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).
The People Under The Stairs
Ice Nine Kills Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The world was painted gold
Before the hope began to corrode
And all the people awoke to the cold
That they had let the evil grow
And then came the masses
Who questioned the presence of god
These cries - these screams - will these footsteps be our last?
So they let us die the hate behind the smiles- it took them by surprise
And the silence left us hanging while we lit up like the 4th of July
If ignorance is peace pretend we didn't say "never again"
And let forever belong to the dead
The time is now
This chance could be your soul redemption
Or these tombs will bear your denial, deception, and tragedy
One that you'll help build when you let us burn
Biting off your nails won't heal the scratches on your eyes
So they let us die the hate behind the smiles- it took them by surprise
And the silence left us hanging while we lit up like the 4th of July
If ignorance is peace pretend we didn't say "never again"
And let forever belong to the dead
And there is no excuse
There is no lie big enough to hide behind (our time is now)
The blinding lights struck the people divided
What were they waiting for (our time is now)
So they let us die the hate behind the smiles- it took them by surprise
And the silence left us hanging while we lit up like the 4th of July
If ignorance is peace pretend we didn't say "never again"
And let forever belong to the dead
Our time is now
"The People Under The Stairs" by Ice Nine Kills explores the themes of political corruption, social apathy, and genocide. The song depicts a dystopian world where evil has grown, and the people have become numb to it. The opening lines paint a picture of a once-golden world that has lost its luster due to the corrosion of hope. The people's awakening to the cold represents their realization of the extent of the evil that they have let grow around them.
The chorus highlights the cries and screams of the masses who question the presence of God and wonder if anyone can hear them. The lyrics "let us die the hate behind the smiles" implies that those in power have let the people die while pretending to be kind and compassionate. The silence that follows represents the lack of response to the people's pleas for help. The lines "If ignorance is peace, pretend we didn't say 'never again,'" imply that the people would rather turn a blind eye to the violence than confront it.
The song's bridge presents a challenge. The time to act is now, and people must choose whether to seek redemption for their apathy or else bear the weight of their denial and build a world of tragedy themselves. The final repetition of "our time is now" is a call to action for listeners to stand against injustice and apathy.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a time it seemed so long ago
Reflecting upon a time in the past that seemed distant and unattainable.
The world was painted gold
A time when the world seemed perfect and full of opportunity.
Before the hope began to corrode
Before despair and cynicism took over the world.
And all the people awoke to the cold
The realization that the world wasn't perfect but rather a harsh and unforgiving place.
That they had let the evil grow
Acknowledging the mistakes made by humanity that led to the current state of the world.
And then came the masses
The collective group of people who began to question the status quo.
Who questioned the presence of god
Challenging the traditional beliefs and institutions that governed society.
Can anyone hear us?
Expressing the feeling of being unheard and ignored in the face of injustice.
These cries - these screams - will these footsteps be our last?
Wondering if their pleas and protests will be met with violence and repression.
So they let us die the hate behind the smiles- it took them by surprise
The powerful and privileged let the oppressed suffer and die while pretending to be benevolent and caring.
And the silence left us hanging while we lit up like the 4th of July
The explosive and violent response of the oppressed to their mistreatment and neglect.
If ignorance is peace pretend we didn't say 'never again'
Acknowledging that those who remain ignorant and complacent are complicit in perpetuating the cycle of oppression and violence.
And let forever belong to the dead
Encouraging the living to fight for change and justice before it's too late.
The time is now
Asserting the urgency and necessity of taking action in the face of injustice.
This chance could be your soul redemption
The opportunity to make a positive impact and right past wrongs.
Or these tombs will bear your denial, deception, and tragedy
The consequences of ignoring injustice and perpetuating oppression.
One that you'll help build when you let us burn
The result of remaining indifferent and apathetic in the face of suffering.
Biting off your nails won't heal the scratches on your eyes
Avoiding the truth and refusing to see the reality of the situation won't make the problem go away.
And there is no excuse
There's no justification for allowing injustice to persist.
There is no lie big enough to hide behind (our time is now)
No amount of deception or obfuscation can justify oppression or negate the need for change.
The blinding lights struck the people divided
The harsh reality of the situation was too much for some to handle, causing division and conflict.
What were they waiting for? (our time is now)
Questioning why people are hesitant to take action and fight for what's right.
Our time is now
Reemphasizing the urgency and importance of taking action to fight injustice.
Contributed by Lila B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
dearxphantom
"The People Under The Stairs" Lyrics
there was a time it seemed so long ago
the world was painted gold
before the hope began to corrode
and all the people awoke to the cold
that they had let the evil grow
and then came the masses
we questioned the presence of god
can anyone hear us?
these cries, these screams , will these footsteps be our last
So they let us die the hate behind the smiles- it took them by surprise
and the silence left us hanging while we lit up like the 4th of July
if ignorance is peace pretend we didn't say never again
and let forever belong to the dead
the time is now
this chance could be your soul redemption
or these tombs will bear your denial, deception, and tragedy
one that you'll help build when you let us burn
biting off your nails won't heal the scratches on your eyes
and there is no excuse
there is no lie big enough to hide behind
the blinding lights struck the people divided
what were they waiting for
our time is now
Ivan Kostadinov
There was a time it seemed so long ago
The world was painted gold
Before the hope began to corrode
And all the people awoke to the cold
That they had let the evil grow
And then came the masses
Who questioned the presence of god
Can anyone hear us?
These cries - these screams - will these footsteps be our last?
So they let us die the hate behind the smiles- it took them by surprise
And the silence left us hanging while we lit up like the 4th of July
If ignorance is peace pretend we didn't say "never again"
And let forever belong to the dead
The time is now
This chance could be your soul redemption
Or these tombs will bear your denial, deception, and tragedy
One that you'll help build when you let us burn
Biting off your nails won't heal the scratches on your eyes
So they let us die the hate behind the smiles- it took them by surprise
And the silence left us hanging while we lit up like the 4th of July
If ignorance is peace pretend we didn't say "never again"
And let forever belong to the dead
And there is no excuse
There is no lie big enough to hide behind (our time is now)
The blinding lights struck the people divided
What were they waiting for (our time is now)
So they let us die the hate behind the smiles- it took them by surprise
And the silence left us hanging while we lit up like the 4th of July
If ignorance is peace pretend we didn't say "never again"
And let forever belong to the dead
Our time is now.
Barry Whelchel
I remember when this band would walk around warped tour selling their ep for next to nothing because no one knew who they were
Dustin VanWinkle
I found these dudes through yahoo music back in the day. I was so pumped when they finally got signed by a record label a few years later.
Wayne Van Blarcom
damn i miss those days lol
coldtea7
They came so far
Tyler Jaynes
I've been a massive INK fan since their first couple of albums and EPs
Such an amazing band.
They've changed so much, but I can still feel their soul in the music, that they've always had.
They definitely have their own signature sound to them.
C4DeadCharge / Samm
Dylan Depaula But actually good and understandable
Thomas Macdonald
i just seen them at warped tour best band ive ever seen live
Tori Jordan
+Dylan Depaula
exactly
Thras Stefan
True
Bonnie Sharp
I joined the bandwagon after the song Jonathan, and have been impressed ever since. A friends son has Mito, and he is not supposed to make it past his teens. Not a lot of people know about it, and it is amazing that bands like this would raise awareness like that.