Their debut EP "Cursed Soul/Golden Heart" was received with a wide array of positive reviews, and word of their strong live performances quickly spread and got them to play a lot of shows with bands such as Bass Drum Of Death (US), Listener (US), Hotel Books (US), Goodtime Boys (UK), The Cold Harbour (UK), Hindsights (UK) and many more.
After having toured Germany and played numerous shows in Belgium the self proclaimed "$ludge Megazord" released their second effort, "Life In The Abyss", teaming up again with Carl Saff (Touché Amoré, Suis La Lune, Self Defense Family,…) for mastering.
Idioteq.com described the album as sounding "fresh and amazing", and a few months later ESLLY got to open for Code Orange’s sold out show in Londen.
“De Morgen”, one of Belgium’s biggest news papers, said their live performance is “…a crushing half hour. As filthy as the dishwater in a college bar, as sharp and stinging as a well placed comparison. If this is ‘the shape of punk to come’, I’ll have one punk membership, please.”
2015 will bring their heaviest hitting release to date and a summer tour across Europe.
Every Stranger Looks Like You is, more than anything else, 3 friends who, united by their passion for weed and ponies, can't seem to grow up.
self portrait
Every Stranger Looks Like You Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To a world
That never wanted
To see my face
They're bathing in mud
Rats in the dirt
I've been dreaming these dreams
They turn fingers into claws
And hands into fists
I've been chiseling away at a porcelain dream
In the end it all breaks
And the shards fall down on me
When it rains, it always pours
When it doesn't, I'm still cold
The fear of failure cripples my thoughts
A casket full of silk is what I have bought
Bury my bones
Please let me sleep
This life is a gift but it's one I won't keep
It burns a hole in the back of my head
To know that I won't ever sleep
Without regrets
Peel back the skin
Remove the flesh
I already was a skeleton
Before I was kissed by death
The lyrics of Every Stranger Looks Like You's song "Self Portrait" give us a glimpse into the artist's emotions and struggles in coping with life. The opening lines suggest the artist's decision to turn away from a world that has never accepted them. The metaphor of "bathing in mud" and "rats in the dirt" further emphasize the grim and dirty nature of the world the artist has left behind. The following lines suggest that the artist has been dreaming about ceasing to exist, and the dreams are slowly turning into claws and fists, which alludes to the overwhelming feelings of anger and frustration.
The artist then describes chiseling away at a porcelain dream, a possibly unattainable dream, which eventually disintegrates, leaving the artist in the debris. The lines "when it rains, it always pours, when it doesn't, I'm still cold" could be interpreted to mean that the artist is alone in their struggles, and whether the world is harsh or indifferent, their pain remains. The fear of failure leaves the artist feeling hopeless and empty, and the metaphor of a casket full of silk highlights the futility of chasing worldly pleasures.
The artist resigns themselves to the inevitability of death and requests to be buried peacefully. However, even in death, the artist is burdened with regrets that "burn a hole in the back of [their] head." The artist finishes the song with lines that express their desire to strip themselves bare and reveal their true selves, a skeleton who had been kissed by death even before, emphasizing the artist's vulnerability and the burden of their unshakeable struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
Turn my back
I am distancing myself
To a world
From this world
That never wanted
Where I was always unwanted
To see my face
Nobody wanted to see me
They're bathing in mud
Others are indulging in dirty practices
Rats in the dirt
They are like filthy rats
I've been dreaming these dreams
I have been having recurrent nightmares
Of ceasing to exist
About ending my life
They turn fingers into claws
These nightmares make my fingers appear like claws
And hands into fists
And hands as if they are made into fists
I've been chiseling away at a porcelain dream
I have been trying to break my unrealistic dreams
In the end it all breaks
But it ends up breaking me instead
And the shards fall down on me
And I become devastated
When it rains, it always pours
I face the worst experiences during difficult times
When it doesn't, I'm still cold
Even when things are normal, I feel numb
The fear of failure cripples my thoughts
I am scared of failing, which is damaging my thoughts
A casket full of silk is what I have bought
My life has become like a luxurious grave
Bury my bones
Put my body to rest
Please let me sleep
Allow me to rest in peace
This life is a gift but it's one I won't keep
Although life is precious, I cannot bear it anymore
It burns a hole in the back of my head
The thought of not being able to sleep peacefully is unbearable
To know that I won't ever sleep
The fact that I will never be able to escape this pain
Without regrets
Without feeling any remorse
Peel back the skin
If you look closely
Remove the flesh
You will find nothing but bones
I already was a skeleton
I was already lifeless
Before I was kissed by death
Even before I died
Contributed by Kylie L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.