They released their debut album, Odd How People Shake, in 2003 on Rise Records, and after gaining some notoriety, were signed to Equal Vision Records, who re-released their debut in the January 2004. Their debut was primarily in the vein of post-hardcore, featuring a mix of screamed vocals on the part of David Marion and clean singing provided by Adam Fisher. The instrumental work on Odd How People Shake is best described as typical of that of most melodic metalcore artists of the day, and it is rumoured that every song on the album is based on a movie ("Sarah Goldfarb, Where are Your Manners?", for example, is supposedly about Requiem for a Dream, while on their sophomore album, Art Damage, "The Story of the Curious Oysters" has more to do with the Disney movie, Alice in Wonderland). It is interesting and worth noting that the band's cover art on all three of their albums feature skyscrapers.
Their sophomore album, Art Damage, was released on Equal Vision Records in September 2004, and was a marked change in direction for the band. Art Damage as an album was much heavier and darker than their debut; the band left behind the relative simplicity and, arguably, tiredness of the instrumental work of their debut in favor of the abrasiveness characterizing bands such as Converge and Every Time I Die. In addition, virtually all of the vocals are screamed, with the exception of an odd chorus or verse.
The critical consensus seems to favor their new direction, and in concert, the band plays few if any songs from their debut. On their website, they explicitly state that they will not play one song in particular from their debut, "On the Brightside, She Could Choke;" interestingly enough, this song also has the most prominent elements of emo of all the songs in their catalogue, which could be one of the reasons they have grown so adverse to playing it.
Their new album, The Always Open Mouth, was released on Tuesday, September 19, 2006. This album marks a considerably different sound from previous recordings. This album contains a much more experimental side, such as more emphasis on antiphony between the lead singer and guitarist and a considerable lesser amount of screaming. It features layered guitar chords (a second guitarist was added to the band before the recording of this album), and many electronic sounds used with heavily-distorted or otherwise-effected guitars and synthesizers, or sequencers and drum machines, giving it a more industrial feel. As a result, it is not as hard or fast as their previous two albums, but instead, is more experimental and well-crafted.
With newly added members and a new approach at performing music, they set off on numerous tours mid-2006 to promote their latest CD The Always Open Mouth, touring with bands such as Thursday, The Number Twelve Looks Like You, HeavyHeavyLowLow, The Jonbenet, and the Radio Rebellion Tour with bands The Fully Down, The Confession, blessthefall, Misery Signals, Between the Buried and Me, and headliners of the tour Norma Jean. During a show on November 4th in San Diego, California, bassist Mike Madruga accidentally hit singer Dave Marion on the side of his face with the headstock of his bass, knocking him unconscious on stage. When he awoke, there was a hole that went all the way through his cheek, and although the band continued to finish the set, he had to be rushed to the hospital to be treated for the injury, and because of this, the band missed the following 3 days of the tour, but Dave is now fine and has finished the rest of the Radio Rebellion Tour.
On 2008]-09-09, Fear Before the March of Flames officially shortened their name to Fear Before.
Current line-up
* David Michael Marion - vocals
* Adam (Rupert) Fisher - guitar, vocals, keys
* Michael Madruga - bass
* Clayton (Goose) Holyoak - drums
Former members
* Billy Johnson - guitar, keyboards
* Brandon Proff - drums
* Zachary (Binks) Hutchings - guitar
Girl's Got a Face Like Murder
Fear Before the March of Flames Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Their campsite illuminated by skin bound to stick.
Like scarecrows: too tired to dance
Too ashamed to look up
Taunted by their shadows
Their empty stares licked at your back
"Oh beautiful one" mother sheds a tear
"If only we could reach such heights"
We are dogs at our waist
"This is my love" we hear you say
"This is my strength"
We catch your spit our lips shine prepared to sing your praises
You lose your tongue at the scent of burning flesh
And your mouth was so proud of your existence
I guess you won't be coming home a martyr...
The lyrics of Fear Before The March Of Flames's song Girl's Got A Face Like Murder paints a frightening picture of a group of men in a campsite illuminated by skin bound to stick. The singer observes them from afar and describes them as resembling scarecrows - too tired to dance and too ashamed to look up, haunted by their own shadows. The empty stares of the men licked at the singer's back, but they remained standing tall and beautiful, making the mother shed a tear, wishing they could reach such heights.
However, the singer's admiration for the beautiful one is soon replaced with horror as they lose their tongue at the scent of burning flesh. The song indicates that the beautiful one is complicit in the violence, and their mouth was once proud of this existence. The lyrics ominously state that they won't be coming home a martyr. The song's evocative imagery and highly charged lyrics leave the listener to fill in the gaps and come to their understanding of the story behind the song.
Line by Line Meaning
we colud see in the distance hundreds of men.
Hundreds of men are visible in the distance.
Their campsite illuminated by skin bound to stick.
The camping area is lit with torches made using human skin.
Like scarecrows: too tired to dance
The men in the campsite are like tired scarecrows, who cannot even dance.
Too ashamed to look up
The men feel ashamed and cannot even lift their gaze up.
Taunted by their shadows
The men are tormented by their own shadows.
Their empty stares licked at your back
The men's empty gazes make you feel uneasy.
But at your parade we saw you stand tall
During your procession, we saw you walk with confidence.
"Oh beautiful one" mother sheds a tear
Your mother cries and calls you beautiful.
"If only we could reach such heights"
We wish we could be as great as you.
We are dogs at our waist
We feel inferior to you.
"This is my love" we hear you say
You express love for someone or something.
"This is my strength"
You find strength in something or someone.
We catch your spit our lips shine prepared to sing your praises
We eagerly await your approval and praise.
You lose your tongue at the scent of burning flesh
You are silenced by the smell of burning flesh.
And your mouth was so proud of your existence
You were proud of yourself, but now you cannot even speak.
I guess you won't be coming home a martyr...
You won't become a martyr, as you cannot even withstand the smell of burning flesh.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dougstackman2886
Damn this album brings back so many memories. Still jamming this in 2020
@MrChrisTew
I miss these cats..always progressing always awesome
@bassfisherlolz5605
I Love this band!!!
@SethOPM
I guess you won't be coming home a martyr :/
@Mailb0x777
Dat song.
@tearsofromance
dis song tho...
@spacehorizon4896
0:19
@haggard9856
YOUR MOM WAS SO PROUD YOUR MOM WAS SO PROUD
@michaelarrowood4315
Famous for having no intelligible lyrics. Check that! Thank you, interwebs. Who would know this dreck even exists otherwise? At least it made a "worst of" list - I guess that's something.