Founded by Arnold and Donikian in 2000, Hypnogaja originated as an electronic studio project with early collaborator, keyboardist Sean "Dr." Brooks. As a live show began to develop, members and collaborators were added to the fold, including Grammy award nominated guitarist/producer Jean-Yves "Jeeve" Ducornet. Hypnogaja's sound evolved into new dimensions with the incorporation of rock influences into the group's initial electronic foundation. The band tours consistently and has performed shows to audiences throughout the U.S. and Canada, and has opened for bands such as Shinedown, Saliva, 311, Cold and many others.
Grammy nominated songwriter Wendy Waldman helmed production duties for Hypnogaja's live acoustic album, Acoustic Sunset: Live At The Longhouse. The band previously collaborated with Waldman on two songs - "Killing Time" and "Outside, Looking In" - from the album "Post-Hypnotic Stress Disorder". The latter song was featured as the end title of the NBC Movie "Carrie" a remake of the Brian DePalma film based on the classic Stephen King novel.
Hypnogaja's latest studio recording, Truth Decay, was released by Union State Records in June 2009. The fourteen-track, science fiction-tinged concept album includes the song "Welcome To The Future," featuring Richard Dodd of The Section Quartet on cello. The album was released to strong reviews, including a 9 out of 10 star rating from Outburn Magazine, which noted it as an "expertly crafted album." The LP's first single, "The March," spawned a music video directed by ASC Award-winning cinematographer Nelson Craggand and writer/producer Marius Markevicius
Various television shows, motion pictures and soundtracks have featured Hypnogaja’s music, including America’s Next Top Model, Carrie, Cold Creek Manor, Dirt , Las Vegas, One Life To Live, Roswell, Sex And The City, Tru Calling, Valentine and many others.
Author Frank Beddor featured Hypnogaja's Alice in Wonderland-themed song, "Looking Glass" (from the Below Sunset album) on the soundtrack for the audio book version of his 2006 NY Times Best Seller, The Looking Glass Wars. In 2007, the Warner Bros. Interactive game, FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage, used the band's song "They Don't Care" (another track from Below Sunset), which was also placed - that same year - as the theme song for the Versus network's Red, White, Black and Blue Summer promo trailer. In 2008, Hypnogaja frontman, ShyBoy, co-wrote and performed two songs ("The Time Has Come" and "Shall Never Surrender") featured in the Capcom video game, The Devil May Cry 4 (the latter track appearing as the game's end title and both songs appearing on the accompanying, official Sony Music soundtrack). In 2009, Tapulous featured the Hypnogaja song "Things Will Never Be The Same" (from the Truth Decay LP) in the iPhone and iPod touch game, Tap Tap Revenge 3.
Several technology companies have featured Hypnogaja's music in noteworthy articles and promotional materials, and have invited the band to participate in events. Apple computers posted an in-depth interview and story on the band's experience in using Macs in the realms of recording, touring and promotion. AOL Music's Noisecreep property featured an interview with Hypnogaja about the concept behind Truth Decay, and offered an exclusive, free download of the song, "Worship Me (I'm On TV)." Microsoft Windows featured free downloads of two songs from Truth Decay - "Rusty Moon" and "Cellar Door" - on promotions tied to its Windows 7 release, including a slot in the January 2010 Windows Media Guide.
Hypnogaja performed at the first annual 140tc (Twitter Conference), held in Los Angeles in September 2009. In consideration of the band's success in utilizing social networking to grow its fan base (Hypnogaja has reached over one million followers on the site), keyboardist Donikian was invited to serve as one of the speakers during the conference's music panel, which also included Chamillionaire, Curt Smith of Tears for Fears and several notable music industry executives. The band rounded out 2009 with a Best Alternative Artist win at the Hollywood Music in Media Awards, performing "Welcome To The Future" at the November awards ceremony. In November 2010, Arnold won the Hollywood Music in Media Award for Best Male Vocal for his performance of the Donna Summer classic hit, "On the Radio," (released in January 2010 by Union State Records as the bonus track on the Hypnogaja digital 45, Welcome to the Future / On the Radio).
