The band's debut full-length album Casually Dressed and Deep in Conversation was released in October 2003. Various singles were lifted off this, including Bullet Theory, Juneau (Juno on previous EPs), She Drove Me To Daytime TV and Escape Artists Never Die. After a B-side to Escape Artists Never Die was released as a single, this was called You Want Romance? the video was sequal to Bullet Theory
A DVD named Spilling Blood In 8MM was released only a year after, documenting every music video, including the two from the EPs 10:45 Amsterdam Conversations and This Year's Most Open Heartbreak, live footage, and the first album's promotion tour, discography, chronology and an exclusive video for Juneau acoustic
In the United States, the EP Seven Ways To Scream Your Name was released instead. It featured three of the tracks from Four Ways To Scream Your Name, three from Between Order And Model and a further unreleased track. The debut was released later.
The second album Hours was released in 2005. Streetcar, Monsters, History and Roses for the Dead have been released as singles.
Funeral For A Friend released the first single, off their 3rd album, Into Oblivion (Reunion) on May 7th 2007 and the album Tales Don't Tell Themselves was released on May 14th 2007. The album caused much controversy with fans of their earlier albums, especially with fans of their EPs and 'Casually Dressed and Deep in Conversation', due to a major change in their sound to a more melodic version of their earlier post-hardcore. The band then released the ninth track on Tales Don't Tell Themselves Walk Away. Then the release of The Great Wide Open came in a form of an EP highlighting the bands earlier part of their career containing not only the single The Great Wide Open but live versions of most of their older EP songs.
FFAF released a new album in 2008 via their newly formed label Join Us, after leaving Atlantic. On the 27th August 2008, it was announced that the band had licensed their new record to Victory Records for the U.S. and Canadian releases. The album was released via the label on October 28, 2008. It was also released via Roadrunner Records in the rest of the world, apart from the UK, where it was released through the band's own label, Join Us.
On September 4, 2008, it was announced via a MySpace blog post that Gareth Davies had left the band, to be replaced by Gavin Burrough (Hondo Maclean, Ghostlines, The Future). "As some of you may know, Gareth has been living in America for the past couple of years, and recently got married. Ultimately, the strain of travelling between continents has taken it's toll and Gareth made the decision that it would be in the best interests of himself, his family and Funeral to leave the band. We totally respect and understand his choice, wish him all the best in his future and we thank him for being part of our lives for the past 6 years."
On June 24, 2009 it was revealed in Kerrang! magazine that the band were to release a greatest hits album, entitled Your History Is Mine: 2002-2009, on September 28, 2009. The compilation is to also contain four brand new tracks, which will be the first new material released by the band since the arrival of Burrough.
On April 26, 2010, Funeral for a Friend wrote on their forum about their lineup change, paying homage to the departure of their friend Darran Smith, but also announcing the new member. Gavin Burrough changed instrument from bass to guitar, taking over Darran's place as guitarist, and Richard Boucher became the new bassist of Funeral for a Friend.
On May 3, 2010 the band announced that they will be releasing a special new EP to fans who "pledged" through website pledgemusic.com, the "pledge" options include the EP, a signed EP and even an acoustic performance by the band at a fan's residence.[12] On July 1, 2010 the band revealed that the EP will be titled "The Young and Defenseless" and also revealed the cover art. The EP was subsequently released for download on September 6, 2010 and physical release was a week later. Towards the end of October 2010 they finished a session of recording for a new album for which a name and date were yet to be announced. On 2 November, they played two new songs, confirmed to be on this album (which was announced as due for release in March 2011), called "Man Alive" and "Front Row Seats to the End of the World". Another song title was confirmed as "Spinning Over the Island."
On 10 January 2011, the band released the official video for the album's leading single "Front Row Seats to the End of the World" and announced their fifth studio album would be called Welcome Home Armageddon. On 24 January, it was announced that the album was to be released by Good Fight Music, a move that would reconnect the band with the original label team that released Seven Ways to Scream Your Name and Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation. Welcome Home Armageddon was released 14 March 2011 in Britain through Distiller Records and 15 March in the United States through Good Fight and later on distributed through Roadrunner to the rest of the world.
