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.
fractured
Kylesa Lyrics
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One I don't know but I should
Looking past all the obvious
Just to see lines that can't be crossed
Dictate a presence
Lines carved with dirt and oil
Will lines be remembered when old eyes decay?
Will I ever be permitted back to a time when I knew who I was?
Shards of glass inflictions jab into muscle and skin
No tone like the present, the flow of nothing begins
Today we'll start with a shortened breath
Until we breach the end of it
A child yawns, an adult cries
There's laughter in ignorance
We wonder why
Tired times, exhausted wishes
Bones crack and we are weak
Fractured images, decaying lines
Cannot cross, fading signs
Dictate a presence
Lines carved with dirt and oil
Will lines be remembered when old eyes decay?
The lyrics of Kylesa's "Fractured" delve into exploring the concept of the self-degradation that takes place as we age. The song opens with the singer seeing two faces before her, one of which is unknown to her despite being familiar with its owner. This is referencing the concept of forgetting one's own self or identity as one ages, as the line "Will I ever be permitted back to a time when I knew who I was?" indicates. The lyrics then move on to exploring the cracks and lines that appear in one's skin as they age and the realization that these marks will remain long after one's death as she wonders: "Will lines be remembered when old eyes decay?" The line "Lines carved with dirt and oil" is referencing the physical marks on one's skin that are a result of hardships endured throughout their lifetime.
The chorus of the song is an existential reflection on the passage of time and the fragility of life. It reflects the emotions of weariness, hopelessness, and confusion that come with the experience of aging. The line "Today we'll start with a shortened breath until we breach the end of it" emphasises the inevitability of death as an endpoint of our existence. The lines "A child yawns, an adult cries, there's laughter in ignorance, we wonder why" portray life as an unresolved and confusing journey.
As the song progresses, the lyrics make use of vivid imagery to portray the physical pain that comes with aging. The line "Shards of glass inflictions jab into muscle and skin" is referencing the suffering that accompanies one's physical deterioration. The lyrics then reflect on the inevitability of death and the fear that comes with it, as the line "We wonder why tired times, exhausted wishes, bones crack, and we are weak" portrays.
Line by Line Meaning
Two faces appear before my eyes
As I look around me, I see two different aspects of myself.
One I don't know but I should
Despite my familiarity with my current self, there's another part of me that I'm not in touch with, but I feel that I should be.
Looking past all the obvious
Ignoring the surface level and trying to uncover deeper truths.
Just to see lines that can't be crossed
Attempting to find meaning in boundaries and limitations that cannot be overcome.
Dictate a presence
The boundaries and limitations I face influence and control who I am.
Lines carved with dirt and oil
The limitations and boundaries I face stem from physical and societal factors, such as dirt and oil, which represent my environment.
Will lines be remembered when old eyes decay?
I wonder if in the end, the lines and limitations that shape me will even matter to me or anyone else as I grow older.
Will I ever be permitted back to a time when I knew who I was?
I long to return to a time when I had a clearer sense of identity and purpose.
Will I ever see past all the things I wish I could forget?
I wonder if I'll ever be able to overcome the negative experiences from my past that still affect me.
Shards of glass inflictions jab into muscle and skin
The pain of my past experiences is like shards of glass that have penetrated my soul and caused me great physical and emotional anguish.
No tone like the present, the flow of nothing begins
The present moment is unique, and brings a sense of emptiness that signals a new beginning.
Today we'll start with a shortened breath
As I try to move on, I'm aware that I'm not yet fully ready to face my fears and overcome my limitations.
Until we breach the end of it
The path ahead of me might be difficult, but I'm determined to persist until I reach my desired destination.
A child yawns, an adult cries
There are aspects of myself that are still childlike or innocent, while others have become jaded through experience and struggle.
There's laughter in ignorance
Sometimes it's easier to be happy when we don't know about the difficulties and challenges that lie ahead of us.
We wonder why
We question the purpose or meaning behind the struggles we face in life.
Tired times, exhausted wishes
My energy is depleted and my hopes seem hopeless.
Bones crack and we are weak
We can become physically or emotionally weakened by the trials of life.
Fractured images, decaying lines
My identity and sense of self are constantly changing and breaking apart due to my experiences and environment.
Cannot cross, fading signs
The boundaries and limitations that shape me cannot be overcome, and are slowly disappearing over time.
Contributed by Cameron A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.