Undaunted by Patrick's unexpected departure, the band quickly replaced Patrick with Eric Wayne, who helped move the band into a grungier sound. Wayne's lower vocal register allowed Holy Soldier to compete in the metal market with the likes of Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Crash Test Dummies, and Soundgarden. After Holy Solider's reinvention and extensive touring, the band was signed to ForeFront Records in 1994. Once again recruiting the production skills of David Zaffiro, Holy Solider released Promise Man the following year. Despite the success of Promise Man, ForeFront Records dropped the band from its label. In 1997, after a short hiatus, Holy Soldier independently produced a live retrospective album featuring both current frontman Eric Wayne and original vocalist Steven Patrick. After the release of Encore, Holy Soldier officially disbanded.
In 2005, the original Holy Soldier line-up reunited in August for a concert and possible studio album follow-up. Unfortunately, Steven Patrick's reunion with his former band members was extremely brief. Suddenly without its original lead vocalist for the second time, Holy Soldier recruited original drummer Terry Russell's brother, Don, to replace Patrick. As of 2006, the band continues to perform live.
Discography
Studio albums
1990 – Holy Soldier (Myrrh Records / A&M Records, produced by David Zaffiro)
1992 – Last Train (Myrrh Records, produced by David Zaffiro)
1995 – Promise Man (ForeFront / EMI Records, produced by David Zaffiro)
Live albums
1997 – Encore (Spaceport Records, produced by Andy Robbins, Michael Cutting & David Zaffiro, February 8, 1997 @ Rocketown, Nashville, Tennessee)
DVDs
2006 – Live, Rare and Raw (Roxx Productions/Spaceport Records)
Rust
Holy Soldier Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In The Middle Of A Park,
The Names Can Barely Still Be Read
Where Two Lovers Carved A Heart.
I Wonder Where They Are Today,
Are They Together Still,
Or Does Only One Return To Trace
The Heart That Never Healed?
(Pre-Chorus:)
And On, And On, And On, And On We All Pretend,
Day After Day Goes By But Someday It Will End
(Chorus:)
Turning Of Time, Sowing Of Seeds,
Saying The Words We Seldom Speak.
Say What You Should, Do What You Must.
Turning Of Time, Sowing Of Seeds,
Not For The Now But Eternity.
Hearts Like A Wheel Can Turn To Rust.
Mother Saved The Photograph,
Now She Keeps It In Her Book,
She Cries Every Time She Sees,
Though She Can't Help But Look.
Her Only Child Made Her Smile,
Though She Can't Accept The Loss,
She Spends Her Day But Not Alone At The Foot Of The Cross.
(Pre-chorus:)
(Chorus:)
The song "Rust" by Holy Soldier is a ballad that reflects on the passage of time, the cycle of life and death, and the enduring power of love. The lyrics describe a scene in a park, where a weathered bench stands as a symbol of the past. The names of two lovers who once carved a heart into the bench are barely visible, and the singer wonders what became of them. The pre-chorus reflects on the universal human tendency to pretend that time will never run out, even as we know it inevitably will. The chorus uses the metaphor of "turning of time" and "sowing of seeds" to suggest that our actions have consequences that extend beyond the present moment. The repetition of the phrase "hearts like a wheel can turn to rust" serves as a reminder that everything eventually fades away.
The second verse shifts to the perspective of a mother who has lost her only child. She holds onto a photograph and cries every time she sees it, unable to let go of the pain of her loss. The only comfort she finds is in her faith, symbolized by the image of the cross. The lyrics suggest that even in the face of tragedy, there is a sense of continuity and purpose that can be found in the eternal.
Line by Line Meaning
Sitting On A Weathered Bench
Reflecting on life in a park
In The Middle Of A Park,
The place of remembrance and contemplation
The Names Can Barely Still Be Read
Faded memories of two lovers
Where Two Lovers Carved A Heart.
A symbol of their love etched and weathered
I Wonder Where They Are Today,
Curiosity if their love endured time
Are They Together Still,
Hope that their love remained steadfast
Or Does Only One Return To Trace
Potential outcome that one returned and mournfully reminisces
The Heart That Never Healed?
The symbol of love once etched, now left with time, causes pain
(Pre-Chorus:)
A warning of fleeting existence and temporal experiences
And On, And On, And On, And On We All Pretend,
The cycle of pretending that life goes on forever
Day After Day Goes By But Someday It Will End
Acknowledgement of mortality and finitude
(Chorus:)
A call to sincerity and urgency in life's decisions
Turning Of Time, Sowing Of Seeds,
The passing of time and planting of life experiences
Saying The Words We Seldom Speak.
Expressing our true thoughts and feelings honestly
Say What You Should, Do What You Must.
Acting according to one's beliefs and values
Turning Of Time, Sowing Of Seeds,
The unrelenting progression of time and chance to cultivate a lasting impact
Not For The Now But Eternity.
Thinking beyond immediate results and considering the long-lasting effects of one's actions
Hearts Like A Wheel Can Turn To Rust.
The fragility and impermanence of love and life's experiences
Mother Saved The Photograph,
Holding on to precious memories of a loved one
Now She Keeps It In Her Book,
Carefully preserving the cherished memory
She Cries Every Time She Sees,
Grieving the loss but still holding on to the love that was
Though She Can't Help But Look.
Inevitably drawn to the sight of the photograph
Her Only Child Made Her Smile,
Taking solace in the few moments of happiness the child brought
Though She Can't Accept The Loss,
Unable to fully come to terms with the child's passing
She Spends Her Day But Not Alone At The Foot Of The Cross.
Finding comfort and peace in her faith
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind