In mid 2009, Schwartz decided to leave the band after struggling with life on the road, leaving Charnas as the only original member. Charnas then recruited former members of the Rochester, NY post-hardcore band Remember Tomorrow, which had recently disbanded. This shifted Ice Nine Kills' sound into more of an experimental metalcore sound. Ferret Music took notice of their new sound and signed the band in the spring of 2009. After appearing on Warped Tour 2009, the band began writing and recording their next record.
Ice Nine Kills released their second full-length album 'Safe Is Just a Shadow' on July 12, 2010. Vocalist Dave Sieling, who has since left the band, contributed clean vocals along with Spencer Charnas. The album received praise from heavy metal Revolver Magazine in the 2010 Hottest Chicks in Rock Issue, and the band was invited to attend the Revolver Golden Gods awards in Los Angeles CA on April 20, 2010. The band supported 'Safe Is Just a Shadow' with a two-week appearance on Warped Tour 2010 and a supporting slot with Michigan-based nu metal band Taproot. The band performed on a headlining tour in the summer of 2011 as well as at the Darien Lake, NY stop of Warped Tour 2011. The band released a music video inspired by the film Inglorious Bastards for their song "The People Under the Stairs" on June 20, 2011. That same day, the band announced their partnership with Outerloop Management who represent We Came as Romans, Refused, and Periphery among others.
On January 15, 2013, the band released their EP 'The Predator,' which had been funded through a Kickstarter campaign. Ice Nine Kills played on The All Stars Tour as well as the first 2 weeks of the 2013 Vans Warped Tour. On April 26, 2013, the band released a stand-alone single called "The Product of Hate", with proceeds going to help the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings earlier that month.
Ice Nine Kills released their full-length effort 'The Predator Becomes the Prey' on January 21 through the newly created Outerloop Records, an imprint of Fearless Records. The album marked the band's first entrance into the Billboard Top 200 charts, landing at #153. The album also debuted at #3 on the Top Heatseeker's chart, #38 on the Independent Label charts, and #13 on the Hard Rock charts. The band played the entire Warped Tour 2014 and in 2015 headlined the IX LIVES TOUR with Get Scared, Upon This Dawning, Chasing Safety, and Brightwell.
It was announced on September 17, 2015 that the band had signed to Fearless Records. Ice Nine Kills's new album "Every Trick in the Book" was released on December 4, 2015.
Ice Nine Kills headlined on the Fresh Faces Tour from October 24 - November 29 with new Fearless Records bands Wage War, The White Noise, and more. Ice Nine Kills has also been featured on the Fearless Punk Goes... series with their cover of "Animals" by Maroon 5 for 'Punk Goes Pop, Vol. 6' and their cover of "I Don't Wanna Live Forever" by ZAYN and Taylor Swift for 'Punk Goes Pop, Vol. 7'.
On October 5th, 2018, Ice Nine Kills released their fifth album "The Silver Scream" to both commercial and critical success. The Silver Scream peaked at 29 on the Billboard Top 200, further bring the band higher and higher up into the Mainstream. The album provided fan favorite tracks and chart climbers such as "A Grave Mistake", "SAVAGES", "The American Nightmare",and "Stabbing In The Dark". All inspired by both classic and niche horror films of the 80's, 90's, and early 2000's. Throughout the next couple of years, the band would support "The Silver Scream" with various theatrical shows dedicated to bringing the horror films of old onto the stage. A show at the Worcester Palladium would be recorded and later released as the band's first live album on October 30th, 2020 under the named "I Heard They KILL Live!!" featuring live performances of songs from "The Silver Scream" along with songs from older albums such as "Communion Of The Cursed" from 2015's "Every Trick In The Book" and "The Fastest Way To A Girl's Heart Is Through Her Ribcage" from 2014's "The Predator Becomes The Prey". The Silver Scream also tells it's own story through the music videos uploaded to Ice Nine Kill's Youtube channel starting with "The American Nightmare" and ending with "IT Is The End" (inspired by Stephen King's IT). The story follows lead singer Spencer Charnas as he unravels disturbing nightmares he's been having to his therapist but his therapist suspects that everything is not as fictional as it seems.
Following the release of the band's track "Hip To Be Scared" (inspired by the Mary Harron film: American Psycho) on July 9th, 2021, Ice Nine Kills announced their sixth record and the long awaited sequel to "The Silver Scream": "The Silver Scream 2: Welcome To Horrorwood". The album shares yet another original story centered around lead singer Spencer Charnas. This time framing him as a man who killed his fiancé and is being held in custody. The album is set to be released on October 15th, 2021 featuring the aforementioned "Hip To Be Scared" along with "Assault and Batteries" (Child's Play) and "Rainy Day" (Resident Evil).