Hypnogaja's current lineup of Arnold, Donikian, Barnardo (member since 2004), Farrar (member since 2008) and Parker (member since 2009) performed an official showcase at SXSW '10 in Austin, TX and the group continues to tour and perform webcasts consistently. In July 2010, the band appeared on the debut episode of the web series, Stripped Down Live with Curt Smith (of Tears for Fears). On February 15, 2011, Union State Records is scheduled to release a new Hypnogaja digital EP entitled Dark Star which will contain a remix of the song "Dark Star" (featuring Slimkid3 of The Pharcyde). Later in 2011, there are plans to release Arnold's debut solo album (under the name ShyBoy) as well as plans to start recording a new Hypnogaja studio album.
Put Your Hate On Me
Hypnogaja Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do you need it to survive?
Are you used to the instant remedy
That the misery provides?
I think I'm finally numb
The fate has overcome
I'll be your darkest sun
Come, put your hate on me
I think I'm finally numb
So you can put your hate upon me
I watch you, all the rage you hold
As it's pulling you down
Give it to me, your sweet insanity
Release it quick before you drown
I think I'm finally numb
The fate has overcome
I'll be your darkest sun
So you can put your hate upon me
Come, put your hate on me
I think I'm finally numb
So you can put your hate upon me
I wage the war from hate state to core
You drop from the rot, you stop to get more
The weight of your hate may make your back crack
You're under counter attack, you try to counter react
So what the fuck you think, you blink and go blind
Time after time you can't see the sign
Fuck it, all in my grill I'll kill the right wrong
But you better hit quick
Cause you're 'bout to be gone
No reason to feel bad now
I can take it
Come and put your hate down
No need to feel ashamed now
Come and put your hate upon me
No need to carry sadness
I can take it
Come and lay your hate down
No need to feel a thing now
I can take it
Come and put your hate upon me
The lyrics to Hypnogaja's song "Put Your Hate On Me" are an invitation for someone to unleash their anger and frustration upon the singer, who seems to be offering himself as a receptacle for all the negative emotions the other person is carrying. The song questions why the person is holding onto their anger, asking if they need it to survive or if they have become accustomed to the instant relief it provides. The singer claims to be "finally numb," having overcome their own fate and now offering to be the other person's "darkest sun" to absorb their hate and provide them with a release from their troubles.
The chorus repeats the message that the singer is ready to receive the other person's hate, and that they are now "finally numb" enough to withstand it. The verses describe the watching of the other person's rage and the need to release it before it pulls them under. The lyrics take on a more aggressive tone as the song goes on, with the singer declaring that they are ready to fight the other person's hate with all their might.
Overall, the song seems to be about offering someone a safe space to express their negative emotions without fear of judgment or retribution. The singer is offering themselves up as a target for the other person's hate, but also seems to be advocating for a release of these negative emotions as a way to move forward and overcome them.
Line by Line Meaning
Why do you keep your anger up?
Is your anger necessary for your survival?
Do you need it to survive?
Is your existence dependent on your hate and anger?
Are you used to the instant remedy
That the misery provides?
Do you depend on your hate to feel better when you're miserable?
I think I'm finally numb
The fate has overcome
I'll be your darkest sun
So you can put your hate upon me
Come, put your hate on me
I think I'm finally numb
So you can put your hate upon me
The artist is expressing their willingness to accept someone's hate, and take it on themselves instead of allowing the person to remain trapped by their own misery.
I watch you, all the rage you hold
As it's pulling you down
Give it to me, your sweet insanity
Release it quick before you drown
The artist observes the damaging effect of their anger on the person and encourages them to let it go before it leads to their ruin.
I wage the war from hate state to core
You drop from the rot, you stop to get more
The weight of your hate may make your back crack
You're under counter attack, you try to counter react
So what the fuck you think, you blink and go blind
Time after time you can't see the sign
Fuck it, all in my grill I'll kill the right wrong
But you better hit quick
Cause you're 'bout to be gone
The singer describes the painful cycle of hate, in which the person is consumed by it and ultimately blinded to its destructive consequences. The singer offers to take on the person's hate and try to break the cycle before it's too late.
No reason to feel bad now
I can take it
Come and put your hate down
No need to feel ashamed now
Come and put your hate upon me
No need to carry sadness
I can take it
Come and lay your hate down
No need to feel a thing now
I can take it
Come and put your hate upon me
The singer reassures the person that they don't have to bear their pain and hate alone, and they are there to help carry the burden and provide relief.
Contributed by Ethan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.