer. No Sleep Tonight was also released as a single on August 17th 2009 with a large number of remixes following it from artists such as ROUT, Mistabishi, The Qemists and LightsGoBlue.
The band recently visited the US, Germany and the Czech Republic on a mini-tour and have another UK tour scheduled for October 2009 supported by The Devil Wears Prada and also a number of dates with The Prodigy in November.
After their late 2009 UK tour, Enter Shikari toured throughout the US on the extensive summer of 2010 Vans Warped Tour. November 2010 saw Enter Shikari touring with 30 Seconds to Mars.
Enter Shikari's third album titled A Flash Flood Of Colour was recorded at Karma Bay Studios in Bangkok, Thailand and was produced by Dan Weller (former-SikTh guitarist). The album was released on the 16th January 2012 in the UK and worldwide. The first single from the LP was "Sssnakepit". It was released on September 20, 2011 as a digital download. According to the Sssnakepit Songfacts, "Quelle Surprise," which was made available in May 2011, was originally intended to be the first official release from the set, but the band ultimately decided to not include it on the album in the end, although did include it on the Deluxe Version. The second single, "Ghandi Mate, Ghandi" was released as a digital download on iTunes in December, followed by a video of single 'Arguing with Thermometers' posted on YouTube a few days before the release of the album.
Enter Shikari is:
Roughton 'Rou' Reynolds - vocals, electronics
Liam 'Rory' Clewlow - guitar, vocals
Chris Batten - bass, vocals
Rob Rolfe - drums
Anything Can Happen in the Next Half Hour...
Enter Shikari Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Her eyes are fixed elsewhere,
He's confident, but he's not aware,
She doesn't care.
Their only connection, is the silence that they both grasp,
He's lost control, but she's not aware, of his stare.
Everything seems to intimidate him, with the strobe lights flashing, her body's jolting,
But cracking, as his eyes, spilt in two, if only she knew...
Everything seems to be closing in on her,
It feels just like she is being hunted,
But its all right, it's all good,
She's not aware, of his stare.
We've had this date from the beginning'
The curtain goes down on him again'
Who remains when the curtain falls'
Who remains when the curtain goes down...'
The song "Anything Can Happen in the Next Half Hour..." by Enter Shikari depicts a scenario of two people whose paths cross in a club, and although there seems to be a connection between them, she is not aware of the attention he is giving her. The verses suggest that he is trying to catch her gaze, but she is ignoring him, probably because she is feeling intimidated by the strobe lights and cacophony of sounds around her. The chorus reinforces the idea that something unexpected could happen at any moment, and that the singers are trapped in a drama that they cannot escape from. The repeated line "The curtain goes down on him again" is a metaphor for his repeated failures to communicate with her or make a move, while "Who remains when the curtain falls" suggests a sense of mystery or uncertainty about what will happen next.
The lyrics convey a sense of yearning, frustration, and vulnerability that many people can relate to, especially those who have experienced similar encounters in social situations. The band's signature blend of post-hardcore, electronic, and punk elements gives the song a frenetic energy that matches the urgency of the lyrics, while the use of repetition and contrast creates a haunting atmosphere that lingers long after the song has ended.
Line by Line Meaning
His eyes are locked on her,
He's staring at her.
Her eyes are fixed elsewhere,
She's not looking at him.
He's confident, but he's not aware,
He's self-assured but oblivious to her reaction.
She doesn't care.
She's indifferent to him.
Their only connection, is the silence that they both grasp,
They're not interacting verbally, only silently.
He's lost control, but she's not aware, of his stare.
He can't help but look at her, but she doesn't notice.
Everything seems to intimidate him, with the strobe lights flashing, her body's jolting,
The chaotic environment is overwhelming him.
But cracking, as his eyes, spilt in two, if only she knew...
He's falling apart, torn between longing and anxiety.
The curtain goes down on him again'
He's left in darkness, defeated.
Everything seems to be closing in on her,
She's feeling trapped and claustrophobic.
It feels just like she is being hunted,
She's experiencing distress and vulnerability.
But its all right, it's all good,
She's trying to convince herself everything is fine.
She's not aware, of his stare.
She remains oblivious to his gaze.
We've had this date from the beginning'
Their inevitable collision was destined from the start.
Who remains when the curtain falls'
Who is left after the inevitable failure?
Who remains when the curtain goes down...'
What's left when the show is over?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHRIS BATTEN, LIAM RORY CLEWLOW, ROBERT ROLFE, ROUGHTON REYNOLDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@punkxsyko4365
His eyes are locked on her,
Her eyes are fixed elsewhere,
He's confident, but he's not aware,
She doesn't care.
Their only connection, is the silence that they both grasp,
He's lost control, but she's not aware, of his stare.
Everything seems to intimidate him,
With the strobe lights flashing, her body's jolting,
But cracking, as his eyes, split in two, if only she knew
The curtain goes down on him again
Everything seems to be closing in on her,
It feels just like she is being hunted,
But its all right, it's all good,
She's not aware, of his stare.
We've had this date from the beginning
The curtain goes down on him again'
Who remains when the curtain falls?
Who remains when the curtain goes down?
@Yeah_Whocares
It's crazy how you can remember music lyrics, breakdowns, growls perfectly but can't remember where you left your keys.
@jebediahdavis871
HAHAHAHAHA IM DEAD, my life on repeat
@Daytonawhite
It’s true, I lost my keys when this song came out 13 years ago and I haven’t found them since.
@braddock87
What's crazy is how vivid the memories are when you listen to certain songs
@theonlyturner
Well. The video remains consistent... Where location of car keys is inconsistent and can vary. 😉
@joeholloway182
Man...my life is so unorganized, but I can always remember "his eyes are locked on her, her eyes are fixed elsewhere, he's confident, but he's unaware, she doesn't care"... And then Chris joins the show
@fissetty2311
Insane how this was posted 16 years ago. 2023 and still a master piece
@Nirmal-qo8gw
I agree👍. A masterpiece for sure.
heard this when I was 12 years old, now I’m 28😲😃. The nostalgia of the good days brings a tear to my eye when I hear this song and other early 2000s songs 🎶🥲.
@earlybirdxx
'24
@TheconfusedChristian86
38 here lol
Remember getting this album when I was 21