On April 28, 2016, the band announced in Facebook post that they would be going on an indefinite hiatus, stating, "We have collectively decided to take a hiatus with no set date to reconvene.
Kylesa is a metal group that borrows elements of hardcore punk, psychedelic rock, stoner rock, sludge metal, and speed metal. They have two singers, Phillip and Laura. Kylesa formed in Savannah in 2001, taking their name from "kilesa mara", a Buddhist term denoting delusory mental states.
Guitarist and singer Phillip Cope, bassist Brian Duke and drummer Christian Depken were former members of the Savannah sludge metal act Damad, which had released two albums in the '90s. Philip Cope has been described as the Savannah "metal scene's godfather." He began playing in hardcore punk groups in the late 1980s, and in 1992 booked groups such as Buzzoven and Neurosis at a local all-ages club. From 1993 to 2001, Cope played in the group Damad. Pat Mathis of the Passive Fist label said that Damad "established a sound that's stuck-- that whole heavy, doomy Southern kind of metal. When you've got these old punk guys who listen to the Allman Brothers and start a metal band, that's kind of what you get." Damad changed their name to Kylesa in 2001 with the addition of Laura Pleasants, a native of North Carolina who attended the Savannah College of Art and Design.
After recording the majority of their first record (S/T on Prank) in May 2001, Kylesa played their first show with Mastodon and Cream Abdul Babar in Savannah, Georgia on June 2, 2001. On June 6, 2001, Brian Duke died from an epileptic seizure during the course of the night. The band decided to finish the recording in Brian's honor, wrote and recorded two more songs (where local bass player and friend Michael Redmond stepped in and played bass). The self-titled record was released about one year later on Prank Records when artwork by Pushead was completed. Prior to the full LP, a single limited 7" was released on Prank also with Pushead art. The Pushead-designed Band Logo from these releases has been used on all the band's merchandise and releases ever since.
Replacing Duke with bassist and singer Corey Barhorst, the band wrote and recorded a split 7" with Memento Mori, on Hyperrealist, and a split full length with Cream Abdul Babar from Florida, on At A Loss Recordings. These records came out immediately following the release on Prank, although they were recorded much later, The long wait for artwork by Pushead delaying the release of the S/T LP. More singles and a placeholder EP, 2004's No Ending 110 Degree Heat Index followed right before Depken left the group.
Kylesa signed with the independent metal label Prosthetic Records and released their second proper album, To Walk a Middle Course, in 2005 with drummer Brandon Baltzley.
Following the release of that album, Baltzley left the group, replaced by a pair of drummers, Jeff Porter and Carl McGinley. Kylesa's third album, Time Will Fuse Its Worth, was released on Halloween 2006. Eric Hernandez replaced Porter and appears on Static Tensions, released in 2009. Two songs on this album were inspired by the shooting of Jason Statts, a Savannah musician. They toured with Mastodon after the release of this album, whose guitarist, Bill Kelliher, said that “ We took Kylesa on tour because we love those guys and have been hanging out with them for years. They blew a lot of people's expectations out of the water.”
Journalist David Peisner of Spin described them as "dark psych-metal titans," practicing an "aggressive [sound], but with a hazy, stoner vibe that suggests a strange amalgamation of Black Sabbath, Black Flag, and early Pink Floyd." As of 2010, they have sold 75,000 albums. In 2010 they signed to the Season of Mist records label to release the album Spiral Shadow on October 26 that year. A rarities compilation album titled From the Vaults, Vol. 1 was released later that year.
Their sixth album, Ultraviolet, was released through Season of Mist in May 2013. The record is said to be darker lyrically and sonically than previous works, containing more vocals from singer/guitarist Laura Pleasants. The band embarked on a full North America headlining tour to promote the release with direct support from Blood Ceremony, White Hills and Lazer Wulf. In October 2015, the group released their seventh album Exhausting Fire through Season of Mist.
Running Red
Kylesa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A contrast color running red
I'll bury my hands in black water
Undercover where they've bled
Oh reconcile these actions
In tune and unaware
Where is my life's maker?
Cold blue flesh
Killing night
Without warm light
Becoming nothing
I watch the falling embers beckon
"Come inside, come to me"
Unaware of this growing tension
The stillness quips at your retreat
Where is my life's maker?
Tell me how you live your life
Cold blue flesh
Killing night
Without warm light
Becoming nothing
Where is my life's maker?