On 22 May 2012, Ryan Richards announced that he was leaving the band. He cited his family as the reason, saying: “I’ve always put music first in my life – but the time has come now for my family to take the top spot”. It was the band's initial intention that Richards would not be replaced instantly and that the band would only look for a touring member to play for the band. However, it was announced on that Pat Lundy would be joining the band as Richards' replacement. Lundy is the former drummer of London-based heavy metal band Rise to Remain, having left the band in January 2012. Funeral for a Friend spent all of 2012, bar their brief festival appearances writing and recording for their sixth studio album. Over the year they released several studio updates showing the band members tracking different instruments for the album.
On 4 October of that year the band confirmed the title and release date of their sixth album Conduit for a 28 January 2013 release in the United Kingdom and on 5 February 2013 through The End Records In the United States.
On 28 September 2014, Funeral for a Friend debuted the lead single from their forthcoming album Chapter and Verse, titled "You've Got a Bad Case of the Religions" on the Rock Show on BBC Radio 1. The band then announced the album's release date of January 19, 2015 as well as a UK/European Tour in support of the album.
On 14 September 2015, Funeral for a Friend announced their breakup and the 'Last Chance to Dance' final tour across Australia, Germany and the UK, which spanned from February to April 2016; they played two subsequent nights on each stop of the tour, performing Hours and Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation in their entirety (alongside other songs) on the first and second night respectively.
In August 2019, Funeral for a Friend announced two special reunion concerts, with the proceedings going to the family of a terminally ill friend of the band. The two shows were set to be on 28 and 29 October at The Globe in Cardiff and O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire in London. As well as members Matt Davies-Kreye, Kris Coombs-Roberts, Gav Burrough, and Richard Boucher, the band will be joined by former guitarist Darran Smith and drummer/screamer Ryan Richards. After the initial two dates sold out quickly, the Cardiff show was upgraded from The Globe to the Cardiff Student Union, and a second Cardiff date was added for 27 October.
On 27 January 2020, Download festival announced their upcoming performance as part of the 2020 lineup. The festival would be cancelled in April, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. In September 2021, the band were a late addition to Slam Dunk festival. In July 2020, the band announced that they would be touring the UK in April 2021 playing songs from Casually-dressed & deep in Conversation, Hours, and Tales don't tell themselves, also due to COVID-19 the tour dates were postponed, taking place in early March 2022. After the initial dates sold out, the band added two additional dates in Cardiff and London and upgraded the venues for Manchester and Glasgow, which was then followed up with four additional dates in Leeds, Bristol, and Bournemouth alongside a third London date at Shepherd's Bush Empire. Due to illness, Richard Boucher was replaced on bass for the last 4 shows by the band's guitar-tech Steve Nash.
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Brazilian fansite
In A Manner Of Sleep
Funeral for a Friend Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Forget the ringing bell
They won't be dark for long
The sleep embrace the truth
All we left before we...
There's nowhere left to run
There's nowhere left to hide
From our hell
And time will tell
Light of where we lie
And where we fall
Light shine out
Over distant waiting walls
Tones strike out
Will fall back down
There'll ring out
A distant clear sound
Why do we sleep, oh little one?
Forget the ringing bell
And it won't be dark for long
The sleep embrace the truth
Nail us to the floor
The eye to be warned
The people lie
By the wicked night
As they pack the threats
Threat by threat
Light of where we lie
And where we fall
Light shine out
Over distant waiting walls
Tones strike out
Will fall back down
There'll ring out
A distant clear sound
Embrace the truth!
We need a spark not another dead match
We need a spark not another dead match
We need a spark not another dead match
FIND THE WILL TO KEEP IT BURNING!