Last Words
Ice Nine Kills Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He hid a hate inside and had a state of mind
That put him in his grave
It began with his friends
They never noticed the despair in his eyes
From the pressure
His life was etched in stone
Before he made a choice of his own
And he's dedicated
For everyday that he's made it on his own
In his fathers eyes he's a pair of dice
He won't be number one
He can't be number one
So he tries to comply
With everything they've ever asked
And his life is stitched with one-way tickets
To places he don't want to visit
He says I'm never gonna be perfect
Maybe I don't deserve his trust
But I'm doing the best I can
I've never dealt with such pressure
Feels like my whole lifes etched in stone
Before I've made a choice of my own
So save your breath cause you'll
Need it when you hang from a rope
Cause of death:
Obvious from your suicide note
The last words that filled the page:
If no one will listen than no one
Will miss me when I'm gone
Across town his dad falls asleep all alone
Never knowing he was never going to come home
The last thoughts that filled his head
Ill tell him I'm sorry Ill
Say I regret what I did
Its your life
Ill live my own life instead
His bedrooms filled with emptiness tonight
As the silence cuts through like a knife
Knowing he's not there
The song "Last Words" by Ice Nine Kills is a poignant portrayal of the inner turmoil of a troubled teen who internalizes his pain until it ultimately leads him to take his own life. The lyrics convey a sense of sadness and detachment from the world around him as he struggles to fit in and meet the expectations of his dad, who seems to view him as nothing more than a pair of dice. He feels the pressure from the people in his life and is constantly trying to please them, but it ultimately takes its toll on his mental health.
The verse that says "So save your breath cause you'll need it when you hang from a rope" is particularly heavy, as it suggests that the teen sees suicide as the only way out of his situation. The mention of the suicide note, which reads "If no one will listen than no one will miss me when I'm gone," is haunting and tragic. The song ends on a poignant note, with the teen's father alone in his house, unaware that his son will never come back.
Line by Line Meaning
Here goes the story of a kid we thought we knew
This is the story of a young man who was misunderstood by those around him
He hid a hate inside and had a state of mind
He concealed his feelings of anger and had a troubled mental state
That put him in his grave
His mental state eventually led to his death
It began with his friends
His social circle played a role in his story
They never noticed the despair in his eyes
No one paid attention to his evident sadness
From the pressure
The stress he faced in life contributed to his struggles
His life was etched in stone
He felt like his destiny was predetermined and unchangeable
Before he made a choice of his own
He felt like he had no control over his life
And he's dedicated
Despite his struggles, he remains steadfast in his commitment to life
For everyday that he's made it on his own
He recognizes his own strength and resilience in overcoming challenges
In his fathers eyes he's a pair of dice
His father sees him as a risk-taker or a gamble
He won't be number one
His father does not see him as a successful or accomplished person
So he tries to comply
He attempts to conform to the expectations of others
With everything they've ever asked
He goes along with what people tell him to do
And his life is stitched with one-way tickets
His life feels like a never-ending journey that takes him only to undesirable destinations
To places he don't want to visit
The places he is taken to are not places he enjoys or wants to be in
He says I'm never gonna be perfect
He recognizes that perfection is unattainable for him
Maybe I don't deserve his trust
He questions whether he is worthy of someone's trust
But I'm doing the best I can
Despite his insecurities, he tries his hardest
I've never dealt with such pressure
He feels like he is facing immense stress for the first time
Feels like my whole lifes etched in stone
His life seems predetermined and unchangeable
Before I've made a choice of my own
He feels like he has no control over his own decisions
So save your breath cause you'll
He warns someone to not bother trying to help him
Need it when you hang from a rope
The person is better off saving their breath for when they are in trouble themselves
Cause of death:
The reason behind his death
Obvious from your suicide note
The evidence of his death is clear from his note
The last words that filled the page:
The final words he wrote before his death
If no one will listen than no one
He believes that if no one hears his cries for help
Will miss me when I'm gone
No one will feel the impact of his absence when he is gone
Across town his dad falls asleep all alone
His father sleeps alone, without knowing what is happening to his son
Never knowing he was never going to come home
His father was not aware that his son would not return
The last thoughts that filled his head
The final thoughts on his mind before his death
Ill tell him I'm sorry Ill
He regrets what he has done and wants to apologize to someone
Say I regret what I did
He expresses remorse for his actions
Its your life
He acknowledges that his father has his own life to live
Ill live my own life instead
He is choosing to end his life and prioritize his own wishes and desires
His bedrooms filled with emptiness tonight
His room is empty and void of life
As the silence cuts through like a knife
The quietness is discomforting and oppressive
Knowing he's not there
Realizing that he is no longer alive
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: SPENCER CHARNAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Georgette Richardson
This song is the reason I fell in love with Ice Nine Kills when I found them on Myspace. 7 years of them being my all-time favorite band, and it only seems to get better.
Ally Kae
Dude same!!!!!! This is the first song I heard of theirs. And I absolutely fell for them!
Brian Kenney
I know they sound COMPLETELY different now. But I would absolutely love it if they'd play this song live. I doubt it'll ever happen though.
Kenan #1
@PureSkylineTG same
Kiaya
oh my.... 5 years ago... I'm a little late
rlbcage
Asked Spencer if it's possible and then he made a joke about it never happening so probably not
Kenyan G.
Hello
I M A BEAST
This is me amazed of how far they've come. Great work boys. Spencer keep it up
SleepingWithPanic!AtTheDisco
I love the old stuff they used to do but you guys have to admit they've come so far in their career and this and the newer stuff shows their evolution.They've evolved both as a band and as their own Spencer's vocals are so much better now they sounded whiny during this phase in the band's career. But also they've become much more theatrical and Spencer even said he loves theater he love Les Mis and also Phantom of the Opera and it shows in the newer stuff. The new album coming out I pre ordered for both me and my boi Ben and we can't wait till it drops lol.
Spyro
I wonder how they come up with lyrics this good.. Amazing song.