Jamie Hanks- Vocals
Gordon McPherson - Bass
John Winters - Guitar
Colin Bradford - Drums
Former members:
Christopher Fugate - Guitar
Evan Hughes - Guitar
Ryan Cox - Drums
Brent Eaton:Bass
Zack Ring: Bass
Randy Carpenter:Drums
Jake Paulson:Guitars
Jonathan Huber:Vocals
For Seattle’s I Declare War, one of the new heavyweights in the deathcore scene today, there are conflicting stories as to where the band’s name actually originated from. All five members can agree that hip hop was the influence, either based on the Jay-Z tour or the Pace Won album, both of which bear the same name. The fact that the deathcore band’s name is inspired by hip hop is not ironic at all, as I Declare War will concur that their diverse musical influences help keep their sound unique and fresh.
After a few lineup changes while growing the band, they eventually evolved into their current lineup as members were introduced to each other through the local Seattle music scene. Unfortunatly, the band had to part ways with former vocalist, Jon Huber in late 2011 due to the fact that he wanted to incorporate Grindcore elements to their music. It was a mutual seperation in which Jon went on to join Pathology as their vocalist. They then found Jamie Hanks and he became the new I Declare War vocalist. As other bands began to disperse, the I Declare War lineup was solidified and grew stronger with each lineup addition. Guitarist Chris Fugate had the ultimate experience, beginning as a fan of the band who was eventually asked to fill in on a brief tour, and later asked to permanently join the band.
While on tour in 2007, the band crossed paths with well-known death metal band Whitechapel and formed not only a mutual respect amongst each other, but a lasting friendship. Two years later, Whitechapel’s Alex Wade approached I Declare War to join The Artery Foundation for management and become part of the yet-to-be-launched Artery Recordings roster. “Being signed to Artery Recordings was the best thing that could have happened to us. They’ve been great to us along with everyone at Razor & Tie, and I’m extremely excited for our future,” said bassist Brent Eaton. “We feel really connected and close to everyone there,” agreed guitarist Evan Hughes.
As heavy as I Declare War’s sound is, their message is just as poignant and serious. “Our lyrics are based on a lot of what we think is corrupt in the world today – government, religion, and the self-inflicted downfall of humanity,” stated Hughes. “We have elements of a lot of different styles but try to stray from sticking to a formula and to keep things interesting by not writing the same song 11 times.”
Touring is fundamental to the growth and development of I Declare War, and has proven to be key to their success. The technical skill of the band is showcased when they find themselves in front of fans and fellow musicians. “We feel the intensity just as much as someone watching, usually even more so,” Hughes explained. The band has already been touring nationwide for the past few years, but hopes to find themselves out of the country in the near future. “I hope to be an international band. I would like to reach out to more fans and really push to get our music out there,” drummer Ryan Cox stated in summation.
A force to be reckoned with in the deathcore scene, I Declare War shows no signs of slowing down. As Alternative Press said, “Five years in, they know exactly what they’re doing and they do it without hesitation or mercy.”
Don't Give Up
I Declare War Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now you're gone
You were so blessed
Missing you so much
Substances were your crutch
Death came so fast
Life flew right past
Seems so long ago
You said this was forever
We were so close
I did my best
To save you
No one can help you now
Save yourself
Just for once
Don't get left behind
I would die for you
Forever means never
Take this all back
Don't give up
You were so close
The lyrics to I Declare War's song Don't Give Up paint a picture of someone who has lost a loved one to substance abuse. The opening lines, "You were the best, Now you're gone, You were so blessed," suggest that the person who has died was a great person, but their addiction ultimately led to their untimely demise. The line "Substances were your crutch" highlights that addiction played a significant role in the person's life, and they relied heavily on drugs or alcohol to cope.
The next lines, "Death came so fast, Life flew right past," continue to emphasize the suddenness of the person's death and how quickly time seemed to have gone by. The chorus, "I miss those times, Seems so long ago, You said this was forever, We were so close," shows that the singer is struggling with the loss of the person and the memories they shared. They also mention how the person had promised forever but were ultimately unable to fulfill that promise due to their addiction.
The next stanza, "I did my best, To save you, No one can help you now," shows the singer's attempts to help the person while they were still alive but ultimately feeling like their efforts were unsuccessful. The chorus, "Save yourself, Just for once, Don't get left behind, I would die for you," highlights the importance of the person taking responsibility for their own life and the love that the singer had for them.
The final lines of the song, "Forever means never, Take this all back, Don't give up, You were so close," show the singer's regret and desire to change the past. They are urging others not to give up on themselves, even if they feel like they are close to the brink.
Line by Line Meaning
You were the best
You were the most talented or accomplished
Now you're gone
You have passed away and departed from this world
You were so blessed
You were fortunate or favored by a higher power
Missing you so much
Feeling a great sense of loss and longing for your presence
Substances were your crutch
Drugs were your reliance or dependence
Death came so fast
Your death occurred unexpectedly or suddenly
Life flew right past
Your life went by quickly and without warning
I miss those times
I reminisce about the past and wish for its return
Seems so long ago
Feels like it's been a very long time since those moments occurred
You said this was forever
You expressed that this relationship or bond would last eternally
We were so close
Our relationship was very intimate and meaningful
I did my best
I put forth my greatest effort and tried my hardest
To save you
To prevent you from harm or danger, specifically regarding drug abuse
No one can help you now
It's too late for anyone to intervene and assist you in recovery
Save yourself
You must be the one to take action and help yourself
Just for once
This is an opportunity to make a positive change and try something new, just once
Don't get left behind
Don't become isolated or left out, keep up with others around you
I would die for you
I care deeply about you and would make the ultimate sacrifice for your well-being
Forever means never
The notion of lasting forever or eternally is unrealistic and unattainable
Take this all back
Wishing to reverse the past and start over again
Don't give up
Persevere and keep trying, don't give in to defeat or despair
You were so close
You were approaching success or progress before something interfered or went wrong
Contributed by Levi K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@yejeehwang8947
I like how they made her crying voice realistic rather than the typical high pitched anime scream
@MarcoThePHX
Onions do the trick 😂
@devinjiang9865
high pitched uwu
@1ZZT223
I cried. Had to rewind 3 times, and cried every time. Not ashamed
@Kujakuseki01
I mean…her VA has a deeper voice that she is consistent with throughout the series. She’s also in her late 20s, so older than the rest of the crew (except for Frankie and Brook, yohohohoho!)
@Red-pv7kx
@@Kujakuseki01 This exactly. I don’t understand what OP was trying to say, since here it doesn’t make any sense lol.
@igormachado2194
It's not even the "I want to live" part that gets me. It's the "Take me to the sea with you!". It's such a sincere line. It's not just that she want to stay alive, but that her ideal of life is being besides her friends. The time she spent with the Straw Hats up until that point was probably the happiest Robin've ever been. It felt a little bit like a kid asking for their parents to take them. Oda is really good at making raw emotion come up on his characters.
@sarahbornofgod7518
Yes yesss
@feuerschlange6374
For me it is both parts. I mean first she was wished dead almost her whole life, then she was an enemy of the straw hats. Yet here they are, facing the strongest entity in the world, fighting til exhaustion just to make her wish anybody else denied her come true
@mauriceisaac3646
It mirrors how she wanted to sail out with her mother, to the point where she became an archeologist in hopes that she could join her.