Tell me how you live your life
Oh reconcile these actions
Covet it's murk and bleak relief
Casting fuel into the fire
In it we find the truth we seek
The lyrics of the song "Running Red" by Kylesa depict a sense of uncertainty and confusion. The opening lines suggest that the singer is uncertain about their current state, which is a contrast of colors running red. The color red is usually associated with passion, love, and anger, but it can also symbolize danger and violence. The singer is burying their hands in black water, which is likely a symbol of despair and sorrow. The use of the phrase "undercover where they've bled" suggests that the singer is hiding or trying to cover up their emotional turmoil.
The chorus repeats the question "Where is my life's maker?" This could be interpreted in different ways, but it seems like the singer is searching for a sense of purpose or guidance. The lines "Tell me how you live your life/Cold blue flesh/Killing night/Without warm light/Becoming nothing" suggest a feeling of emptiness and hopelessness. The singer feels like they are becoming nothing, perhaps due to a lack of direction or passion in their life.
The second verse continues the theme of tension and uncertainty. The falling embers represent a sense of temptation or attraction, but the stillness quips at your retreat, perhaps representing a fear of change or taking risks. The final lines of the song "Casting fuel into the fire/In it we find the truth we seek" suggest that embracing the inner turmoil and chaos can lead to finding the truth and a sense of purpose.
Overall, the lyrics of "Running Red" by Kylesa depict a struggle with uncertainty and finding a sense of direction or purpose in life. The use of vivid imagery and symbolism creates a powerful and emotional experience for the listener.
Line by Line Meaning
This time we are uncertain
We are unsure of the present situation
A contrast color running red
Red acts as an obvious contrast and stands out
I'll bury my hands in black water
I'll hide the evidence in secrecy
Undercover where they've bled
In hiding, where the damage has been done
Oh reconcile these actions
Find a way to deal with the aftermath of our decisions
In tune and unaware
We're in sync with our actions, but oblivious to the consequences
Where is my life's maker?
Questioning the existence of a higher power controlling our fate
Tell me how you live your life
Asking for someone else's perspective and way of living
Cold blue flesh
A lifeless body, lacking emotion
Killing night
The darkness and unknown can be deadly
Without warm light
The absence of love and positivity can lead to destruction
Becoming nothing
The ultimate end, a void of existence
I watch the falling embers beckon
Observing the temptation and lure of destruction
"Come inside, come to me"
The desire and seduction to indulge in the unknown
Unaware of this growing tension
Unknowingly building towards a breaking point
The stillness quips at your retreat
The silence mocks our attempt to escape or hide away
Covet it's murk and bleak relief
Longing for the somber and gloomy relief it brings
Casting fuel into the fire
Adding to the problem instead of solving it
In it we find the truth we seek
Only by facing and enduring the pain, can we find the answers
Contributed by Jasmine K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Siamo Reale
This time we are certain
A cloud draws color running red
I'll bury my hands in black water
Undercover where they've bled
Oh reconcile these actions
In tune and unaware
Where is my matchmaker
Tell me how you live your life
Cold cool flesh killing night
Without warm light becoming nothing
I watch the falling embers beckon
Come inside, come to me
Unaware of this growing tension
The stillness quips at your retreat
Where is my matchmaker
Tell me how you…
Florent
Its awesome how a song from 2009 as a perfect balanced sound, with headphones, each sound is clean and distinct, even of YT it can be very enjoyable
I love it
Gonzo HxC
You are saying that as if 2009 was old.
Siamo Reale
This time we are certain
A cloud draws color running red
I'll bury my hands in black water
Undercover where they've bled
Oh reconcile these actions
In tune and unaware
Where is my matchmaker
Tell me how you live your life
Cold cool flesh killing night
Without warm light becoming nothing
I watch the falling embers beckon
Come inside, come to me
Unaware of this growing tension
The stillness quips at your retreat
Where is my matchmaker
Tell me how you…
marksman1416
The more of this band I listen to the more I like.
omnisyah
this totally rocked live. one of my favourite kylesa tracks for sure.
Fluid Show
YES! I love the In Return EP and pretty much everything they've done has been good, despite how their self-titled debut LP was sort of them just working things out and getting into motions as a band. Have you ever listened to KING BEEF from their split with Boris? You never would have thought the band who wrote harmonicraft to have made such and atmospheric dark pounding tribal roar that feels like tying to a stake, burning and pushing rusty needles into a virgin's heart in cult ritual, so good
ThatMetalGirl
Try The Sword if you haven't already. Great band. Great live too. Will be going to see them again with Clutch this Spring. They killed it on tour with Gypsyhawk and Eagle Claw last Fall.
zztosha
One of my favorite Kylesa songs.
Austin Morris
ive always kinda liked sludgy metal, but this is probably the first i have heard that has really interested me sounds badass
lukas gehrmann
hu man saw them live with converge.... awesome performance!!!! absolutly a band there are no words to describe!