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.
No Reply
Justifide Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I cry myself to sleep
A lonely burden on you is me
I have no one to turn to, I'm all alone
What did I do? What did I do?
Now I am older and still I feel the same way as before
An abandoned child lives inside of me
And waits for a hopeless answer
Still receives no reply
No reply, no reply
He took me in His hands
And showed me what I was missing
And taught me to forgive but not forget
Because that's not possible in this case, in this case
In this case
Please tell me why, I can't get it outta my head
These thoughts still haunt me, still I ask why
Please tell me why, I can't get it outta my head
These thoughts still haunt me, still I love you
Still I love you
The lyrics to Justifide's song No Reply explore the theme of abandonment and the ensuing loneliness and hurt. The song is sung from the perspective of someone who has been rejected and left alone, with no one to turn to. The lyrics are emotionally charged as the singer talks about their struggle to understand why they were abandoned, what they did to deserve it and why they can't seem to shake the painful memories.
The opening lines of the song set the tone - "You say that I am nothing to you, I cry myself to sleep" - and the listener immediately feels the pain and hurt of the singer. The feeling of abandonment and loneliness is further amplified with lines like "A lonely burden on you is me" and "I have no one to turn to, I'm all alone". The singer is desperate for answers and is searching for someone to help them make sense of their situation.
As the song progresses, the singer talks about how, even though they are older now, they still feel the same way as before - like an "abandoned child" waiting for an answer that never comes. However, towards the end of the song, there is a sense of hope and redemption. The singer talks about how they have found solace in faith and have learnt to forgive but not forget. They know that in some cases, it is not possible to forget the hurt and pain, but they have been able to move on and find healing. The last lines of the song, "still I love you" reflect the underlying message of the song - that even though someone may have hurt you deeply, it is still possible to love them and forgive them.
Line by Line Meaning
You say that I am nothing to you
You have expressed that I hold no value to you.
I cry myself to sleep
Your behavior has led me to feel emotionally distraught.
A lonely burden on you is me
I realize that I am an unwanted presence in your life and this feeling makes me feel isolated and alone.
I have no one to turn to, I'm all alone
The situation has left me feeling like I have no one to depend on and have been completely abandoned.
What did I do? What did I do?
I am searching for answers to understand what I could have possibly done to deserve this treatment.
Now I am older and still I feel the same way as before
Despite time passing, the hurt has not dissipated and I still feel the same as I did when the situation occurred.
An abandoned child lives inside of me
The emotional pain I have experienced has left me feeling like a neglected and hurt child.
Still cries the same question
The same question of why and what I did wrong still haunts me.
And waits for a hopeless answer
Despite my longing for an answer, I know deep down that there is no satisfactory explanation for the treatment I received.
Still receives no reply
I am still left without an explanation and it feels as though my question will never be answered.
He took me in His hands
God has offered me comfort and support.
And showed me what I was missing
Through His guidance, I have realized what was lacking in my life before.
And taught me to forgive but not forget
God has taught me to forgive those who have wronged me, but also to remember the lessons learned from the experience.
Because that's not possible in this case, in this case
In this particular situation, forgetting is not a realistic option.
Please tell me why, I can't get it outta my head
I am still struggling to understand why this happened and it continues to consume my thoughts.
These thoughts still haunt me, still I ask why
My thoughts about the situation still have a hold on me and I am still seeking answers.
Still I love you
Despite everything, my love for you remains unchanged.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind