1. Sinc… Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple groups, or aliases, by the name of Envy:
1. Since their formation in 1992, Envy has become a dominant band in the independent hardcore and screamo scene in Japan. Their music has evolved over the years to incorporate hardcore, screamo, and most recently, the epic tendencies of post-rock. Envy is characterized by their ability to master screamo's loud-soft dynamic to evoke both crushing brutality and gentle beauty, often within the same song. Much has been made of vocalist Tetsuya Fukugawa's own skill at commanding this dichotomy and thus their live shows have grown in legend over the years. The band is also noted for their deep and poetic lyrics.
Their early sound was purely influenced by some of the grittiest hardcore and screamo out there, as evidenced by the albums "Breathing and Dying in this Place..." and "From Here to Eternity". It is worth noting Tetsuya's vocals became harsher and more guttural as the years progressed. His recurrent use of clean vocals and spoken word, often within the same song, should also be noted. They are the perfect contrast to his screamo vocal delivery.
The band has become increasingly popular among the post-rock scene in the last few years for their incorporation of Mogwai-esque sound and composition dynamics into more traditional screamo songs. This new influence can be most easily identified on these three releases: "All The Footprints You've Ever Left And The Fear Expecting Ahead" released by Dim Mak,"A Dead Sinking Story" released on Level Plane and "Insomniac Doze" released on Temporary Residence Limited. However, its first hints can be heard on "The Eyes Of A Single Eared Prophet" from the year 2000.
The band has since become friends with Mogwai and vocalist Tetsuya Fukagawa was featured on a track from Mogwai's 2006 album "Mr. Beast."
In March of 2006, it was announced that Envy had signed to Temporary Residence Limited for American distribution of Insomniac Doze (though it was released by Mogwai's Rock Action label in Europe and Envy's own Sonzai Records in Japan). The move was significant because Level Plane is a screamo oriented label and Temporary Residence is a post-rock oriented label (featuring bands like Mono and Explosions In The Sky), thus signalling a more serious shift in the band's style of music. The band has said that this album is one step closer to their ideal music. The 7 track album, Insomniac Doze, was released in the summer of 2006 and was accompanied by a full american tour, some of which was in conjunction with Explosions in the Sky and Mono.
The band also ended up becoming friends with Mono and Tetsuya was featured on the only Mono song with vocals to date, entitled "The Hand That Holds the Truth" from the 2014 album "Rays of Darkness". The song might as well be an Envy song due to its progression and primal melancholic aggression. Additionally, Tetsuya's vocals are at its most guttural here.
Insomniac saw them at the peak of their post-rock influences as the instrumentation would not be out of place on a regular instrumental post-rock record and most of its aggression comes from the harsh vocals alone, there are hardly any hardcore moments present. The 2007 EP entitled "Abyssal" was somewhat of a return to hardcore with a pinch of math rock on the side containing only one long song. 2010's "Recitation" could be the spiritual successor to Sinking Story and 2015's "Atheist's Cornea" was their shortest and hardcore-ish record since the "All the Footprints..." days.
The band has had an extensive string of split records with many different bands over the years.
On April 1, 2016, vocalist Tetsuya announced that he decided to leave the band. The remaining four members, Nobukata Kawai, Dairoku Seki, Masahiro Tobita and Manabu Nakagawa continued on as Envy. He later returned and joined the band for their 2020 comeback record "The Fallen Crimson". It is very much in the style of "All the Footprints...".
2. Envy was a straight edge hardcore band from buffalo, new york.
3. Envy (currently known as Redound) is a Bulgarian beatdown hardcore band.
4. Envy is a female UK Urban artist from Manchester, UK.
5. Envy (EnV) is an artist on Newgrounds known for his trance and electronica tracks.
6. Finnish gothic metal band, they formed in 2000 and changed name to Trespassenger in 2007, their style also changed to melodic death metal.
7. American progressive symphonic metal band, they changed name to Envinity.
The Light of My Footprints
Envy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As I came, I crouch carrying grudge
This foot passed away in comfort
Deprived in all it has learned
Ahead of where I tumble I seize the light
I found. Whet it sharp and hide it in
The dark of tomorrow
With lies at once Give away
Indiscriminately then lose heart
At the place you wait,
No one can stop anymore
All is now and you'll be frightened alone
Let it loose infinitely
What I expect had been manufactured
Into a different shape
No need to suffer anymore
No need to suffere anymore
You don't need to cry
No need for grief
There is nothing you can do alone now
Mercy songs I kep screaming
I hold it and put it back to the ground
Sometimes I feel uncertain about living
Tell countless lies without leaving anything
Scrape the loneliness off as much as
I can while it's cloudy outside
Sins on my both hands,
Punishment to my mind,
I taste fully and shoot them to the sky
I'm certainly powerless, I'm not worth and
I turn my back even on laughings
Authentic words filled up
In my hand are old now
Can't stop them
Nothing more to lose
I line up without breaking a line of era
The lyrics to Envy's song The Light of My Footprints depict a sense of struggle and pain, as the singer reflects on the trails and torments of their life. The lyrics suggest that the singer has been carrying a grudge for some time, but is now ready to embrace the light in the future, letting go of past grievances. The singer has learned a lot through their struggles but has been deprived of being able to apply this knowledge effectively. The light they find on their journey is sharp, and they hide it in the dark of tomorrow, suggesting that they don't want to forget what they've learned in life but rather, they want to keep it hidden until they need it to guide them on their path.
The singer acknowledges that the trails they have stepped on have been erased by lies that they gave away indiscriminately, leading to heartbreak. They feel alone and frightened as they continue on their journey. However, they implore listeners not to give up; they don't need to suffer anymore, and there is no need to cry or grieve. The singer reveals that they have been screaming mercy songs, and they hold onto them, putting them back into the ground. Even though the future seems uncertain at times, they have to keep moving forward, scraping off their loneliness like clouds.
Overall, The Light of My Footprints is a powerful lyrical reflection on the struggles and pains of life, the journeys we take and the roads we travel. The song encourages us to embrace the light that we find, even when the path ahead is dark and uncertain. The singer implores us not to give up or forget the lessons we have learned along the way. It is a reminder that even when we are at our lowest, there is still hope and light to guide us on our journey.
Line by Line Meaning
On this road I have tormented
I have been troubled on this path
As I came, I crouch carrying grudge
I arrived on this path with feelings of anger and resentment
This foot passed away in comfort
I have been able to walk this path without much hardship
Deprived in all it has learned
I have not gained any knowledge or wisdom from the path
Ahead of where I tumble I seize the light
I find hope and brightness in the future despite stumbling in the present
I found. Whet it sharp and hide it in. The dark of tomorrow
I hold onto this hope and keep it sharp, concealing it away for the future
The trails I stepped on were erased
The path I walked on has been erased
With lies at once Give away
I gave up easily with dishonesty
Indiscriminately then lose heart
I lost my heart without any discrimination
At the place you wait, No one can stop anymore
At the place where you stand, no one can stop any longer
All is now and you'll be frightened alone
Everything is happening now and you will face your fears alone
Let it loose infinitely What I expect had been manufactured Into a different shape
Let go of your expectations because they may not turn out as you imagined
No need to suffer anymore
There is no need to endure pain any longer
You don't need to cry
You do not have to shed tears anymore
No need for grief
You do not have to be sorrowful anymore
There is nothing you can do alone now
You cannot do anything alone at this point
Mercy songs I kep screaming
I keep screaming for mercy
I hold it and put it back to the ground
I hold myself and put myself back on the ground
Sometimes I feel uncertain about living
At times, I doubt my existence
Tell countless lies without leaving anything
I tell numerous lies without leaving any trace
Scrape the loneliness off as much as I can while it's cloudy outside
I try to get rid of my loneliness as much as possible while it's still unclear
Sins on my both hands, Punishment to my mind, I taste fully and shoot them to the sky
I fully acknowledge my sins and mentally punish myself, sending them to the sky
I'm certainly powerless, I'm not worth and I turn my back even on laughings
I feel absolutely powerless and worthless, and I even reject things that make me laugh
Authentic words filled up In my hand are old now
Words of truth that I hold are now outdated
Can't stop them
I cannot prevent these words from becoming obsolete
Nothing more to lose
I have nothing else to lose
I line up without breaking a line of era
I continue to move forward without breaking the continuity of time
Contributed by Dominic K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.