After leaving their record label EMI in 2004 following the Payola scandal, they released their second album independently before signing a deal with Burning Heart Records, who subsequently re-released it in 2006. The band's third (self-titled) album was released in June 2007.
September 2000 Hell is For Heroes formed
January 2001 1st gig at the Half Moon, Putney
March 2001 released debut EP ‘Sick Happy’ (the first demo) and toured with Biffy Clyro
July 2001 signed record deal
January 2002 recorded first album with Swedes Pelle & Eskil
… on and off tours of the UK
February 2003 released ‘The Neon Handshake’
March 2003 to
January 2004 toured like dogs
May 2004 recorded 2nd album in Sweden on their own label
August 2004 released handmade CD single and free download ‘One Of Us’ through Captains Of Industry
November 2004 filmed video for ‘Kamichi’ with friend and artist Tom McShane
March 2005 released 2nd album ‘Transmit Disrupt’ in the UK on their own label
September 2005 signed worldwide deal with Burning Heart Records
The band continue to tour, often abroad, often briefly...This news broke to the dismay of many a Heroes fan on 25.10.2007:
"Dear rock fans the forthcoming hop around the UK will be the last full length stint on the road before the reunion tour in 2037. HIFH are up for spending more time at home working on other projects and potentially a fourth album if it can beat the last effort. Plus 7 years in the van is a fair stretch by any standards. Just like the Beatles after Rubber Soul, its hallucinogenics and concept albums from here on. In the meantime, as usual, expect the unforgettable.
Thank You,
hellisforheroes"
They finally gave it up in 2008, with a final goodbye post on their official website posted in Jan 2009.
They reformed in November 2012 to support Hundred reasons on their last tour dates.
They then toured in 2018 with A and in 2023 with Hundred Reasons and My Vitriol, releasing two new songs in early 2023.
You Drove Me To It
Hell Is For Heroes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Somebody better make me bleed
Fill this vacancy underneath my skin
'Cause I'm fighting with a thorn in my side
I never meant to fall this far
I have grown the soul of an enemy
But I hold and element of surprise
God knows its gonna make you smile
Breathe in immortality
I'm falling down one thousand feet
So lets gather with the gods tonight
And play truant for the final time
I've been strung from hell, give me birth again
'Cause I never meant to climb this far
My guts are gonna drop like flies
Breatheing in immortality
I'm falling down one thousand feet
And oh my god one hundred floors
Flash faster than my eyes can meet
Give me something sacred
So deep
So high
So long
So far
So good
So much pressure building
They won't break me
They won't ground me
In Hell Is For Heroes's song You Drove Me To It, the singer expresses a desire for pain and violence as a way to fill a void inside himself. He feels like he's up against something sharp that's digging into his skin, and he wants someone to "give me a sting" to help him feel something. He has attempted to distance himself from his own humanity and become an enemy, but still believes he has something to offer in a fight. He talks about "breathing in immortality" which could be interpreted as longing for death or power over it.
Throughout the lyrics there's a sense of desperation and a need to escape reality. The singer wants to "play truant for the final time", which could imply escaping from school as a child, but in this context it could mean escaping from society and all its pressures. He feels like he's been "strung from hell" and wants to be re-born again. He knows he's climbing too high and it's going to end badly, but he can't help himself. The final lines show that he's feeling an immense amount of pressure, but he refuses to be broken or beaten down.
Line by Line Meaning
Somebody better give me a sting
I need something to awaken me, something that can make me feel things intensely
Somebody better make me bleed
I need something that can hurt me, something that can make me face my demons
Fill this vacancy underneath my skin
I need something to fill the void within me, something to make me feel complete
'Cause I'm fighting with a thorn in my side
I'm constantly battling with an obstacle that's causing me pain and discomfort
I never meant to fall this far
I never intended to be in this deep, to be this broken
I have grown the soul of an enemy
My struggles have transformed me into someone who is hostile to my own self
But I hold an element of surprise
Despite everything, I have something unexpected, something that can still shock people
God knows it's gonna make you smile
Even though my pain and struggles are real, they can still bring amusement to others
Breathing in immortality
I'm feeling invincible, like nothing can stop me
I'm falling down one thousand feet
Despite feeling invincible, I'm still falling down, steadily losing my grip
So let's gather with the gods tonight
Let's embrace the things that make us feel alive, even if they're considered sinful or taboo
And play truant for the final time
Let's rebel against the norms and expectations that we've been trying to meet for the last time
I've been strung from hell, give me birth again
I've been through hell and back, now I need a fresh start, a rebirth
My guts are gonna drop like flies
I'm sick to my stomach from everything that's been happening, I feel like I'm dying
Give me something sacred, so deep, so high, so long, so far, so good
Give me something that's truly meaningful, something that's intense and limitless, something that can last eternity
So much pressure building
I'm feeling the weight of everything on my shoulders, struggling to keep it together
They won't break me, they won't ground me
Despite everything, I refuse to surrender, I refuse to let everything consume me
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JAMES MCCARLIE FINDLAY, JOSEPH BIRCH, JUSTIN ROBIN SCHLOSBERG, TOMAS EDWARD O'DONOGHUE, WILL MCGONAGLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Callum Anderson
Somebody better give me a sting
Somebody better make me bleed
Fill this vacancy underneath my skin
Cause I'm fighting with a thorn in my side
I never meant to fall this far
I have grown the soul of an enemy
I hold an element of surprise
God knows, it's gonna make you smile
Breathing immortality
I'm falling down one thousand feet
So lets gather with the Gods tonight
And play truant for the final time
I've been strung from hell
Give me birth again
Cause I never meant to climb this high
My guts are gonna drop like flies
Breathing immortality
I'm falling down one thousand feet
And oh my god
One hundred floors
Flash faster than my eyes can meet
Give me
Something
Sacred
So long
So deep
So high
So far
So good
So much
Pressure building
(They won't break me, they won't ground me - repeat to fade)
Breathing immortality
I'm falling down one thousand feet
And oh my God
One hundred floors
Flash faster than my eyes can meet
DrusenDoll
This whole album is a masterpiece.
Pity they couldn't do it twice.
Chris22
Neon 🤝
FIN
They have a new song coming on December 15th. It's called I Should Never Have Been Here In The First Place
xxxpj999
the song is the ultimate rock!! shivers down my spine every time I hear it .. Highlight of Reading 2003 !!! oh god please take me back!!!
Paul Cope
Oh my, what a tune. Pity they were never quite able to follow the genius of 'The Neon Handshake'.
Jack
Loved this song when it first came out. Saw them play for the first time last night. They were amazing.
Doddsy
yea man the reunion tour was insane
lukerr87
How can anyone dislike this?! It's such an awesome song. One of my favourites!
Scruffy P
I totally forgot about this band. I was never into that post hardcore type stuff but I loved these guys.
Gemma F
At every heroes gig I remember waiting in anticipation cause Justin would always stage dive or do something really manic during the guitar interlude in the middle of this song. Love it. Fantastic!