Beginnings
Justifide began at home, with the brokenness of distressed family relations, a circumstance that eventually led to experimentation with alcohol and other drugs. While they were only in their teens, the Moncivaiz brothers lived in a house that was stressed to the breaking point, with the parents separated. The problems started to spiral downward, and the situation might have ended up much worse. But one event changed the family's direction: convinced of the family's need for God, the Moncivaizes' father became born again. That spiritual transformation turned the family's life around. Music was a natural outlet for the family, since both brothers had started learning instruments as a young age.
Second Stage
As a formal group, Justifide started with Ian Metzger as the vocalist, Jason Moncivaiz on drums, Sambo Moncivaiz on the bass, and Joey Avalos playing the guitar. They try to keep it real, not playing depressing songs all the time but not playing all "happy" songs either. In the words of singer Jason Moncivaiz:
"We try to touch on all of the human experience. Life and death,
love and loss. We don't just experience the emotion of joy. There's
a lot of other stuff going on in us, too. So not all of our songs are
'coming from a happy place.' And not all of our songs are going to
be depressing and sad. We're trying to write about all of life, all
of the things we're feeling."
After about a year of touring and recording the band's first indie EP, Life Outside the Toybox, Ian Metzger departed. Jason started singing as well as playing the drums. The remaining members toured a bit as a three-man band, but eventually they began hiring drummers to free up Jason to concentrate on vocals. Some of the drummers the band worked with were Jaren Johnston of Bang Bang Bang and Jeff Irizarry of Dear Ephesus. Guitarist Joey Avalos left Justifide in 2003. He has since gone on to work with Pillar and an independent project called Stars Go Dim.
Reform the Resistance
After years of recording, touring, and switching drummers and guitarists, the band finally acquired a permanent drummer, Ryan Dugger of Nashville, Tennessee, and renamed itself Reform the Resistance. The new three-person group has released an EP titled "And It Begins" and its first single "Tonight" to Christian rock radio.
Escucha
Justifide Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
SI PUDIERAN VERTE
COMO YO TE VEO A T�?,
COMO COMPROBAR QUE TÚ
ERES VERDAD, PERO SIN FE
TU CARA QUIEREN VER, PARA COMPROBAR
PERO SI TUVIERAN FE, TU CARA S�? PUDIERAN VER,
DEVERAS TE CONOZCAN,
QUIERO QUE TE CONOZCAN . . .
POR T�? VOY A ORAR
POR T�? VOY A ORAR
POR T�? VOY, POR T�? VOY A ORAR
POR T�? VOY A ORAR
PUES ESCUCHA LA VOZ
QUE TE PUEDE MOSTRAR
SI TE NIEGAS A ESCUCHAR
NO GOZAR�?S, DE VIDA ETERNAL . . .
PUES ESCUCHA, ESCUCHA AQUELLA INTERNA VOZ,
ESCUCHA, ESCUCHA TODO LO QUE DICE,
Y ACEPTA EL MENSAJE
DÉJALO ENTRAR.
The song "Escucha" by Justifide is a plea to the listener to open their heart and mind to faith. The lyrics suggest that people want proof of the existence of God or a higher power, but faith is the key to truly knowing. The singer hopes that the listener will come to know the truth and experience eternal life by listening to the inner voice that can guide them. The message is delivered with urgency, as if the stakes are high and time is running out.
The repetition of the phrase "por ti voy a orar" (I'm going to pray for you) throughout the chorus reinforces the theme of the song - the singer is pleading with the listener to open up and find faith. The song has a powerful emotional tone that creates a sense of urgency and hope. The final lines of the song "escucha todo lo que dice, y acepta el mensaje, dejalo entrar" (listen to everything it says, accept the message, let it in) suggest that finding faith requires a willingness to be vulnerable and open to the possibility of something greater than oneself.
Line by Line Meaning
SI PUDIERAN VERTE COMO YO TE VEO A T�?,
If they could see you the way I do, how can they prove that you are real without faith?
COMO COMPROBAR QUE TÚ ERES VERDAD, PERO SIN FE
How to prove that you are true, but without faith?
TU CARA QUIEREN VER, PARA COMPROBAR
They want to see your face to verify
PERO SI TUVIERAN FE, TU CARA S�? PUDIERAN VER
But if they had faith, they could see your face
QUIERO QUE TE CONOZCAN, DEVERAS TE CONOZCAN, QUIERO QUE TE CONOZCAN . . .
I want them to know you, to truly know you, I want them to know you
POR T�? VOY A ORAR, POR T�? VOY A ORAR, POR T�? VOY, POR T�? VOY A ORAR, POR T�? VOY A ORAR
I am going to pray for you, I am going to pray for you, I am going to, I am going to pray for you, I am going to pray for you
PUES ESCUCHA LA VOZ QUE TE PUEDE MOSTRAR, SI TE NIEGAS A ESCUCHAR, NO GOZAR�?S, DE VIDA ETERNAL . . .
So listen to the voice that can show you, if you refuse to listen, you will not enjoy eternal life
PUES ESCUCHA, ESCUCHA AQUELLA INTERNA VOZ, ESCUCHA, ESCUCHA TODO LO QUE DICE, Y ACEPTA EL MENSAJE DÉJALO ENTRAR.
So listen, listen to that inner voice, listen, listen to everything it says, and accept the message, let it in.
Contributed by Charlie A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.