Light of where we lie
And where we fall
Light shine out
Over distant waiting walls
Tones strike out
Will fall back down
There'll ring out
A distant clear sound
A distant clear sound
A distant clear sound
A distant clear sound
A distant clear sound
The lyrics of Funeral For a Friend’s “In A Manner Of Sleep” evoke a sense of desperation and searching for hope. The song begins with a question: “why do we sleep, oh little one?” suggesting a possible struggle with insomnia or an inability to find peace. The singer encourages the listener to forget the “ringing bell”, meaning the distractions of daily life that keeps them awake. The sleep is presented almost as a sanctuary from the trials of life. The idea that “the sleep embrace the truth” suggests that in sleeping, the listener will find solace and a deeper understanding of their own life.
As the song progresses, the focus shifts to the struggles of the waking world. The line, “all we left before we…” is intentionally left unfinished, perhaps hinting at the idea that the listener feels unfulfilled or unfinished in some way. The phrases “nail us to the floor” and “threat by threat” suggest a sense of being trapped and persecuted. However, hope is not lost completely. The repeated lines “we need a spark not another dead match” suggest that there is still a need for a light in the darkness, regardless of how many times it has gone out before.
Overall, “In A Manner Of Sleep” is a complex and layered song that explores the concepts of hope, desperation, and the search for peace in a world that can be hostile and unforgiving.
Line by Line Meaning
Why do we sleep, oh little one?
Questioning the purpose of sleep and its effect.
Forget the ringing bell
Putting aside worries or concerns.
They won't be dark for long
Optimism that things will improve.
The sleep embrace the truth
Sleep helps one confront truth or reality.
All we left before we...
Unclear reference, possibly alluding to death.
There's nowhere left to run
Feeling trapped or cornered by circumstance.
There's nowhere left to hide
Unable to escape or avoid consequence.
Time will steal another piece
The passage of time takes away and erodes things.
From our hell
Describing a difficult or painful situation.
And time will tell
The future will reveal how things turn out.
Light of where we lie
A metaphor for one's situation or state of being.
And where we fall
Acknowledging failure or mistakes.
Light shine out
Hope for something better or brighter.
Over distant waiting walls
Imagery of barriers or obstacles.
Tones strike out
Suggesting a call to action or change.
Will fall back down
Resistance or setbacks may occur.
There'll ring out
Echoing or resonating impact.
A distant clear sound
Outcome or result of effort.
Nail us to the floor
Feelings of being defeated or stuck.
The eye to be warned
Being vigilant or cautious.
The people lie
Untrustworthy or dishonest behavior from others.
By the wicked night
Negative or dangerous circumstances.
As they pack the threats
Feeling besieged or attacked.
Threat by threat
Constantly plagued by danger or difficulty.
Embrace the truth!
Urging oneself or others to accept reality.
We need a spark not another dead match
Desire for inspiration or motivation, not repeating failure.
FIND THE WILL TO KEEP IT BURNING!
Determining to persist or persevere despite obstacles.
A distant clear sound
Final result or outcome of effort.
Contributed by Luke G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Toni Gillies
Yea, but despite all this, they still remain the best band ever and knock out even better songs than every other pop/rock band. :D
ljessecusterl
Love this song.
Grumpy Canadian
LOVE IT!!!!!! It reminds me of Avenged Sevenfold's guitaring but with much better singing.
Fezzverbal
I love their really brutal version of Damage Inc on the Kerrange remastered Master of Puppets album, are there anymore really heavy songs by FFAF or is that as good as it gets?
Starjord
i think this is better than most of the stuff on "tales.." it wasn't a bad album but it lacked the heavy stuff
Grumpy Canadian
I like it, but they change the riffs too much, and it would be a bit better if more than just the chorus rhymed. Love the ending and intro part with the really nice piano playing... I just think I remember hearing a harp in one of their songs... anyone remember that???? WHICH SONG WAS IT??????
OMFGLOLSPOON
i really like this song LOL
7PlayingWithFire7
SOTY also has some heavy songs from their earlier times I believe..
audim bob
fino!
JCarlosFFAF
@fezzverbal The End Of Nothing or NEW songs: Serpents In Solitude, Front Row Seats To The End Of the World ,or Wrench . Oh yeah, and Broken Foundation is epic. Make sure you listen to it!