“The whole record is about abandonment, particularly the fact that my father is the one who abandoned me,” says the scorching singer/songwriter for I Am Empire (whose moniker is basically a battle cry to be yourself and never feel pressured towards conformity). “We decided to name the record Kings because it signifies the head of a household, and if you’ve been abandoned, you want to look past that person and try to be better when you grow up. The goal is to take up the crown that person left behind and be better than the person who left, which can really apply to any type of relationship.”
Yet the plot thickens in the case of Lyons, whose biological dad may have left when he was ten, though a stepfather entered the picture a little later down the line. In time, this new father figure of sorts became incredibly close to the family, so much so that Austin adapted his last name and considered him to fill the original role his birth dad missed, though that relationship also took an unexpected turn.
“Basically he decided to leave and said he wanted kids of his own, which absolutely destroyed me, my mom and my sister,” he reveals. “From that point on, I decided to write this record reflecting on what happened when both my biological dad and a person I called my dad left me. I try to be as honest as I can be because that really helps dive deep into myself. It’s been a big therapy session for me, and even though I opened myself up to a lot of painful things I didn’t want to put out there, it’s been good for my writing. Everything works out for the better, and even though these situations were awful, I want there to be a positive outcome.”
The results find the guitar-charged record split between tracks of justified venting to seasons of spiritual renewal, both of which find the band unfurling its emotions as if their lives depended on such gripping delivery. Cuts like the lead single “Brain Damage,” “Saints & Sinners,” “Heart Attack,” “To the Moon” and “Foxhole” are aggressive examples of anger relief that encourage listeners to never bottle up their emotions, while “Hammers & Anvils,” “Love & Despair” and “Take Me Away” speak of healing, reconciliation and forgiveness.
“Even if you’ve been abandoned, you need to dig past the depression and ask God to help you find the joy in your circumstances,” suggests Lyons. “God’s continually worked through my situation and I have a positive outlook, to the point where we can close up the record with ‘It’s Not Fair’ with lines like ‘you wished me away/ but I wish you well.’”
The music is just as varied as the lyrical longing, ranging from muses like Jimmy Eat World to Muse, My Chemical Romance and Anberlin (who the group co-writes with on a track). In fact, the dozen track disc also benefits from the multi-faceted approach of producer Rob Hawkins, who’s also known for his work with Disciple and Fireflight (to name a few).
“We tried to have a dirtier sound in general,” admits Lyons. “A lot of the songs are really heavy, a couple fall in the pop/rock vein and we even have a kind of folksy acoustic song. We have a wide range of sounds and made sure not to stick with the same type of song over and over again. We also made a point for there not to be any throwaway tracks on the album or to waste any time recording a song that wasn’t worthwhile.”
Between those artistic ambitions, members’ unceasing work ethic, tireless time on tour and thematic reliability, I Am Empire is a perfect match with Tooth & Nail, which is a literally a label dream come true for the guys who grew up listening to its influential roster. “We talked to them for about a year, and in the end, it just felt like family,” sums up Lyons. “They’re the kind of label we always dreamed to be on, especially in high school when we used to say ‘man, it would be so cool to be on Tooth & Nail someday.’ We’ve literally grown up with them and our sound works within its line-up. Everything’s going great and it’s going to be an awesome relationship.”
To The Moon
I Am Empire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Its always left you broken in three
A wife, girl, and me
What a mirage, a mirage you have made
Did you think I'd let you walk away (walk away)
You are so misdirected
Now we're connected by sound
Throw your life away
Throw it to the moon
There is nothing more to say
Your drug is on display
Throw your life away
Throw it to the moon
There is nothing more to say
Your drug is on display
So you go right back to the ways of the weak
With a look of defeat
Say hello to the lonely digging graves
I suggest you open up your soul
And take a good look around
No one has made it through
Made it through to the end
Throw your life away
Throw it to the moon
There is nothing more to say
Your drug is on display
Throw your life away
Throw it to the moon
There is nothing more to say
Your drug is on display
Dry your eyes (Dry your eyes)
Don't fall asleep with pride
A doctor with a bad intention can't ever fix this mess
Not with the world to impress
Throw your life away
Throw it to the moon
There is nothing more to say
Your drug is on display
The lyrics of I Am Empire's song To The Moon speaks about how hope cannot be found in smoking, and how it has broken someone into three: a wife, girl, and the singer. The song seems to address someone who is lost and misdirected, who goes back to the ways of the weak and is defeated. The lyrics suggest that the person needs to open up their soul and take a good look around. No one has made it through to the end, but throwing one's life away is not a solution. The final lines of the song speak about the danger of falling asleep with pride, as a doctor with bad intentions cannot fix the mess if there is only a world to impress.
Overall, the song appears to address the issue of addiction and how it can completely consume a person. It portrays a sense of helplessness and frustration with someone who is throwing their life away and putting their drug on display. The lyrics encourage the person to look within themselves and find the root of the problem instead of repeating old mistakes that leave them defeated.
Line by Line Meaning
Hope isn't found in smoke
Finding hope should not be done by indulging in vices or temporary pleasures
Its always left you broken in three
It has caused you to break apart, affecting your personal relationships and self-worth
A wife, girl, and me
The addiction has caused a strain on the relationships with a spouse, significant other, and oneself
What a mirage, a mirage you have made
The addiction has caused an illusion of happiness and fulfillment that is not real or sustainable
Did you think I'd let you walk away (walk away)
The artist will not let the listener continue down a destructive path without intervening
You are so misdirected
The listener's priorities and focus are misguided
Now we're connected by sound
The singer hopes to connect with the listener through music and lyrics
Throw your life away
The addiction causes the listener to throw away the important aspects of their life
Throw it to the moon
The addiction and all its negative effects should be discarded completely
There is nothing more to say
There is no more argument or discussion to be had – the addiction is harmful and must be overcome
Your drug is on display
The addiction is visible and apparent to those around the listener
So you go right back to the ways of the weak
The listener is returning to harmful habits and behaviors rather than taking steps towards recovery and growth
With a look of defeat
The listener appears defeated and hopeless in their struggle with addiction
Say hello to the lonely digging graves
Continuing down this path may lead to further isolation, loneliness, and even death
I suggest you open up your soul
The singer recommends the listener be vulnerable and honest with themselves in order to overcome their addiction
And take a good look around
The listener should examine their current situation and surroundings to gain perspective on their addiction
No one has made it through
Recovery is difficult and the listener should not feel alone in their struggle
Made it through to the end
The journey to overcome addiction is ongoing and requires continued effort and commitment
Dry your eyes (Dry your eyes)
The listener should stop crying and be strong in their recovery
Don't fall asleep with pride
The listener should not become complacent or overly confident in their progress towards recovery
A doctor with a bad intention can't ever fix this mess
Seeking help from someone who does not have the listener's best interests in mind will not lead to recovery
Not with the world to impress
The listener should focus on themselves and their personal growth rather than external validation or pressures
Contributed by Penelope F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Angel Thomas
Awesome